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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Cross your "paws" please!
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Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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31 August 2015 - 9:21 pm
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All paws still crossed.

Sending hugs to you and sweet Kasey.

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!

Member Since:
25 January 2014
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1 September 2015 - 6:12 pm
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So the cells within the tumor are all mast cell tumors. The vet said to bring her in on Thursday and they are going to do a steroid injection to reduce the size. The tumor is in between the size of a gumball and a golf ball. Then I will take her in next Tuesday for surgery to remove the tumor. They will send the tumor off for it to be graded. I continue to hope and pray that it comes back as a grade one or two.

My concern is the fact that this is recurring tumor. It's in the same area of her previous mast cell. Well I guess her previous mast tumor was on her right leg near her shoulder blade. This tumor is where her shoulder blade would be. So my concern is do mast cell tumors come back more aggressive? Her previous grade was a high one/low two. The margins were clear and her lymph nodes were clear. The mitosis reading was low as well on her previous mast cell.

The vet and oncologist believe that this is a whole new set of mast cells. She seems to be acting her normal self. She is eating and drinking normally, using the bathroom normally, and her usual "active" self. She's as active as she can be for 13 years old 🙂

Danell and Kasey

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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1 September 2015 - 6:52 pm
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Even though this wasn't totally unexpected, it still stinks!! Just plain stinks!!

I don't have insight into her specific kind, my Happy Hannah had osteo. I do know from jist being here on the site and reading a lot of Karen's responses (Pug Maggie), these things can shrink, grow, shrink, etc. Also, "prognosis" and statistics don't seem to mean much when it comes to each individual dog.

One thing I can speak to directly is that Kasey feels just fine!! No "report" is changing how Kasey feels! She doesn't let that kind of thing have ANY influence over her!! No siree, everything is good in Kasey's world and she's continuing to enjoy her life to the fullest! And she plans on doing that for a very long time!!

Maybe there are other options that don't involve surgery. I have no idea how invasive that would be or if it's a hard recovery. Others will chime in with more insight.

Unfortunately, Karen has had waaaay too much experience with this, but she's a great resource!

Give that sweet Kasey a hug for us..and lots of extra treats! Still keeping all.paws crossed!

Lots of love!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!

Schofield, WI
Member Since:
13 August 2015
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1 September 2015 - 6:56 pm
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Good luck.  I will keep everything crossed you get good news.  Healing thoughts coming your way!!  Great to hear she's her normal self.  That's got to be a good sign I would think.  I'm sure it will be a grade one.  Positive thoughts!!

Norene, TN
Member Since:
21 October 2014
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2 September 2015 - 8:33 am
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Oh man, so sorry to hear this news, but, as said earlier, it's not that unexpected when it comes to MC. I'm no dogtor and everything I'm saying is based on my own experience with our Harmony.

The one thing I learned about this cancer is unless a tumor is pressing on a nerve or crowding an organ, it's, for the most part, painless.  However, it does itch - ALOT because it's histamine that's gone awry in their little systems. Control the histamine and you control the cancer. For our Harmony, we were too late and the MC had spread like wildfire throughout her body. We didn't know the extent of her illness until her leg was taken because of a large tumor that was in her shoulder pressing on a major nerve. We just thought she was an obsessive licker.

Although they took her spleen too, we truly don't believe it was MC that took her last breath. We think she had a blood clot that broke loose to her lungs. Except for a few complications, she was on her road to recovery.

Like I mentioned earlier, I'm no dogtor, just my two cents. It sounds like you're several steps ahead of this nastiness.

Keeping you and your pack in my thoughts and prayers,

xoxo

Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.

"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."

- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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2 September 2015 - 9:00 am
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Darn! I was hoping it was something else, but you have a good grasp on the steps needed to obliterate that sucker and it's a great place to be right now.

I know that mast cell is so unpredictable, no matter how many times it presents. Check out this Tripawd Talk Radio interview with Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, we talked all about mast cell for 30 minutes. I think it will give some insight:

Mast Cell Cancer Basics for Tripawds with Dr. Hohenhaus

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Green Bay, WI


Member Since:
18 May 2014
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2 September 2015 - 9:14 am
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Control the histamine and you control the cancer. For our Harmony, we were too late and the MC had spread like wildfire throughout her body. We didn't know the extent of her illness until her leg was taken because of a large tumor that was in her shoulder pressing on a major nerve. We just thought she was an obsessive licker.

I know nothing of MC, but if what Pam is saying is true, that if you control the histamine you control the cancer.....have you ever heard of the drug Apoquel? It's a relatively new allergy med that helps allergies at the cellular level - stopping the histamines before they are released into the body, thus stopping itching. The downside is, that it's in very high demand (at least in my area) and is hard to come by. Just a thought, but as I said, I don't know anything about MC.

paula and nitro

Nitro 11 1/2  yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms.  Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"

http://nitro.tripawds.com

"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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2 September 2015 - 9:17 am
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Paula you rock, that's awesome insight, thank you.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Los Angeles, CA
Member Since:
13 June 2013
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2 September 2015 - 10:46 am
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dobemom said

I know nothing of MC, but if what Pam is saying is true, that if you control the histamine you control the cancer.....have you ever heard of the drug Apoquel? It's a relatively new allergy med that helps allergies at the cellular level - stopping the histamines before they are released into the body, thus stopping itching. The downside is, that it's in very high demand (at least in my area) and is hard to come by. Just a thought, but as I said, I don't know anything about MC.

paula and nitro

I have also heard amazing things about Apoquel -  (Pam the Vet here also mentioned it when I brought up allergies for Jasper). We can get it in LA but I have also heard it's high in demand and it is indeed very expensive. Jasper does take it but not daily and only when she has a flair up. She has generic allergies not a MC tumor. 

Sending you lots of healthy and healing energy... we all know that Kasey is an amazing fighter!!!! 

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

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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2 September 2015 - 11:16 am
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Fricking mast cell.

Both of the pug girls had recurring tumors.  Our oncologist (who had two Bostons with mast cell) said it could indicate a more aggressive cancer but not necessarily. Pretty much the answer you get whenever there is a question about MCTs... maybe, maybe not.

Maggie had 6 tumors beside the one that led to the amputation, 5 after the amp.  Tani, my quad pug girl was up to 11 or 12 tumors when she passed.  She had 3 removed when she was about 6, they didn't recur until she was about 10.  I had three removed with just a punch at that time and before the path report came back there were two more. One of the ones removed with the punch was a grade 2 with dirty margins, but it never grew back.  So I decided not to do any further treatment.  We would aspirate new ones when we found them but only to keep track.  Tani had lots of other health issues so I was balancing that as well.  When she passed in February she was almost 15 years old, and the MCTs were a distant third in health concerns.

I think your best bet is to find out the MI on the new one and take it from there.  There is no real way to tell if it is mets or a unrelated tumor.  And you should think about your long term treatment plans for Kasey. For example: when Maggie turned 10 I decided that there would be no more invasive surgeries for her- nothing she had to go under for.  She didn't do well being put under and did not cope well with surgeries and recoveries. I found having a plan, and writing it down, before something came along helped me make decisions.

Hopefully this will be a grade 1 or 2 with a low MI and Kasey will continue to hop along for years to come.

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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2 September 2015 - 1:27 pm
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Karen, as always, great supportive advice.

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!

Member Since:
25 January 2014
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2 September 2015 - 3:34 pm
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Thanks everyone! That explains why my vet said to give her Benadryl in the AM and PM. She doesn't seem to be trying to scratch at it, actually she doesn't even seem to notice it! I've never heard of Apoquel, but I'll have to look into it.

I am going to ask the vet more questions tomorrow. I know she cannot give me any definite answers until they grade the tumor, but just for my piece of mind 🙂

Kasey is 13 but the last time she had blood work done in the spring, the vet said her blood work look really good. She doesn't act 13, she is just a stubborn beagle! She has some other health issues. She has Cushings disease, but again that has not slowed her down at all. She is on Vetoryl for that. She also has a low thyroid and is on Thyrokare. She has issues holding her urine, but the vet believes that is old age and she is on Proin for that. Even though she has all of these health issues and now a MCT on top of it, not to mention three legs...she truly amazes me. She is not that active, but he hops along in the backyard doing her own thing....completely unaware of the other two (sometimes three-if my boyfriend is here) dogs. She still gets excited at feeding time and does her beagle bay until I feed her. She also knows when it's 6:00 and will let me know that it's dinner time. Since 2013 she has had two surgeries, one in January 2013 for a partially torn ACL in her back left leg and the amputation in 2014 (right front leg). She had pancreatitis in the summer of 2013 and then broke her toe on her remaining front leg in the fall of 2014. I like to call her a Timex...she takes a licking but keeps on ticking!

Thanks for your feedback and well wishes!

Danell and Kasey

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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19 September 2015 - 10:42 am
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How is "Timex" doing?

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!

Member Since:
25 January 2014
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22 September 2015 - 7:19 pm
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She got her stitches out yesterday and is dong fine. The vet said she is still waiting to hear the results of the grade of the tumor. She spoke with the histologist last week and she was told they are doing special stains on the tumor. The vet was unclear that that meant. So she was going to call again today. I'm just focusing on Kasey and taking it one day at a time 🙂

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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22 September 2015 - 7:38 pm
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Glad she's getting on with enjoying her sweet self. Yep! Focusing on Kasey and taking it day by day..now thats a great plan! I know Kasey is enjoying all the attention and spoiling and certa isn't waiting for any "test results" to tell her how to feel. She's feeling FINE!

Thanks for the update.

Hugs to all!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle 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!

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