Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Hi Everyone,
With disbelief, I received the news yesterday that my new Lab (Shyla), an 11 month old chocolate, has a "lesion" on her ulna (she began limping a week ago, and I found a lump on her ulna early this week). You might remember that my dog, K, earned her angel wings in July after battling osa. Ironically, it was the left ulna for K and it's the left ulna for Shyla. Spooky.
The good side of the news is that the vet doesn't think that the lesion "looks like" osa. A board-certified radiologist is looking at the xrays today. They are considering possible fungal bone infections or a very atypical case of Pano. OSA is still on the list too.
Does anyone out there have experience with fungal bone infections? I've been reading about them, and they seem to be isolated to certain parts of the country, where Shyla has never been. I'm just curious about any insights/experiences you might have with fungal bone infections.
Of course, I am *ruling out* OSA in my head. I'm not crossing that bridge again unless I'm forced to.
Thanks!
KB
PS - Here's a photo of my new girl. She spent the 1st 9 months of her life in a cage, and we've been working intensively on socializing her. She is amazingly resilient and is learning so fast! I love her more than I thought possible when K passed. I can feel K guiding me as I teach Shyla about the world.
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
I don't have any experience in this area, but I just wanted to let you know we're thinking of you and Shyla, and sending positive thoughts her way. She is a beautiful girl!
No. Way. This is unbelievable. I'm so sorry that you even have to deal with anything weird going on in her leg (she is beautiful! ). If there's any positive thing about this situation as it is now, is that you already have the experience of going through this diagnosis process with K, so you've got that education behind you. What a lucky girl to have you for pawrents. I just feel so bad for you guys!
We've got a lot of search results in the Forums that mention "fungal", but I can't find any results that show a particular dog had a fungal infection instead of osteo. If you dig through the results you'll find some interesting anomalies though, like one pup who ended up with a diagnosis of calicification of the bones, not osa. I've gotta run so I can't dig through them right now but if you find info there let me know.
I hope with all my might that this is NOT osa. I'll put a call-out on Facebook and Twitter to see if anyone has experience there. Our Tripawds vet expert Wookie might chime in too, so hang tight.
{{{{hugs}}}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am afraid that I have never heard of a fungal bone infection, although Tom's breeder mentioned that in a recent case, one of her dogs was suspected to have osa and it turned out to be a regular old bone infection, easily treated with antibiotics (although I'm not sure what that is either...).
I am hoping with all my might that this lesion is just a weird infection-- are you treating her with antibiotics or antifungals?
Shyla is beautiful, and the contrast between her former life in a cage and the beautiful mountains where she lives with you is striking. She reminds me so much of K; I can see why you fell for her.
Please keep us updated; some seriously positive thoughts headed your way.
-Catheirne
Scout: January 31, 2002 to November 7, 2011
Scout's diagnosis was "poorly differentiated sarcoma"; amputation 1/11/2011. Scout enjoyed 9 fantastic years on 4 legs and 9 glorious months on 3 legs. If love alone could have saved you…
Shyla is gorgeous!!!!
We do get fungal infections where I am, although they're not very common. Fungal infections can look very similar to OSA radiographically, but a fungal infection can be tested for with blood work, if that is a concern. If you live in an area that does not have fungal infections, then it's probably not a concern.
My dog started limping at 16 mos of age so a fungal osteomyelitis was thought to be more likely, unfortunately he ended up having OSA.
However, young dogs can get bony exostoses of the distal ulna which are completely benign and do not need treatment. The distal ulna would be an unusual place for OSA so it will be interesting to see what the Radiologist says.
Hoping for good news!!!
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
Thanks so much for the kind and helpful words.
I just got the radiologist's report. The radiologist wants a bone biopsy asap. His list of possible diagnoses are OSA, bacterial infection, and fungal infection. There's a remote chance of an old hairline fracture that is now acting up... but the radiologist thought that was a very remote chance.
Having lost K to OSA so recently, this is literally beyond belief. I will be back at the CSU oncology dept on Monday morning with Shyla being evaluated and biopsied. It was a place that I hoped to never see again. Don't get me wrong - the vets there are wonderful - I just hoped that we were done with cancer in our dogs for a long long time.
Thanks to all of you.
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
Just to clarify for those who know a lot about this... there was "lytic" activity which was why OSA leaped back onto the list of diagnoses.
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
I have heard of bone fungal infections but have no real experience with it. I just want to let you know I'm happy Shyla found you and am hoping for good results with the tests.
Harley is an 8 year old Golden Retriever. Amp surgery for an infiltrative lipoma canceled due to two masses in chest. A rescue, he found his forever home on 3/18/07 and left for his eternal home on 1/09/13. His story and medical history are at http://myharley.....pawds.com/
Thanks for chiming in Wookie. Boy, I really hope it's a "bony exostoses of the distal ulna."
I know what you mean about hoping to never have to see that cancer care clinic again, but at least Shyla is in good hands there, the best in the world.
Keeping our paws crossed for good news of some kind. Please let us know OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We're thinking of you, like you say, this is unbelievable. We're hoping for the benign ulna thing too. Really hoping; all paws and fingers crossed.
Scout: January 31, 2002 to November 7, 2011
Scout's diagnosis was "poorly differentiated sarcoma"; amputation 1/11/2011. Scout enjoyed 9 fantastic years on 4 legs and 9 glorious months on 3 legs. If love alone could have saved you…
I stopped by the blog earlier. After seeing your update here, I can't believe OSA is back on the table. That's just unbelievably unfair.
I hope it turns out to not be OSA. I hope it is something easily treatable.
Keep us posted. Sending good thoughts out for your girl.
Jackie, Angel 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 really hope you are not dealing with osa again. That just seems too cruel. Shyla is beautiful. Thinking of you and hoping and praying it is something easily treatable.
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
jerry said
Thanks for chiming in Wookie. Boy, I really hope it's a "bony exostoses of the distal ulna."
Unfortunately, if there is a lytic process going on, it's not going to be a bony exostosis that I had mentioned. The major rule outs would be neoplasia, bacterial or fungal infection.
I'm sure CSU will be able to find the answer for you. I hope with all my heart that it is NOT cancer!!!
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
Thanks to all of you. The support means the world to me. We are in a dark mood this weekend.
And, Wookie, it sounds as if your thinking and our vets' thinking are similar. My regular vet is actually rooting for a fungal infection. Before she came to us, Shyla lived in a state with some weird fungi and fungal infections. And, she had partially healed puncture wounds on her face where she'd undoubtedly been bitten by another dog. My vet is putting this all together to optimistically "hope" for a fungal infection that got into her bloodstream via the puncture wounds...
Thank you!
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
1 Guest(s)
