Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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WHEEE! Thank you for helping out with the photos, sorry I missed that yesterday.
I love seeing Honor, what a handsome pupperz. How is he doing today?
Apparently, the Radiation Oncologist will talk to me after his last treatment tomorrow but a nurse told me it was not lung metasasis.
Day 2 complete. I wish I could say his walking has improved or that I see the tumor size has decreased but I can’t yet. I do recall I’m supposed to see some improvement after 48 hours and things should (hopefully) keep improving and reach maximum effect at 2 weeks. I remember the Dr. saying if we don’t have significant improvement by 2 weeks after, the procedure was not successful. Not sure where that would leave us but maybe I should try not to worry about it unless I have to.
I got a call today about the yale vaccine and they were ready to set up our first appt (in Cincinnati; a 26 hour round trip drive away). I had to ask them to move me down some on the wait list. His chemo starts next week. Logistically, I can’t figure this out….especially since it would require a 2nd trip out there 3 weeks later. Would I be foolish to take a pass? Obviously, I want to do everything I possibly can to extend his time with us but also trying to consider quality of life and not be subjecting him to traveling all over the place for medical things. I know if I could get 2 more years with him, this part would seem like a blip but I have no way of knowing that. Ugh. His oncologist felt that there is no proof showing it is any better than standard of care at this time and I should absolutely not feel like I’m shortchanging him of the best care if I opt not to subject him to that drive, but it’s so difficult to evaluate. 🙁
It also doesn’t seem to make sense to be doing an immunotherapy drug at the same time as chemo?
Has anyone heard of immunocodin helping at all? That’s an immunotherapy that can be done without amputation and it can be ordered for local oncologist to give. Guessing it’s not as good as the Yale vaccine though.
Sally, you were right about this and I forgot to thank you for this message which kept me from completely panicking at the time!
benny55 said
Thanks so much for checking in.
We know it's hard not to jump to the worst case scenario. Just know ften times a hazy spot that is not defined (especially in a "mature" dog) can be so many things, none of which are bad.,
Will keep sending positive energy and hoping for the best, okay?
And give him some extra treats for being such a good boy on his hotel adventure.
((((((((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))))))
O,kay, at least treatment has started to hopefully alleviate pain. He's still on Gabapentin 700 mg three times a day? Paws crossed this treatment works. 🙏 So guessing the xrays were clear and that is good news!!!!👏👏👏
As far as going forward;;
maybe I should try not to worry about it unless I have to
Exactly! Focus on this step for now. Hard, but you can do it!
One thing Jerry posted on Ellie's thread. It's worth repeating here.
But what I can tell you is that while I did have a few regrets about how we handled Jerry's cancer, all these years later those few regrets don't outweigh the other decisions we made to live life as best we could with the time we had left.
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 haven’t completely mastered posting photos …. but getting there thanks to your help!
The first was from this morning. The 2nd was right after we got back to the hotel from his treatment. I gave him some canned food on a licky mat and he has been sleeping for the past 3 hours.
I was typoing the same time you were posting
LOOOOOOVE THESE PICS!!!!! Honor just looks like the sweetest most gentle fella' doggy. That face.amooching through the screen..He has such a wise look about him
((((((((((Hugs))))))))
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
He really is the sweetest dog (unless there is a bear in our back yard; then he completely transforms)! Personally, I love the bears so I’m often out there telling him to leave them alone and trying to get him back inside so he doesn’t scare the cubs. Even though he clearly isn’t feeling well, he still will go up to anyone who seems interested in petting him at the vet’s office, hotel, etc. Somehow he always knows if someone isn’t a dog person or isn’t comfortable around him and he will mind his own business but he immediately recognizes anyone who loves dogs and wants to pet him. Those words from (Jim?) about his journey with Jerry are insightful. I hope I’ll look back and feel that way. I want to do what I can but also trying to remember that (very much unlike myself) dogs live in the moment.
I love that story. Sounds just like Nick. Honor has such a good soul, you can see it in his eyes. Stay away from those bears for now!
Yes, I am worried he will spot one behind our fenced yard and take off running like a maniac and fracture. He would go from limping to running just due to the instinct in that scenario. I’ve been scanning the area outside first myself, taking him out on leash and sticking nearby when I take it off.
I think you're absolutely right to be cautious. My nightmare is Nicky racing after something, stepping down into a gopher hole and snapping his good leg. I am going around putting tall sticks in the holes.
Eustacia when you take Honor for leash walks, you can try one of those 20 ft 30 ft long training leashes. That gives him a little more freedom and gives you the security of being able to hold him back if he sees a bear.😱 Of course, right now the main thing is to keep his walks short to avoid fracture and eliminating pain as best as possible while he's going under this treatment.
Honor really is such a good boy. Extra smooches for him from us.🥰
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!
benny55 said
Eustacia when you take Honor for leash walks, you can try one of those 20 ft 30 ft long training leashes. That gives him a little more freedom and gives you the security of being able to hold him back if he sees a bear.😱 Of course, right now the main thing is to keep his walks short to avoid fracture and eliminating pain as best as possible while he's going under this treatment.Honor really is such a good boy. Extra smooches for him from us.🥰
Long lines are great for a lot of things, but I'm not sure this is a good use case. Honor is a very large, very strong dog. If he goes after prey and has 20' or more of line in addition to his leverage advantage from being lower to the ground, he's just going to rip the leash out of Eustacia's hands or, worse, pull her over.
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