Sally, I appreciate all the hugs.  A lot. 

Yunnan Baiyao and Turkey Tail are different.  Yunnan Baiyao is a combination of Chinese Herbs.  Turkey Tail is a very common mushroom that is probably found in a backyard near you.  It is a great immune booster and has some interesting research behind it as well as a huge following in human cancer patients. 

The thing about OSA - we really have only lost one dog from it.  You know I tied myself up in knots with Nixon doing 3 month xrays and he never developed lung mets.  26 months and no lung mets.  His liver gave out and everyone thought his cancer had spread but ultrasound and biopsy showed that no, he just had Cirrhosis.  His liver was the size of a really cripsy piece of bacon - the technical term from the vet.  Cookie died of Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis Polyneuropathy.  Both dogs were in double digits when they passed.  Our first greyhound, "She Who Must Be Obeyed" aka Miss Kitty was 14.5 when diagnosed with OSA.  Kitty had the most insane pathological fracture you have ever seen - her leg broke off of her body.  Like off of her body and just a tiny bit of tendon kept it attached.  I'm trying to remember if it broke above or below the hock.  Xrays showed masses in her lungs.  Those turned out to be 100% benign which upset the vets quite a bit.  But she had advancing dementia, advanced kidney disease, and 0 proprioception in her right hind - the remaining leg.  She had bad sleep incontinence to where she would absolutely dump her bladder out and a quart of urine was coating her and her dog bed. 

Pro tip:  If you have an incontinent pup, the dog bed covers or the mature reusable pee pads from poochpads are amazing.  Pricey but amazing.  Second, the huge reusable kennel pads on Amazon also work really well but not quite as well as the pooch pads.  

The one thing I do love about the family here is how much you help me live in the moment.  So we have a test that tells us nothing really...My boy  is still happy to go on walks, is playing with toys, eating well, and gives the best hugs.    We've got the kindest oncologist I have ever met (she really needs to come visit here because she needs to see pups who live well beyond averages), a compassionate researcher providing input, and the most amazing support group to get us through this.  

JIm and Rene, Tripawds is an amazing community you've created and I'm so grateful for you and all that you have done and continue to do.  

I have not been around for a month because life has been tedious!   Finally got a diagnosis (maybe) on May 10.   Second FNA came back as a sarcoma but unsure of which one.  The tumor is now growing quite aggressively and poor Allen is not able to sleep from it even with pain meds. 

I am exhausted having to follow up with all the vets involved who aren't doing what they said they would do and keep causing delay after delay.  

The specialty hospital did finally do an emergency CT scan to see about doing SRST.  Bone destruction is over 50% so no go on that.  They are now leaning to OSA but still not 100%. 

With the bone destruction, I thought they would move fast to amputate but I was wrong.  Even with his pain levels, weight loss, and risk of fracture I cannot get the surgical team to return my phone calls.  They at least gave him a vial of Zoledronic acid which helped with the pain. 

Finally, my vet just cleared his schedule and is doing the amputation next Thursday.   He doesn't do amputations every week but he does enough a year on all dog sizes that he feels confident he can do this safely.  

I will have to provide overnight nursing care and they will take him during the day if needed. 

Now to figure out chemo.  With Allen's personality oral chemo may be a better option.  

Do I need to stop his turkey tail before the amputation? 

Allen, Leo, and Allen's littermate Walton.  Left to right.