Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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thank you jessie,
Your kind words mean so much, it is overwhelming to think that I made a bad decision all those months ago. I even kinda dissed the first vet who told me it was cancer becasue the specialty hospital said it wasn't, not on xray presentation, not on needle biopsy, not on surgical biopsy. worst of all, I know how painful cancer is and to think scout went through months of pain becasue I couldn't decide what to do.....
Now the cancer grade is high, I know from experience the the world unfolds exactly like it is supposed to, but gosh, I'm tired.
I know you are going through your own sorrow right now. I am so sorry about genie, this is a sad week at the tripawd website.
Lauren, scouts mom
lauren
Oh Lauren and Scout, we are so sorry to hear this news. But please please please don't beat yourself up, you did your best with the information you had at the time. You have every right to feel what you're feeling, of course, but try to keep focused on the moment at hand and doing what's best for Scout with what you now know.
Like my friend Doug B says,
"Live with balance. The list of what went “right” with my life is so much bigger than the list of what went “wrong.”
"Live with Presence! Don’t despair about yesterday. Don’t fear tomorrow. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on the Gift of Today."
I know, easier said than done, but please know that we are thinking of you and sending our love your way. Keep us posted and let us know if there's anything we can do to help.
Love
Jerry
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi guys,
Mom is a big John Mayer fan and wants you guys to hear this song lyric
From The Heart of Life
:
Pain throws your heart to the ground
Love turns the whole thing around
No it won't all go the way it should
But i know the heart of life is goodYou know it's nothing new
Bad news never had good timing
Then the circle of your friends
Will defend the silver lining
Mom had a really tough day but it was helped by you guys alot, defending the silver lining. No news today, she felt she just wasn't ready to pile more grief on so monday we go get stitches out and chest xrays. she has her fingers crossed but she knows I've had this a very long time. And everything I do now she thinks it's cause I have cancer and not just because I had major surgery darn it...she can get quite neurotic. She thinks this is all her fault, that if she had done the leg in the fall, I'd be okay.
I know you guys all feel the same about the love of your dogs. we stand by you through alot and you guys with us. We were born to lick tears and well, defend the silver lining, just like you guys do for us..every day.
thanks friends for supporting me, for supporting my mom,
Scout the pretty darn wonderful dog
lauren
Hi Scout's Mom,
You might have mentioned somewhere already, but just thought that I asked again...
What's his diet like?
I know it is hard not to worry, but just try to switch gear to plan his diet and/or supplement regime. In any event, his immune system needs to be brought to top notch to fight the battle (if there was any enemy at all)
Jessie
Hi Jessie,
well, my diet had been antinflammitory, tuna or mackeral with some dry food. i'm eating just tuna since surgery as i haven't had much of any appetite. can you direct me to the best immunity stuff/recommendations? I know mom takes lots of flaxseed oil, and we shop at whole foods.
Mom is still very sad today 🙁
Scout
lauren
scout the wonderdog said:
thanks friends for supporting me, for supporting my mom,
We're all here for eachother, Scout and Lauren. Please try not to worry or have regrets. Have you seen this? Whenever my Mom gets down, she reads this. It makes her cry, but also gets here to get a grip and move on with being happy.
Doug B and the Brothers: Overcoming Fear and Guilt When Canine Kids Get Sick
Hope it helps. Please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
scout the wonderdog said:
my diet had been antinflammitory, tuna or mackeral with some dry food. i’m eating just tuna since surgery as i haven’t had much of any appetite. can you direct me to the best immunity stuff/recommendations? I know mom takes lots of flaxseed oil, and we shop at whole foods.
Well Scout's mom, sounds like he is already getting good stuff. Hope that when his appetite returns, he will enjoy more other varieties of food.
Also, please take a look at Jerry's menu as an example to follow.
You can't go wrong with natural homemade human grade whole food, plus the most common antioxidants, e.g. Vit A,B,C,D,E, ..., flaxeed oil or high quality fish oil. High protein and low carbs, no grains, pulverized veggies.
I am hesitant to tell you what Genie had been having, as I am still second guessing myself 🙁
Keep me posted on Monday vet visit.
I will be praying for Scout and you.
Love,
Jessie
thanks genie's mom... thanks jerry,
first that link you sent me last night jerry, it turned my world around. that is such a helpful thing to read and I suspect over the following years will be something i go back to again and again. Genie's mom, it may help you to read it as well.
thanks for the diet tips, i wondered about the immune formulas and feel it can't hurt to try to add it in. I am unsure what jerry's diet is, jerry can you point me about where to find it? I know when we tried to change scout to green beans and tuna, it was no can do, but tuna works and though expensive, he is happy, i'd imagine it will be easy to add flaxseed oil to it at night too.
lauren(scouts mom)
lauren
Hey Lauren,
Jerry's Health Tips has it: http://www.trip.....alth-tips/
or http://www.trip.....pawd-diet/
If you prefer to add a little of dry food into the diet, Innova EVO is one of the best quality brand which is "low carbs, high protein, no grains".
Mackerel, sardines are good.
Try also chicken, beef, turkey, see if he likes them too.
How is Scout today?
Jessie
Hi Scout...we're sending puppy prayers your way tomorrow. Let us know how it goes. Love, Zeus
Hi Lauren...I think we all understand the "regrets" and the should have's, could have's and why didn't I? But we can only do what we can do at the time with the information that we have. You LOVE your Scout...and Scout LOVES you - when I even for one minute think about any mistakes that I may have made with Zeus, I try and remember that I'm human which means that I'm not perfect and I'm not God...that I've done the very best that I could with what I was given. I love him with all my heart and I know he knows that and that brings me peace when I doubt myself.
We have to try not to beat ourselves up - this is cancer that we're dealing with and it's sneaky and cruel and unpredictable, but what is predictable is the love between us and our animals. Keep that strong and you'll get through this. Don't give up.
We're all here for you and Scout.
Love, Heather
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Hi Lauren,
Jessie's right, you can start on my health tips page for more information about what I eat. My diet is what Mom calls a "partial" raw meat diet, because I do get about 1/2 cup Innova Evo kibbles mixed into my food every night. She was feeding me a 100% raw diet, but I started losing too much weight. When she added the Evo in, I went back up to my ideal weight of 75 pounds.
I eat a lot of canned salmon too. Love that stuff!
Mom says one of the best places to start reading about a raw diet is on the website, Shirley's Wellness Cafe, or by reading the book tag=agredacommunicat&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1561706361">Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats</a><img mce_tsrc="http://www.asso....." width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />" target="_blank" title="Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats">Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats. It's a short book, and contains lots of great menus and information about feeding your dog a "species appropriate" diet.
And remember, if you make Scout's dinner really tempting, you should be able to add many more supplements into it! I know my Mom does a great job of hiding my good-for-you pills! Good luck.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi guys,
well mom took me today and lo and behold the xrays were all clear! we feel like it is one small victory in a rollar coaster of the last few weeks.
I am doing really great. I go up and down stairs and really appear to be the dog mom hoped, a pain free dog who seemed happier post surgery. I even sleep curled up in a little ball again. yesterday i was out in the yard with amelia and her friends with the sprinkler and it was so fun, all the kids in the neighborhood think I look pretty darn cool with my three legs!
anyway, mom has decided to try the eight weeks of chemo they recommended. it is synovial cell cancer, so there is a an outside chance they got it all taking the leg off, but likelu with the grade it sent out little mets so hopefully the chemo will get it.
any advice going into it from anyone, it's infused once every two weeks at the clinic.
Scout
lauren
Hey Lauren,
Great to hear that Scout's x-rays were all good. What a relief!
Can't offer you much help on chemo, as Genie didn't have any. Others will be able to give you valuable advices.
Chemo and together with the help of diet change, you have a sound plan of attack. Again, I am so happy for you and Scout!
Love,
Jessie
Hi Scout...my experience with chem has been a pretty good one. Mom detailed some of it out on the novel she wrote about me on "share your story"...but here is what we've done step by step:
1st chemo was April 22nd. We took blood before hand to make sure my counts were good - they were and so we treated. It was a 10 min IV...The doctor assured us that there were no side effects with the protocol we are on except for maybe a low white blood cell count which is why we get blood drawn 7-10 days after chemo. Anyway - so we did the treatment and went home...mom took the afternoon off, but nothing happened (silly lady - she worries too much about me). The doctor gave us antibiotics to take for 10 days "just in case". One week later, we had a CBC and blood work was normal. We scheduled our next chemo which was 3 weeks from the first one.
2nd chemo - blood taken first, counts a bit low, but within range so they did the treatment (10 min IV) and sent me home with antibiotics again. one week later - CBC and my blood work was normal. We scheduled our 3rd appt.
3 days before 3rd chemo - we took chest x-rays...no mets (big smile), so we went ahead with the 3rd treatment (last week). Again, take blood work before hand and one of my oncologists reviewed the xrays that were taken at my vet's hospital and he said that I was doing AMAZING...blood work normal - we did chemo (10 min IV). He did not send me home with antibiotics this time...didn't want my immune system to build up against them. I go for blood work on Saturday and my last chemo is scheduled for June 25th currently.
I have had no side effects - no vomiting, no diahreha (sp)...a little tired on the day I have the treatment and a little bit of acid reflux after the first treatment...doctor just gave us pepcid ac for that and it went away. Other than those minor things, I've been doing really, really well. We have different cancers (mine is osteocercoma and can't be cured) and I'm sure our treatments are a little different, but I hope your treatment goes as well as mine - please keep us posted...we're here for you and your mom.
Love always,
Zeus (mom too)
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Hey Scout,
I've had a great experience with my Cytoxan chemo treatment. But it is an oral low dose, every other day. You can see the pawsitive results of my chemotherapy treatment in my blog.
I've never undergone IV chemo, so I don't know about that. But I know others have written about it here in the forums. Best of luck buddy!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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