Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Pam,
Calamity's leg was shipped somewhere in Arizona for her histopathology. I called to check this morning & the results are not back yet.
Can you explain to me just what they do & why it takes so long? Although everyone believes the lytic spot on her bone/break was osteomeylitis, there was the chance it could be osteosarcoma. I'd just like to get past this part.
Thanks!
Janie & Calamity
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
I know they told me they could ship Titan's leg to get it analyzed. we decided not to because we had already spent $2000 in tests. I think they have to do take the leg apart and take lots of samples so I am sure like an autopsy it can take some time. Keep us posted and hang in there.
Love
Heidi and Titan
If they sent the whole leg it takes time to dissect it and demineralize the bone and then read the sample so 2 weeks sounds about right. I also had Tazzie's leg amputated before biopsy because I was 99.9% sure it was osteosarcoma. I had the surgeon take several biopsies from the center of the lesion so I got the biopsies back in 5-7 days.
If you can get a copy of the report it can give you some clues as to how the tumor may progress. There are many different subtypes of osteosarcoma and the report will also say if the tumor is rapidly or slowly dividing. I hope that your dog just has osteomyelitis but it is good to know for sure because with cancer you of course should consider chemo.
Titan as far as your question about Butch I am not sure if you are referring to early spread of the cancer or the seizures. Unfortunately younger dogs have an increased risk of having the highly malignant form and even with chemo it is hard to slow that down. I wonder if his biopsy report showed aggressive cancer? I would still have proceded the same way, because by removing the leg you stop the pain and it is always worth trying the chemo because some young dogs will respond well. It depends on how fast you diagnose the cancer and how fast can you get the leg off.
Seizures are not that common with osteosarcoma but this cancer can go anywhere so the brain must be involved. I see this more often with hemangiosarcoma or lymphoma.
Pam and Tazzie
Thanks Pam!!!
Yes, they shipped the whole leg to where ever they shipped it. I guess I just need to be patient.
And yes, if it is OS, my vet friend & I would like to get in touch with Dr. Couto to get his protocol for greyhounds. The sooner the better in that case.
If it's just the infection...this is finaly over :-0
Janie & Calamity
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
Pam I was curious about both. I know with Titan's report of his bone biopsy they said out 12 samples 2 had cancer. I guess everydog is different.
Titan and Heidi
VSEC called the lab where Calamity's leg is yesterday and I guess they told her they needed to section it some more, this is why we haven't heard anything. Our guess (the surgery department coordinator & I) is that they didn't find osteo on the first sections. She said let's think of it as no news is good news.
Pam, could that be a good assumption?
Everyone in the surgery department told me yesterday that they really have no fears that her leg broke again due to osteo, that it was the infection that has persisted for almost a year. They all tried to reassure me.
I just know there is still that chance, no matter how small. And if there is osteo there, I want to get started on a treatment. They longer we wait, the more those cells keep spreading in my beautiful girl.
I have an oportunity to go to Ohio this weekend and would like to be able to get her to Dr. Couto at OSU if this is osteo. He is the "God" when it comes to greyhound cancers and a friend to me.
I know I am probably freaking out over what will turn out to be nothing, but I just need to rant......I want the answer.
Janie & Calamity
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
The odds are definitely in favor of osteomeylelitis (infection) rather than cancer. The problem is that she is a Greyhound so they are probably just being careful. Usually they section the whole thing at once and take different readings from different parts of the leg so I still think it seems to be taking them a while. It is hard to wait when the news is so important!
Pam
Pam,
Thanks for helping me understand this. It's so frustrating to even think she could have osteo & nothing is being done because we have no definite diagnosis. I'm so glad you understand & put up with my questions.
Would it be correct for me to assume that they looked at the slices where the bone showed the most lysis and saw no cancer, so now they are just looking at the slices that spread out in either direction? Did that make sense? I didn't ask this of VSEC, but do they point the lab to the direction of the break? Send the x-rays along? Mark it on the leg?
I just want to be at peace with all of this and have her live to be an old greyhound 🙂
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
I'm not sure what the lab is doing! Usually they make sections of the most important site first (where the break was) and then move out from there. Usually cancer is pretty obvious so either they are looking at new sections to see where the infection ends and normal bone begins or there could be differing opinions amongst the pathologists reading the slides so they want to be sure.
It sounds like your surgeon thinks it is probably infection, but the only true answer comes from the biopsy.
Pam and Tazzie
Dearest Calamity & Janie,
I hope you get your answers soon. I'm not a doctor so I can't say what the odds are of her having osteosarcoma, but Dr. Pam is a great vet and she should relieve some of your worries. I hope you get the results very soon and let us all know when you do. We're very concerned for Calamity, too.
Sending pawsitive thoughts your way and keeping our paws crossed.
Vicki, Blazer & Kitty Kimber
VSEC called the lab yesterday about Calamity's histopathology, actually Dr Desch got involved and called in the morning, the blood bank coordinator called in the afternoon.
Here's the "answer of the day" from the University of Arizona, where the million dollar leg is, and more of an explanation as to how they do this.
They have looked at her leg from the shoulder down finding nothing, they are approaching the area of the break and will have an answer/report on Friday.
Once again, not quite sure why this has taken so long. Shelley checked her greyhound's histopath report and it was done in 5 days. Her greyhound was diagnosed with OS prior to the amp. Just not sure.
I've prepared myself for the slight chance it is OS by e-mailing Dr Couto to get her in a clinical trial at OSU IF the report is not what we are all expecting it to be. I'd like her in the Carboplatin and gemcitabine trial. They have used gemcitabine for human lung cancer for years now and are getting some pretty good results in canines. HOPEFULLY this is not what we will have to do, I just know the importance of getting on this soon as we have lost time while waiting for UofA to get off their butts & get an answer.
Keep praying that we get an good answer tomorrow & we don't have to worry about any of this chemo and she can just be a happy, healthy girl missing a rotten leg!!!
Janie & Calamity
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
Janie & Calamity,
Wow, they really are taking their time, that's crazy! I'm so sorry, the waiting must be making you insane. Hang in there.
We pray it's not OS too, and just a rotten "million dollar leg." Keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks you guys and yes, the waiting has made me insane.....well more insane than I already was 
Janie - not Calamity, her sanity is just fine.
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
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