Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Tazzie said
I forgot to mention - CSU has a phone consulting service that is excellent.
Yep, the Argus Institute. Here is a blog post about them. They are pawesome.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Laura of Tai and Kali
Did you get any news about Kali this week?
Susan of Tazzie and now Paddles
Hi Susan of Tazzie and Paddles,
The biopsy went well. They found what appeared to be "thickened" muscle and tendon, 1cm x 1.5 cm. They were unable to remove the complete thickened area as it's quite close to the joint etc. We will have to wait until the histopathology results come back to know what we are dealing with. I've done lots of reading and know that Mast cells can appear as pretty much anything so the fact that it seemed like normal tissue is positive but not conclusive. I'm still leaning towards a mast cell tumor. Biopsy results should be back next week. I did chest X-rays at the same time and they were clear.
In the meantime, Kali is almost back to normal. She is supposed to be on restricted exercise but when I let her off leash for a pee today she spotted a coyote, took off, ducked under the fence, and gave him a good talking to. She has almost no swelling and seemingly no major pain from the muscle biopsy although she is on Tramadol and Metacam which undoubtedly helps.
I spoke to my onco vet's assistant about CSU. She said absolutely she would go there. So if radiation is an option I will make the trip. I will contact them anyway with the results, if it is a cancer diagnosis, and get a second opinion on treatment options.
Thanks for remembering Kali.
Laura of Tai and Kali 
Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.
Darn, I just lost my whole reply. My error, I'm sure. I'll rewrite it.
I am so sorry that you are going through this, again.
My dog, K, had stereotactic radiation (many highly focused and intense beams) at CSU to kill osteosarcoma tumors on two front limb bones and in the soft tissue around them. It was three days in a row of about 1 hr of radiation. She was under anaesthesia. She bounced right back from each session, and it worked beautifully. The only bad effect was a radiation burn that emerged about a month later and was no fun for K but healed well. The tumors are gone. Now, three months later, she is running on that limb without a hitch.
As I'm sure you know, "palliative" radiation is different and doesn't kill the tumors, just shrinks them. I don't know very much about that kind of radiation.
If you are thinking about this route, talking with CSU oncologists would be best. You can send records ahead so that they can give you a more informed opinion.
I'd be glad to answer any questions that you might have about our experience.
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.
Well that's great news the x-rays were clear! I'm glad to hear she's bounced back to her usual self. She's telling you "Biopsy? What biopsy?" It's so sad to see our pups all dopey and not feeling well after surgery.
Paws crossed this is NOT cancer. We'll be thinking of you, keep us posted!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Laura,
Just checking in to see if you had any new news....
Here's hoping the biopsy results say NO CANCER! Paws crossed,
Rio's momma, Micki
 |
~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
Add our fingers and paws to the 'keeping them crossed for good news' crew!
Jackie, Angel Abby & MBBunny Rita'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 would love to see you come to Colorado--because then we could have a big pawty--but CSU is 1,035 miles from Calgary. That would be a heckuva day's drive. If you come, let us all know you're coming. I'm serious about the pawty.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
I will definitely be up for a pawty if we come to CSU. 
I know it's a long drive, especially seeing as we do have a canine radiation clinic here right in town. But I hear CSU is one of the best so that will be the plan if we have to go down the cancer road. Will Kali still be invited though as she's not a Tripawd? 
She did have a Tripawd sister though so perhaps she could attend as Angel Tai's earthly representative?
Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.
So the biopsy results are back. Not mast cell. Yippee. Problem is they can't figure out what it is. You know its going to be frustrating when the pathologist starts the report with "unusual and difficult to interpret". She is so baffled she is sending it to another pathologist for a second opinion. When I get all the info I'm going to send it to CSU for a third opinion. The original pathologist says perhaps mxyosarcoma, but unlikely due to age and cellular density, perhaps infiltrative lipoma but unlikely due to a lack of gross adipose tissue, perhaps a healing muscle tear but unlikely due to lack of hemorrhage. Perhaps perhaps perhaps...
I'll maybe know more tomorrow. Meanwhile Kali is digging gophers, chasing coyotes and beating up her younger brother.
Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.
Laura,
It sounds like a lot of bad things have been eliminated, so we are sending lots of pawsitive thoughts for a simple and fixable diagnosis ...
Beth and Spirit Smilin' Sammy
P.S. Have we seen a photo of Kali?
Smilin' Sammy, March 16, 2004 – Dec. 5, 2011
Golden retriever, diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2010 — right front leg amputated November 2010. He fought valiantly to stay with us; but a second diagnosis of osteosarcoma, this time in his left front leg, was more than our golden warrior could overcome. He loved his pack — and everyone else he met.
We loved him even more.
Thanks for the pennies, Sammy. They helped.
The unknown can be a frustrating and frightening thing. I'm sorry you don't know exactly what you have going on. You don't even know if you need to gird for battle or if this will get better on its own. In the meantime, I'm going to think positive thoughts about muscle tears! And I'm really happy it isn't OSA or a mast cell tumor because I've seen what those can do and we don't want those.
And I'm glad Kali has her priorities straight. Pictures please?
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
great news that it's not mast cell. hope you confirm the muscle tear or something totally 'fixable' and unremarkable. sending our ET juju to you guys....watch out gophers, we're betting kali will show no mercy!!!
charon & spirit 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
Well, ruling some things out is good. Hopefully they can rule out all the scary stuff and find that it is something fixable- or better yet, that is just heals up.
Karen and the pugapalooza
Yay for no mast cell!
Boo for the difficulty in interpreting it! Here's to hoping it's difficult because it's nothing at all, just a fluke! Paws crossed that this is a simple, treatable thing, whatever it is.
Now go get those gophers Kali.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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