Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
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Hi all,
Jet, our 12 yo labradork, was just diagnosed with osteosarcoma with pathological fracture on Friday. The diagnosis was a complete shock as he showed no signs of an issue until he was non-weight bearing on the leg after running the fenceline on our country road last week. I was certain he had blown his knee. Am so grateful for our vet who juggled things around to get him in for leg xrays on Friday. Confirmation of the lesion/fracture happened over the weekend and we wrestled with all the what ifs and what next scenarios. Thankfully, we got chest xrays done on Monday and his lungs are clear. So the leg is coming off Thursday. While we know we may only be borrowing time, we think there are more good days than bad days ahead in that borrowed time and we owe him that possibility. He is already moving pretty well on 3 legs.
Our biggest challenge while we are waiting is balancing his pain medication. The morphine tabs make him antsy and unsettled and wickedly gassy. We dialed back some of that medication today and our goofy boy was back...he even picked up a toy to play with as he laid on his side in the sunshine, rolling over for belly scritches. All this with a fractured tibia. I've been keeping careful notes of the pain med dosage and his reaction in hopes that we can get the right mix for his recovery after surgery.
Appreciate the information shared on this site and in this forum. It has been so helpful already. As soon as he wakes up for his evening potty break, I'll be measuring him for his Ruffwear Harness.
Melinda and Jet
Melinda and Jet, welcome. Your future posts won't need approval so post away.
I'm really sorry about the diagnosis, it is such a terrible shock isn't it?! There's no getting around that, but it sounds like Jet has some wonderful vet care that will help you guys get through it as easy as possible. And we will help you too! Whatever questions you have feel free to ask, we are here for you.
Be sure to check out our Size and Age Matters Forum for some stories about older Tripawds, and our Tripawds News blog senior dogs posts. Don't forget but Jerry's Required Reading List and the Tripawds e-books library are also good resources.
Also it's pretty funny but I haven't heard the term Labradork before, except from Murphy the Labradork's mom, Kathi. I think you'll enjoy his story!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
In spite of Jet's labrador retriever appearance, we recently learned he doesn't have a drop of lab in him. Per his Embark DNA test, he is 42% English Shepherd with a mix of rottie/pit/other. He was part of an animal hoarding case in Montana in 2009 where 200+ dogs, most of them English Shepherds, were seized from a property. I was a volunteer with the org that placed the dogs. He was the last dog needing a home as we closed up the operation and I volunteered to foster him until we could find an appropriate placement. 12 years later and he's still here and we would do anything for him. 
We still refer to him as our labradork because he is a big goof and we have called him that for so many years.
"You can't always get what you want...but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."
Melinda and Jet
Oh how funny! Well that's awesome you were there to make sure he found his forever home. Thanks for doing what you do to help animals. Here's to foster failing!
xoxo
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Wel. Jet, you sure hit the PuppyDog Lottery when your four ]nd the best furever home a doggy could want!😎
Sorry you find yourself here. But you are definitely in the right place for support, knowledge and understanding,A s there are def more v.orious good times ahead, pain free and full of loving and spoi6 and ,ots of adventures. And remember. Jet does NOT have a timeframe stamped anywhere on that cute Labadork butt of his!!
Uodate is when surgery is done, o,at? And let is know a y question s uou may have during recovery. Remember, rec doesn't last furever! Jet will have his sparkle back bigger and brighter than before!
Oh, and ask about Gabapentin as a good med for recovery. Some so come home with a morphine patch at first but, as you have already seen, it can make them quite whacky.
Hugs.
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS...And yes, "A Happy tripawd Jet is better than no Jet!"😎😎
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Nice to know I'm not the only one with a special and unique breed mix. We've been calling our Maddie a pure doberdufus since she was very young. I can speak from our experience that Maddie's dufus half was NOT located in her amputated limb and she has not lost any of her dufus characteristics. I have no doubt Jet's dork will remain in full force and effect post surgery recovery. 🙂
Hope Thursday goes well. I personally found the days leading up to surgery much harder than surgery day itself. Surgery finally felt like we were doing something to help Maddie, as opposed to waiting and worrying. I hope it goes as smoothly as can be expected.
LOL! Thank you Sytske. He was furiously marking every corner of his yard last night with all the swagger he could muster while dragging around his bum leg. "I'll be back." So we hope the "dork" remains in his good leg :-).
Just heard from his vet and the leg is gone and he did really well in the surgery. Our vet has some add'l credentials related to pain management and I'm so glad she is listening to us about the pre-op morphine. It made him very restless and agitated. Looking forward to having our buddy back home.
Melinda and Jet
That's great news Melinda! I'm glad surgery is behind you. Yep, opioids do quite a number on animals, and who can blame them? Pain control is such an art and a science. Sounds like your vet is really good!
Cheers to moving ahead with recovery. 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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