Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My 11 year old labrador retriever, Bridgit, became a Tripawd 5 weeks ago. It has been a roller coaster. Her diagnosis was liposarcoma on the lower right leg. Prior to surgery, a needle aspirate said it had spread to the popliteal lymph node. After surgery a histology report came back that the lymph node was negative with cancerous cells around it but not in it. Surgery was complicated by an infection which required a drain placement and 2 different antibiotics. The vet recommended chemo as a preventative when we finished the antibiotics. When we took her in for chemo the vet said she had an enlarged inguinal lymph node and there was no point testing it the cancer had spread and sometimes you have to ignore the histology. This sounds crazy to me! Couldn't the lymph node be from the infection. Anyway we did the chemo and over a week after her first treatment with doxorubicin she still has a decreased appetite. She gets around well. She doesn't have much stamina but at her age I am guessing it will take some time to build it back up. She is doing well and seems like a happy dog. I am driving myself, my family and Bridgit crazy worrying. I am googling symptoms worrying that the disease has spread. I am hoping this group can provide some advice and/encouragement.
Hi Bridgit, I'm so glad you posted here so that the community can give you their perspectives. As I mentioned in the chat, it can take a while for a dog to bounce back from surgery and chemo done so closely together, especially a senior dog. Doxorubicin can also be more challenging to bounce back from.
She gets around well. She doesn’t have much stamina but at her age I am guessing it will take some time to build it back up. She is doing well and seems like a happy dog.
That's awesome! It sounds like overall, what you are describing is a dog who is a little off but not so much that she her health is in danger?
I am driving myself, my family and Bridgit crazy worrying. I am googling symptoms worrying that the disease has spread. I am hoping this group can provide some advice and/encouragement.
As we talked about in the chat, this is super easy to do. It's a slippery slope into non-stop worry and if we don't catch ourselves, our dogs will pick up on our emotions and reflect it right back to us, and delay recovery. So, stay strong. Be More Dog ! Remember that we set the tone for recovery, and if it's a pawsitive one, it will be easier for everyone even if there are bumps in the road. Give her more time for R&R and couch cuddling, and know that she will get her sparkle back in time. Unless you see things dramatically change, like she doesn't want to eat or get around to go potty, I'd say this is par for the course for a dog in her situation. Keep your vet informed, just so they know what's going on. But otherwise, hang in there and know that this is only temporary. Keep us posted oK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
You are a powerful advocate for your Bridgit and she is very lucky to have such a loving hooman family♥️.
It's natural to "worry" about all the things that may, or may not, ever happen. The most impor lesson of this journey is to Be More Dog ....be more Bridgit. That means to live jn the NOW and stay fully present in each moment you share with sweet Bridgit. She has no worries about her tomorrows, has no time stamped on her butt and doesn't count the days on a calendar. She just flows from one glorious belly rub to the next.
FWIW, it makes perfectly good sense to me in my unprofessional opinion that her lymph nodes could be swollen as a result of all that horrible infection. There's no reason to think other wise, so just proceed forward focused on her healing and getting her sparkle back.
Amputation recovery is no,picnic to begin with. Then to be hit with drains and jnfection and antibiotics, certainly can make the healing process last longer than "normal" (not that there is any "normal" in recovery).
And yes, that part chemo can be a bit rough on puppers sometimes. Try and give her any yummy foods she'll eat.....warm roast chicken, scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese, cheeseburgers, etc. Does she seem nauseous? You can ask the Bet ab6 Cerinia to help with that. Do you think she has any gastro upset due to all the antibiotics?
So yeah, all things considered, it sounds like she IS making progress and, most important, is a happy dog!
Hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. When is the next chemo treatment? Is Carboplatin a possible treatment, or most that more for osteosarcoma.
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!
Her next chemo is next week. She is getting doxorubicin (Adriamycin). The vet did not mention another choice. Today she has some blood in her urine so maybe a UTI to add to the fun. Poor girl. I am waiting for a call back from the vet. She was eating pretty good but refused all food last night and this morning so hoping to get some answers from the vet. I am also going to ask about an appetite stimulant. We have Cerenia and gave it the first few days but we have stopped it. No vomiting. She seems interested in food but then turns her head. We get something she eats but then it seems to only work for a few days after reading some other posts I see this is pretty normal. I am grateful for this site!
In the short term, that chemo drug can be pretty hard on the system but sometimes there are no better alternatives for the type and stage of cancer being treated. We have this post about doxoribucin side effects from a while back.
If you are prepared for the next round she should do better. I'm going to guess that if she has a UTI that's what's causing her to feel crappy. Yes, ask about Entyce, hopefully that will work.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Vet recommended we try antibiotics and put her back on the cerenia. If she doesn’t improve we will take back to the vet for a check in a couple days but oncologist feels it is not something related to her cancer. Hopefully the antibiotics work.
OK good plan! I hope it helps you feel better right now, I know it's hard not to worry. The abx should kick in within a day or two. We are sending Tripawd Power your way!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sounds like a good plan! Yep, sending the pawsitive Tripawd energy to sweetBridgit😎
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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