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A REAL "tail" of devotion is Right!

Thank you DOGSTER & ALL our pals

It is no secret that it has been awhile since we have had a chance to play here at Dogster. We have missed so many of our dear friends, who mom still credits with the ACTUAL turning point in her grieving for my loss from complications of IMHA. My sister McKenna kept trying to encourage her to make a memorial page for me, and my mom was not coping very well, but looking back, her regret was that it took her so long to try.

Mirra takes exceptional care of mom, who you have heard me say is a real handful. Mom always said I had a killer sense of humor.. We were FURtunate to make some terrific lifelong friends here, too, including the Dogster Dog. We have witnessed and PAWticipated in some very rewarding endeavors, all undertaken because ONE dog had a need and another a vision. No one individual, regardless of species can do everything on their lonesome, but together, it can literally move mountains. The things some of the dogs we have known and their people do.. Some really inspiring things FUR others.

It has to be mentioned too that the powers that be have been incredibly kind to allow us to do the fund-raising and advocacy work we try to do on behalf of others. IT has the potential to help all of us really, because IMHA, like many diseases, makes every opportunity to rear its ugly head. Dogster has aimed a bright and shining light in our direction and have honored me numerous times, and my little sister too. They must have a way of knowing we Angels watch over those we love, and still BARK OUT LOUD, almost as if we are under the Dogster Rainbow of Love..

It is actually the name of an ecollage mom did awhile back that used to be on The Purple Girls of Oregon page.. It is not there right now, so finding it again will as usual become another obsession that Mirra will need to monitor.. as today came the realization that all of my littermates are now with me, here at the Bridge.. My youngest sister Frannie lived just shy of 2 months time of our 16th birthday today.

With only memories left, even living vicariously through others changes things that like the early days of loss, PAWhaps not as crippling mind you, but are considerably harder than other days that come along. AnniFURsaries of special times, dates, memories of too short a time with our loved ones can rear up and seize our loved ones. Then as if out of the blue, or in our case, PURPLE, an email comes from Dogster telling mom & Mirra that my diary is a pick of the day on my woofday. It is a rather humbling reminder for mom that there is a reason we got so comfortable here, and that it is important not to forget.

We therefore want to write and say thank you to the friends who remembered that today was my birthday, (and a dear old friend's too).. A member of Mica's Team (now Angel Ladysmith) a lovely Dalmation. We'd like to thank the Watch Dog and the Dogster Dog FUR all of their encouragement and support of our pack, who LOVES DOGS. Mirra correctly reminds me CATS TOO!, but also to thank our friends who happened to come by Dogster often or like us, have been away awhile, and so FURtunate for my family they happened to on a day like today, and then sent kind words, gifts and recently a brand new team member (Scooter Paws) in the form of a donation to Mica's IMHA RESEARCH & FUND, rather than what we see way too much of..
Yes, diagnoses and losses. THOSE we can clearly do completely without too.

Mom can't see to type through a deluge of the same hot tears so many of you know from time to time. For her today I at least will rest easier knowing Mirra is close by, and the reason for the tears is at least more bittersweet. I will join my mom & our MIRRAcle in saying how much we apPAWc8 those of you who have been our friends and supporters (in my memory) but in HONOR of all furry family members who have ever been loved as deeply as we are. On behalf of others who either are facing a hurdle in their own lives due to circumstances outside their control, and need a PAW..
This is a place where you may find yourself surprised at what you will find.. perhaps it is in honor of an animal that never got that chance to be loved or those who still have the potential, because of some dogs around here and their people who know the difference.

What an incredible opPAWtunity the love of an animal can mean to us as people in this life, and we are supposed to be the smart ones! SO much of what I have learned as the mom to these two Belgians has come from living with a species that I do not naturally even share a language with!
One thing I have never been very good at is either writing as the person or the dog, but I assume like most other things PAWractice makes PAWfect.. what I do know that my people do know is just how naturally it comes to give love to an animal in return. If one is open to the lessons it can teach, imagine the potential it might bring about FUR the rest of human & animalkind..

Thank you (again), esp. If you are still with us here..
LOVE
Angel Mica-the wonderpup, Mirra & Mel.. Aka the Purple Girls of Oregon
ecollage.org

P.s. with mom's aPAWloGEEs FUR any typos or this will never get done..

Artemisinin for Canine & Human cancers

We like this and also know several dogs who have been using this effectively. It's ONE more sign of HOPE.. We hope and PRAY. With special KUDOS to our friend Guillermo Cuoto, who is a favorite IMHA researcher of ours, mentioned in this piece too. God Bless you..

Ad no, we cannot make any guarantees, nor do we stand to benefit from posting this. We hold no stock or financial interest of any kind. We just want our FURRY friends to be healthy and HERE..
XO
Mel, Mirra & Angel Mica, aka the Purple Girls of Oregon, and the Girls of May..

We posted this 3 times, so there is a better chance that our pals will see it.
Thanks FUR understanding the repetition..


SUMMARY of artemisinin
Artemisinin is an herb that helps kill cancer cells in the body. It may be used in conjunction with chemotherapy. It may be used before radiation treatments, but should be discontinued when starting radiation therapy, and not resumed until two months after the last radiation treatment. Dosages for each individual dog are usually determined by the owner with the help of his or her veterinarian, oncologist, or by consulting one of the sources at the end of this article. It is given away from food or supplements containing iron, and is cycled, that is given for a number of days, and then not given for a number of days. It has been used for years as an anti-malarial drug, and does not have toxic side effects at the doses recommended. It may decrease the effectiveness of seizure medication. One should monitor blood chemistry, kidney and liver enzymes, while on this drug, as with most other medications.
More information, including suppliers and researchers willing to consult about the drug with you or your veterinary practitioner are in the following article.
WHAT IS ARTEMISININ
Artemisinin is an herbal drug that has been shown to kill human and canine cancer cells in the laboratory. It is also being used to treat people and dogs with cancer.
It has been an effective anti-malarial drug in Asia for decades, so there is long standing knowledge about its effects and side effects. It works because the malaria parasite collects iron from the blood and stores it. The Artemisinin converts the collected iron into a chemical that releases a free radical, which then kills the malaria parasite.
It is one of four compounds derived from the herb Artemisia annua L., also known as sweet wormwood, annual wormwood, or sweet Annie. (It is not the same plant as perennial wormwood.)
HOW DOES IT WORK ON CANCER?
Cancer cells also collect and store iron because they need extra iron to replicate DNA when they divide. Therefore, the cancer cells have a higher concentration of iron than normal cells, and can be differentiated from normal cells. Two researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, Professors Henry Lai, PhD and Narendra Singh, MBBS, began to study the use of Artemisinin in human patients. Then, in l999, working with a vet, they began to study its use in dogs with cancer.
Their experience has confirmed that Artemisinin helps stop the growth of cancer cells in dogs. Numerous anecdotal reports from people using Artemisinin for dogs with osteosarcoma, lymphoma, and metastases from osteosarcoma claim that it has extended their dogs lives beyond what was expected.
ARTEMISININ DERIVATIVES
Artemisinin has two derivatives: Artesunate, which has a relatively short half-life; and Artemether, which may be a more effective derivative, because it stays in the body longer. It also may be more effective than Artemisinin alone in brain cancers, because it penetrates the blood-brain barrier more readily.
A product called Artemix is available from Wellcare Pharmaceuticals. It contains Artesunate, Artemether, and Artemisinin. The combination capsule may be more effective than Artemisinin alone.
HOW TO GIVE ARTEMISININ:
The optimal treatment regimen has still to be determined, and researchers are conducting trials to determine the best combination of derivative form, dosage and timing. In the meantime, the following protocols have been recommended.
PROTOCOLS
Dosage: Initially, Dr Lai recommended a dose of 2.2-4.4mg of Artemisinin per pound of bodyweight. More recently, he has said that it may be preferable to use only Artemether and give it two times a day, 12 hours apart, keeping some in the blood stream at all times.
Dr.Singh believes taking all three forms of Artemisinin at the same time (bedtime) once a day is the most effective treatment protocol.
Dr. Cuoto recommends 6.6-8.8mg Artemisinin per pound.
Holley Pharmaceuticals is recommending up to 11-16mg Artemisinin per pound.
(For kilogram dosages, multiply the dose per pound by 2.2)
Timing: Again, there is some variation in timing. Some people split the dose, giving some in the morning and some before bed. Some give it all just before bed.
There is agreement that Artemisinin should not be given within 3 hours of food containing iron – for example, meat. It may also be better given away from anti-oxidants since it works by creating free radicals that attack the cancer cells, and anti-oxidants are harmful to free radicals.
Giving it with some fat is recommended, but not necessary. Many people disguise the capsules in cream cheese or other dairy product, or peanut butter. If your dog won’t take capsules, it may be emptied into whipped cream or other non-iron containing food. (It is quite bitter tasting.)
Cycling: Herbal remedies are thought to be more effective if they are “cycled” or “pulsed”, that is, given for a certain number of days, and then not given for a certain number of days. It is believed that if the body rests between doses, it will be less likely to build up a resistance to the herb, which will then be more effective for a longer period of time. Artemisinin may be cycled or pulsed by days or weeks.
Examples: One protocol for a 70-pound dog with OS consists of a 100 mg capsule of Artemisinin (Art-E) in the morning, and a capsule of Artemix before bed. This course is followed for two weeks on and then one week off.
A 60-pound dog is given 200mg of Artemisinin in the morning, and 40 mg of Artemether in the evening, 5 days on and 2 days off.
Another dog has been given mega doses one day per week.
Each person needs to determine the amount and frequency of giving Artemisinin and its derivatives to his or her dog, taking into account how the dog responds to the treatment, and other factors. Your holistic or conventional veterinarian or oncologist may be willing to help you with this. (There is contact information in the resources at the end of this article for further individual help, either through email to Dr Lai or Dr Cuoto, or through the BCD members or the Artemisinin yahoo group members.)
TOXICITY
When Artemisinin was tested with monkeys, they showed no toxicity after they received up to 292 mg/kg (642 mg/pound) of Artemether over 1 to 3 months.
Animal research has shown neurotoxic results with massive doses of Artemether—150mg/kg/day (330mg/pound).
Generally, at the lower recommended doses of 2-16 mg/pound, there is no reported toxicity.
BLOOD WORK
It is recommended that kidney and liver enzyme levels be monitored though out your dog’s treatment with Artemisinin or other herbal or alternative therapies.
SIDE EFFECTS
Reported (Oral): Artemisia may cause abdominal pain, bradycardia, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, flu-like symptoms, fever, and decreased reticulocyte count. (Bradycardia is a resting heart rate of 60 beats or less.)
(BCD: One assumes these oral reports were from humans!)
RADIATION
Radiation releases iron stored in cancer cells into surrounding tissue. Therefore, it is recommended that it be used before radiation treatments, be discontinued during radiation treatments, and not resumed until two months after the last radiation treatment.
CHEMOTHERAPY
Artemisinin was tested in combination with 22 chemotherapy drugs and was found to enhance the drugs’ effectiveness. If used in conjunction with chemotherapy, it should be taken several hours after the chemotherapy treatment ends. (Artemisinin does not alleviate possible chemotherapy side effects.)
Butyrex or Butyrin
May increase the effectiveness of Artemisinin, but there is no certainty of this.
INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS
Professor Narenda Singh, MBBS is reported to have developed an instruction page for physicians considering intramuscular injections of Artesunate.
ARTEMISININ PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM:
Holley Pharmaceuticals 1-866-846-5539, 714-871-7070
Wellcare Pharmaceuticals 1-877-728-2073
International: A person in Germany was able to reach an International Pharmacy that ordered Artemisinin from: Nutricology
Make sure the Artemisinin product you buy comes from a source that certifies the strength of the dose as there is wide variation in the amount of Artemisinin collected from plant to plant.
DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS
As with other complementary or alternative therapies, Artemisinin’s effectiveness is enhanced by a good diet, high in protein and low in carbohydrates. (See files.)
Antioxidants help to clear the body of the waste from Artemisinin’s action on cancer cells. Dr. Singh recommends Vitamin C for its anti-cancer properties, but does not recommend glutathione, which may reduce the efficacy of Artemisinin.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Herb-Drug Interactions
Antacids: Artemisia interferes with antacids, sucralfate, proton pump inhibitors, and histamine-receptor antagonists because it increases the production of stomach acid.
(BCD Note: Many OS dogs are on some form of over-the counter antacid for other medications they are on. You might want to add one if your dog exhibits gastrointestinal symptoms when taking Artemisinin, or if the drug is less effective while the dog is on it. Pepcid AC is well tolerated.)
Antiseizure medications:
According to Dr Lai, after long term use at high doses, Artemisinin increases an enzyme in the body that makes some anti-seizure drugs less effective. He recommends increasing the dose of the anti-seizure drug, if possible, or stopping Artemisinin for several days, and the enzyme levels will return to normal.
(BCD Note: One person using Artemisinin for her seizure grey reports no ill effects from the herb. Consult with your vet if your dog is prone to seizures.)
CONTACTS
Dr. Lai; Professor; 206-543-1071; Email: hlai@u.washington.edu
Questions About Artemisinin: (Dr. Lai’s group); Email: qinghao@u.washington.edu
Dr. Singh; Professor; 206 685 2060; Email: Narendra@u.washington.edu
University of Washing Link to research articles http://depts.washington.edu/bioe/about/news/artemisinin/arte misinin.html
Dr. Cuoto; Veterinarian (Conducting Artemisinin study at Ohio State University, and a friend of Greyhounds); Email: couto.1@osu.edu
References
Yahoo Artemisinin_and_Cancer Support Group
Information about a clinical trial at Ohio State –not necessarily in effect currently, but one might inquire.
Whole Dog Journal;New Hope for Treating Cancer, May 2003
Dr. Singh’s recommendations:
Keep a record of the animal’s weight, before and during therapy;
Diagnostic x-ray or biopsy before and after two months of treatment;
Measurements of maximum and minimum tumor sizes before and after 2 months of therapy;
Observe for fever on 2nd or 3rd day and make a note to give enough water during the night;
Keep Artemisinin in dark, indirect light, and keep in cold – 4 degrees centigrade, or 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
Avoid iron-rich foods such as meat 3 to 4 hours before Artemisinin dose. Make sure dog has an adequate supply of vitamin A D and enough exercise. (Active, healthy, younger dogs are said to do better with the treatment, but older, less active dogs have done well also.)

Our sweet sister is with mica now

Miss Frannie nearly made it to her sweet sixteenth woofday. God-speed dear and loving friend..
Our deepest condolences to her loving pack and all who loved her.

LOVE,
Your Oregon Family