Tripawds Three Legged Dog & Cat Forum Archives
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat. Explore 17+ years of forum archives for stories and answers to questions about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery. Enjoy fresh discussion and connect with members in the new Tripawds Support Circle.
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Very cute dog! I know that some oncologists like to give chemo right away to try to kill any stray cancer cells but research has not shown any increase in life expectancy between dogs getting immediate chemo and those getting it 2 weeks post-op. If your dog is strong and in good health then the oncologist may elect to do early chemo, but some dogs can get hit really hard with the combo of major surgery and chemo (see Cherry's story). I elected to wait 3 weeks before starting with Tazzie because she had other issues and I'm glad I did since she ended up with a bad bladder infection that went to her liver and incision site.
Your vets know your dog best so I would follow their recommendations. You will see that there is still not one standard chemo plan for this disease. The cancer seems to do what it wants sometimes so we have to be ready with alternate protoocols.
Good luck!
Pam and Tazzie
First, to set the record straight, this Tazzie is a "he" not a "she". I thought it was his appearance that made everything assume he is a she, but it must also be the name since most of you also assumed that. Oh well, there could be worse things - let's see - bone cancer.
I just left Tazzie at the hospital. I know the people at the clinic think I'm a 'case'. I have been so calm about it the last 24 hr, but of course couldn't say 'see you later' to Tazzie without starting to lose it, and I could only whimper 'see you later'. Not very helpful to Tazzie for me to be upset, that's for sure.
Tazzie had a nice day yesterday with a swim and walk at a great dog park (despite cool wet weather), enough bad behaviour (a bit of goosing people, humping one dog and whining in the car - he is incredibly anxious about car rides!) to encourage me that he is not as sick as I thought. Funny how I crave moments of bad behaviour these days that tell me "I am healthy and happy enough to do these annoying things". Some of his best human friends came for dinner, and Tazzie loves - make that demands - attention.
The night did not go as well. We do really not live in Calgary where I came for Tazzie's treatment (we live and work 3 hrs south of here this summer but live in Winnipeg in the winter) and I am staying in a friend's rental house that has some undesirable tennants in the basement apartment - playing loud music until 5 am. It kept me awake and I was so worried it would really keep Tazzie from getting the good night sleep that he needed before surgery. They ignored my midnight plee and I was actually a bit scared to do more at the time, plus there was nothing I could do without further disturbing Tazzie. Tazzie seemed in pretty good spirits in the morning, so I hope he is okay.
So I don't know where I'll take him when he comes out of the hospital but I'll worry about that another time. The hospital will probably keep him a few days. I do have another doggy friend who invited us, so will probably take her up on that.
The two dogs and six legs story (see "sharing our story" forum) was nice. It makes you see just how much the dog wants to live when it stays afloat in a sewage pond like that. Reading that the other day helped me see that not-amputating was not an option.
Thanks for your all good thoughts. It helps.
Susan
I totally know what you mean about craving bad behavior! When Jack is naughty I like to tell him "just because you have cancer it doesn't mean you don't have to behave!!!" And then I giggle because we all know I'm lying. Jackers can do whatever he pretty much pleases. Keep us updated!
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