TRIPAWDS: Home to 22971 Members and 2152 Blogs.
HOME » NEWS » BLOGS » FORUMS » CHAT » YOUR PRIVACY » RANDOM BLOG

Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.

JUMP TO FORUMS

Join The Tripawds Community

Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:

Instant post approval.

Private messages to members.

Subscribe to favorite topics.

Live Chat and much more!

Please consider registering
Guest
Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
Register Lost password?
sp_Feed sp_PrintTopic sp_TopicIcon-c
Sudden growth appeared, 11 months after surgery
sp_NewTopic Add Topic
Member Since:
26 September 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
1
21 May 2017 - 9:40 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hi everyone. Romeo had his right front leg amputated June 30th of last year and then went through 5 rounds of chemo. He did great for many months afterwards and was his old self, a happy, loving greyhound.

The past week he's really declined rapidly (weak hind legs, red and watery eyes, reduced appetite, lethargic) and just tonight I noticed a very large growth - like a hard lump - near where his shoulder blade used to be on the amputated side. It really came out of nowhere! I can't believe something like that could grow so fast.

I know that this is not good, and I'm preparing myself for the end to come soon. But does anyone have any stories to share of something similar? I was not expecting this and I'm wondering how much time we have left. 

xoxo

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
2
21 May 2017 - 10:15 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Omay, deep breaths.....B R E A T H E.....B R E A T H E......

It's really hard NOT to jump to worst case scenarios on this journey! But we see time and time again where a lumpmis just a lump and a bump is just a bump! Coming up so quickly could be so many things that are NOT anything scary!

Lethargic, watery eyes, not feeling to chipper coukd be a variety of harmless things too. Allergies can manifest like that, as well as an infection of some sort.

Weakness in the hi d legs coukd be something separate from the other symptons. Does Romeo appear tense anywhere when you rub up and down his spine, around his necks and shoulders?

Do you have ticks in your area? Lameness, or weak legs, are often a sign of a tick borne disease that can be cleared up with a antibiotic.

Have your Vet give Romeo and check over, blook works, etc. and see what he has going on. Regardless, the Vet shoukd be able to give Romeo something to relieve some of the symptons and make him feel better!!

In the meantime, remember, Romeo isn't worried about a ting! He's not counting days on a calendar! He is living in the moment and must wants to be by your side getting loving and spoiling! 🙂

So go ahead and have the Vet cneck him over and update when you can. Don't spend on second going to a worst case scenario!! That just robs you of the time you and Romeo DO HAVE RIGHT NOW!!!! 🙂
And RIGHT NOW is all that matters! 🙂

And btw, HAPPY ELEVEN MKNTH AMPUVERSARY!!! 🙂 🙂 WOW!! 🙂 QUITE IMPRESSIVE! 🙂 🙂 Keep em coming!!

Lots of hugs!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!

Member Since:
26 September 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
3
21 May 2017 - 10:44 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Thank you for the pep talk! smiley You're right, it's so easy to go right to the worst case scenarios. I will not jump to conclusions until I take him to the vet to see what's going on!

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
4
21 May 2017 - 11:02 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

EXACTLY!!!!!! GOOD JOB OF BEING MORE DOG 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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!

Member Since:
13 March 2010
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
5
22 May 2017 - 7:33 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Scary! We just went through something similar and had to wait 2 weeks to get in to the vet. I had to school myself everyday to not worry about it until I had to (eg until I had a definitive diagnosis). Its tough but it can be done!! Hang in there and I hope you have some answers soon! And a big Happy Hoppy Hippy 11 month ampuversary Romeo! You R.O.C.K!!

xoxo,

Martha, Travis Ray, and the Oaktown Pack



Member Since:
21 May 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
6
23 May 2017 - 4:37 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Any news from the vet ????

Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-) 

Member Since:
26 September 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
7
24 May 2017 - 8:44 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Update on Romeo - the vet aspirated the growth and said it looks like sarcoma, which is what I was expecting. When I commented on how fast it grew (really - Friday it wasn't there, and Sunday night it was, about the size of a golf ball) she said that when these growths appear somewhere other than along the scar, they tend to grow fast. There's no explanation for the weakness in his hind legs, though. 

So she gave me prescriptions for a steroid (prednisone) and Tylenol 3, which has codeine, to give pain relief and replace the hydrocodone he's been on for a cough. We'll see how he does on them - at this point I think we've lost the fight with the cancer, but I'm going to do what I can to keep his quality of life good for the rest of his time here. 

Thanks for your replies! 

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
8
24 May 2017 - 12:50 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Okay, you have a plan IF it is that. The report hasn't come back one way or another yet, right? So getting a bit of a headstart if it is that is good.

Others who've had experience with these will chime in. But I believe IZZY is dealing with the same thi g...And has been for several months. I think she's had relatively good siccess with a variety if treatments she's used. Izzy is a tripawd already and this was on her leg and, obviously can't be amputated.

Your treatment plan you are on now should bring some results until you can investigate further.

THE most important thing you can do is continue to savor every second....continue to stay in the moment......continue to stay focused on the NOW.....continue to make every day THE BEST DAY EVER, just like you have every single day of Romeo's life! 🙂 🙂

By not allowing this poece of crap disease to interfere with your time together is how to NOT let thst crap win.

You are doing EVERYTHING possible for Romeo and he knows it! Romeo knows how loved he is and that is the best treatment of all.....loving and spoiling!!!

Hugs!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!

Member Since:
4 February 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
9
24 May 2017 - 4:30 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I'm sorry to hear the news of Romeo.   Reading your posts made me think of a movie I just saw the other day titled "A Dog's Purpose".  Do you know what a dog's purpose is?  At the end of this movie, the "dog said", a dog's purpose is to....Be Here Now.   Dog's live in the moment and I hope you and your family can too.  Don't think about what lies ahead but instead when you wake up, think of what you can do that day to show Romeo how much you love him and boy is he loved!  Hugs to you and Romeo.    

Member Since:
26 September 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
10
25 May 2017 - 3:48 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

@jloz - I haven't seen it, honestly I don't know if I can handle it right now! It's on my list to watch though 🙂

@Benny55 - literal lol at your description of cancer as "piece of crap disease" - so true!

Member Since:
26 September 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
11
24 June 2017 - 1:04 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

Hi everyone, I wanted to give an update in case someone comes across this post in the future with the same issue. 

Unfortunately for us, I believe the appearance of these tumors was the beginning of the end. Romeo's health declined in the following month - he lost a lot of weight, it was hard to get him to eat, he lost strength in his hind legs, he couldn't/didn't want to go on his normal long walks, he had accidents in the house, he occasionally coughed up blood, and he lost interest in toys and treats he would have gone CRAZY for before. He was a fighter, though; he'd have a very bad day but then rally and come back to us. 

Finally the day came when we realized there was no more rallying, and it was time to let him go. That was Thursday. We called a vet over who put him to sleep here at home, and I'll be getting his remains from the crematorium on Monday. He made it almost exactly a year from his date of diagnosis, which is what we were told is average, but of course I hoped he'd beat the odds. 

Of course I'm broken up about it and my heart aches. I'm looking forward to the day I can think of him with fondness and happiness rather than grief and tears. My mom always said that grief is the price you pay for love.

My heart goes out to anyone going through this, whatever stage you're in. heart

Schofield, WI
Member Since:
13 August 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
12
24 June 2017 - 2:12 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I am so sorry you have come to this hardest part of this journey!  Beautiful Romeo gave a great fight as did you his warrior mom!  We know the tremendous void they leave.  Your boy knew love from the moment he first met you until you gave him the last gift of release when he told you it was time.  Your Mom is right the price of loving them so much is then having to grieve so hard too.  Fly free new Angel!  As the pain of these hard fought last days begin to lessen with time I hope all of your precious memories of your sweet boy will help you feel whole again and bring a smile to your face...sending you healing light and peace and hugs at this hard time!

Linda & Spirit Mighty Max

Member Since:
17 November 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
13
24 June 2017 - 3:56 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I'm so sorry to hear about Romeo's passing, but what a blessed life he had to be with you! He looks so very sweet.  A year is not enough; it's never enough, but I'm glad you had the extra time you did.  We're wishing you the comfort of knowing you did everything possible for him and peace in the days to come.

Tracy & Zatoichiheart

Tracy & Warrior Angel Zatoichi 💓

Zato was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in October 2016. He triumphed through radiation and amputation with dignity and grace. After living a life of love and happiness, Zato earned his angel wings on February 19, 2018.  Read his story here.

Vacaville, California


Member Since:
30 December 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
14
24 June 2017 - 6:07 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I am so sorry to hear about your beautiful Romeo......greyhounds are such beautiful, sweet and affectionate dogs!!!!!!  I can see how much he was loved by you..........but it does always seem whatever time we have is never enough!!  My greyhound Sessy is my third greyhound and lost her leg 1/2/17 to osteosarcoma   Cancer is a crappy disease but I am so thankful for any time left with her.  I know everything hurts right now but just think of all the wonderful times you had over the last year with him.  Spoil yourself lots and remember Romeo will always be with you.

Gayle - mom of beautiful greyhound Sessy.  Sessy diagnosed with osteosarcoma on 12/26/16, left back leg amputated on 1/2/17.  Feline siblings Mooshe, Tinkerdude, Odie and Bean

Member Since:
14 February 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
15
24 June 2017 - 10:43 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_QuotePost

I'm so sorry to hear this.  It is amazing how fast things can change with this disease.  But you had a great 11 months together and got to show him love and attention right through to the end.  I'm not sure there is anything more that a dog can want.

Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016.  Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016.  Lung mets August 25, 2016.  Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016.   Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.  

Wherever they are, they are together.

Forum Timezone: America/Denver
Most Users Ever Online: 946
Currently Online: Meg_1
Guest(s) 232
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 1268
Members: 17733
Moderators: 6
Admins: 3
Forum Stats:
Groups: 4
Forums: 24
Topics: 18610
Posts: 256803
Administrators: admin, jerry, Tripawds
Tripawds is brought to you by Tripawds.
HOME » NEWS » BLOGS » FORUMS » CHAT » YOUR PRIVACY » RANDOM BLOG