Blog 24: Exit Interview

1. Question: What medical treatment gives a senior dog diagnosed with stage two Insulinoma the best quality of life before its passing? 

Answer: If surgical removal, somatostatin, and diazoxide with predinose can treat a dog with Insulinoma, then the best medical treatment is diazoxide with predinose because this combination of medication not only alleviates the symptoms brought on by hypoglycemia, but it also slows down the progression of the cancer. 

2. I chose diazoxide with prednisone as my best answer because of my extensive research on the topic and the experiences I have had with my own dog who has Insulinoma. Belle, my dog, was on many different medications before we tried treating her with diazozide with predniosone. When we switched her over to this medication combination, we saw an instant change in her mental and medical health. 

3. The hardest problem that I faced was trying to find mentorship. Most veterinarian clinics require that their volunteers be 18 or older because of liability issues. At first, I settled for volunteering at a dog shelter called Beagles N Buddies, but it wasn't giving me the experience and knowledge that I really needed for my senior project. Fortunately Reann told me about a vet clinic where she volunteered, Southern California Animal Hospital. I was able to start volunteering there immediately and gained much more experience volunteering there than at the dog shelter. 

4. One of my most important sources was a case report from the National Center for Biotechnology Information called Improved Survival in a Retrospective Cohort of 28 Dogs with Insulinoma. This case report gave me valuable information that I used for science experiment and also gave me a better idea of the survival times of dogs who are diagnosed with this cancer. My second best source is my dog Belle (even though Purther told me she was a valid source). Belle has given me a first hand look at how Insulinoma affects dogs. It's one thing to read about it in papers or hear it from a veterinarian, but it's a whole other thing to see it for yourself. She showed me exactly what areas of the body the cancer attacks and how the body reacts to certain medications. The other reason why she is my best source is because without her, I never would have recognized my passion for veterinarian oncology. I initially thought that I wanted to just be a small animal veterinarian, but now I know that I want to be an oncologist.

5. My product is gained knowledge of the veterinarian field. This includes learning new terminology, knowing what purposes certain medications serve, how to make and administer vaccines, how to give medications, the protocol in veterinarian clinics, rehab for injured dogs, and conquering my fear of watching surgeries. I gained all these skills through the time I spent volunteering at the Southern California Veterinarian Hospital.