Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello-
We are new to this community. Our 18 month old golden retriever was diagnosed with osteosarcoma today...and it was a long journey to this point.
In January Wendel developed a significant limp. He was diagnosed with shoulder OCD and had surgery in April. The surgeon stated that it was an odd presentation for OCD, and sent joint fluid off to pathology. The report came back indicating that the sample had dying cartilage and regenerating cartilage. The surgeon stated that the surgery is almost always successful in resolving OCD issues. Unfortunately this was not the case for Wendel, he continued to deteriorate.
In June we returned for further x-rays. The bone lesion had progressed. Wendel was scheduled for a bone biopsy on August 15th. However we returned for shoulder and lung x-rays in July as Wendel continued to deteriorate. The lung x-ray was clear, however the bone lesion continued to progress. Our vet did a bone aspirate, and the results were not conclusive. The surgeon stated that cancer was unlikely, and did not feel it was necessary to move Wendel's surgery up.
On August 3rd we had our wonderful vet amputate Wendel's front right limb and send the humeral head off to be biopsied. We decided not to wait for the biopsy as Wendel was in significant pain. Wendel was in great spirits from that very first night. Our vet called us and told us he ate all of his dinner. The next morning he ran through the vet office to greet us.
Today we brought Wendel into the vet to have his stitches removed. The pathology report came back today and he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. The margins were good. There was no indication of lung mets in July.
So here we sit wondering what next. Do we pursue chemo? Do we bring Wendel back for more scans to have more accurate staging? Just hoping to hear from others who have received this diagnosis with no signs of metastasis. Thanks!
Wow! Wendel is adorable!!!
I've not heard of many super young dogs with OSA and my girl was certainly at the opposite end of the spectrum when she was diagnosed. Izzy was nearly 12 when she broke a leg and we discovered that she had the disease. There was no evidence of lung mets at the time of surgery and Izzy also had another chest x-ray done somewhere between 9 and 12 months later, also with no evidence of metastasis. I had elected to do nothing more than amputation due to her age and, when time finally caught up with her nearly two years later, we still hadn't seen any evidence that there was any progression of the disease.
Of course, I'm sure you'd love to have sweet Wendel around for more than a couple of years and I know there are LOTS of Tripawd moms and dads out there whose furry friends were a whole lot younger than Izzy at the time of surgery, so I'll defer to them on the best long term plan. Sadly, I knew that there would never be "long term" for Izzy, but I'm damn proud she lived for 23 months post amputation (a full 2 years post-diagnosis).
I did put her on K9 Immunity Plus (she's even a spokes dog on their website!) and switched her to Armor-Up once they introduced it, so you might check into those. Also, I'm sure you know to keep Wendell's weight closely managed as it helps reduce the inevitable wear and tear on the remaining limbs. This is especially important for front amps as dogs carry 60% of their weight via the front legs.
Anyway, stay tuned for more replies and best of luck to your sweet baby!!
Amy & my sweet piggy angel, Izzy 
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
GEEZ!!! You and We del have really been through some frustrating times! Good for you for being such a strong advocate for Wendel!! Sometimes it comes down to trusting our gut a d knowing your dog better than anyone else!
Yes, incredibly young, so young. I think that helped him have such a flawless recovery! Sounds like he is just getting on with living life to the fullest...and it's still very early in recovery!!
You've gotten good insight from Amy about her journey with the AMAZING IZZY!!
My Happy Hannah did jave four rounds Carboplatin chemo. One reason I pursued it was I could stop at anytime if she had bad side effects. She didn't mind going to the Vetat all and she didn't mind carrides. That was a big factor in my decision.
Now, the reality....we've seend dogs get great extended time who were on chemo....and we've seen some not. We've seen some dogs get great extended time (like Izzy) with no chemo...and some not. It really is crap shoot. There are NO right or wrong answers when it comes to that decision. For me,ankther "factor" in my decision was if I would second vuess myself and always wonder "what if". The reality is, yiu'll probably second vuess yourself regardless of which path you take. We all do! And we all do it so well!
A d YAY for good xrays!! 🙂
The most important thing is to remember to Be More Dog !!! BE MORE WENDEL!! 🙂 That means make every moment the best moment ever! That means living in the prese t...in the now...in the moment...with no worries about the tomorrows! Wendel is NOT a statistic and doesn't care at all about any ole diagnosis-schmognosis! Days on a calendar mean nothing to him!
Being by your side....playing full out....getting tummy rubs....scoops of ice cream every day on top of a cheeseburger....spoiling...loving...yeah, that's all that matters to Wendel! 🙂
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!
Thank you both for your replies!
We are very lucky that Wendel is happy and resilient. That is definitely a bonus with his young age. Despite the crappy diagnosis, we are rejoicing in the small things. Wendel was able to start going on some short walks this week....he has not been able to go on any walks since February...so for our young pup this is a new lease on life!
Wendel also loves car rides...and for some odd reason he has no problem going to the vet. So after some tears and research (which I wish I did not do...those stats put a real damper on things) we decided that we would pursue a consult with the oncologist. We will weigh the pros and cons and try to make the best decision. The main priority is to let Wendel be a puppy...we think he was kind of robbed of that opportunity.
I will definitely check out the K9 immunity website. We have been exploring supplements, as we really want to protect his joints!
Hello and welcome to you and Wendel.
I'm sorry Wendel has had such a rough go! Cancer is tough to deal with for all of us, but it seems so unfair in the youngsters.
Yes, the stats are depressing- just remember- the stats don't include Wendel! My pug Maggie was given 6 to 9 months after her amp for mast cell cancer and she lived almost 4 years. It doesn't always happen, but with the amp you are giving Wendel a chance.
I would recommend you talk with an oncologist and maybe a holistic vet as well. I'm a strong proponent of knowing what all the options are when you are dealing with something like cancer. I've dealt with 3 cancers in two dogs, I did chemo with Maggie after her amputation. Mag's little sis Tani also had recurring mast cell cancer and I went the holistic route with her. The third cancer was oral melanoma in Maggie, for that I did only palliative care.
I second the K9 Immunity Plus recommendation, I used it with Tani for a couple years. I don't know if it helped with her cancer but it definitely helped keep her energy level up.
My quad pug boy Obie loves going to the vet! I think it's because he had a serious eye injury right after I adopted him and we were at the vet every other day for a week and a half and then weekly for a month or so. The ladies at the front counter fed him treats when he came in, and then after each exam he got a bunch more treats. Luckily he never needed surgical intervention- so as far as he was concerned the vet was just a treat factory!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Awe....I love that...the "treat factory!"
Thank you for sharing Maggie's story. It is so nice to hear positive longterm outcomes.
Ha! Karen, Izzy also *loved* going to the vet! She was totally a "people pup" and loved to be around as many people as possible. She was never shy to visit the vet and her darling oncologists sealed the deal on that for her in her old age. I'll never forget the day I was sitting with her nurse, Tyrone, going over the day's treatment. He casually told me that she'd had a whole can of food at four, noting that she "usually only gets half a can" ... my eyes were wide as saucers - I'd never realized she was getting all day treats AND a meal! The mystery of why she was getting chubby was solved! lol (important side note - she was at the vet about 3x a week for bandage changes at that point and "beefed up" rather quickly)
Keep us posted! Post more pics! Ask questions! Vent frustrations! We've all been there and are happy to help - just be careful, Sally (Benny) often recommends eating chocolate ... I took her advice a tad TOO much over the past year! 😉
Hugs,
Amy & HerRoyalFatness Izzy (in spirit)
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
OBIE thinks the Vet is a TREAT FACTORY 🙂
IZZY thinks the Vet is a place to "beef up, pig out and embrace chubbiness"!! 🙂
And some more "statistic busters" for you! Murphy recently became an Angel after kicking butt for over four years! Nitro became an Angel basically because of aging after kicking butt for three years! Queen Nova blew statistics out of the water for over five years!
BTW, you can NEVER have too much chocolate!
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!
Here is a picture of my happy boy, enjoying his new bed (16 days post amp...he deserved a gift)! The only thing that seems out of sorts is where he sleeps. He refuses to sleep in our room with us, which is new since the amputation. He is eating fine, and seems to be in great spirits...so I am not sure what is going on there?
I love those amazing stats! Hearing your stories is definitely uplifting.
That's a good looking bed and an even more handsome boy! It looks like recovery is going well. I wouldn't worry about the sleeping arrangements ... I'm sure he'll go back to his old habit!
Keep the photos coming 🙂
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
That is a WONDERFUL PHOTO!!! HE LOOKS SOOOO HAPPY! And he certainly looks comfy on his bed! 🙂
So glad to hear how well he's doing..And it gets better!!! 🙂 This is still early in recovery!
Not sure why he's not sleeping with you. While recovering he may be seekinb out the cooler spots... Coild be any number of little things......aybe the need to have his own "space" while he's still healing...his own "cave area". Nothing to worry about. He'll prance on in there sooner or later.
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!
Today I am feeling defeated. It is so hard to make the right decisions. After a consultation with the oncologist this has been confirmed as osteosarcoma. Our vet questioned the diagnosis as Wendel was initially diagnosed improperly, and now 7 months after the initial limp he does not show any signs of mets.
So now we are faced with the chemo vs no chemo decision. This is a tough decision for three reasons...the closest oncologist is 10hrs away, after a misdiagnosis which was treated with unnecessary surgery, and the amputation things are right financially, and the biggest factor of all...after 7 months Wendel is finally pain free and happy!
Do we risk his quality of life and continue treatment...or do we just enjoy his company? I wish the stats were not so wishy washy...this is causing lots of sleepless nights 😔
wendel17 said
Do we risk his quality of life and continue treatment...or do we just enjoy his company?
Why not both? The chemo treatment is totally optional and you can stop them if quality of life is affected. Check the popular forum topic about chemotherapy regrets for plenty of feedback (good and bad) from others.
FYI: We chose not to do any IV chemo with Jerry because UC Davis was six hours away. We too opted to focus on quality of life, and he loved life on three legs for nearly two years! Metronomics and immunity supplements are other options to consider.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Okay, just to clarify, when you refer to "qualiq of life", are you talking abput concerns of side effects....the 10 hr car ride...or voth?
To me, the ten hr car ride is a big OUCH...moreso than "potential" side effects of chemo. The one thing with chemo, it canalways be stopped if there are bad effects. Generallw the side effects are relatively mild (if at all) and treated with anti nausea pills.
Curious,where do you live?? A d not proposing chemo one way or another (simply because there really are no guarantees one way or anotner), but some "regular" Vets do have experience doing chemo injections under an Oncos guidance when ine is not available close by
.(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((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!
Thank you all for the advice. I will check out the forum for sure.
We live in Kenora, Ontario Canada. The closest vet university with oncologists is in Saskatoon...a little over 10hrs away.
I think many things affect Wendel's quality of life. 20hrs of round trip driving and the treatment time takes away 3 days of our lives together...each time we go.
Maybe there will be side effects?
Wendel started limping a few weeks before his first birthday. Wendel turns 19 months old on Friday, and we are just getting back to walks. This guy is full of puppy energy and has spent much of the last 8 months on limited activity and sometimes cooped up in a crate as not to injure his joints prior to having surgery for OCD and "healing" from OCD surgery that he did not actually require as it was cancer. So the last week watching him run around the house with a stuffed animal in him mouth, and watch him happily walk around the block has been amazing.
I just feel terrible limiting his activity in the past. We thought it was a developmental disorder and the short term pain would equal long term gain. But instead we just wasted precious time we could have been together. I am honestly so tired of the medical stuff...I just want quality time with my dog.
Today was a bad day...I will sleep on it and likely wake up refreshed and ready to charge ahead with chemo lol
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