Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I am so sad 
..... After celebrating Achillles' 9th birthday Wednesday we brought him in for his first follow up check up and there it was...in his lung...only 6 weeks after his amputation... As if that wasn't heartbreaking enough...last night he had a seizure...he's NEVER had anything like that before and fear that the cancer has spread to his brain. I am devastated. The vet put him on prednozone and he's been fine but we have to bring him into the vet this weekend. Is there any chance that this seizure is unrelated to the Cancer that has metastasized to his lungs?
We had decided to go a holistic route instead of chemo and now I'm beating myself up.
I am so sorry for his diagnosis. I am hoping that this seizure isn't related to the cancer.
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
I am so sorry to hear this about Achilles. Please don't beat yourself up. There is no right way or wrong way when it comes to this cancer thing. You are doing everything possible to fight this, and you are doing what is best for your baby. I have read plenty of posts where the holistic approach was used rather than the chemo, and it worked for that dog. There is no way of knowing what is going to work and what is not.
Im not sure if there is any link to the seizure and the return of the cancer. Maybe someone on her with vet experience can chime in.
You and Achilles will be in my thoughts. Remember, Achilles loves you and to enjoy every minute you can with him.
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.” ― Milan Kundera
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
I'm so sorry, this is heartbreaking, we totally understand. I'm not sure anything can be comforting right now, but I'll try to share what I have learned.
When it comes to things like keeping track of time, remember this; dogs don't care. Calendars and clocks mean nothing to us. Only this moment, right now, is what matters. And if everyone in our pack is happy, and loving, and making the most of that moment, that's what makes us happiest.
I know it hurts to get this news so soon. It makes you question everything from the first decision to the one you just made to put him on pred. The thing is, nobody can predict the future. There is no magic answer that will guarantee anything; all we can do is our best, and hope that things work out the way we want them to. And when they don't we don't have to like it, but if we can accept that things are they way they are at the moment, we can feel some relief as we put that obstacle aside and deal with the decisions that have to be made, now.
Try your hardest not to let anger or regret keep you from enjoying this time that you have with Achilles; that is the only way cancer can win. I know it's so hard. We are here to help you, any way we can.
Please keep us posted on what happens at the vet's OK? Anything is possible, don't give up hope that this may be a temporary setback.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I hate regrets as much as I hate cancer. Regrets tortured me for months and still come back every now and then for a bit of fun with my sanity. So please don't beat yourself up. Sometimes the cancer is just too aggressive. You've been given some frightening news but try to focus on what you can do now and make the most of every precious day. Achilles doesn't know there is anything wrong. As Jerry says, don't let anger, regret or fear stop you from enjoying the time that you have with Achilles.
many hugs
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
I agree with Princess--sometimes cancer is too aggressive. To be honest, since it's only been 6 weeks since the amputation, I doubt that choosing a holistic path over chemo was the reason for this. It is pretty accepted that most of these dogs have tiny mets somewhere. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it should free you from regret and guilt. I have seen some folks here do incredibly aggressive chemo and their dogs still show lung mets on their first followup x-rays.
However--we have so many success stories about dogs living with lung mets. Jerry was one. Abby was another. So was Zeus. And there are even more. Don't write the end of your boy's life. As hard as it to live like he does, try to Be More Dog . Try to be at peace with the unknown, because you may find that you get more and better than you ever hoped for.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
I am so sorry to hear about the news for Achilles. But please don't second guess yourself (I've done that enough for everyone!)
Wookie had very aggressive chemo... he would get the maximum dose because he was young and could handle it. He had visible lung mets less than 8 weeks after surgery. We changed his chemo, we got more aggressive, added more drugs, but the cancer just continued to spread, it was like the chemo never touched it. Wookie only made it 5 months after surgery.
There is just no rhyme or reason. Why do some dogs make it so much longer than others? Why do some dogs get such an aggressive form of cancer? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? I wish I knew.
We do know that for osteosarcoma, the cancer almost always HAS spread by the time we diagnose it. Some dogs respond to chemo, some dogs respond to holistic treatment, and some dogs just don't respond. If we all had the right answer, we'd all be doing the same thing. But we don't have the answer. All we can do is try our very best for our beloved pets, and hope and pray.
I would be very suspicious that the seizure is related to the cancer. It is very rare for older dogs to develop epilepsy. Most seizures in older dogs are due to tumors in the brain. The only way to really be sure would be to do an MRI on the brain and a CSF tap. But, personally, I would never recommend those types of diagnostics due to the stress on the dog and the financial costs, when really, it is not going to change anything. Prednisone is often used to try and decrease the swelling in the brain, and oftentimes this works for awhile in stopping the seizures.
Achilles has been dealt a bad hand. It is not fair and it is hard to accept. But I think Jerry has the best advice. Try to live in the moment and enjoy what is right there in front of you rather than dwelling on what might be or what has yet to come. Believe me, I know this is much easier said than done. Now that Wookie is gone, I wish more than anything that I could hold him, just one more time.
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
Try not to beat yourself up. (and believe me, I know that is HARD. Check out my blog and you'll see that I did my fair share of second guessing!)
We did go the chemo route; but Spencer's cancer was just too agressive and even while doing weekly chemo his cancer moved to his lungs. We then tried ANOTHER chemo and he still didn't make it. Then I was left wondering if the chemo did something to kill him.
No matter what we are going to second guess; but in the end we can just do what we think is best and make sure their lives are as full as possible while they are here.
((hugs))
Jac and Angel Spencer. Spencer was 5.25 years old. He fought a grade 3 fibrosarcoma, started on his shoulder. Left front leg amputated in August 2011. 15 weeks of chemo finished 12/22/11 (mytox and adria). Lung mets found on x-rays 12/28/11. Started carboplatin 1/6/12. Went to Heaven on 2/27/12. I miss him like crazy every day. See his blog here: http://spencer.tripawds.com/
I've been thinking about you and your dear pup. How are things going? Did you get a follow up appointment to confirm a diagnosis? Please keep us updated! I think about you quite often. I hope all is well (or as good as can be).
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!
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