FYI- Vet got back to me about the length of time side effects could last. 12-24 hours.....and the noodle legs is very common.

I will not be giving him another dose......I'd rather sleep on the wood floor next to him than carry 75+ lbs of doggy!

It has been a very very hard week.

Bo is paralyzed. He cannot hold himself up at all. His appetite is good and I give him water with a turkey baster. He lays on his side and having him drink from a bowl is too messy. I have had to get creative with his food because he did show lack of interest after I started the iron supplement.

Urinating and moving his bowels is an issue......he has not lost control of this function but he fights doing it on his side and in the house. He howls and whines but does not seem to be in pain.

We have taken a family vote and 4 out of 5 agree to give him more time. We feel it is an injury from being a noodle. Probably twisted the wrong way.

The big issue is maneuvering him around. At last weigh in he was 74 lbs. And now after a week of no activity he is weak. I massage his entire body and bend his joints multiple times a day. He gives a satisfied grown and arches into his back massage.

I put him up onto his elbow and hold his head up but he can only hold that position on his own for a minute.

His eyes, ears and facial expressions are still full of life. He responds to us and still can hear other dogs walking by the house and barks. (It sounds ferocious and makes us laugh at the visual of him lying on the floor with a make shift piddle pad. So SCARY!!!)

He tries to help when I maneuver him to other positions.....he just can't.

He is also having separation anxiety from my son and I. I have been sleeping next to him on a bed roll.

He does not like being on a wet piddle pad. As soon as he makes a little circle (like a 50 cent piece) he whines and barks until I change it. That can drive me insane. But it is also good.....he knows it is not right.....

I am at a loss. He needs to keep muscle tone....but he is so hard to hold.

I have called the vet.....of course they need to see him and asked me to bring him in.....I told them "no" I couldn't get him in the car.

Any body have ideas? HELP!!

benny55 said
I'm just shaking my head as read this. It must be friusrating beyond words. Your devotion and dedicatin are to be commended I know he is feeling your love and compassin and that in itself is bringing him joy.

I keep going back to your posts and it just seems like it's all related to the physical therapy and then exacerbated by the "noodle pill"

The only thing can suggest is to get a second opinion as fast as you can.....new eyes with a "clean slate" can bring avout significant solutions sometimes

I understand as best I can the challenge of getting him in the car. Do you have any plywood or some type of board you could put him (with a squishy vlanketof course) that would serve as a stretcher? Have any xrays been done n his spine? Have they ruled out anything nneurological?

I know you don't want to put him through any test that hurt are cause him discomfort but it just seems like an xray of spine could help determine what's going on.
Has an onco. looked at his case?.....Not just a reular vet, right? Have you talked to the surgeon to see if any of this could be surgery related?

You are giving him exquistie care and love how he as you "trained" to change his pee pads at the first hint of dampness! Bo is a mighty tidy boy!

I love the visual of Bo givig other dogs his "tough boy batk"---while hes laying on his side still thinking ne can bea their butt!! I'm glad his facial expressins are happy and alert. That means a lot!

You're giving him every chance and loving him and spoiling him at the same time! That's good!

I'm sending you love and healng energy. I'm really keeping all paws crossed hoping for some better days ahead.

You are a good soul and Bo is a very loved boy:-)

Sally and Happy Hannah

Thank you for the kind word and support.

The vet where I take my animals has reg vet doctors and specialists. I have been working with both a reg and a specialist in bone cancer.

Bo has not had a specific spine xray. He has had a body xray before each surgery. Checking if there were any visible abnormalities. (there were none)

In years past he has had an issue with his neck and between his shoulders. One spring he sneezed so many times in a row I heard a yipe and he walked with his head down for 2 days. Then he was back to his normal self.

I am trying a crazy idea now. I am using a tri-fold sunning chair with the legs down and only one side elevated. He looks soooo much more comfortable. When I was moving the chair with him on it I accidentally put it into a complete upright position. At first I thought...oh great, I just folded the poor dog in half....to my surprise Bo liked it! He was able to be in an upright position resting on his elbows but still had side support from the chair. This could actually work with helping me! He would be able to eat and drink without making a huge mess!! Now...If I can only get him to pee in an empty bottle. Ha! Like that could ever happen! LOL

Tomorrows another day! Let's see what surprises are in store!! It is always an adventure!!

jerry said
I'm sorry to hear this. He is getting terrific care and so much love, that much is clear. What I'm thinking, and I hate to say it, is that if he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (I can't recall if he was and looked back on your posts but didn't see you mention it), it could be spinal metastasis. This means the cancer has moved to his spine, or another limb. It's not common but in this community we've seen it more times than anyone wants. Unfortunately the only way to tell if this is what's going on is by taking x-rays.

Keep an eye on him and watch for signs of improvement, or worsening. This great article written by Bo's people, "Penny Jars Measure Quality of Life" can help you decide what his own QOL is like. I hope in the coming days he gets lots of pennies in the "Good Days" jar!

Oh, and elevated beds like the one you created are great. Have you ever seen Kuranda beds? These are really helpful for dogs who need extra TLC.

 

Thank You!

Taking him to the vet today.

The lab was never able to tell which type of cancer. The 3 they suspected were the worst. Osteosarcoma being one of them. Can not remember the other 2. It was explained that the cells were continuously changing making it hard to pin point a type.

I have been trying to keep him hydrated measuring the amount of water using 20oz gatorade bottles. I can usually get 3 into him per day plus adding liquid to his food. His skin is not tenting but his urine is getting darker. Being a black dog it is difficult to check skin color. The inside of his ears are pink, his tongue is a medium pink, the lips and gums that are not pigmented black are medium pink. The whites of his eyes are still white. When he has a BM it is normal. (sorry gross)

I have noticed in the last 24 hrs he breathes using his abdomen (not good). He does not cough or make any odd noises when breathing. I had a German Shepherd with heart failure...Bo is not doing anything that make me think he has fluid in the lungs.

I read online that it is not a good sign if the dog lays in his own waste.....Bo does not like messing in the house or being in it. He whines and then barks and howls until someone comes to clean him. (of course it is usually me)

I hope it is not a spinal metastasis. He has always had an issue with his lower neck and between his shoulder blades. I massage him multiple times a day and he does not cry out when I work in that area. He has actually fallen asleep while I am knuckling into that area. Hmmmmm.....maybe he is not falling asleep.....maybe he is passing out with pain!! LOL (sorry...had to add some sick humor)

I had Bo sitting up for breakfast this morning. He cried out when he tried to lower his head to eat. His whole body stiffened when I moved his front legs to be under him so h can support on his elbows. It definitely seems to be in the upper body area.

My hope....pinched nerve....weakness from not enough fluids or food (making him to tired to breathe correctly).....a night in the hospital and he can come home for a little while longer.

Chances are very slim I will get this.....

Just got home from the vet.

We had to put Bo down.

I can't even describe the way I feel.

Cancer has taken so much away from my family these past 6 years. Family and animals.