Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello All!
Just wanted to get some advice from the pros: Lily is a 9 year-old, 7.5-months post-amputation Great Dane and last month we discovered a 1.8 cm nodule in her lungs. She has done 5 rounds of carboplatin and, was on a daily met drug (can't remember the name) until we found the nodule. Once the nodule was discovered, we started her on Palladia. She has been on that for about 15 weeks. Today we took her in after a rough week and there are several nodules 
She has been doing *wonderful* until this week. No side effects from the chemo, eats like a little piggy and I don't have to describe to any of you what a joy it is to watch her run. When she is fetching her ball at full speed you don't even see a missing leg!
Tuesday night, she had a grand mal seizure in our bed. We took her to the vet and her blood-work was normal and we are to watch her for any new seizures. Wednesday she threw up in bed, she's been really lethargic and not herself. We took her in today after she had what appeared to be an allergic reaction (tons of reverse sneezing, swollen eyes, drooling) and they found the additional nodules.
We are now awaiting her internist checking her rads and determining whether or not we should switch to steroids and possibly terminate the Palladia.
My question for you folks is: Since we're really out of options medicinally, what do you recommend as far as more aggressive holistic treatment beyond what we are already doing? She is eating a very low carb diet (combination dry food and home-cooked), high-dose omegas, k-9 Immunity supplements, coconut oil.
I appreciate any suggestions! This is not the news we were hoping to her for our baby Dane!
-Kerry
Lily the Great Dane (she was actually a lot more than just "Great") joined our family as an ornery puppy on December 20, 2005 and changed our lives forever. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in early May of 2014 and her right rear leg was amputated on May 8, 2014. She sailed through 5 rounds of Carboplatin and 15 weeks of Pallladia. She hopped on 3 legs like she was born to it and continued to fight cancer with grace, valor and an abundant sense of humor...and always a *giant* smile on her face. Lily had two small nodules on her lungs but was brought short by a brain tumor in late December, 2014. Lily earned her wings on December 28, 2014 and we miss her terribly every day. http://lilyt.tripawds.com
Online
HI KERRY AND LILY!! Her avatar licture is ADORABLE!
Yep, this journey sure has itsw ups and downs, especially when "issues" arise. Something we see so often though is, for every "down" few days, the "ups" are right around the corner.
The Palladia could be the real culprit here, more so than the nodules. If I recall, Eddy just sailed through some Palladia treatments and then was VERY "down" after one.....to the point they didn't know if they should let Eddy go.. Once that seemed to clear out of his system, Eddy returned to "normal"!!!
I'm no vet...that's for sure! It just seems this could be Palladia related.
I can tell you that Prednisone does seem to help if there are breathing challenges. And it will kind of "perk her up" overall. If, for some reason, there is any swelling in her brain, it may help reduce that too. Any clues on what caused the seizu? Also, older dogs can have them out of the blue every now and then, even if they don't have this piece of crap disease.
Search the site for mushroom therapy....many here have tried that and it is showing promise.
Remember, Lily isn't worried about a thing! She is living in the moment absorbing all your loving and spoiling!!! Let NOTHING rob you of your time together! You are together NOW and that is all that matters!!!
Now give her a treat and a hug and you will both feel better!
Stay connected! You are not alone!
Sending love
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
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!
Thank you Sally and Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle!
I will definitely look into the mushroom therapy, haven't tried that yet.
Vet says unfortunately at Lily's age the seizures tend to be brain tumor-related. We are waiting to see if there is a recurrence before we take any further action as it's not unheard of to have an isolated seizure. She was taking Rimadyl as well and I stopped that on Saturday - which turned out to be a good thing since it doesn't play well with the steroids she will likely be starting.
Thanks so much for your support! Today we rededicated ourselves to our vow to make every day count. She is now *officially* on a "gets peanut butter whenever she wants" pass! We are road-tripping tomorrow to visit family for two weeks so she'll spend the holidays getting lots of TLC from her grandparents and aunts and uncles.
Lily the Great Dane (she was actually a lot more than just "Great") joined our family as an ornery puppy on December 20, 2005 and changed our lives forever. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in early May of 2014 and her right rear leg was amputated on May 8, 2014. She sailed through 5 rounds of Carboplatin and 15 weeks of Pallladia. She hopped on 3 legs like she was born to it and continued to fight cancer with grace, valor and an abundant sense of humor...and always a *giant* smile on her face. Lily had two small nodules on her lungs but was brought short by a brain tumor in late December, 2014. Lily earned her wings on December 28, 2014 and we miss her terribly every day. http://lilyt.tripawds.com
OH Kerry I'm really sorry, this is a tough situation. Your attitude, however, is fantastic, she has taught you so well. Yes, SPOIL THAT GIRL ROTTEN! Pizza, ice cream, whatever she wants, this is her time and yours, live every moment to the max!
For lung mets, one of our favorite holistic vets, Dr. Lena McCullough, recommends these Eastern medicine approaches.
Keep us posted and be sure to share lots of pics of your holidays together, we are celebrating every moment with you both.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Lily is a lucky dog to have such an awesome caretaker. All the peanut butter she wants and trips to see all her favorite people, how much better can it get!
I know the news isn't what you would wish for, but your attitude is SO awesome. Take one day at a time. No one ever knows how much time they have, so make each one count. Build those beautiful memories!
I have known a couple of folks who used mushroom therapy with good results. It's worth investigating.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Hi Kerry. This could well be my story. We did 3 rounds of carboplatin,(1 small lung met discovered), 2 rounds of Doxorubicin, (and then discovered there were now 8 mets), we then switched to Palladia, which Eddy tolerated for a few days before it affected his legs. He was unable to get up after the 3rd dose. I have since taken him off of the Palladia, and he has returned to normal! He is happy and wagging his tail. Unfortunately, I know with no further treatments, his time will be limited. We are headed out of town between Christmas and New Year's and we see our oncologist the day after we get home. So, we will see if he has any more tricks for us to try. For now, it is literally, one day at a time! I know some dogs have lived quite a while with lung mets. In fact, I think Jerry did. I am thinking of you and Lily. I am so sorry you are going through this.
Betsy Golden and Angel, Eddy. Eddy was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-23-14, had a left rear amputation 8-07-14, had 3 rounds of carboplatin chemotherapy, a small lung met was discovered in October, had 2 rounds of doxorubicin, and unfortunately more lung mets were discovered. Eddy fought cancer valiantly and went to the Rainbow Bridge 1-6-15, at the age of 7 years and 359 days, just six days short of his 8th birthday. Best Dog, Ever....you will never be forgotten.
bjilkgolden said
I know some dogs have lived quite a while with lung mets. In fact, I think Jerry did.
Absolutely! We had almost 8 more great months together with two big mets that behaved themselves on metronomics .
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
What a beautiful name, Lily.
I love the peanut butter comment. What a lucky girl to have you as a pawrent. And how blessed you are to have such a wonderful kind soul such as Lily.
As mentioned, don't let the disease rob you of time spent together by preoccupying you with worry and fret. Keep a peanut butter state of mind.
Peace be with you and your Lovely Lily.
Pam
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
Hi, Kerry -- So sorry to hear about Lily's issues with the Palladia and the increase of mets. If you search this forum for Lexie + medical marijuana or pot for pets you'll find some threads I wrote, and some others chimed in on as well, about a true 'alternative' treatment (under either the Nutrition and Supplements thread or Treatment and Ongoing Care).
There is a very aggressive formulation offered by Canna-pet.com that is supposed to help with aggressive tumors--and their standard formulation is supposed to help with seizures, too, so imagine that the super-powered stuff would, too. Sadly our supply did not arrive in time for me to try it with Ms. Lexie (I had her tie-die outfit all planned and everything).
If you order it knowing that it's truly experimental, I figure what's the harm in giving it a try?
A few other things we tried several months before that I think did help, for what it's worth:
-Yunnan Baiyo (I also have a few threads on that)
-K9 Immunity Plus (lots of the mushroom stuff is in that)
-Chinese herbs (I think Jerry/Rene shared a link with more info on that).
Please keep us posted on your lovely Lily. We'll be thinking of you!
Deb and Angel Lexie* Diagnosed at age 13. Tried radiation first; wish we had amputated upon diagnosis (even with lung mets). Joined Club Tripawd April 2014 & Lexie loved life on 3 legs! Advice: Start physical therapy as soon as your vet clears it, especially hydrotherapy if available :-) See Lexie pics here.
Hello all,
I apologize for the delay in response and so appreciate the support. It's been a really rough week with Lily. It appears that she has been neurologically impaired somehow. She is currently ataxic and may have some visual and hearing impairment. She's got the head tilting, walking in circles and standing with her head in the corner that is symptomatic of a neurological event. The lights are on but our Lily isn't all there. We are keeping her comfortable and she is not in pain. She just finished a course of Flagyl for diarrhea early this week and we are *praying* that this is caused by metronidazole toxicity that can occur when taken in high dose (she was on 500mg twice/day). The vet is not optimistic but he feels it's worth giving her a few days since she's not suffering. He feels it's more likely that we're dealing with a brain tumor.
I'm trying to stay optimistic but it's hard. We've been preparing for the osteosarcoma to eventually, maybe sooner, hopefully later compromise her lungs...but have taken for granted that we'd get to enjoy all the things about her personality that make her so loveable until the bitter end. Of course she's still loveable no matter what but it's heartbreaking to see her standing with her head in the corner or rocking her head back and forth. She still loves a spoonful of peanut butter though so she's in there somewhere! Lots of hugs and kisses are in store for her and all our prayers that this will pass.
Lily the Great Dane (she was actually a lot more than just "Great") joined our family as an ornery puppy on December 20, 2005 and changed our lives forever. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in early May of 2014 and her right rear leg was amputated on May 8, 2014. She sailed through 5 rounds of Carboplatin and 15 weeks of Pallladia. She hopped on 3 legs like she was born to it and continued to fight cancer with grace, valor and an abundant sense of humor...and always a *giant* smile on her face. Lily had two small nodules on her lungs but was brought short by a brain tumor in late December, 2014. Lily earned her wings on December 28, 2014 and we miss her terribly every day. http://lilyt.tripawds.com
Kerry, So sorry to hear about Lily. Pain free and eating peanut butter you say? Quality to her! I did not get the chance to try the palladia but I have seen it affect many others in odd ways. I say try the steroids and love and cherish every day you have with your girl. Please read Tracy and Bailey's story. Bailey was a Great Dane also. She rallied several times.
Stay connected, we are here for you.
Oh my gosh no apologies necessary, you've had your hands full. This is so hard.
Sending lots of hugs and kisses back to Lily, I'm really sorry to hear things haven't improved. We are all keeping our fingers, tails, paws and toes crossed that the metronidazole toxicity is what did it. Love that girl up and feed her all the peanut butter she wants, and give her a big big smooch from us.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Kerry hugs to you. Lily is facing a very tough road. She may be experiencing severe headaches if this is a brain tumor. I pray for love and wisdom as you manage Lily's care.
Mary
Keeping all laws from the entire Tripawd Universe crossed for good luck and better days ahead for Lily!
It's worth waiting it out....you never, ever know! Once that gets out of her system, she could turn around.
Does anyone else remember if it was Roxie...Liz's beautiful white GSD that had the same thing? It was something similar anyway. And the vet said he doubted that her sysmptons were being caused by the rare side effects....Liz and Roxie believed otherwise and she did rally some after it got out of her system!
Stay positive...you're doing a brilliant job of caring for Lily! Yep....eating m peanut butter...she's still there alright!
I know it's hard to watch the head tilting and the walking in circles, but, like you said, that's a function of the neurologic issue...it doesnt mean she's in pain on uncomfortable. And besides, it doesntw seem to be k nterfering with her ability to eat peanut butter!
She's with you now and that's all that matters! Continue to stay in the moment and savour every second!
(((((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
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!
Thank you everyone for your support. I don't have to tell you how much it helps to have the support of the living tripawd community!
She started oral steroids today and we are seeing some real glimpses of Lily. She's walking around without running into things, responding to her name, and she even brought me her Kong after dinner for a peanut butter fix 
She even let my Mom's Am. Staff. know that she was not about to share Hoping she continues to improve or at least steroids continue to help!
Lily the Great Dane (she was actually a lot more than just "Great") joined our family as an ornery puppy on December 20, 2005 and changed our lives forever. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in early May of 2014 and her right rear leg was amputated on May 8, 2014. She sailed through 5 rounds of Carboplatin and 15 weeks of Pallladia. She hopped on 3 legs like she was born to it and continued to fight cancer with grace, valor and an abundant sense of humor...and always a *giant* smile on her face. Lily had two small nodules on her lungs but was brought short by a brain tumor in late December, 2014. Lily earned her wings on December 28, 2014 and we miss her terribly every day. http://lilyt.tripawds.com
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