Tripawd Tuesday: Calendar Girl Bowie

Meet Tripawds Calendar Girl Bowie

Thank you so much for doing this! This is a photo of my girl, Bowie (Bella Run Softly was her racing name), taken on April 2, 2017. Bowie is now 10 (she was 9 when the photo was taken). She had her leg amputated due to osteosarcoma in her right proximal humerous. She has finished 6 rounds of carboplatin as of August and is still one big happy girl!

I have to tell you a story about how a dog calendar and a song on the radio played into affirming my decision to amputate my girl’s leg earlier this year. Last January, my girl who is a retired racing greyhound named Bowie (who was 9 going on 10 last April), began limping intermittently starting on Thanksgiving 2016. By the end of January she had had 3 sets of xrays, a bone scan and 2 consultations, one with a surgeon and another with an oncologist, but no definitive diagnosis.

At that time I was trying to decide whether or not to amputate or go with palliative care. I usually have a Celebrating Greyhounds calendar in my kitchen and as I was changing the calendar from January to February I accidentally dropped the calendar on the floor. While I picked it up I was grumbling to myself that they never show anything but perfect greyhounds in the calendar. As soon as I turned it to February there was a photo of a beautiful female red fawn running full throttle in the snow with a toy. She was on three legs.

At that very moment a David Bowie song came on the radio. It kind of felt like I was being struck by lightning. It affirmed my decision to pursue aggressive treatment. She had her leg amputated soon thereafter, had 6 rounds of chemo therapy which ended in August and she’s doing really well. Plays and runs with younger greyhounds, goes up and down stairs. She’s just amazing.

See all 2018 Tripawds Calendars

(See which dogs and cats are in what new calendars.)

The picture I’m submitting of Bowie was taken a week after I lost my mom and the day after I lost my other beloved greyhound, Doodles, who was 14. Ironically, she passed the same day her littermate (who was also my dog), Carl, died on the exact same day 3 years before. I was so sad, I just had to get out of the house with Bowie, so we drove out to the poppy fields north of Los Angeles with a friend and spent the afternoon enjoying the beautiful flowers.

Thank you so much!

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Your Pet Can Star in Tripawd Tuesday

Each Tuesday, Tripawd dogs, cats and other critters from around the world can enter for a chance to be “Tripawd of the Week.” Just share your Tripawd’s story and you’re entered to win! On every Tuesday of the week, tell us about your three-legged hero. Just follow these easy steps:

1. In a short paragraph or two (or longer if you’d like!), describe your three-legged hero’s story.
2. Include photos or links to videos already uploaded to YouTube.
3. Include a link to your Tripawds Forum topic and/or Tripawds blog, social media handles, etc.
   
4. Email your story and photos to us.

All entries must be received by Saturday at 11:59 pm. One Tripawd story will be selected at random to be featured the following Tuesday.

Is your pet a Tripawd hero?