Hello amazing tripawds and pawrents!!  I am so relieved to have stumbled across this site.  What an amazing resource and wonderful way to bring tripawds and their humans together.  I love it.

We join the tripawd community after a crazy week.  In just 10 days it seems like we've gone from not having a care in the world to being devasted again and again with hopes raised, dashed, raised again. 

Our 12 year old Rottie/Lab mix was diagnosed with a fracture in an osteosarcoma (femur in the right hind leg) on 12/23/2010.  Our general vet, who made the diagnosis after an x-ray, counseled us that our only option was euthanasia.  On 12/28/2010 we met with an oncologist and on 12/29/2010 Hunter had her right hind leg amputated.  She is doing remarkably well.

I started to journal the details in a Tripawds blog here:  http://huntergi…..ipawds.com

I have yet to customize the blog so please excuse the template stuff.

Now we begin the journey of recovery and, assuming the biopsy confirms that it is osteosarcoma, cancer treatment.  I look forward to learning from everyone here as we start this new phase of Hunter's life.

~Cathy

Welcome Cathy and Hunter,

I'm sorry for the reasons that brought you here but happy that you have found our little pup loving family. I bet your girl Hunter is going to do just great as a Tripawd. My boy Fortis had his right rear leg amputated as well. He has done absolutely great and much of this is owed to the loving and caring members of this community. We are sending lots of positive thoughts your way. Wishing for Hunter a fast and uneventful recovery.

I look forward to hearing of Hunter's adventures as a Tripawd

Fortis and Brett

Hi, Just wanted to send our wishes and let you know you  are in our thoughts. We found the advice and support of the kind members of these forums invaluable when Fern had her surgery. I hope you find the comfort we did.

Best wishes

Hi Cathy and Huntergirl, welcome to this warm, helpful, inviting party. Thank God! you got a second opinion!! Personally we were apprehensive about this procedure and this journey despite all of the postive things we were told about the recovery and quality of life. Georgia is just two days away from her one month ampuversary and we have quickly come to accept that we made the right decision. Her recovery was awe-inspiring to us-just three days after her surgery, she was standing in the car with her head out the window on the two hour ride home! All of the negative horror stories, failures, and side-effects that we read on the internet were dashed by her amazing resolve and strength, as well as by the support of this website. So here's to you and your girl having the same positive and satisfying recovery!

Im writing you because I read your blog and saw that you were offered the same OSU study as we were. Ive been waiting to come across someone else in the same study so Im glad I found you. Just like you, we were daunted by the financial hardship and worries, but were dead-set on getting Georgia everything she needed and this study came across like a miracle to us. The price of the tests and meds covered by you dont even scratch the surface of the costs of chemo and metro, so please reconsider your doubts in that respect. Georgia is getting her second carbo injection next wed., and her first set of bloodwork came back excellent. And with every passing day, she learns more and gets stronger and closer to who she was before the procedure-shes been running like crazy through the snow the last few days. Im praying that she gets placed in the group that recieves the Palladia-despite how recent its intro into treatments is, it has already been proven effective and beneficial, with very, very few side-effects. I know the road looks very long and overwhelming, but it looks very promising; one single day at a time. You can read my recent posts in Treatment and Recovery(Reality Setting In) in the forums. I look forward to yours and Hunters progres, and hopefully we can talk as we both go through this thing. Best of Luck! 

Thank you for the warm welcome everyone!  Hunter came home this evening and is doing as well as can be expected.  I'll post an update soon.  In the meantime I wanted to say that I do have pictures of her on her blog:  http://huntergi…..ipawds.com

Here is one of her pictures:

hello Cathy and Hunter,

I wish to welcome you here too.  Without these wonderful people answering my weirdest questions and supporting me, I don't think my boy and I would have done nearly as well.  So I want to be here for you as others have been here for us!  I had a rottie/sheppard mix for 17 years, we just lost her last November to old age.  I love the mixes, I have 3 others, all mixes.

It sounds like you are off to a great start.  I will read your blog and get caught up on her progress, don't forget though to keep posting here.  For me, I only check the blogs occasionally. Welcome aboard

Elizabeth and Sammy