Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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YAAAAAAAAAY! We've gltpictures!! Dymond is BEAUTIFUL! Look at that face! That is a happy who clearly is not worried about a thing.....except making sure no one gets her toys!!
She's reallh a lovel, lovely dog! And sne still has a "puppy"" look to her!
You ust keep looking at tnese ohotos anyyou will KNOW all is well!! Neck! You've got the real deal....you dn't need the otos! Now go give her a hug ad watch that tail wag!
Thanks gan for the photos and keep them coming! She's sopretty!
Hugs!
Sally and Hapy Hannah
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!
Hey Katrina, I want to add our bit in here and to make sure this post gets a lot of coverage here.
Jackson's amputated lymph node wasn't sent to pathology. Thinking back on it, that sounds crazy; I'd think that if there's a chance for lymph node involvement in OSA, it'd radically change the prognosis. I have to assume, then, that the reason it wasn't sent off was b/c it doesn't matter for OSA. I think the surgeon and vet (neither an onco) realized that the amp'd node would be impacted, but b/c it was removed, the risk of spread was gone....b/c OSA rarely transmits through the lymph system. All his other bloodwork and urine results were great, too.
This is for OSA, not STS. I hope some folks here with STS can chime in. I hope some folks who are seeing their onco soon can ask these good questions!
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
Thank you Sally.
I'm still in shock. Everything that I have read about soft tissue sarcomas (STS) stated they "rarely" go to the lymph nodes. When a chest x-ray were done there showed no signs of metastasis, so I was ver happy to know that after amputation we faced no other challenges. WOW! Was I wrong.
So Dymond and I will see the surgeon for suture removal on Friday. Then I suppose I'll move forward with Chemotherapy. I wouldn't necessarily say I am reluctant, but I am hoping (wishfully thinking) this will be the end. Are there any questions I should be asking the doctor? What holistic approaches are recommended? I just want this to be gone, but since that is NOT happenning I will attack the cancer as aggressively as I can.
Any insight here, is greatly appreciated!!
Also there is a chance (probably ever so slight) that the lymph node that was removed was the only one bearing the bad cells. Seems like bad news after bad news, I could really use some GREAT news right about now. UGH!
Katrina said
...I'll move forward with Chemotherapy.
Are there any questions I should be asking the doctor?
Please see this forum topic:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Comlimenting with holistic, nutrition, etc. sounds like something to consider also.
You are foing to feel so much better going forward with a plan. Try and think of this as a new viginning for you and Dymond, okay? Because it is a beginning of pain free quality for her AND...THE MOST KNCREDIBLE BOND YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE! You will experience more joy and love with her than most dogs ever experience in a lifetime. And remember, in DOG YEARS, many, mnay months equals like two years or more!
Also, and if others with a better memory than I will chime in, there was a wonderful amputee on here named Kermit who was diagnosed even before the surgery with lymph node involvement and had wonderful extended quality time.
Many in this site consult with a holistic vet outof North Carolina...Dr. Charles Loop (or Loops). You may want to google him .
Keepn cominghere for support okay? That way you can remain strong and positive for that beautiful Dymond!! Keep your energy upbeat around here...it makes a difference!! You are doing a great job!!
Love and hugs,
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
I can't really add too much here that everyone else has not already added. It is very helpful getting feedback from those that are knoweldgeable with chemo etc. for their own dogger. My Franklin didn't have the chemo.. he was 14 with his amputation and when I asked about chemo with our vet.. he said that he didn't see a need for it with Franklin. Needeless to say, 5 1/2 months later, he ran for the bridge with mets in his lungs. Do we know if we could have prevented them if we had done the chemo? No. But, he did have 5 1/2 months of pain free, belly rubs, spoiled rotton, mega "snuggles on the couch time" that he may not have had if we hadn't done the amputation.
don't be afraid to ask your vet and onco many questions...
crossing my fingers and paws for you..
Christine..... with Franklin in her heart♥
Franklin, he was the Happiest Dog on Three Legs! Diagnosed 09/26/2012 with Osteosarcoma, amputated 12/4/2012. Had a wonderful 5 1/2 months painfree until he ran for the Bridge on 5/15/2013. Always in my heart, and always a guardian angel of my pack... You can follow his Tripawd Adventures, before and after, in my blog, Frank'n'Farter!
Hmmm. Lots of info here about lymph node invasion with OSA but not STS. Maybe these discussions can put your mind at ease, I hope:
http://tripawds.....omtu-poll/
and
http://tripawds.....-question/
But a positive lymph node in an otherwise happy and healthy dog? Probably the same prognosis and treatment options as any other dog with long bone OSA. - See more at: http://tripawds.....WaIHE.dpuf
http://tripawds.....to-expect/
Bone cancer biopsies help determine the grade of the cancer, but the grade won't determine survival time. According to Dr. Wiltzius, if a biopsy shows a high grade bone cancer, that doesn't necessarily mean that the dog won't live longer than dog with a low grade bone cancer. And the reverse is true; a dog with a low grade bone cancer might not last as long as a dog with a higher grade.
What does help determine the survival time is determining whether or not the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. If cancer is found in the lymph node, it indicates that the cancer has spread beyond the leg and the dog's survival time may be shorter than most.
However, according to Dr. Wiltzius, just because there's cancer in the lymph node doesn't mean you shouldn't proceed with amputation. For most dogs who are suitable amputation candidates, the most humane thing that can be done for the dog is to remove the source of the horrible pain they are in as soon as possible and let them live out their days pain-free. Whether chemotherapy is chosen doesn't mattter at that point; all that matters is that the pain is gone.
- See more at: http://tripawds.....vmKCx.dpuf
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thank you so much for all of your insight. I'm so bummed right now and still trying to take in all of this. We have a holistic vet here and I'll be consulting with her in the coming week.
Barret had a highly aggressive, but localized STS (Hemangiopericytoma) in his armpit. My vet recommended against removing and biopsying the lymph node because of the type of cancer. He had 2 surgeries, 1 to remove and biopsy his lump and 1 to remove his leg. There were 4 weeks between surgeries. In those 4 weeks the tumor had regrown enough that it was visible to the surgeon when they went back in.
It has been almost 5 months now and I can not see any visible signs of regrowth, but I check him weekly for lumps and bumps all over his body that weren't there before.
Keep calm... did you read The Dog Cancer Survival Guide ? It was a LIFESAVER to me. Knowledge is power, in my humble opinion. It did discuss the common and most effective treatments (both traditional meds and holistic) for each type of cancer. If I remember correctly, I think metronomic was most effective at keeping tumors from regrowing, but you'll want to read it for yourself. There are other changes you can make to diet and lifestyle that can help keep cancer at bay.
Keep us posted, you have a beauty there 
Heather & Barret
Barret was diagnosed with Hemangiopericytoma May 16, 2013. Front left leg/scapula/pectoral muscle was amputated on June 11, 2013 and we've never looked back. Follow our story on http://barret.t.....pawds.com/ and read my column on That Pet Blog
Thank you BarretsMom. The actual tumor was removed with her amputation, but it concerns me that there were some bad cells that got through. The hope with the amputation was that the disease did not pass through her lymph node, but here we are. I am also hopeful that the disease was taken out with her diseased lymph node, a long shot I know, but I can hold onto that as my truth.
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