ND Sen. Conrad's dog battling cancer | Washington Examiner

North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad's pet dog Dakota has become famous on Capitol Hill since Conrad adopted the bichon frise almost three years ago. The pooch is a familiar sight in the Capitol's corridors and at meetings ? pretty much everywhere but the Senate floor, where pets aren't allowed.

So when Dakota was diagnosed last fall with lymphoma, Capitol regulars grew concerned.

"My colleagues ask about him. The Capitol police ask me about him all the time. The guys who man the doors going in and out of the office buildings. The guys in the gym. Everybody asks me about him," Conrad said.

On Friday, Conrad shared good news: Dakota is responding well to chemotherapy treatment.

Blood tests on Dakota show the lymphoma is in remission, and chemotherapy treatment has been cut back from once weekly to once every three weeks, Conrad said.

Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system, which fights infections in the body. It is the third most common type of cancer in dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dakota's chemotherapy treatments began about four months ago, the most recent being Thursday. The treatments can extend Dakota's life by 20 to 24 months, the senator said, but the chance of a cure is only one in seven.

Some recent treatments have left the dog listless and vomiting, but overall, "he really does handle it very, very well, and the doctors have remarked on that," Conrad said Friday. "They said he is really a sturdy little guy."

Conrad adopted Dakota in March 2009, after the dog was rescued from wandering the streets for several weeks during the winter. He is thought to be about 8 years old.

Bichon frises are known for their fluffy white coats, but Dakota has lost most of his hair to the chemotherapy. The dog wears sweaters to keep off the chill.

The regimen is complicated by other health problems. When Dakota was being examined before the chemotherapy regimen began, a heart murmur was discovered.

When he was adopted, Dakota also had Crohn's disease, which causes digestive problems and requires a low-fat diet. Dakota eats venison and potatoes, and likes buffalo meat.

Conrad said he and his wife, Lucy Calautti, will be deciding on a future course of treatment for Dakota, which could include more chemotherapy, radiation or a bone marrow transplant.

North Carolina State University's veterinary college offers bone marrow transplants for dogs with lymphoma. Conrad said he had discussed the procedure with veterinarians at the university, but said he and Calautti were leaning against it.

"They think (a transplant is) going to have a higher cure rate, but that's a very tough thing to put a dog through," Conrad said.

The dog's chemotherapy costs $600 to $700 a week. Conrad said he expects to spend more than $9,000 on chemotherapy treatments alone.

Conrad, a Democrat, is chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. He was first elected to the Senate in 1986. He is leaving office this year.

Asked how much money he was willing to spend to save a dog, Conrad said he "wouldn't put a dollar figure on it."

"We're going to do what we can to help this guy have the best chance to make it," Conrad said.

Source: http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2012/01/nd-sen-conrads-dog-battling-cancer/2071246

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