Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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So I ummmmned and I aaaaahed over whether or not to get his 6 months lung Xrays done to check for mets (We did them at 3 months also). Did I want to know??? DiD I not want to know, Did I want to know and so on and so on and so on. Then I thought I want to get them done as if they are getting bigger and noticelby there I want to know and look at starting metronomics
!!! So we had the Xrays done today and got the all clear, nothing visible yet!!! On one hand I am excited on the other hand I know this is only one thing that could go wrong, but am excited, I just don't want to jinx us. Koda has put on 1.5 kgs (3.5 pounds) since amputation so I was in a little bit of trouble for that
. That just means we have to spend more time at the beach so Koda can go swimming
.
From the reading I have done I know there is a high chance that there are tiny mets in the lungs they are just not big enough yet to see on an Xray. Can anyone provide me with any comments in regards to also getting regular lung Xrays done and your experiences???
Storm and Koda:)
P.S. Writing from the sweltering heat down in Australia, and if any of you are wondering we live in sunny Queensland just North of Brisbane and the Gold Coast right near the beach. I feel for all of you Northern Hemisphere crew freezing your butts off right now, I have experienced South Dakota Winters twice and lets just say I have only been back there in Summer months since!!!
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Way to go Koda! Not only are we jealous of your nice weather you get to swim to lose weight. I am curious to know if you are using a jacket to help Koda in the water. When our weather gets better that will be Tehya's most favorite thing to do as well.
Keep up the great work Koda you are an inspiratin for us who are just starting out on this journey!
Storm and Koda,
Sorry that I have not been here to follow as I should have been, but it does sound like you got great news. Personally, I never did the lung X Rays on Cherry, but that was totally a personal choice. We had done a very aggressive chemotherapy treatment, Cherry was very senior for a Standard Poodle, and any prognosis that additional treatments could have helped if we did find met was extremely low. When I presented our oncologist with the question "what would we do if we did find them?" - her answer was "Just enjoy your time with her!" Since that is exactly what we were doing, we just continued. However, that was totally a personal choice, and I would not recomend either course for anyone else.
Back to your great report, we are very pleased that Koda is doing so well. I am sure that you know the weight situation best. As the pawrent of a front leg amputee as well, I realize that we are always concerned with too much weight putting too much stress on the joints. With Cherry, it was always a battle to keep the weight on her after the chemotherapy. In the end, I was glad for every ounce (probably kg for you) I could get.
Sending Pawsitive Thoughts and Wishing Continued Great News,
Spirit Cherry's Dad - Bob
Storm & Koda, that is excellent! Take one good news at a time, and go spend more time swimming!
Hey Koda
Glad about your good news. I understand your humming and hawing. Bet you hemmed and hawed before giving up skating and skiiing in the white fluff for those unbearably hot southern hemisphere summers, eh.
Some pups begin metronomics before mets appear, either after regular high-dose chemo or instead of regular chemo. I believe they have been found to be most effective in their role of delaying the onset of mets (but I can stand to be corrected!).
Sorry I don't have input on the x-rays. Whatever my vet said at the time, about whether to x-ray or not yet, always sounded right to me and I went with that, but Yoda didn't have as long of a go, so I can see why it's a question for you now.
Way to go, Koda! Keep kickin' cancer's butt and sweat off those extra kilos in those sweltering Australian temps. Or make believe you're a South Dakotan sled dog and MUSH!
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
We took xrays of Tazzie's lungs every 3 months (and her legs) because I would have pursued treatment with Palladia or other drugs if mets were found. Unfortunately her clear xrays gave me a false sense of security because she developed spinal mets 14 months after her amputation. There is not much to be done for spinal mets so we had to let her go. I would have xrayed her spine but most spinal mets can only be found with a CT scan or MRI, both of which are rather impractical.
I think it is a personal choice and if I had to do it over again I would still do the rads every 3 months.
Pam
Great news, Koda. So glad to hear your x-rays looked good!
Emily was in a drug study so she was scheduled to have x-rays every three months. (Unfortunately, she only made it 5 1/2 months.) Because she was having other issues she had x-rays two weeks before she died and her lungs were clear. Two weeks later when she was re-x-rayed she had pretty sizable lung mets. The cancer had moved to her spine, too, so we did not do any metronomics . I don't say that to scare you about how fast that mets can occur but to say I don't think there is much reason to have regular x-rays unless it will change your game plan.
That's just my opinion. Enjoy everyday with Koda and try (easier said than done) not to worry. It won't change the outcome but it will ruin your time together.
Debra & Angel Emily
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.
Whoooo Hooooo! That's great news! I did x-rays of Nova at approx 6 months and 9 months, but at a year I decided not to. I haven't yet and Nova just passed her 14 month ampuversary. Like others have said, I am not sure I would want to know, because there is nothing I could do. I am afraid that if I found out she had mets, then I would be such a mess, and I would not want to be that way around her. Nova is on metronomic therapy already. Perhaps that is what's helped her live so long. I feed her a grain-free diet, I think that's helped keep the cancer at bay too. She has had no symptoms of mets whatsoever, so I am just going to make the most of every day. I did tell myself that if she developed symptoms, then I would likely have the x-rays just to confirm. But for now I am not doing them.
Sue
Dane Mom Sue at nova.tripawds.com and Mom to Beautiful Great Dane Queen Nova, a Blind Tripawd, who kicked cancer's butt from 11/08-03/13. The Queen is Spirit Nova now, but her legacy lives on here at Tripawds!
YAYAYAYAY KODA! How exciting for you! Keep on showing that cancer who is BOSS!
<3 Laura and Jack
Storm said:
From the reading I have done I know there is a high chance that there are tiny mets in the lungs they are just not big enough yet to see on an Xray. Can anyone provide me with any comments in regards to also getting regular lung Xrays done and your experiences???
As Cherry said, it's such very personal decision, and there are no right answers. In my case, we opted not to do regular lung x-rays. When we did, seventeen months later, my peeps were devastated to learn I did have mets. But I showed them that life goes on, and we do not look back in regret, because that's just a big waste of time. We marched forward by getting me into a metronomic protocol and clinical trial for K9 Immunity.
As for you, big congrats on the clear x-rays! Every milestone is such a reason to celebrate. Yeay!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi all,
Thanks for celebrating with us. And thanks for all the advice on the Xrays. It certainly ALL helps to guide a personal decision. It is nice to hear all sides to work out what is best for the individual.
Pam and Debra, in my mind I was referring to spinal mets when I said "lung mets is just one thing that could go wrong". I was thinking of your beautiful babies who fought hard. And Pam I think I had it confirmed in my mind and made my initial decision to go with Xrays every 3 months from reading one of your posts.
Sue you hit the nail on the head with the falling apart comment and not wanting to be that way around Nova, that is the exact reason why I hesitated a little this time as we were so excited with the 6 months:) When you are told you are looking at 3-6 months prognosis you thank your lucky stars!
I sometimes feel a little bad putting up good news with all the losses we have had in the past few months (I have only been on here for 6 months) but it seems like I was just getting to know all of you and your babies so everytime we lose one it hits hard. Please know that Koda is fighting hard for all of the precious tripawds that have crossed to the rainbow bridge and I know you will all be there in the future to share our journey with us and that gives us more strength to know that we are not alone. I know in reality we all need good news occassionally and if anything, I know reading about the milestone of each tripawd and how they are fighting the couragious fight it encourages us immensely, so I can keep in high spirits around Koda. If I hadn't heard the other encouraging dogs stories I think I would be far more of a mess wondering...
So thank you to everyone:)
Storm and Koda
P.S. Yoda's mum, Koda takes everything in his stride so I am sure he would get out in the South Dakota snow for a few seconds and then would give me that "take me back inside to the warmth , I can lose weight another time look". hahaha
Coming in late on the discussion, but for us there has been only one set of x-rays a few weeks after Trouble completed chemo. Her vet isn't supportive of ongoing x-ray. His opinion is that although the most talked about met is lung, it is more likely the mets will occur elsewhere. His attitude is be happy, give her love and attention, and if sysmptoms of any kind start, get her in to be checked. We will deal with whatever comes, but not look for something all along the way. I have to admit, it took me a while to buy in to this theory.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
That's great news for Koda! I'm glad for the posts on this thread - as we head down this road it's helpful to know what others have done. Lots to consider... but for now please give Koda a hug for us!
Holly and Holly's mom
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
Go Koda, go Koda, GO! 
We too have just gotten to the 6 month mark, one that I am so excited about! We haven't talked about doing x-rays recently, and our last was in November so it's about time. I understand your hesitancy, we are in a good place now, loving every day with him, knowing that lung mets are only one piece of the puzzle. If he has them, we probably won't do anything differently, if he doesn't, that doesn't mean we are safe.
McGwire has also gained some weight since his surgery-it's just because we spoil him so much! 
In the mean time, enjoy the hot and steamy weather. I live in Virginia, where it usually doesn't get too cold and we still have snow on the ground from over a month ago (that NEVER happens!) Tonight, we are also supposed to get 2 inches of snow and a quarter of an inch of ice or more. FUN! 
Could you please send some warm weather over here?! PLEASE!!!
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