Today’s dose of doxorubicin marks the end of the third round of Milo’s second CHOP protocol. Each time I take him to the vets they ask how he’s doing, and I always answer “he’s doing really well”, because if he wasn’t there for chemo he’d seem like a fit and healthy young dog.

When he first had doxorubicin (which is the H in CHOP) we were told that he could only have 6 doses ever, but this was his 7th. That’s partly because dosing is lower for smaller dogs, but he also had a heart scan so that the vet could be confident that there’s no problem there from earlier treatment.

Counting the cost

So far this insurance year we’ve spent just shy of £6000 on scans then chemo, leaving £1000, which won’t quite cover the final round of chemo. It’s a similar story to first time around last year, but without the diagnostics it took to get us to the oncologist.

Insurance

After nothing happening for months (and numerous ‘Update on your claim’ and ‘About your claim’ and ‘A quick update from ManyPets’ emails that conveyed no useful information*) I saw a bunch of payments getting made today after I returned from the vets. We’re almost up to date now, apart from the last scan at my local vets, and the last trip to NDSR, which total a little over £1000 from 8 weeks ago. Frustratingly on one of those they’re asking for more information from the vet, after having already asked weeks ago and marked it as received in the claim tracker.

* They don’t even say which claim unless you click through to the web site :/

Past parts:

1. diagnosis and initial treatment

2. first setback

3. back on track

4. second setback

5. easing the pace

6. counting the cost

7. fat boy

8. done CHOPping for now

9. scans

10. relapse

11. remission

12. complications