Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Good Afternoon All,
Our vet referred us to this website for guidance, reference and information and I am so glad she did. Here is our story.
We have an amazing boxer name Brody who just turned the BIG 10 on Friday!!! He is a great dog, full of life and love. Bank in June we noticed a lump on his front left ankle. I took him to our vet (who rescues boxers so she knows a lot about the breed) and told me that it looked like what her dog Wyatt had. I honestly don't remember the terminology but he basically sprained his ankle and the tendon was swollen. She said Wyatt went to the orthopedic dr. and received a cortizone shot. After 6 weeks he was running around as the shot relieved all the swelling and he was good as new.
So I scheduled an appt., saw the orthopedic dr in June and she agreed that she thought it was the same thing. I scheduled the first available appt for the shot in late July. As time progressed he did not seem to be getting any better. In fact, he barely used the leg as it was too painful to put pressure on it.
In late August I discovered a hematoma in his left ear. I took to the vet the next day and she confirmed but since he was on the pain meds for the cortizone shot we weren't able to give him steroids. So my vet drained and lasered it 2 times (Thursday and Saturday), at which time she lasered his ankle too because she said her dog loved it and it helped. Come Monday, it filled back up and our only option was to surgically fix it. So we did and he had a few stitches and it is healed now. The vet could see that he was not looking any better and said that Wyatt was def better by now.
I was due for the 6 week follow up to the orthopedic dr. which was on 9/9. As soon as the dr. saw him she knew he was doing worse and could see the amount of pain he was in. She did another xray and saw a small dot about 1cm in size. She told me she thought it was bone cancer and gave us our options, the 1st being amputation as it would relieve all his pain immediately and prevent the spreading of the disease.
We scheduled a biopsy the following week 9/12 and she discovered that he had a tumor that was growing from the bone and had attached to his tendon and bone, which is why the knot over time had gotten bigger and he was in so much pain. She removed the tumor and then sent away the bone.
Brody came home in a splint which he has had for over 2 weeks now and he's the happiest he's been in months. The vet said he needed the splint because the tumor had caused a lot of damage to the bone and the bone was very week and without the splint it could break. He is so full of life right now, happy as ever, back to being Brody.
But we knew this wasn't a cure. A week later the vet confirmed it was cancer and that we needed to decide what we were going to do ASAP. We were told my several dr and friends that if we did nothing and he just took pain meds he would only have 1-2 months left and eventually the pain meds would not mask the pain. So we decided to amputate.
Up until he got the splint he's been a 3 legged dog since June, as he was not using it because it was to painful. I am confident that he will adjust. I know he is 10 but he is beautiful, energetic and so full of life. Most of the boxers from our breeder tend to live on the long end so I was always so sure that Brody too would live until at least 12. He doesn't look or act like a day past 5. People that don't know him think he's a puppy! So looking into his eyes there was no way he was only going to be around for a couple more months. He's been to the vet more in the last 3 months then he has in his entire 10 years....
The dr said once they amputate they will send away the entire leg and from there can 100% confirm if it is osteosarcoma. Apparently we caught it very early so the vet said we probably don't have to do chemo. My husband doesn't want to and I don';t want to see Brody sick but at the same time I want to get rid of this disease.
I talked to a man yesterday in my friends neighborhood who had a dog that was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when he was 1 and had leg amputate and did chemo and he lived for another 9 years. He went to the same vet we are seeing and he said it was the best decision they ever made.
So I am torn about the chemo???? He said it wasn't that bad for his dog. He did get sick a few times but it's apparently not as bad for dogs as it is humans?
Any thoughts on the chemo aspect after amputation? I guess it depends on how fast it is mastizing?
Anyway, I just wanted to share my journey with our beloved Brody. Keep him in your prayers. I would love any feedback.
Thank you, Julie
Julie I'm so sorry to hear about Brody. Many of us have been in your shoes (& paws!) and understand the feelings you and your husband are going through.
So, to sum it up, Brody isn't an amputee yet and you're debating whether or not to do the surgery?
And you're also undecided about chemotherapy?
Well, I suggest beginning with Jerry's Required Reading List and also checking out our ebook, Three Legs And A Spare . It was written just for folks who are in your same situation and it can help you weigh the pros and cons about amputation and cancer care. Of course lots of folks will also share their thoughts here too (my apologies for the delay in approving your post, we were out all day. Future posts won't need approval).
I suggest first thinking about whether or not you want to proceed with amputation and then after that you can decide on chemo. If it is ostosarcoma, chemo will give him a fighting chance at beating the odds although there are no guarantees unfortunately. Lots of dogs who do have chemo don't beat the odds and lots of dogs who skip chemo will go on to live a long time. It's really a roll of the dice but statistically dogs with osteo who have chemo will live longer than those who don't.
Please thank your vet for the referral to us, we sincerely appreciate it. I hope this helps.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Brody, you are a fine looking pup and it sounds like yoj have a whole lot of spark in you! And that's a real pls n this crazy journey!
Juili, there's another great book that may help guid you when it comes to treatment,etc. The Dog Cancer Survival Guide by Dr. Damian Dressler and Dr. Sue Ettinger. Theyoffer all sorts of insight i to the varios treatment options avalable, etc.
As Jerry said, for ow just chunk it down and deal with the amoutatin and recovery. Chemo, if selected doesn't have to start for two, even tnree weeks after surgery..
Through your research, you will find that most dogs experience very little side effets, if any at all. And even then, it's maybe a little nausea and lethargy. They have meds for that and, if needed, they can lower the chemo dose if dog reacts negatively. Again, most dogs don't even experience notable side effects.
This is a tough decision and can all be slight overwhelming. Just now we are here for you and you are not alone. We understand! Had it not been for this community holding me up, I think I may have tumbled into the abyss never to be seen agai !
My Happy Hannah, a _plus size model" Bull Mastiff is now over seven months post amp and plowing anead! She just turned nine in August! She completed four rou ds of chemo (most onco. suggest five) I almost feel like she even felt better after her first rou d of carboplatin! For me, one reason I pursued this route is I can tend to be one of those who would second guess myself if I hadn't done it....and, of course, second guess myself because I did do it!!
THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES EITHER WAY!
One tning almost every single person nere agess on is they are glad they did the amputation !Once recovery takes place...and it's no picnic...the sparkle starts coming back bigger and brighter than before! It's all about quality here. Yes, of course we want longevity and we all hope for it" But QUALITY and being able to love and spoil your dog more than you ever thought possible.....that's the gift! Living in the moment and enjoying the bliss of every second you are together!
Remember, Brody doesn't know he's "sick" and doesn't care about any stupid diagnosis! He just wants to cram as many tummy rubs and sloppy kisses into his day as possible!
Please keep us posted and let us kow how we can nelp. Keep it chunked down, take it day by day, do your research and you will make the right decision for Brody!
You are a wonderful advocate for Brody! Give him a hug for us.....now give yourself a big hug! Good job!
((((((((hugs)))))))))))
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
benny55 said
...The Dog Cancer Survival Guide by Dr. Damian Dressler and Dr. Sue Ettinger.
An excellent resource indeed! You'll find the book review at the link above in the Tripawds Amazon blog. The book, and e-book are available in Dr. Dressler's Dog Cancer Kit, along with podcasts, webinars, an Apocaps coupon and much more valuable information.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hello and welcome!
I'm so sorry about the osteosarcoma diagnosis, but you have come to the right place!
I can tell you about our experience and also, please come by the chat room if you get a chance. There are usually 1 or 2 (or more!) of us in there to answer some of our questions in real time.
My Jill (she is a kitty) had her leg amputated for osteosarcoma 9.5 months ago and then had 4 rounds of IV chemo. Now yes, she is a cat, so my experience may be slightly different, but from everything I've read here and from our experience I can tell you animals tolerate chemo VERY well. I did not want to proceed with chemo after amputating Jill's leg as I thought she had just been through a traumatic surgery, why would I put her through so much more? But really, she sailed through chemo. We had to delay chemo twice due to low white blood cells, but you would never have known she had a low WBC count if they didn't do a CBC, she was acting completely healthy and happy. What wound up being the deciding factor to do the chemo for me was that the oncologist told me I could always start the treatments and stop them at ANY time. If she wasn't tolerating the chemo, I could stop at any point.
I hope this helps! Keep us posted, let us know if you have any questions at all!
xoxo,
Erica & Tripawd Kitty Jill
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
I'm sorry you are dealing with cancer in your handsome boy!
I agree with the one step at a time approach. Sounds to me like you have decided to amputate, but are debating the chemo?
If you have chosen amp then you need to read up on that and get prepared for Brody's recovery. The two or three week recovery period can be full of ups and downs. I convinced myself that I had done the wrong thing for my pug Maggie! But she was just being obstinate and was a dog who didn't like change. She came around and after a prognosis of 6 to 9 months due to lymph node involvement (mast cell cancer) she hopped happily though life for almost 4 years.
Unfortunately with OSA once a tumor is seen there is a good chance that there is microscopic cancer cells present. Not to scare you, but that is just a fact. But not always! My local friend Cemil had a front amp for OSA and his mom chose not to do chemo. He is getting close to his 5 YEAR ampuversary! As others have mentioned chemo is sort of a crap shoot. But also in animals it is usually not as hard to deal with as with people. Mag did almost 6 months of chemo for her type of cancer and had few side effects. It really is a personal choice, what it best for you and Brody. My only advice is to write down your decisions for whichever path you choose. It is important that whatever happens later that you remain comfortable with your decision.
Maggie developed a second cancer, oral melanoma, later in her life. For lots of reasons I chose not to do any aggressive treatments or chemo. She passed just 3 months later. But whenever that little doubt creeps in- you know, the 'what ifs', I can walk through my decision making process and be confident that I made the right choices.
What ever path you choose we are here to help and support you.
Karen
Julie,
So sorry to hear about your boy having cancer. Deciding to do chemo is a hard decision but Karen's right, chemo is a crap shoot and sometimes done strictly on an emotional level. I opted not to do chemo on my Maggie because she was terrified of the vets office and I wanted her to be happy as long she could be. Unfortunately she developed lung mets and died 4 months later. I don't personally think the chemo would have helped but that could be me justifying my decision. There may not be any scientific proof but I do feel strongly there is an inherited connection with OSA so I would tell your breeder about Brody. My Maggie's father also died of OSA at 6 years old. I found out about this later. Good luck with your decision, he's in good hands.
Penny, Blink and Maggie over yonder
Really sorry to read about your little guys diagnosis. My Rottie is 3 months post-amputation and has had 4 out of his 6 chemo treatments. Our vet said with Osteosarcoma the prognosis is much better with chemo than without. Unfortunately with OS once it's diagnosed it's thought that there are what are called micro-mets - microscopic areas of metastasis. The chemo helps with that. He's had a lot of nausea with his chemo but that's controllable. Like everyone has said you'll figure out what's right for you and Brody. I did find the e-books on this website helpful but unfortunately found it late. Best of luck we'll keep you in our thoughts and hearts.
Hi Fritz's mom, welcome to tripawds. Your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
Thanks for sharing your perspective here. Please consider starting a new thread under Share your Story to introduce you and your cancer warrior to the forums.
Karen
Hello! Welcome to the club no one wants to be a part of, but once you're here, WE'RE here!
As you'll see in my signature, Jackson also has osteo and was amputated and went thru 5 rounds of chemo and has been on metronomic therapy since his third chemo dose. We last had chest xrays at his third chemo and no lung mets then. Amputation was a beautiful thing. He's here! He's lively, active, playful, full of life, and still a pain in the butt. We love him tons. We went with chemo and metronomic therapy b/c he's full of life. We wanted to throw everything at it to give him a fighting chance. Does he know that? No. But I sleep better knowing we're all doing what we can! As I understand it, there's no "catching osteo" early. Once it's there, it spreads. If it's really aggressive it may have already spread to lungs by the time amp is done or considering being done - but, you're in the clear there! If your boy is full of it (sounds like it) and can handle the recovery (also, sounds like it), and you're comfortable with his new normal (um, he is! He's been on 3 legs already!)....amping may be the next move. Then, do your research here, come to CHAT, call an onco, make an appointment and get educated. Learn the options. There are many. Then, talk it over with your vet(s) and pup - they'll help you decide.
FYI - Jackson had NO side effects to chemo. It's given to dogs at a very different dose than humans. We figured we bought Jackson 5 rounds of the most expensive saline ever. He sailed thru chemo. Other dogs do too. Other dogs get a little sick, but the side effects wear off and can be managed. It's really not that bad! On the wallet, however, is another issue...
Keep us posted!
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
I know there was a semi-formal survey done on this site regarding OS/Amp/survival time and while it can help.. the odds are that it will not. Its up to you to figure out what you want to do... spend the $$$$ on chemo when you can be spending the time with your pup not at the vet.
Amp gives hounds a pain free quality of life.... it is generally not a cure, and the odds of amp+chemo giving a longer lifespan than amp alone is not that great. But the BEST thing you can do is amp the limb to rid the pain and stop any possible complications from a cancerous limb shattering.
Sadly, there is no right answer. Dogs with amp only can pass on in a matter of weeks or live years. Dogs with amp+chemo can pass in a matter of weeks or live for years. My vet (who admittedly does not see a lot of dogs with OS) gave TJ 30-90 days. He's 5 months post amp... and while he is getting a bit of a cough I'm hoping its the cold mornings doing it to him... not the cancer. But even if it is... he's beaten the 90 days odds with just an amputation.
My personal choice for TJ was amp only. The cost of the chemo and little to no guarantee that it would prolong his life was not worth it. I'd rather have my TJ at home with me and lots of toys and treats than spend it on chemo, be at the vets all the time and worry about him. I know the cancer will take him... but I'd rather have him at home with me every night for what ever amount of time I do have him for.
Thank you all for your replies. I am so grateful for all of your responses. Right now, I don't know if I should laugh or cry I am so happy. Brody had his amputation yesterday and we picked up today around 12. When they called us back he was walking and wagging his tail at us. He was so happy! He walked out to the car at which time my husband put him in the back and I saw with him. The vet tech told us that this morning when he went to tend to him, he hopped right up and walked! He was so impressed and it made his day. Since we've been home he has been relaxing comfortably. When we first got home I offered him some water which he gladly took and 2 pieces of cheese (his medication treat) which he took. Then he went to the cold kitchen tile floor and layed. When he got up next he went to the living room, his other favorite room and layed on the rug. Next, when he got up he stood for a long while not sure what to do. I asked if he needed to go outside and he went to door but just stared. Then I went out and he did and sat. Then I came in and he followed. He layed on family room rug for awhile until kids got home from school excited to see him. I told them to be quite and not disrupt. My daughter was a little upset at first but quickly recovered. They pet and said HI. Then I wanted to give him some peace again so my husband took out to dinner and I am here watching over him. It was time for meds and as soon as he heard the containers being opened he came right to kitchen. I put in the cheese and he took all 3 slices. He drank a lot of water and the food was in the bowl but didn't seem interested. He's been spoiled with gravy lately. I offered to go outside. He thought about it and went to front door which has 2 steps but he seems to prefer that to the backyard sometimes. So we went outside. He was moving quite fast. I think he got excited and thought we were going on a walk. He stopped when he realized we weren't He stood for awhile then went to a bush but lost his balance and didn't go. Then waited and found another bush and went a little. I was so proud of him. He walked back inside and I prepared his rice and chicken which he gladly ate. He's back to sleeping on the cold tile floor. I am just so proud of my Brody boy.. I knew this was the right decision for him. I know it's only the first few hours but so far so good. I know everyone has said the first 4 days are hard. I'm not sure if that's the fact that they need to adjust to 3 legs and the meds make them lethargic but I think Brody has an advantage since he was already a tripaw most of the summer since his ankle had the sprain/tumor and it was too painful to use. He always kept it held up. I plan on setting my alarm this evening to check in on him.
Thank you for information on Three legs and a spare. I read until the wee hours of the night on Wednesday! I did put mats down on the hardwood areas and I cut the hair between his paws too!
As far as chemo. I am going to wait to hear back next week with the results. It is a hard decision. I know my husband doesn't want to do it. I know the chances of it working aren't guaranteed. I guess its just a personal opinion. I can look at it both ways. 1) If I do, I've done everything I possibly can for Brody and it may or may not work but I tried 2) If I don't, I just enjoy the time we have together and let him live his life to the fullest.
I am sorry this thread is in the wrong place, but I am a pretty computer savy person but having a little difficulty maneuvering around her. I sent a PM to someone when I first joined and got an email that they responded and have yet to be able to find it again to respond to them. I thought when I originally posted this I clicked "share your story" but I could be wrong or my head was just in the clouds and I wasn't thinking clearly (clearly!!!) Feel free to move my post or I will just repost it all under the correct thread. I just wanted to be sure to respond back here so I could fill you all in on the progress since you so kindly responded.
Thank you all and I will keep you updated and check in with any questions or concerns. Love, Julie
Julie,
What a WONDERFUL update! Isn't it just so great when you get to bring your baby home? I'm so happy to hear how well he is doing! Please let us know if you have any questions during recovery or even if you just need to chat, come on over to the chat room , theres always some of us in there at night!
You are totally right about chemo, it's definitely a personal decision that each family has to make for their own pet. I really did not want to do it but I figured we'd give it a shot and it worked out well for us. That doesn't mean it's the right decision for your family though. But again if you want to hear about my experience with having Jill on chemo or anyone elses or anyones experiences with NOT doing chemo, come on over to chat 
xoxo,
Erica & Tripawd Kitty Jill
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
Great update Julie, its good to hear how well he is doing so far.
This is a perfect place for this thread! You have plenty on your mind right now, don't worry about this.
In a day or two you might think about starting a new thread under Treatment, Recovery and Ongoing Care (I think that is the title!) since Brody is in recovery, but if it is easier to stay here for now that is just fine. Make the transition when you are more comfortable navigating the site.
Yea too for first pee!! whooopie! We like to celebrate each little victory on the road to recovery. Maggie didn't poop for 5 or 6 days after surgery- pain meds can be constipating. But I think part of the problem was that she always had to spin before she pooped and right after surgery she kept falling down (rear amp). But around day 5 or 6 she was able to keep her balance and did it!
Oh, and I forgot to say earlier- Happy Birthday Brody! What a great gift- your parents made your pain go away.
Karen
JULIE AND BRODY!! WONDERFUL UPDATE!!!
Yes indeedy, this is one heck of a roller coaster ride with your emotions!! Mixed messages tears.....hapy/sad/scared/giddy/joyful!!! Today, it's all tears of joy for a fi d dog and a wo derful pain free life!!
Yes, chemo is such a pers al cnoice a d there are NO wrong decisions!! Do your research though, fuly i form yourself, check out the various stories here. Also check out metronomics ...it's a daily pill at home. Some have gone holostic route...some both. One thing with ANY of these choices, you can always stop.
Right now, just focus on surgery recovery. Be prepared for a few ore ups and downs before the ups kick in completely, okay!!
You'll learn to live in the oment, just like Brody does. He doesn't know he has any stupid disease and dlesn't care! He doesn't care avout statistics either! Jerry says statistically speaking, nine out of ten statistics are wrong! This whole journey is avout learning to be ore like your dog! Live in tne NOW! Trust that all is u folding as it should. Savor the quality time as the sacred gift that it is. Let NOTHING rob you of this time together!!
Spoil, love, spoil, love, spoil and love some ore!
Packing up a barrel of cheese for you Brody!!
Hugs to all!
Sally and Happy Hannah
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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