Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Had to read this a couple of times to try and balance what the "reports" were saying with how well Griffin is doing outwardly. And then to read that he is producing antibodies.......I mean, so much of this post DOES give is reason to celebrate....except for the damn tests! Just not adding up!! Can't reconcile what the tests show versus how well jenos doing and producing antibodies!
So this leads to be believe that so Mich of what you are doing.....so much of what you are NOT leaving on the table, os still having a powerful positive impact!!!
No one knows the power of everything you are doing combined with all the supplements and holostic support. Obviously SOMETHING is keeping Griffin sympton free! ! Griffin jas been considered a miracle dog every since he rocked his recovery like he's never even had a aurgery or lost a leg!! He didn't fit the mold during recovery and clearly he isn't fitting the mold and as far as "reacting" to the clinical repoets.
I may have mentioned my sog Bob had bladder cancer. "Clinically " based on xrays and the way the tumors were interfering with his organs, there was no way he should be acting as happy and as engaged as he was, Bob enjoyed being Bob for another nine or ten months. He was on Piroxicam off and on. I never did anymfurther xrays, but I do believe nthe Piroxicam kept the tumor from growing fast.
Is the. .Cyclophosphamide the same as Cytoxin? If it is, it seems that some Bets give it every other day to help avoid the UTI issue. Also, as you pr already know, they suggest giving mit jn the morn so they can eliminate all during the day rather than sleep through nthe night with peeing..
I hate to aound so Pollyanna, but honest to goodness, Griffin is soooo exceptional in soooo many ways, I just have to believe that he will continue to defy all the odds! And I DO believe that all the supplemental support you are doing is helping him to stay so fit and strong. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT!
Lots of love
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!
Stacy, I apologize for not responding sooner. I read your post last night and have been thinking about it ever since.
First, allow yourself to feel pissed off and angry. You are doing soooo much for Griffin to beat this darn cancer, and news like this is so disheartening. You are totally allowed to have a meltdown when you're in private, I know I would.
Now, I can only echo what others have said: Griffin has all the markers of an exceptional case, a dog who stands out from the pack and has everything it takes to be the outlier. I also had to re-read the part about his body making antibodies....to me, that is such a positive sign! Did you ask the vet about it, in relation to the mets?
Mets are not an instant death sentence. Many animals go on to beat the odds for longer than anyone thought possible, our Jerry included. We see it all the time, and hope with all our hearts that Griffin is another one.
Keep doing what you are doing, and know in your heart that you are also exceptional. Griffin knows this, without a doubt.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
hi,
I am signing on after quite some time. Stacy stay strong amd resilient. Griffin seems to feel you alot. What a special soul.
sending you love
Yesterday was a hard day, and we woke up to a rainy morning today, which seemed appropriate for my mood. But living in NYC means there is no opening a back door to let Griffin out, and so I dragged myself into the shower and debated how long of a walk we would take. I wasn’t really up for our regular 2-mile walk, but that’s usually when I need them the most. After briefly arguing with myself that the wagon would survive getting soaked and I would not melt from the rain, Griffin and I donned our raincoats, I grabbed my coffee, and out we went into the raw, wet morning. As we walked, I watched Griffin follow his regular routine of sniffing and peeing everywhere before his tank ran dry. I watched him bouncing energetically and easily catch himself when he slid on wet leaves. I watched him look for his best friend Murphy when we arrived at the park and then head down our usual path when his friend was not found. I watched him gleefully run and roll in the wet grass over and over again, not caring how dirty or wet he got. I watched Griffin be wholly and enthusiastically present in the moment, making his own fun and in the process, bringing me joy as he has done each day of his life.
Yesterday was a hard day, but I was reminded by Griffin’s surgeon that he is a fighter.
Yesterday was a hard day, but Griffin has the support of an amazing oncology team.
Yesterday was a hard day, but Griffin is still happily by my side.
Yesterday was a hard day, but we are not out of options.
Yesterday was a hard day, but today I choose joy.
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
I'm so glad you saved that to share with us.
Omg look at that boy!❤❤❤
He has to be one of the happiest souls I've ever laid eyes on.
Im glad you chose joy. How could you not with that happy boy?!
Griffin's not ready to do anything but love his mama. And go for walks. And roll in the grass. And play fetch. And stroll with his mama enjoying the fresh air.
Today is not the day. And i wish for many more of those. I think your observation today was the definition of "Be More Dog ". And Jerry is right, this doesn't mean the end is right around the corner.
Sending you guys hugs and lots of love
❤
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
Those videos and your description of Griffin's delightful day in spite of bad w weather offers more proof how exceptional he is!!! No matter how dark and stormy the day, to Griffin it's just another opportunity to find joy and fun in the puddles and the wet grass! Nope, not a hard day for Griffin at all!
Griffin always shows us he is living life to the fullest and continues to. march to. the beat of his own drum! And both are fighters
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!
YESSSS! Oh Stacy, this is how to Be More Dog ! Thank you for your honesty in sharing how you put one foot in front of the other and followed Griffin's lead. It's not an easy thing to do when the weather is crappy and you feel so beat up, but took one look at him and now you've got it down!
That boy is so hoppy, all he wants is to make the most of every day. And you are helping him do that! BRAVO! 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
It has been a good week since I last updated on Griffin’s progress. He restarted the anti-inflammatory (Piroxicam) after his last oncology appointment and began the new chemotherapy drug (Cyclophosphamide) on Tuesday. [Sally - to answer your question from last week - Griffin is taking Cyclophosphamide every day because his oncologist wants to be aggressive in her approach, but we will reduce to every other day if he does not tolerate the daily dosage well.] So far, so good – I have not noticed any side effects and my fingers are crossed that things stay that way! Griffin’s appetite is consistent, his energy level is great, and he is happy. And November 2nd marked Griffin’s 7 month ampuversary!
Our Halloween was very quiet, although our apartment was a stop on the scavenger hunt that a few families in our building put together for their kids. How cute is that clue (and my boy)?
The weather has been gorgeous in NYC lately. Griffin’s stamina is pretty amazing – he walks over a mile each morning and still has the energy for a few rounds of fetch. He enjoys watching the ships in the Hudson River and continues to make new friends wherever we go.
It does still take my breath away sometimes watching how fast Griffin can run on 3 legs! I hope these videos bring you joy!
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
Oh yes indeedy, , these videos always bring joy! Every picture brings us joy! Everything Griffin does beings us joy! Part of Griff8n's mission is to bring joy to everyone he meets....and he sure does that every day in every way!
I wish I could adequately express how much you and Griffin inspire us. As you already know, we constantly reference Griffin when newbies have concerns and fears as to whether their dogs can every enjoy life again. His zest for life and ability to love life on three is legendary around here!
Thank you for letting us celebrate this HAPPY SEVEN MONTH AMPUVERSARY with you!! I think being a tripawd has turned back time for you. You look soooo heal and fit!! You run like the wind kiddo!!
Oh, and I love the way you participated in Halloween with the scavenger hunt and with your handsome Fall pictures.
I'm just so hapoy to here how well you are doing....not ,surprised at all....just happy!! Gleefully happy!
ICE CREAM AND CAKE FOR EVERYONE TO HELP GRIFFIN CELEBRATE !
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!
YESSS! Oh Stacy this is such a terrific post, and I can't say enough how happy it makes us to know that Griffin is back on his game. Watching him fly across the field on such a gorgeous day just reminded me that I need to get outside myself and make the most of a brisk fall afternoon. Thank you for reminding us to Be More Dog , gorgeous Griffin! Yes, you fill our day with joy each and every time, as I'm sure you do for everyone you encounter. You even made Halloween brighter for all those kids!
It seems most oncos are prescribing Cyclophosphamide on a daily basis now. Since male dogs tend to get cystitis less often than females, it makes sense that yours put Griffin on a daily dose. Paws crossed that it's not a big deal for him!
Cheers to you two, thanks for the great news.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Stacy, It is so wonderful to see your handsome little man Griffin feeling great! He's sprinting!! I think about you two a lot. You've been such an awesome source of hope and joy and information. Thank you again for continuing to share your story.
HI Stacy,
I'm new on the forums and was just reading some of Griffin's story. He is an amazing boy and from the videos you posted you would never know anything is happening with him, he just seems to be full of joy.
I hope to hear good news after his next appointment and send both of you lots of
Hi Tammy and Kirstie! I'm so glad that Griffin's Journey has been a helpful and enjoyable resource for you! I feel truly blessed to have found this amazing community and the support, information, and inspiration I have found on Tripawds far outweighs by ability to repay, but photos and videos of Griffin seem to be a more than acceptable substitute to the folks here! 
Rene and Sally - How is it possible that I only recently learned about the magical powers of administering meds using Velveeta?!? After making this discovery on my own, I searched Tripawds for mentions of Velveeta (there are only 10), with the most recent one in 2015 suggesting it as a Kong treat. I had to go back to 2012 to find a mention of using it to wrap pills. Griffin used to readily take meds in Greenies Pill Pockets, but he has been boycotting them (and all other similar type products) for months now, so I've been pushing meds down his throat - not fun for either of us! Velveeta is cheaper than pill pockets, I can cut cubes of whatever size I want, and Griffin gobbles it up! Whoo hoo!
Griffin and I continue to enjoy the gorgeous fall weather (it's been in the low 70s for a few days now!). In the video below, Griffin is walking the last block home and the sunshine just seemed perfect on my golden boy!
Griffin lived an amazing life for 11 years! Diagnosed with osteosarcoma on March 17, 2020, Griffin's right forelimb was amputated on April 2, 2020. Ten days later he was running and playing fetch! Lung metastasis discovered in July 2020 did not slow down Griffin and he lived joyfully for the next 7 months, passing peacefully at home on February 11, 2021. https://griffin.tripawds.com
VELVEETA!!!! OMD!!! OF COURSE!! That is a perfect way to disguise pills while giving him a delicious treat!👍👏
It was a vit of a shock to see Griffin walking g on a SIDEWALK and surrounded by City noises!. All of the videos have been at his Zen park by the Lake with just the sounds of birds. Griffin can adapt to either scenario, but I believe he's a Nature boy first. Griffin wears the sunshine e so well😊 Love this boy♥️
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!
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