Save time spent searching, download the new Tripawds e-book for immediate answers!

Bookmark Jerry's Required Reading List for more amputation recovery advice and care tips.

Review the Tripawds Featured Blogs for the best three legged dog care product recommendations.

Tripawds is a user supported community. Please do what you can to help keep it online.

Please consider registering
guest

Log In RegisterMembers

Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search:

— Forum Scope —



— Match —



— Forum Options —




Wildcard usage:
*  matches any number of characters    %  matches exactly one character

Minimum search word length is 4 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters

Topic RSS
Hi everyone I am new to Tripawds
29 January 2012
1:01 pm
Member
Forum Posts: 52
Member Since:
8 January 2012
Offline

gtplady said:

Hi Christina,

Thanks for getting back to me.  See I read the same thing also and that was why I wanted to do the chemo.  I did not see an oncologist.  Maybe I should.  The difference between months and years would definitely make a difference for me. 

 

Yes she has had diarrhea issues on and off thru her life and is now on sensitive stomach food.  I did read somewhere also that most of the time the side effects do not effect some dogs.

 

I am so happy to hear that Crystal is doing well aside from some diarrhea.  That is great news how she walked so far!  I do see how quickly they wear down, poor things, it takes alot out of them.  Roxy had her back leg amputated, her other "good" leg had ACL surgery on it last year and she is arthritic and in the beginning stages of dyplasia.  I always said if worse comes to worse we can always get a wheel chair for her. 

 

I am concerned about the life span with no chemo though.  I think I may contact an oncologist for a second opinion.  Thanks for your information, always good to hear what others are doing with the same kind of results/information that we received.

 

Thanks again Christine!

Linda

Anytime :).  I definitely recommend seeing an oncologist or at least getting a second opinion from a different vet about the chemo.  I'm certainly not trying to push you in one direction or another but getting more information can only be beneficial.  As far as the potential GI side effects, they did send me home with some medication for diarrhea and medication for vomiting just in case I needed it and I think that is fairly standard practice.  Let me know if you have any more questions and keep us updated on how Roxy is doing!

29 January 2012
1:21 pm
The Rainbow Bridge

Team Tripawds
Forum Posts: 7631
Member Since:
25 April 2007
Offline

I agree, a second opinion is always helpful and can put your mind at ease. Also, remember that even with chemo there are no guarantees. Some osteosarcoma dogs who don't have it, like me and many others I know, make those statistics look awfully silly when we outlive the prognosis. I lived two years without chemo and my friend Eisen is on his fourth year without chemo. So you just never know. While I would certainly look into chemo, remember that it's not mandatory nor is it the right decision for every pack.

It's better to hop on three legs than to limp on four.™
Latest Tripawds News
Read my story here.
29 January 2012
2:50 pm
Livermore, CA

Moderator
Forum Posts: 2022
Member Since:
18 October 2009
Offline

My standby line is: knowledge is power!  I think a second opinion with an oncologist is a good idea. I really like our onc vet.  She was with me for two cancers in tri-pug Maggie, and now in quad pug Tani.  She doesn't push or advocate for any particular path, just lays out the options as she knows them.  She will give a recommendation, but supports me if I decide on something else.

I've made different choices depending on all the circumstances- I did chemo with Maggie after her amp, but chose no chemo with the second cancer.  Tani has mast cell cancer like Maggie did (why she lost her leg) but we are not doing any chemo treatment, at least for now.

Maggie did fine on her chemo- it was long, 6 months, but again for mast cell cancer.  If the circumstances were the same I would make the same choice.  Just like I would make the no treatment choices I have made again.  My local tripawd friend Cemil is 3 years past his amp for OSA- he did no chemo and is doing great!

There are no guarantees with chemo.  You decide what is best for you and Roxy and go forward from there.  And one other thing to keep in mind- if you do decide to try chemo, and Roxy doesn't tolerate it well you could always stop.

 

Karen and the pugapalooza

Karen and the Pugapalooza: Spirit Tri-Pug Maggie, Forever the Leader of our Pack, and the Quad pugs Tani & Obie
29 January 2012
3:34 pm
Greater Western Washington area
Member
Forum Posts: 1120
Member Since:
25 August 2010
Offline

I want to welcome you aboard and wish you the best success with Roxy.  Our boy is a front amp, 9 years old so we don't have the same type of issues you do. 

We did chemo and other than the last couple being a bit harder on him we would recommend it to anyone.  We are getting ready to celebrate 17 months cancer free together.

 

Elizabeth and Sammy

Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10, leg fractured 8/27/10, leg amputated 8/30/10 http://sammyand.....pawds.com/   I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us.  Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
29 January 2012
6:09 pm
Member
Forum Posts: 15
Member Since:
20 January 2012
Offline

Thank you all again for the great advice, I appreciate it!

Linda

30 January 2012
12:11 am
Calgary, AB
Member
Forum Posts: 268
Member Since:
30 January 2010
Offline

Hi Linda and welcome to Tripawds! I can't speak to the age or hip issues but I did opt for chemo with Tai (also a Lab). She was xrayed clear and her blood work was perfect but with OSA the cancer is considered to have spread microscopically regardless. We did 5 rounds of Doxyrubicin with very few side effects. As was pointed out, you can always stop the chemo mid protocol if you want to. Would I do it again? I'm not sure. Chemo doesn't offer any guarantees and is quite expensive. Many dogs seem to do quite well without it but…at the time, I felt the need to fight this horrible disease with guns a'blazin' so I just knew I had to try absolutely everything. As with most things, information is key. It's always good to weigh the pro's and con's. There have also been some new positive results with metronomic chemo which I think is the route I would take if, Heaven forbid, I have to take this journey again.

Whatever route you take will be the right choice for your beautiful Roxy.

Laura and Angel Tai

P.S. What a sweet face Roxy has! Adorable!

Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.
Forum Timezone: America/Denver

Most Users Ever Online: 165

Currently Online: Maxidad, sashadog
52 Guest(s)

Currently Browsing this Page:
2 Guest(s)

Top Posters:

AngelAbbysMom: 1503

Emilysmom: 1231

fightingforsammy: 1120

jakesmom: 1111

Cooper: 976

10711: 942

riosmom: 939

Cherry: 930

Member Stats:

Guest Posters: 443

Members: 3490

Moderators: 8

Admins: 3

Forum Stats:

Groups: 4

Forums: 22

Topics: 5892

Posts: 81514

Moderators: betaman (91), tazziedog (1233), hugapitbull (3175), testmod (7), Tazzie (1338), cometdog (4156), krun15 (2022), etgayle (1603)

Administrators: jerry (7631), admin (7751), jim (47)