Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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It feels like we are kind of back to the beginning today, with a new lump and a few medical complications. While brushing Tazzie last night, I felt a hard lump over his right hip, an inch or more in size. The vet just phoned since he was there for chemo today anyway. Some new developments:
Although it is hard and nasty looking (lots of large bloody nuclei), the lump was not part of bone, as I had thought. It is a round mass separated from the bone. She sent a biopsy to a lab so we will probably get results next week.
She was concerned about something else around his pelvis and sacrum so checked those bones, but they looked okay in terms of tumours. But an x-ray showed the hips have suffered lots of degeneration, especially the right which seems to have a little piece of bone sitting apart from the rest. Goodness I didn't know young Tazzie was so stoic or so aged. In fact, I was thinking he was only 7 yrs old until this whole cancer thing began! (I lost a year somewhere along the way!)
Heart compromised a bit but still in the normal range, 33.5% contraction from the ultrasound, but the vet had already given the Adriamycin when she phoned just now. Sure wish the original oncologist did straight up Carboplatin. But it is an awkward position for the patient (or patient's mum) to be suggesting alternative treatments.
Creatinine is still borderline on the high side, so I might need to cut down on the protein in the diet (using Orijen which is Alberta's version of Evo except all sources seem to be free range, antibiotic and growth hormone free). The vet thinks the metacam might be causing the problem.
Not sure what all this means, other than we need to get our diet ducks in a row. I definitely don't know what the probable new tumor means in terms of chemo or metronomics . Maybe if it is just one lump, it won't change things all that much although we'd probably have to face another surgery (there goes the fur on the lower back).
I had tried to get everything in a relatively stable state the last two months. I really did not want to have to face these things once the teaching term begins, which happens tomorrow bright and early (new this job which means it is hard to stay above water). But we can't control everything - I guess we all learned that with our tripawds
Don't mean to blab on and bore you with details, but you are probably the only ones who know what it is like. The vets earlier this summer sure did not think there were any signs of age (arthritis) or complicating conditions.
Wish I could add a Tiger or "projectile puke" to liven up the story, but will have to leave that to adventurous Tika.
It is definitely time to focus on living, one day at a time . . . At least, and most importantly, Tazzie is still a happy boy.
Blab on all you like. The more details, the better to help others face the same issues with their pups down the road.
Living. One day at a time. Happy boy. These are the best tharapies. Thanks for sharing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh, I'm so sorry. It's so hard when everything starts hitting you at once and you are trying to sort out all the facts. Also, my husband has proven that persistance and being bossy to the doctors isn't always a bad thing.
And trust me, you don't want to have any vomitosis stories.... BLEAH.
Tika wishes she could run back up to her homeland (yes--girlie came from the Trois Rivieres, QC area) and give Tazzie some good old chest bumps and romp time.
Ironic of me to say this, when just 24 hours ago I was a big pile of blubbering goo, but please try to hang in there, if your boy-o is happy!
Tika sends big malamute hugs and roos to you.
Good luck, I think we have some leftover miracles to send up your way!
Kim and Spirit Tika http://www.tika.....ogspot.com
I am sorry to hear about Tazzie's lump. It is certainly nerve racking. Emily just had a biopsy of two spots in her mouth yesterday so we are awaiting results, too. Tazzie is in my prayers.
Debra
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
Boy, sometimes it sure feels like it's one thing after another doesn't it? It sounds like you're staying on top of everything though (as best as you can). Please keep us updated when the biopsy results are in.
I am glad that Tazzie is happy - sometimes that makes all the difference. I will say a prayer for him tonight. Good luck with class tomorrow!
Debra, Emily will be in my thoughts and prayers too. Is she still eating OK? Oh, and I just love her picture. 
Michelle
As hard as it is to hear about our health status, information can be empowering. Once you have a better idea of what's happening with Tazzie's health, you can make a plan and proceed to help him.
Are you sure the tumor isn't a fatty tumor?
If it's any help, as far as the hips go, I just wanted to share that I had hip displaysia as a Tripawd, and I did OK.
Hang in there OK? We definitely understand what the roller coaster is like.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
We are very sorry to hear of these additional complications and setbacks. I agree with Jerry about the more detail the better but also by being as detailed as you can, you and the vet will be in a better position to deal with the issue. We always need to be very pro-active about the care of our companions. Cherry had "a small growth on the inside of her mouth, on her right side, at the lower gum line. It appeared to be approximately "pea" size with a small attachment." This was noticed just days after the last of the chemotherapy. It turned out to be benign but she has another just below her ear canal which is approaching the size of a golf ball. I will probably wait a while longer to see if it is growing.
Keep us posted regarding the lab results. Nothing but Pawsitive Thoughts Sent Your Way.
Bob & Cherry
Aww shucks you guys - I leave for two hours to drop in at work (note, 'drop in' - that will change suddenly tomorrow at 7 am) and then pick up Tazzie, and come home to see so many responses. I did not expect that at all, in fact I'm shocked but I do appreciate it (so does Tazzie I'm sure, for the tears are drying).
For a sick dog, Tazzie sure looks healthy, as he drags the vet techs out of the clinic. When you hear the vet's list of problems, you expect to be lying flat like a pancake, barely breathing. Instead, the vet tech was leaning backwards with all her might, two hands on the leash, and he dragged her along the slippery floor, as usual. And sticking his head out the window in the breeze and hopping around in the car on the way home. Old dog, my foot (make that Tazzie's front right foot). It is the opposite when walking in. If I don't walk with them, he puts his butt down and one vet tech pulls the leash while the other pushes his bum. Haha.
Another mass was removed one week prior to the OSA diagnosis, early July, but that hung out of the skin. It looked bad from the outside but the vet who took it off said it was just cheesy sebaceous stuff and did not send it away. I had to wonder when the OSA was detected one week later (what a summer, I tell you!) Now I have to wonder how a completely new growth can happen while he is on chemo.
One funny moment happened at the other ultrasound clinic yesterday. A person and small dog came in. Of course Tazzie hopped over (just gently, nothing scary) to say hello. The man pulled away and said 'she has a bad leg', even while looking at Tazzie. You could see the moment when he finally realized that Tazzie was missing a leg. It is kind of hard to miss given there is still no fur on that side of his enormous chest.
One last topic. During the ultrasound, they were careful to flip him on his belly, not his back, when changing sides because of the risk of torsion in large dogs. But all the time these days, Tazzie rolls over on his back to get tummy pats. Is that actually dangerous for a large dog? (Don't worry, I'm not going to try to talk him out of that one.)
I'll now make my best attempt to put on my game face, if possible, and focus on my students. Still have a lecture to finish for tomorrow 8am! I'll read your responses again once my lecture is over. I really did not want these doggy problems to come head to head with fall term teaching, plus I feel as though he will be neglected as the term starts, but what can a tripawd do?
(Saturday mornings are reserved for the really far away dog park with the ball-obsessed border collie, even if the vet says he should not run hard because of his hips.)
Susan
Susan & Tazzie,
The mere mention of torsion runs chills down my back. Yes, torsion is an extremely dangerous condition and the pain is many times worse than Osteosarcoma. Both of my first two Standard Poodles (liter-mates) suffered torsion about three weeks apart. Even back in 1990, the expenses for a recovery was far greater than Cherry's treatment for Osteosarcoma. Imagine cutting a dog open from just above their private area to a point just below the neck, removing all the internal organs, sorting them back out, tacking the stomach to the rib cage, reassembling the internals and then sewing up. I watched every move for both of these operations. Then Cassy (Cassiopeia) developed augmented ventricluar fibulation. My sister (the MD) informed me that her EKG in a human would have a less than 10% rate of survival. She was shutttled between the Emergency Facility and a Vetinary Specialists for more than four days before being able to come home. It is also a quick killer. A vet that I knew had a dog that ate dinner, went outside to relieve, and when their child followed ten minutes later, the dog was dead.
While I was able to save both Cassy and Sandy (Cassandra) at the time of the torsion, they both died approximatly three years later from complications due to the damage the internal organs suffered from the torsion. Torsion should freighten you. Congradulations to the vet techs who were so careful with Tazzie. It is good that they were so careful, but there is still much debate as to what causes torsion so preventing is not an exact science. Also, it is more the size of the dog's chest that determine their suseptability. Deep narrow chested dogs like Great Danes, Standard Poodles, and Dobermans have the greatest numbers.
Torsion is to be respected and avoided at all costs.
Bob & Cherry
Bob, that is really, really scary. We never gave torsion much of a thought before, naive pawents that we are. I'm so sorry your pups went through that trauma, I can't even imagine. Thank you for the education, and raising our awareness.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes, having the great summer that Tazzie has every had (it certainly is the most memorable), a full stomach torsion was the first event, on June 1 followed by the main event of amputation July 15th (with a small lump removed July 8th, brother, and probably another lump removed next week . . .).
In this case, we kind of breezed through the torsion, thankfully, with no apparent after effects. I have heard how bad it can get. Tazzie ate a bit of food that night, after drinking heaps of water, tried to get sick and could not. I whisked him to the vet, who cleared out the waiting room and went to work. So it was caught early. Tazzie didn't really show his pain - he looks like a sap with his long blond hair (well, what used to be, but I guess he is braver than he looks. He was just hunched over a bit. Recovery went well and his stomach is now tacked down, but I guess it is still possible to reoccur (4% chance vs. 50% if it is not tacked down). The vet said that Tazzie's chest was big enough that it was pretty easy to reach inside and turn the stomach around. Hurray for small favours.
I met another poodle owner, and she is a vet. Her poodle screeched and the experience with torsion was horrible. I have now met two poodle owners, both vets, who tacked down their dog's stomach when they neutered the dog
I spent $2700 CAD in two days on torsion, which seemed a really big deal way back then in June. Now that I have suffered amputation and chemo fees for OSA at a specialist fees, the torsion cost pales (I'm sure it would have been equivalent if the specialists had done it). His stitches only went half way up his belly, kind of to the point where the OSA stitches began. But certainly the vets and techs gasp when they hear that he had torsion only 6 weeks before this!
I still don't think I will stop Tazzie from rolling over on his back when he feels relaxed and happy. Those are some of his happiest moments and I think we want happy moments at this point, plus his tummy is tacked and it is only a slow roll. I never heard that particular caution but I guess it would make sense, at least if the dog had just eaten
Geez, Yoda has laid on his back as part of his personal sunbathing regime since I got him (has to tan both sides and his belly). And a few times in the last few weeks I've found him laying on his back on the couch. He's so weird. Oh and if during one of our breaks on a walk he doesn't want to head home so soon, he'll roll around on his back to throw an I'm-so-cute-you-better-just-let-me-have-my-own-way tantrum. So, Susan, if rolling over contributes to torsion, my dobe mix must be in for it sooner or later!
Ugh, getting another tumor is so not fair! You're handling it so well. What a strong pack leader. More thoughts and prayers are coming your way that these new complications are as uncomplicated as possible.
Yoda&Mom united: 9/5/06 …….… Yoda&Leg separated: 6/5/09……… Yoda&Leg reunited: 10/14/09 ……… ……………….………….………….……. Yoda&Mom NEVER separated! …………………….….……....….…… Though Spirit Yoda currently free-lances as a rabbit hunting instructor for tripawds nationwide
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