Hi everyone, it looks like the site could use some good news today. 

News:

We went to the vet for Ajax's 2 month post-amp chest xray (amputation of right rear leg 7/19/10 due to stage 1 chonrosarcom).  The xrays were clean, no mets, which was pretty much what they expected.

The rest of the good news is that the surgeon (who is also a rehab specialist) said he is doing great.  She said we can let him do whatever he wants, go as far as he wants, climb, run etc.  The only comments/suggestions she had were the obvious one that swimming is great, and that we shouldn't take him jogging or throw in the air so that he jumps, which of course we knew.

We asked about the increased panting, and she said it is normal, not any sign of lung distress.  Since it comes at night, it could be a little anxiety or a little soreness, though she poked and prodded him and he did not show any signs of soreness.

We asked about the increased barking and she said "that just means you're spoiling him."  Which is true, so now that he is good to go, mom has to get a grip.

More news:  And the rest of the news is that Ajax is going to be a star at the Animal Medical Center.  His surgeon is going to use his mininmally invasive chest surgery (removal of benign thymoma) in a lecture, and his oncologist (who is also a big fundraiser for the teaching hospital) is blogging about him and the value of their interdisciplinary approach.  Woo hoo!  Maybe I can send his video and get some royalties for cometdog.

Tip:  We asked them to do a lipoma map to help us not be paranoid.  Ajax had 5 or 6 decent sized (though not unsightly) lipomas before we discovered the tumor.  The tumor felt different, but of course we are now uber-sensitive to every change.  They had a picture of a dog (view lying on his belly and another one lying on his back) and basically drew in the lipomas that we have already found and aspirated.  I think this is incredibly helpful and every Lab (or otherwise lumpy dog) owner should have one.  No one ever suggested this to us, we asked, but they had the chart so they must do it fairly often.

And thanks for writing some good news! I like the idea of a lipoma map, as we could certainly use that for Chloe. She has had 2 aspirations so far, and of course we are paranoid of every minor change in her. Dealing with a fur baby with cancer/amputation/chemo makes you neurotic!

Cathy/Jane/Spirit Skyler/Chloe

Great news about Ajax! We always love hearing good news like this around here.  That limpoma map sounds very interesting.  I'm forever wondering what lumps we did or didn't aspirate on Mackenzie and I'm not sure the doctors keep good track of this either.  I'll have to check into this.  Thanks for sharing this!

Great report!  Congratulations Ajax!! 

And a superstar-to-be to boot!  Cool!

The lipoma map….cool idea….I have a hard time keeping track of Maggie's 'lumpies'…

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

Great news Ajax, we are all smiling here, so happy to read that things are going so good for you!

 Jo Ann & Tasha