Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Ty is no worse, but really not a whole lot better either. Still laying around a lot, not eating a lot and does not even want to try to get on couch today. His fever is still down, which is a small consolation. A part of me wants to just stop all the med nonsense and see if he feels better. I won't though, as I am convinced that infection is lurking somewhere. I think I figured out the weird drooling after the Carafate. I read that it forms a sticky gel. He kind of burps it up and lets it run out of his mouth. He ate an Italian sausage (I know.....) and a hamburger and a half today. I just do not feel like he is enjoying his life right now. I also do not want to make any rash decisions either. I just wish I knew. if I knew this was as good as it gets for him, I could make the decision to make that trip. There is just some teeny tiny part of me that says "no, just wait a few days". Kind of like I am darned if I do and darned if I don't. Waiting on callback form vet as to what to do with meds over weekend. Hoping Vector panel is back. I am out of antibiotics and not sure what she will want to do. He did get up and hang out a bit with some friends that came to visit him. by the time their mom came to pick them up, he had crashed. I could tell what she was thinking, but was kind enough not to say, I had reacted kind of badly one other time she brought it up.(crying, Not responding). I don't want to just make him stay for my benefit. I WANT MY DOG BACK!!!!
I want my jumping, bouncing ,tail wagging,shoe stealing dog back! The last time I actually saw that dog was months ago, when I stupidly left him at first vets for synovial fluid draw, xrays and cortisone shot. He was bouncing around( on 3 legs) had 4 just was not using one. Wagging tail and just staring at me with adoration in those big brown eyes. Even the vet was laughing at that. I cried the whole way home that night. Was like I somehow knew. This is a dog that would drag me across the parking lot to get to the car and now he wont even jump onto the couch, sorry, rambling I know. This is just so not how I envisioned this turning out. He was such an active crazy boy, that I thought he would bounce right back like Tigger. The frustrating thing is, he shows no signs of mets anywhere. Could it really still be the cancer( I refuse to give it an upper case c) making him this sick? Is this because he had this for so long before we got it taken care of? Has anyone else still had such an ill dog at this point? today is 5 weeks post amp. Thank you for listening, it helps to have someone to talk to. Everyone around here is pretty sick of listening to me.
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Everyone on Tripawds is here for you. Never hesitate to post here.
From what you post, Ty has improved. He had an interest in friends...that's great! Being exhausted after would be expected considering how sick he has been. He's eating some things...that's better than nothing!
If you think the Carafate isn't agreeing with him, ask the vet for a different medication. There must be an alternative. Or maybe take him to a different vet for a second opinion. Sometimes someone else has a different perspective and can figure things out. Does your vet think the fever is related to cancer?
I wish I had more to offer. Please know that you have our support.
Hugs,
Carol
I am not sure what vet thinks:( We are now on our 3rd one. We got switched to internal medicine when we started chemo. just really don't know what to do.
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
What does your vet say or recommend? I asked my vet to always be honest with me and I am pretty close to all of them now and for them to TELL me like it was since I am pretty sure I won't be able to 'see it' (whatever it is) or know when it is time.
That said, I am not a vet nor do I have any experience with what you are going through. That he will eat is a good sign. That he perks up for his friends is also good.
I think the hardest part of our journey (Shelby is 2 months post-amp but I have basically been dealing with this change in our lifestyle for almost 9 months now) is that things aren't "how they were". That has been so hard for me, personally. Long car rides (nope), long runs (not a chance), sleeping in my bed with me (nope... not anymore). But what I do have is a dog that looks at me every single day like I am the most wonderful person in the world and that loves me with her whole heart. And she is 100% happy. She doesn't know she is different.
I know Ty does not feel all that great right now and God I wish I had some answers for you ... but I have to think it's got to be the meds.
And we are not sick of listening to you ... we are here for you! Vent, cry, shout all you want ... we wish we could do more to help but know that we are ALL pulling for you and your guy!
XO
Alison and Shelby
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Same vet office? Maybe try another practice?
I'm so sorry. I know how frustrated you feel. That's how I felt Willow's last week...trying to get answers. I'm definitely not suggesting that this is the same situation!!! Just mean in looking for answers to what was going on.
I'm out running errands right now, typing on my phone which is awkward. But if you would like someone to talk to, PM me and let me know. I really mean that.
Hugs,
Carol
NO ONE is sick of listening to you! Do you know how many times these people around here have had to hear me complain about a "weird noise" I heard coming from Jill? That is what we're here for!!!
Can you remind me again, were all of Ty's blood tests normal? Any anemia, liver tests all normal, etc?? Is it a specialist that's running these tests?
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
I wish I had answers for you, too. Like others have said, there ARE improvements, just not as many or as fast as you'd like, I know.
If you believe it's the meds you could try, with your vets approval, weaning off one med at a time and see if there is improvement.
In the meantime, come here and let it all out! We all need each other.
Amy & Libby
Liberty (Libby) was diagnosed with OSA on 1-22-13. Right front amputation on 1-31-13. No IV Chemo. Metronomic Therapy started 2-19-13 along with supplements and some home cooking. Lungs clear until 1-06-14. She's still her happy, hoppy, bossy self. Living the dog life to the fullest and a proud Winter Warrior. :) RIP my Libby 4-21-03 to 3-19-14
Lori, I added my thoughts to your other post, hop on over there.
And again, I promise, nobody is sick of listening to you, that's why we are here. Write away, we understand.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
It sounds like maybe Ty is feeling a bit better? At least he ate something, so that is good. I remember that my boy Max wasn't really "himself" until about 5 weeks after surgery. His personality was definitely not back, and he seemed depressed. He did eat for us, but was really suspicious because we had been hiding his medications; so again, he did eat, but it was a bit of a process for him to do so. I'm really sorry Ty isn't up and about. I would think with that fever that it must be some kind of infection too. Hopefully this will run its course and he will get to feeling better in the next couple of days. I hope your vet gets back to you soon. Please keep us updated.
Hi......I am so sorry poor Ty is still feeling so bad. Something you said, about him receiving a steroid injection, x-rays, and fluid draw......what was the reason for all that? Is it possible, something was wrong with the steroid given to him, such as the taint recall that was out there awhile back? Or that he simply had a really negative reaction to the injection? Just seems really strange to me that this all started right after he had those things done. Something just doesn't seem right in my head, when I think about the sudden change in him. Of course, I do know you know him way better than I do, and I am not a vet, but steroid injections surely can have strange reactions with certain people and pets, especially if there may be an active infection in their body at the time.
I surely hope you can get a definite resolution to this terrible problem with Ty. I will be keeping you in my thoughts.....
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Hi there
Just here to give some words of support....I agree that Ty seems to be improving.....maybe very slowly but there seems to be a bit of a spark there 
Early after Tuck's amputation, I had to accept that there would be changes.....the long walks at the park that we had are no longer possible.....I even felt guilty going for a brisk walk without him so I would walk on my lunch hour at work.
Tuck is different now.....but still my lovely pup.
Keep posting here about how you are feeling and your concerns......until you have had this experience with your furbaby you really cannot relate.
Many hugs
Linda and Tucker
I'm no vet and I haven't traveled as far down the cancer treatment path as others on this forum, but the fact that Ty's temperature is under control seems HUGELY positive to me. Wasn't it somewhere up around 105-106 at the peak? That indicates to me that you got rid of his infection. My gut tells me he's still feeling kind of crappy because of the meds and because he's been through a lot! Please don't give up on him, you don't even have results of the vector panel yet. If that's the problem that would definitely explain why he's been dragging.
You asked how other pups did after their amputation surgery. My pup was slow to recuperate right after the surgery and then was up and down kind of dramatically until she passed, 47 days post amp. She passed from something you've already ruled out and isn't an issue for Ty.
Hang in there, this is the scary part of the treatment path. For what it's worth, my gut is screaming at me "he'll be ok, be patient". I don't usually get feelings like that so I gotta think it means something.
Sending love to you and little Ty
Claudia and Angel Jersey Girl
I'll be in chat in about 20min. Wanna talk?
~ Katy
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
Sorry I missed you. I'm frustrated for you. This is really tough! Really. I went back and read your initial post of Ty and been trying to follow along. After all that workup with the vets, imagining, fluids, and meds, I also find it hard to believe this is cancer doing this. I get the sense he's got a sensitive tummy. What are all the meds he's on? What ones do you know at this point don't work? What ones do you feel he's got to stay on to keep things at bay (such as keeping a fever from spiking)? Remind us, please.
Given that Ty has been through SO MUCH, he just may still be in recovery. He probably feels awful. But we feel awful when recovering, too, or with the flu and that's no time to put us down.
If it'd was me, I'd be here posting every 20min. We're here! Please don't stop venting and sharing. Frankly, I'm worried about Ty and look for an update daily. In my opinion, you can't post enough!
If it were my dog, I'd vent here, center myself here, and then go back to him and asses the basics: he's eating, sleeping, peeing, and pooing? Sure, his diet is crappy right now, but he's eating. He likes his ice chips! I was wondering, you could season those ice chips with some garlic powder, too, to keep his interest? When you're ill, how many days have you lived off chicken noodle soup? I'd just take it one day at a time. Ice chips and hamburger on the menu! Every day!
You can do this. I know you can! I think Ty is fighting a big battle right now and is working hard. He'll come back! He will!!!
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
UGH! I am so sorry to hear that Ty is not feeling better! It is so frustrating to see our furry babies not be themselves and not just be able to ask them "what's wrong?" Like everyone else said... maybe he is just recovering from being so ill. If his temp is back to normal... maybe the infection is gone? I'm not a vet and just started this journey myself so those are all just things that pop into my head. Again I'm so sorry you're going through this.
hugs to you and Ty
Cody and Family
Cody is our 7 year old Australian Heeler mix boy. Diagnosed on 2/20/14 and became a tripawd 2/21/14! We chose a homeopathic approach and he is being treated by Dr. Loops our of NC.
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