Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi guys:
I have a greyhound who has had a persistent fibrosarcoma removed from her right hamstring area three times now...This horrible thing just keeps coming back! I have had her to an internist and my choices are grim....chemo, radiation, or amputation. Well, amputation is really off the list because this tumor is so high up on her leg and very close to her rectum...They really can't amputate due to location. She will be 12 in February, and I already have trouble getting her to eat at times. He told me she would have to have chemo every three weeks for a year! She won't survive that. She is terrified of the vet and as I said, she already is not a big eater. She cannot afford to lose any more weight! Radiation is something I don't think she would do well with either. It would be a long drive for us and I am sure it would take several treatments...how many, I am not sure.
I am looking at supplements....any advice here? I hate to have her go through removal again, but I am already starting to feel a small lump, and she just had it removed in Sept.! I am just crushed... She has had this removed three times in just over a year already...
She still will take her walks, and play with her stuffies, and chase squirrels...I just want to do the best for her!!!
Help!!!
Sorry to hear about your pup. You'll find lots of advice regarding supplements in the Eating Healthy forum and the Tripawds Nutrition blog . We used the K9 Immunity supplement from Aloha Medicinals with Jerry and believe it helped contribute to his two-year survival. Others have reported success with Power Mushrooms and other AHCC therapies.
Hope this helps, please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sorry to hear about your pup. We had an older dog as well that was terrified of the vet - when radiation was recommended, we just couldn't do that to her. You know your dog best!
As for supplements, you might also want to research artemisinin . There is a group on Yahoo - go to Yahoo Groups and search on artemisinin_and_cancer - it is all folks dealing with canine cancers. Some folks have had good success with it. Not sure how it does with fibrosarcoma, but it's worth checking out.
All the best to you and your pup!
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
I'm sorry to hear about your greyhound...you're in a tough situation with her 
I would suggest maybe you get Dr. Dressler's book, "The Dog Cancer Survival Guide " (links on this site) and check out his supplement, Apocaps . VERY promising supplement, which I give my dog off and on. There is an entire chapter on the supplement in his book and some very promising testimonials.
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
wow, sounds like you guys are doing the best you can, given the challenges of location of the tumor and recurrence of it's growth. gayle had a soft tissue sarcoma (we did amp and chemo). she's been on k9 immunity for about a year and a half, and we too think it has contributed in keeping her healthy. we were told about radiation initially, but it required sedation and numerous treatments for gayle...which wasn't gonna work. sending best wishes to you guys, whatever you decide to do, when you make your decision out of love for your girl, it will be right.
charon & gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
I ended up using k9criticalcare.com for Levi...
Levi was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-7-11
Ampuversary 10-14-11
Lung Mets Discovered 1-4-12. Chemo seemed to not be working so we switched to Artemisinin and other supplements. In May, Levi developed a sinus infection and started having seizures. The cancer had moved to his brain. We let him go 6-26-12.
Thanks all...It is a tough situation for sure...Some people have also tried Tumeric (Curcumin)? I have bought that for starters...I hate to keep putting her through surgery, but I also can't see doing nothing when she is doing well currently! (she has her ups and downs) I just know that chemo or radiation would kill her ....either the stress, the sickness with doing those things, or simply it will destroy her spirit due to stress of going, etc. I don't want her last year..years...to be at the vet all the time... 🙁
I do fish oil and some vit E as well. she also gets Ensure and loves it! She is such a loving grey...darn this cancer!!!!
I appreciate all the advice and will check these different supplements out...
Yes, I've heard good things also about curcumin. (I tried to get Abby on it, but gave up for now - every time I would try to start, she would have tummy trouble. Her tummy can be a bit sensitive, so it took me forever to get her on to her current regime of stuff - which is all up in the air again as we are now trying a new at-home chemo pill.)
Anyway, I just wanted to add to my earlier message and add on to what Charon said that we also do K9 Immunity and I think it's been good for Abby. We did artemisinin from July to basically last week and I think that also helped - although she had a bit of a weird last x-ray with a mix of both good and bad news. Anyway, we are on a break from it now while we try this new chemo drug.
PM if you have any specific questions. I can totally understand not wanting to put your dog through the stress of all that. Like I said, we did not do it with our last dog, but we have done chemo w/ Abby, but it's a very different situation. You gotta go with what you know in your heart is best for your pup.
And, yes, darn fricking cancer. Hate it.
All the best,
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Thanks for advice...I will try the immunity and also the tumeric. Along with her vit E and fish oil...I worry about mixing some of these supplements..Any advice on that? I just want to slow this darn thing down so she isn't having surgery every other month! I know grain free diet is best also. stupid tumor... :(((((
My general thought is to go slow and introduce them one at a time, spaced out over a few days (at least). That way if something doesn't agree with her, you will know what is causing it.
We hate tumors too!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am going to be taking Tamalee to a holisitic vet. I spoke with the receptionist who said the doctor creates some sort of vaccine/injection using Tamalee's blood or tumor tissue???? This supposedly helps shrink the fibro tumors. I will learn more details when I see him. I am desperate. There are two on her that seem to be growing quickly...I am using supplements but sometimes she doesn't want to eat and then of course, she doesn't get the supplements....
Sigh....Sad and worried for my girl...
I'm sorry to hear your girl sometimes doesn't eat. That must be very worrisome for you. It's so hard to see them not acting like themselves.
Sending good thoughts for your girl. Please give her some extra loving from us.
Jackie, Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Leena, we're sorry this is such a tough time for you both.
Have you tried using tempting foods to get her to eat? Stinky cheese, liverwurst, even baby food often helps. Home cooking is another way to get her to eat (start gently with boiled chicken and rice).
We want to hear more about this injection. I know it's hard not to reach out and try everything right now when things are so stressful, but use discretion; there are a lot of iffy therapies out there that cost a lot of money but do nothing to help slow down the cancer. Please do your research and talk to others here and everywhere you can when you learn about this technique. Also, ensure that the holistic vet is indeed a licensed vet.
Lotsa love coming your way. Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that your baby girl isn't doing well. I'm sorry I don't have any advice to help you but just know we are thinking about you during this very worrying time.
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Thanks guys....Just today I found another very small lump starting ...I suspect that it is a third tumor now...These darn fibrosarcomas and their ever reaching tentacles of cancer cells! I do know of this vet, and he has been recommended by other people I know. He has been in practice for quite some time. I sure hope something works as this thing just won't stop. Her chest x-ray in Sept was clear and labs were good . I just need to stop this thing from growing! How many surgeries can we do...and, it won't quit coming back...Her surgery in Jan was hard on her and since she is a greyhound, there is no fat to pull back together, and her stitches/staples always come apart! She had a huge wound that took three months to heal in. With no fat on her, its all muscle tissue that shows...it was bad...The surgery in Sept was much easier on her as far as recovery, but she just hates the vet and gets so scared... 🙁 It breaks my heart...
Keep us in prayer please...Thanks so much for the support..
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