Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello,
My 9-year-old Male Pit Mix named Riley was just diagnosed with bone cancer late last Friday. We took him to a specialist who initially thought the bump on his right leg was a contusion from banging his leg on our deck as he wasn't limping and seemed in good health.
Once they took the biopsy she confirmed it was bone cancer and that's when I just collapsed. My head was spinning as she went through the options and grim outlook. Due to the fact, we lost a dog to cancer about 15 years ago, we only fed Riley the best food, treats, etc. We certainly didn't expect this outcome.
The options are amputation + chemo or just chemo. After reading the forums we are not the only people to have to go through this nightmare.
I'm just so torn as to what to do. The specialist said because he's overall healthy at this point and it seems like cancer hasn't spread he would be a good candidate for amputation and chemo. My brain can't come to terms with these options. I keep saying, "there has to be another way?"
Do I just do chemo and try to make him as comfortable as possible over the next 3-6 months (which seems to be what the studies say) or do we perform the amputation and chemo and try to extend his life for some unknown period of time? Most likely from what I'm reading 1 year would be an amazing goal.
I'm just imagining him waking up and being like, "what did you do to me?" "You are supposed to protect me?"
I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision for him and not us. I don't want to radically change his life to get a few more months. He loves to be upstairs with us as we work, but it's 18 steps which I could imagine would be difficult even for the most experienced tripawd dog.
Last year my father had cancer and luckily is doing better but he's been living with us for over a year and has become so close to our dog Riley. He was so healing for the family during that difficult last year. My son and wife are also very close to Riley. It's just devastating to the whole family.
I'm angry, sad, and depressed all at the same time.
This past weekend I cried more than I did when my Mother passed about 8 years ago.
I guess my question is can anyone provide me with guidance from their experiences with this horrible process? I know there is no one size fits all answer but I guess I'm just looking for support and guidance wherever I can find it.
I appreciate you all.
-Bill
Hi Bill, welcome. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away.
I'm sorry you are dealing with this situation. Lots of people here have been in your shoes, and totally get all of the emotions you are feeling. I personally went through it with my husband Jim (aka @admin here), when our dog Jerry was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. We felt the same way: why put him through the surgery for just a few months? Or maybe a year? We proceeded with amputation after seeing Moose the Great Dane digging for gophers, and Jerry went on to beat the odds and live an incredible 2 years. He also is the inspiration behind this community. So you see, you never know what will happen and at some point you have to put those statistics aside and go with your gut instinct.
You know Riley better than anyone else. If your vet feels he's a good candidate for surgery, that's great! If you want to feel better about it, have Riley examined by an orthopedic vet. And then you can always talk to a vet oncologist to get all the latest treatment options. But don't overwhelm yourself with too much info too soon.
First address the pain. Even if Riley isn't showing pain signals , you would be amazed at what level of pain he is actually tolerating. Bone cancer pain is the worst there is, and dogs are good at hiding it. The sooner you address it, the better. Also don't let him do anything too wild right now, there is a huge risk of fracture and you don't want to be in that situation of having to decide what to do on the spot.
Amputation is the best option to address the pain quickly, but if it's available near you, and within budget, you can also consider stereotactic (targeted) radiation therapy. Did your vet mention that as a possibility? It comes at a higher $$ cost than amputation, but for many dogs it has helped to save the leg in the short term. Unfortunately it can often lead to amputation anyways, because the tumor grows, the leg fractures, or the cancer spreads.
Also, treating cancer can be done with or without chemo. New immunotherapy options like the Torigen vaccine take a tumor sample and create a personalized "vaccine" to stimulate the immune system and prevent lung metastasis, the most common reason why dogs with osteosarcoma have to be euthanized eventually.
Like I said, don't get too overwhelmed with too much info right now. If it makes you feel better, get another vet opinion from a boarded surgeon and see if that helps you decide. No matter what you choose we will support you in your journey.
Thank you so much for replying with your advice and kind words. It's truly amazing you've created this wonderful community about a process that no owner should face.
The vet did give us 300mg Gabapentin which I've been giving him twice/day since Sat morning. He wasn't really limping before so we didn't think he was in much pain, but his appetite increased dramatically. He was already a good eater, but over the last few months he seemed pickier, but we assumed it was because with my Dad living with us he was feeding him a lot of people food so we assumed he was waiting for that.
I think he was hiding his pain well like you said.
Unfortunately, the scans showed he has a small broken bone around the tumor in his leg so the vet is concerned about trying to save the leg due to complications. That has really forced our hand towards amputation.
Your words have helped alot.
I will keep you updated over the next week as we learn more.
Thanks so much!
-Bill
As you can see from Jerry's detailed and thoughtful response, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! We understand like no others can the emotions, the fear, the uncertainty, the panic and on and on! We get it!
Okay, so you now know the gest option to give him extended quality, pain free time is with amputation. Riley has basically made the decision for you with that fracture. Well, that one way to let you know the path HE wants to take!
For now, keep things chunked down, So your research and check out what you need to do to prepare for recovery. You'll need things like non slip scatter rugs for traction if you have hardwoods. Recovery from the surgery itself generally takes about two weeks. During that time he is only to have leashed SHORT potty breaks and back inside for rest. No stairs for now of possible. Most dogs are avle to navigate stairs eventually, even of it means a little harness help.
You can decide on whether to do chemo (or not do) later. The important thongright nownos to know stat don't mean ich around here. Some seem to get great extended time with chemo, some not so much. Some seem to get great ext time without chemo, some no so mich. Riley is his own dog and clearly he is fit and has had the best care, nutrition, etc. He has no timeframe stamped anywhere on his butt and doesn't count days on a calendar.
The biggest lesson you will learn on this journey from Riley is to LIVE IN THE NOW, Make every moment the best moment ever. We call that Be More Dog .
Take some deep breaths, lean on is for support and information and let is know as any questions arise, okay?
We are here for you and your .lovely family 💖
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. Your Dad sounds like a Warrior....and clearly Riley is 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!
Hi Bill, I'm glad we could be there for you. I forgot to mention a limb sparing process called cementoplasty that you might want to ask about:
https://tripawd.....coma-dogs/
Keep us posted!
Thank you all for your kind and supportive words.
We have an appt for April 4th at the MSU clinic in Michigan for Riley to be reviewed again and find the best course of action. I wish we could get in sooner, but it's the best we could do.
I did reach out to ELIAS and a clinic in OH that is part of their pilot program for immunotherapy. They said that if MSU is on board they will work with them to get everything that needs to be done except for one part of the process which means we would have to drive to their clinic in OH one time. One long day is better than 7 long days. I'm glad they are willing to do whatever it takes and I hope MSU will be too.
The immunotherapy shows so much promise I'm hoping we can go that route and I hope it's not too expensive and out of our reach.
This morning I was up way too early dealing with the emotions of it all. I've lost pets before, and some to cancer, but this dog is more connected to me and the family than any other pet we have had. In the past, when I've had to put a pet down I stay and hold them while they cross over but with Riley, I don't know if I can do that and it makes me feel like a really bad pet parent. At the time he needs me the most I won't be there.
I keep trying to mentally prepare for the moment and I just can't even imagine it which doesn't bode well.
Sorry for unloading a little bit here, it's just that this whole process so emotionally draining.
Thanks again for this amazing community.
-Bill
Hey Bill,
No need to apologize for anything, we are here for you during good times and bad, and you can unload any emotions if it helps you feel better.
First, that is GREAT news about MSU and ELIAS being willing to work with them. YAY! What a team you would have there, a world class bunch. And I agree, immunotherapy is making some huge advances and we have seen so many dogs benefitting from it lately. You're so lucky to live near a place where you can take advantage of the treatment.
OK now about preparing for the moment. There's no need to do that right now. I get that it's human nature to think into the future. But if there's anything this stupid disease teaches us, it's that all we have is today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Logically we know this but our hearts don't seem to understand in a situation like this. Riley, however does. And that is is one of the incredible gifts that dogs bring to us. They show us how to Be More Dog , to live in the now, treasure each moment, and not burden our days with worry about future events that may or may not happen.
So follow her lead. She is showing you the way to a happier way of existing, and coping with this situation. She is your best teacher ever, that is why you feel so connected to her.
Keep us posted!
I wanted to give an update on Riley.
So, earlier this week Riley started to develop hives all over his body. It wasn't good! I took him to the vet and we tried to do benedryl to see if it would calm down, but it didn't so the next day we went to the vet and they gave him a steroid shot. It finally calmed down yesterday night and he's been able to rest a little. I felt so bad for him. He just kept coming up to me and running in a circle basically saying, "are you gonna help me?"
After some research, because our vet didn't know, it appears this can happen as the body tries to fight cancer. The body begins to produce too much histamine which leads to hives.
We were scheduled to see MSU vet clinic in early April for a consult, but I felt he needed to get the surgery soon. I talked with some other vets who said we had to move fast. I agreed, but couldn't find a vet with the experience for this type of amputation.
I kept calling any possible vet in my area and finally got a Dr who can do the amputation next week and is willing to work with us to try the ELIAS therapy. I literally started crying after talking with him just for a few minutes. He had so much compassion for our situation. All the roadblocks of calling and being told they had nothing available. I just couldn't stop until I found someone.
He did make it very clear to us that most dogs die within 6 months of the amputation no matter what is done. He just didn't want us to get our hopes up.
I really hope we are making the best decision for him by removing his leg and giving him as much time as we can. I've been through some of the worst that life can throw at you, but this is next-level stuff.
I appreciate any positive thoughts toward Riley as he gets his surgery. He is scheduled for Thursday. (3/30) They will be doing another chest scan before to make sure it hasn't moved to the lungs yet. We don't want to put him through this without a decent outlook.
Thank you again for creating this space to share our feelings.
-Bill
Hi Bill,
Oh my gosh poor Riley! I have never heard of that happening with a bone cancer situation, sounds more like mast cell cancer. But whatever caused it thank goodness he is better. I'm so sorry this happened. As if your situation isn't stressful enough.
The vet you found sounds great. Yes, they have to give worst case scenario but try not to focus on that. Check out our Quality of Life survey results and you'll see that even if a dog doesn't live to the full prognosis, pet parents are still glad they were able to give their dog a pain-free life for as long as possible.
You acted fast, and Riley is thankful! Next level stuff requires next level action, be proud of yourself for not dwelling, for moving quickly and doing all you can to help Riley feel better again.
Regarding the vet ... Be sure the clinic has 24/7 care. If not, ask if they contract with a local ER so that Riley can be watched overnight by a technician. And if that isn't an option, be prepared to bring him home same day of surgery. It's not easy to do that, but it's not impossible, many here have done it.
I'm so sorry that you had a hard time finding care. It's not unusual, unfortunately. You might want to add to this forum topic so others know they are not alone in the struggle to find prompt care:
Oh gosh, what a rough ordeal! You stayed determined and didn't give up on advocating for the best care for Riley! And it sounds like you have a wonderful Vet in your corner!!!
As much as we struggle about ampu, there comes a time when we finally are relieved that we have this solution AND chance to give our pets extended quality time!!
As Jerry said, don give to mich weight to "timeframes". The Vets seem to feel a need to give worse case scenario for a little CYA. and that's understandable. As we've seen here over and over, many dogs kock statistics to the curve. Queen Nova, five years, Murphy four years. And yes, many with far less time. But they all had some extended quality pain free time for spoiling and loving and tumny rubs.
Keep us posted and we'll all ge sending pawsitive healing e energy to uour sweet Riley.
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!
Thanks, Jerry and benny55,
I appreciate all the kind words and advice. The quality of life survey was very helpful. I really appreciated that information.
Unfortunately, the vet did take a biopsy and confirmed it was bone cancer and not a mast cell cancer. Unless they can be misdiagnosed, but highly unlikely with a biopsy I would assume.
I will look into the vet as they are not usually open 24/7. The vet did tell me Riley would be staying overnight on a pain drip, etc. so I would assume he would be checked on consistently, but thanks for the information.
Thanks again and I will update everyone after his surgery on Thursday.
Thanks again!
Happy to be of help to you and Riley!
Yes, definitely ask your vet about who is there overnight. Even if they say someone comes in to check on him once or twice, I would still bring him home instead. Keep us posted!
I just wanted to let everyone know Riley is out of surgery and doing well. The collection of the tumor cells was successful and they will be sent to ELIAS labs to start the immunotherapy process. I slept all night terribly but kept telling myself we were making the best decision to help him be pain-free. We will be picking him up tomorrow. I'm hoping to start a blog keeping everyone updated on this process so it will hopefully be helpful for future people. Thanks again for all the support.
Yay for Riley! 👍Surgery is done and he's on the road to recovery!👏
When you do go pick him up have a strong confident happy energy and tell him what a good boy he is! Don't even bother to look at the incision, he just wants to see your smiling face in here that he is going home!
Stay connected to us and let us know how we can help you navigate through recovery. Remember, it doesn't last forever generally just about 2 weeks! Try and get some rest tonight. Riley will be resting comfortably at the vet and be on some good pain meds.😎
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie!
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!
WOOOHOO! Riley is on the road to recovery! I'll bet you are glad that part is over.
I love that he is participating in the ELIAS vaccine. It's such an exciting time in veterinary oncology, immunotherapy is the biggest breakthrough in decades. I hope with all my heart that Riley beats the odds for a long, long time.
Let us know when he comes home, and ask any questions you'd like, we are here to help.
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