Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi,
my pup has osteosarcoma which has metastasized to her lungs. Just 3 weeks ago, she was playing and fine. This Saturday I got the bad news. She is no longer receiving chemo but is now on Palladia. Since starting the Palladia on Saturday 2/12/2022 she has declined rapidly. She can barely walk at this point. And X-ray on her remaining back leg showed nothing wrong but she can’t put weight on it and it’s swollen. And now her two front legs are swollen … I also wanted to add that she has discharge from both her eyes now and the eye drops did not work. She is also taking carprofen and gabapentin. Any advice or opinions? I need help before I make a major decision. Thanks
Just going to pop in real quick while waiting for a response from our volunteer vet. What does your vet say regarding this? Is your Onxp offering any treatment for the swelling or have any tests been done for the swelling? Does the Onco think this is just a temporary side effect as a Palladia and now that it has stopped it will clear up?
Hopefully things can be figured out to help your pup get back to feeling better. Eating, drinking, pooping and peeing okay?
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!
The oncologist doesn’t think it’s the Palladia. However, I read it’s one of the side effects. Today starts two days off it. I just tried to take her out and she would go to the bathroom. She could hardly stand again. Right now she is on gabapentin and carprofen. I also started adding the turmeric to her food yesterday. The problem is, if she doesn’t go to the bathroom I can’t keep feeding her. I’m honestly not happy with her oncologist. He is very short with me and seems always in a hurry to get off the phone. My pup has started with these tremors too. It all seems to have started with this Palladia but maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my end. This cancer is moving quick.
Did he recheck her CBC/labs after starting Palladia? Does she have a fever? I have not used Palladia much but it is an immunosuppressant and can decrease the white cell count which can lead to infection. This is not that common; most of the time you see GI side effects.
Most likely the cancer has spread to other locations including the spine but the only way to know that is by doing an MRI. Is she painful or is she just weak?
Pam
She whined a couple times on Monday night and was very restless. She’s does not seem to be in pain since adding the carprofen with the gabapentin. She slept most of yesterday and is resting now but has some trembling (teeth chattering) going on. She still drinks and eats (chicken and rice w/ turmeric, and I give her apple slices). However, she can’t stand to go to the bathroom so I don’t want to keep feeding her. Her leg weakness decreased majorly since her oncologist visit on Saturday. And she is still having eye discharge. I am really hoping to keep her comfortable at home and not euthanize her but it’s not looking good.
Just wondering about Dr Pam's questions (see velow). An I rection could explain the eye discharge and leg swelling maybe (referencing your other post. .
Anyway you could get a consult with another Onco with whom you feel you could connect better?
Cannot answer your other post about Pred and Yunan together. Can only say Pred cannot be used with Rimadyl (Carprophen) without washout . IF...IF...IF....it's a sudden disc issue (not spine mets), the Pred could help with inflammation.
Did you mean to say decreased???
leg weakness decreased
Sray tuned for Dr Pam
Did he recheck her CBC/labs after starting Palladia? Does she have a fever? I have not used Palladia much but it is an immunosuppressant and can decrease the white cell count which can lead to infection.
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!
Her leg weakness has gotten worse. She peed on her own yesterday afternoon but is not able to stand today. It’s hard to get an appointment with another oncologist. The wait list is crazy. No new blood work. And no fever. She just started the Palladia on 2/12/2022 and another dose on 2/14/2022. Something changed majorly since that first dose Saturday. It’s so crazy because on Sunday she made it up the steps by herself and in to the bed by herself. Now she can’t even stand… just doesn’t make sense to me. She has major swelling in all 3 legs now.
It is hard to say without a CBC if the Palladia is the problem; due to the leg swelling they should also check her total protein levels but this does not sound good. Jerry is right this could be due to the lung mets. If she is not painful but can't stand then there is still a chance of spinal mets or an unrelated issue called FCE which is a cartilage emboli to part of the spine and neither of these things is good.
I am afraid that you might need to consider euthanasia unless the oncologist or your vet wants to recheck labs but there may not be much to be done. I know when my dog Tazzie suddenly couldn't walk I had to make that hard choice and it is not easy.
Pam
Any chance is hypertrophic osteopathy? She started walking on her own again last night and today and is still eating and drinking. She is also showing to be more alert. I stopped the Palladia Monday (the last dose). Nothing Tuesday, Wed, or today.
Don't mean to pop in again on the "Vet" thread..but just wanted to say that sounds like some good news!!!. Maybe getting the Palladia cleared from her system is doing something positive. and she had some unforseen horrible reaction......maybe? Has the swelling gone down too some?
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!
Woah that is good news! Is the swelling still there? Did you get a chance to discuss with your vet?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I took her to the vet and we took front leg X-rays. She seems to agree that it’s hypertrophic osteopathy from the cancer spread to the lungs. We hoping to start Gemma on prednisone and resume her Palladia. If it wasn’t for tripawds.com I would have never known to research and bring this up to the vet. Hopefully the prednisone gets the swelling down. I’m grateful for everyone’s help and insight and for checking in. Hopefully I can update more positive news soon.
Ohhh I'm sorry that the vet didn't have better news. At least you have a plan now, which is progress. Thank you for taking time to update. Please keep us posted over in Treatment and Recovery and know that we are all sending lots of love and pawsitivity.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes the prednisone is most likely what is helping her. Did your vet stop the Rimadyl/carprofen?
Pam
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