Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Dan - you are an awesome dad for Gus! Your post says it all, and we're continuing to keep fingers and all paws crossed for Gus!
Holly goes in tomorrow for follow up bloodwork before starting on metronomics
. I just looked at the meds she was prescribed - piroxicam and cyclophosamide. Now I'm going to have to check out what these are... 
Thanks for your post, since it'll give me good information once Holly starts on metronomics
.
Please keep us updated on your beautiful boy.
Hugs,
Holly, Zuzu and Susan
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
Ok... duh. I just googled cyclophosphamide and it's the same thing as Cytoxan. So that answers that question I had... I was wondering why Holly's vet was prescribing something I hadn't seen other dogs getting. Sheesh (as Opie would say), sometimes I can be very silly!
Susan
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
Great info, thanks Harley! Sorry we didn't clarify Cytoxan is a brand name, Susan.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Well, here we are at 4:15 in the morning, Gus can't seem to get comfortable, not sure whats bugging him. The lump on his neck broke open today and he want to lick that and also his front leg. I have been trying to back him off the prednisone from 6 a day to 4 a day, not sure if he is having some withdrawl or something else is bugging him. He is still eating and drinking, and he does seem better than he was friday night, I really didn't know if he would be awake saturday morning, but I feel he is good enough that I got my first dose of cytoxin and plan to start him on it this morning. we are still humid here, he has gone out to the porch a couple times but then wants back in, usually it cools down that he likes it out there at night, he was in the bedroom with us but keeps moving to a different place, so here we are, he pants pretty good but usually that settles down over night in the cooler air also. I'm hoping I'm not to late with the cytoxin, I had hoped the vet would have gotten the information on it quicker and got us started soon after I had inquired about it, which was almost three weeks ago. This has not been a good week for our tripawd family, our hearts go out to all of you whose buddies have earned their wings, but I can't think of a better place to be on a journey like this. We'll keep you posted, Paws up, Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Dan and Gus,
We hope Gus was able to get comfortable last night. The heat and humidity do seem to affect our tripawds more somehow - I see it in Holly, too. Good luck with the cytoxan today - we hope Gus responds well to it.
Keep those paws up!
Hugs,
Holly, Zuzu and Susan
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
I ended up giving Gus another prednisone, not sure if that did it but he did settle down around five, so at least he seemed a little more comfortable, I am wondering if I am going to have to keep him on that higher dose, another call to the vet!!!! We'll keep our paws crossed we can get this boy feelin' a little better, Paws up, Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Oh, Gus is having a bit of a rough time for sure, Dan. For sure I hope you can geet the darling boy feeling better. Good luck with the vet call; keep us updated please.
Warm wishes, paws and fingers crossed.
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
Dan,
Sending lots of positive thoughts your way this morning. I know how stressful all of this is.
Listen carefully to Gus, let him guide you.
Hopefully he feel better today.
Karen and the pug girls
Dan and Gus,
We hope things are better this morning. Give your boy a big smooch from us, we send our healing thoughts your way. Let us know what the vet says and how things go today, OK? {{{hugs}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
djbockman said:
I ended up giving Gus another prednisone, not sure if that did it but he did settle down around five, so at least he seemed a little more comfortable, I am wondering if I am going to have to keep him on that higher dose, another call to the vet!!!! We'll keep our paws crossed we can get this boy feelin' a little better, Paws up, Gus and Dan
I feel the same way about the Prednisone. We've been having a hard time withdrawing Harley from it. He started at 160mg/day and we are finally down to 10mg/day. It's been a slow (and at times not pretty) process. I had to call the Vet yesterday to ask about changing the dose a little, so we did, and Harley is better.
Best of luck to Gus!
Amputation on 11/10/09, due to Histiocytic Sarcoma in left elbow. Angel Harley earned his wings on 06/24/10.
Awww ...poor Gus and Dan!
It sounds like another ruff night. I hope you two finally got some rest.
I can't offer any advice about this damn cancer but I know a little about prednisone and some neck pain.
Prednisone will knock out inflammation (and pain if inflammation is causing it). It will give almost instant relief. It's a horrible side effect drug long term but it will cure what ails you while you are on it. You also can't take it with any other non-steriod anti-imflammatory drugs because it can ulcerate the stomach lining. (no Rimadyl)
I keep thinking his neck lump is causing major discomfort. When you say he's licking his front leg - I tend to think that the neck is causing some pain radiating down the leg - perhaps pinching some nerves - which would lead to major inflammation. This may explain the reason he got comfy after the pred.
I wouldn't be afraid of prednisone at this stage with Gus. Prednisone is a wonder used drug short term. It's a very ugly drug used long term.
I sure hope Gus does start feeling better. I know this is so hard.
Just out of curiosity, are you guys farm boys and may I ask, where?
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Well ma'am yes we are, and we hail from the big town of Seville, Ohio, population maybe 2500, but we do have 2 stop lights!!!! we're about 50 miles south of Cleveland, you know, the town whose basketball team choked again in the playoffs!!!! I did talk to the vet today about the prednisone and he would like to see him on a lower dose, so hopefully I can somehow start to get him down, he suggested maybe keeping the higher dose at night and lower in the morning, we will try that, at least for tonight so we can maybe rest a little better. I di dstart him on the cytoxin, I sure hope we can get some benefit out of that. i don't know if the lump and leg are related, they are on opposite sides, the lump is on the same side he lost the leg, but I have been wondering if there isn't some soreness to it that might be bothering him. Thanks for all your support and well wishes, we'll keep you all posted,Paws up, Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
Paws back up at ya'! Hoping you get some good rest tonight!
Farm boys in a small town! WOOHOO! Are you growing wheat or corn?
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Ok...I have to say this...Yea Lakers!! (I'm from LA if you haven't guessed - originally from Boston
.) Hope Gus does better today and sounds like you're taking very good care of him. Good luck with the Cytoxin - hope he responds well to it. We'll be keeping our paws crossed for you and Gus!
Kami (Mackenzie's Mom)
My sweet golden Mackenzie. She became my angel on Dec 29, 2010 at the age of 8 1/2 although she was always my angel from the time we brought her home. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Sept 2009 and officially became a tripawd (front leg) on Nov 5, 2009. She will be forever in my heart and now she's running free with all of our other tripawd heroes. I love you Mackenzie!
After I wrote that I figured I'd hear from that west coast team,ugh!!! Well, I guess we all know this road is never smooth, and you never know what direction your going, but tonight I had to take a load of hay to a customer, so as we were going out to the barn ,of course Gus pops right up and follows, he always has to know whats going on out there. So we get out to the barn, and I had steps made out of hay so he could do his usual rounds in the mow, he didn't even use them, he jumps right up, 2 bales high right from the floor, so obviously this guy is better than I thought he was as far as wanting to do things and strength. What a difference a few days makes. So hopefully, he is getting back to normal as we now know it, whoever said normal for a tripawd is more meds on the counter for the dog than yourself hit that one the head. I am going to try an decrease his prednisone again, I cut him back both this morning and tonight and he seems to be doing ok so far, still panting but I think the humidity is also contributing to that, but I can relate to Harley's mom about adjusting. We have hay and beans right now, will do some wheat this fall, but someone needs to turn the spigot off for a couple weeks, enough rain here for awhile. Paws up, Gus and Dan
My buddy Gus had a left front amputation on April 7, 2010 and lived a great life until July 26,2010
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