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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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California
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21 October 2014
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5 May 2015 - 3:29 pm
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Hello Friends-

It's been a couple weeks since I've posted and I have a mixed bag of news to share.  On the Jojo front, things seem to be getting back to normal, the thigh tumor has practically closed up and the skin around is healing very nicely. Joe is back to "normal" energy levels and seems to be feeling much better overall. We will head to UCD next week for another "team" meeting to determine the final plan- cont. episodic treatment, no treatment at all, or more Chemo. I'm pretty sure we've decided that we are done with treatment, that it's time to just let his body work for itself and see where the road of time takes us. John and I have agreed we have traveled the road to treatment and hopefully the 1 round of radiation on the thigh will have the same positive affect the other 3 rounds did on the elbow.  We just love to see him feeling better and having his attitude back. clap  Now for our Charlie- well he has unexpectedly had a bit of a rough road- about 4-5 days ago he had a very violent "grand mal" like seizure. I woke up about 1:30 in the morning to him shaking, frothing, eyes rolling, tongue out, sharding and jerking. The seizure lasted at least 3-4 minutes which is a very long time and then it took us about 15-20 minutes to calm him down and get him to stand on his feet of which he was very wobbly.  I fortunately had some medication from what we thought were very mild epileptic seizures, but that hasn't happened in over a year. We gave him the meds for a day or so afterwards and he was kind of melancholy for a couple days, but it seems just this weekend he is feeling better and has regained his spunk. Thankfully he never lost his appetite, or desire to drink lot's of water- but it was sure scary.  I do see what I think is a little residual affect on him in that he seems to kind of randomly "zone out" for a minute or two and his hind quarter seems to drag just a touch more than before. I tell you having these two boys right now feels like caring for 90 year old parents or something- they both have needs that require attention, they really can't be left to their own devices or one may fall while the other licks all his open wounds whatever it can be overwhelming sometimes and we are very fortunate that between the two of us we can maneuver our work schedules to be home most days with the dogs.  These guys are my kids and the reality of their aging has just become so clear and real.  We Love them and we'll see them through to every last minute.  Thank you all for your continued support and I'll continue to post until which time you get tired of reading.  

Here's a throw back to the younger years!!! big-grin

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Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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5 May 2015 - 4:21 pm
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Well then, you'll be ppsting for an eternity because we shall never tire of reading about Jojo and Charlie! And we love their adorable pictures too!

As jard as it is,yo j and n your husband are spot on with your attitude of just letting Jojo continue to enjoy life and be "normal" I'm sooooo glad henis doing so well! What an amazing pup and a great lair of humans!

I know it had to be really rough watching Charlie have that episode. But make no mistake about it, he knew you were by his side the whole time...and will always be there for him. Yeah, being caregivers for the ines we love so dearly, quite emotionally exhausting, yet rewarding in that we can be there for them and they know they can count on us.

Your lpve fro Charlie and Jojo co.es shining through...as does theirs for you! And that adorable picture.....we are all in love!!

Thanks for the update. We care!

Love and 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!

California
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5 May 2015 - 6:51 pm
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Sally, Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle Too- You are the best!  Thank you for always coming through.

Westminster, MD
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5 May 2015 - 9:15 pm
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I agree with Sally, we will never get tired of reading about your handsome yellow boys......

So glad Jojo is holding his own, and those seizures definitely can be very scary; having one senior citizen pup can be tough, but two can be extremely stressful. But at the same time, it is also a joy in life to see our beloved fur babies into their senior years, and be with them every step of the way. It is what we owe them when we bring them into our lives.

Thank you for all the great pics you have shared with us, and I am hoping both your boys continue to do as well as possible for a long time,
Love,
Bonnie, Angel Polly, and new crew

On The Road


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24 September 2009
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5 May 2015 - 9:58 pm
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Thanks for the update! You sure have your hands full there. Please keep us posted.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
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5 May 2015 - 10:39 pm
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Ditto, I love reading about your pups, will never tire of it. Several years ago I had 2 elderly dogs, a lab and retriever mix. One had bad hips and one had seizures and Cushings dx. It was quite a challenge but they loved each other and were the best of pals. Sounds like you have the best interests of Jojo and Charlie, the 2 old codgers. laughing

Penny and the Gang

California
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20 May 2015 - 9:44 pm
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Hi friends- Man can I just tell you I've had the 3 most bizarre weeks ever!  I have much to share with youbig-blink

Our little Jojo seems to have turned some kind of corner ( at least for now) As I mentioned previously we have decided we are done with all treatment - no more chemo, no more radiation, all his tumor's have closed and the ulceration's have healed from the inside out, his stage 2 skin infection has cleared up even though we have about 10 days left of meds. His spunk is back and his energy level is better than it's been for a while.  Once in a while he feels like he can muster a walk, so we saunter for a while until he gets too tired.  I really feel like his body is going to take him a little farther and his quality of life is good and he's happy.   I snapped a quick pic of Joe being very serious about our discussion of no more medssmiley

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Now for my other boy Charlie- well just as we've rounded the corner with Jojo- Charlie has declined rapidly.  About 2 weeks ago he had a major Grand Mal Seizure- it was about 3am in the morning and it was very scary- but we all seemed to make it through and move on. I did have some old meds on hand and that seemed to work just fine.  Then this week he has had 2 more (Monday night/Tuesday night) and these were much harder to recover from and his balance has been off and he's struggling to relax. Today I called UCD for Neurological consult and then asked me to bring him in right away- So, I spent the day there today and unfortunately they have admitted him for the next day or two- they want to do an MRI and possibly a spinal tapsad Because he is generally in good health ( blood work/urinalysis/chest x-rays/ abdominal ultra sound) all showed no concerning signs the though is that he may have a tumor on the brain OR some kind of Autoimmune system disease.  They will monitor his sleep tonight to see if a seizure occurs and then move forward with tests in the am.   I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO not ready for this, I was just getting ready to exhale with Joe and I am just not prepared to have another major issue with my other dog..way-confused Gosh Dang- I've also noticed I think that charlie is starting to show signs of Degenerative Myelopathy, http://www.cani.....asicDM.htm  this is incurable, so the decisions and discussions about quality of life are all back in the forefront.. I took this pic of Charlie just before I left to head home, I know that he is in the best place he could be and neither one of us have slept much in the last to nights, but man I've been a mess ever since I left.  I know you all can relate to the helpless, fatigued and sadness I'm feeling and once again I am so incredibly thankful to have this forum to just write everything I'm feeling.  Thank you for helping carry my burden.

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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21 May 2015 - 9:59 am
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Geez....reasons to celebrate wildly for Jojo...reasons to be concerned about your Charlie. Talk about polar opposite emotions...tough, so very tough.

And Charlie is in the best place right now and can be monitored a d cared for properly. You can get some rest, Charlie can get some rest. Hopefully they will be able to treat whatever is going on with Charlie and get is quality back more consistently. Even IF it's a brain thing, I'm pretty sure some steriods and other meds could help tremendously. He doesn't look like he's worried in his picture and he looks real good!

To hear that Jojo is doing so well is incredibly good news!clap There is so much to celebrate with Jojo!

And I love Jojo's picture with his "serious face"! He surely knows how to communicate with his expressions!

You have two incredibly strong Labs who like to do things their way and not listen to any ole stupid diagnosis! Contin to stay focused in the moment and try n ot to let your mind wander past the now. I mnow, really, really hard. But everybody is with you now and now n is all that matters.

And you betcha' that we are right here by your side holding you up! We are with you! Always have been, always will be!!

Sending you sooooooooo much 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!

On The Road


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21 May 2015 - 7:54 pm
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Ohhhhhh wow, I was so happy to read about JoJo but Charlie's story is just breaking my heart, I'm sorry you are going through another medical scare with him. Ugh! I wish someone could tell me why things happen this way sometimes.

We are sooo hoping that whatever those experts find it won't be serious. You already know the care you get there is as excellent as you can get so they'll figure it out. Be sure to mention the DM symptoms to them, maybe they can pinpoint it better that way? There's a test they can run for DM, maybe that's what it is?

Breathe, know that you can all get through this and whatever happens next, JoJo and Charlie will show you how to have the strength to bounce back. We hope that you get an answer soon, please let us know what's going on OK? You can vent, yell, cry, and celebrate all your joyful milestones too, we are always here for you.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Westminster, MD
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31 August 2013
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21 May 2015 - 8:33 pm
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Mia,

I have been thinking about you and your handsome boys lately and wondering how everyone was doing.....So glad Jojo seems to have reached a good balance of health and happiness, but very sad to hear about Charlie. I agree he is in the best place he could possibly be right now. As someone that has always had 2 Labs at a time, I can definitely say it is a terrible challenge when dealing with serious illness in both at the same time. Like Sally and Jerry say, take several deep breaths and you will find the strength to get through all this. You have everyone here to help you as well.

Hoping for Charlie's issues to be manageable, and that he will be back home with you very soon.....Please continue to keep us posted on both your sweet boys, and I will be keeping you and them in my thoughts..... I am asking my Angel Polly to look after Charlie now, too......
Love,
Bonnie, Angel Polly, and new crew

BTW, I love all your pics you post of both your guys, I want to give them both big hugs and kisses .....

California
Member Since:
21 October 2014
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22 May 2015 - 7:20 pm
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Hi Guys- so I picked up Charlie today from UCD- the diagnosis is that charlie does in fact have a very small mass on the frontal lobe of the brain; it proves to be a primary mass which means it originated in the brain. There is also a large area of edema in the surrounding tissue and this is what is causing the seizures.  I also asked about the issue with the hind quarter and the possibility of DM, the DR. felt pretty confident that he DID NOT have DM but rather had an issue with the tail bone which is what is causing the dragging and the walking while he pees/poops.  The recommendation from the Dr. is a combination of Phenobarbital and Prednisone, they felt this combination of drugs would make a significant difference in Charlie's overall well being- The phenobarb would have a impact on the seizure while the prednisone would have an impact on the brain inflammation and the hind quarter issue.  The Dr. also stated that if the meds had the positive effect that they are expecting Charlie could have a very good quality of life for at least another year if nothing else arises.  So, although I am hugely relieved and feel hopeful about the future- this next 2 weeks are going to be trying as the introduction of the drugs into Charlie's system have rendered him almost totally drunk- he's lethargic and drooling, his back end really doesn't work at all and the Dr. said we need to give his body at least 2 weeks to absorb and adjust to the meds before we freak out.  I am hoping this drastic affect will only last a couple days because he really cannot be left alone- he falls and trips on everythingwhat-ever We've had to hold him up while he pees and it's just so sad, but we are going to have to give it the college try and hope that his body responds as we are hoping it will. I will say the fact that his rear end isn't working does not seem to slow him down nor does he want to give up his usual sleeping place which is a hop to the couch. smiley  The below pic is after a little dinner and a walk out to the front to go poddy- now I think he's down for a while. 

Love to you all for the unwavering support and encouragement.

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Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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22 May 2015 - 7:53 pm
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Well, overall and relatively peaking, this is good news that Charlie can reclaim some good quality time! And as Jojo has already roven, your dogs do NOT come with a time frame stamped on their butts!

My borther has had Golden Retrievers who have been prone to seizures due to a variety n of causes. It seems that neach time they ended lowering the dose fairly quickly because it was just too strong initially. Sounds like a prettynlowerful dose. Even after that, there was an adjustment period but not as severe as what it sounds like Charlie is dealing with. I don't recall all the causes of his dogs' seizures, so certainly don't do any reduction without the vet's guidance.

I jave ro say, he looks mighty, mighty comfy on his sofa!!!

From my experience with Prednisone, it does take a couple of days to kick in. Youll probably see some improvement soon, although the seizure meds may make him too woozy to notice

We're all cheering for you Charlie...and Jojo too!!

Thanks for the update! I know you are exhausted but we're all glad to hear fro you!

Love andnhugs!

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!

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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25 May 2015 - 2:19 pm
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Dangit. I know it wasn't the news anyone wanted but at least now you know what you're dealing with and I hope that having a plan is helping you feel empowered. You have given him such great, great care, those UCD vets will make sure that his quality of life is the #1 priority. You and your hubby are doing GREAT too, showing such love and devotion to him during such a tough time. How is he doing today? Any better?

All our love, hugs & wishes for a speedy recovery are coming your way, keep us posted.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Norene, TN
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21 October 2014
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26 May 2015 - 7:26 am
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Awww . . . bless his heart and yours too for your unconditional love. xoxo

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

Westminster, MD
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26 May 2015 - 7:40 am
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So sorry Mia, for this not expected diagnosis, but like Sally said, there is no date of expiration, and you have a ton of love to see him and Jojo both through these trying times......We do know how tough this is for you, emotionally and physically exhausting, but try to live in the happy moments and cherish each and every day with your boys. That is all that matters to them, is that they are happy and loved. 

I will continue to keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers, give those handsome boys {{{hugs}}} for me, and a few to yourself as well.

Love, 

Bonnie, Angel Polly, and new crew

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