Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello,
I'm so sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place (and sorry in advance for this super long post)! My name is Nirali and I've been reading topics on this website since my dog Chip was diagnosed with osteosarcoma early this year. This is such a warm community with so much great advice! Thank you so much to everybody for providing such great help and information! I'm posting now as I'm in need of some urgent advice…
My dog Chip was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the first week of May. His CT scans were all clear and he immediately had his leg amputated. He then went through chemotherapy (4 doses of carboplatin, each 3 weeks apart), and tolerated it very well. With each passing day he was getting better and brighter. Even our relatives who were visiting said they'd never seen Chip looking so good, and that he looked like a little puppy again (he's now almost 12).
He just finished his course of chemo, and had his follow up CT scan. As you can imagine, seeing Chip looking so good, we weren't expecting anything but good news. But the scans showed that the cancer had metastasized quite extensively - to his lungs, spine, and one met on his spleen. My whole family and I were shocked and heartbroken. But we're not giving up and we're not losing hope. I know the prognosis is poor once metastasis has occurred, but there are always some miracle cases and Chip could be one of them. You have to believe you're going to win, otherwise half the battle is already lost.
So finally to my question… Does anybody have any advice on methods they used that helped to slow down or shrink metastatic tumors (or even achieve a remission)?
At the moment, we're trying Palladia. He's been on it for just over 2 weeks, and it's going okay. He seems to get very low and lethargic on his palladia days, but is back to his bright and jumpy self on his non-palladia days. It's also caused some diarrhoea which I hear is very common.
As well as this, we've incorporated a number of supplements: mushroom tablets, modified citrus pectin, curcumin, selenium, digestive enzymes + probiotics, barley grass, fish oil omega 3s, and calcium carbonate (many of these we started soon after his amputation).
He's also been on the cancer diet since soon after his amputation (chicken breast, brown rice, vegetables).
As well as this, we recently went to see a homeopathic doctor who prescribed 3 homeopathic solutions which he's been taking. I don't know much about homeopathy but we're willing to try anything.
If anybody has any advice on other things we could add that would be helpful, or treatments we should be using instead, we would appreciate any advice! Any advice on treatment (both conventional and holistic), supplements, etc would mean the world to us. Thank you so much in advance!
Another reason Chip has to beat this cancer is for his brother, Choc (like Choc Chip cookies). Choc and Chip have been inseparable since the day we brought them home at 3 months old (they're brothers from the same litter). Even if we separate them for 5 minutes, when they see each other they lick and kiss each other like crazy - you'd think they'd been separated for years haha. I don't think Choc could go on without Chip - so Chip needs to beat this cancer for his brother. Below is a picture of the two of them (Choc is on the left, Chip is on the right). 🙂
Thank you so much in advance for all your help, care, and guidance. It truly means the world to us!!
Hello and welcome, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
No apologies needed! You can write whatever you need and this is a good place to ask a question about treatment.
I'm sorry Chip has mets so soon- stupid cancer.
There is another low dose chemo regimen called Metronomic Therapy. Click on the link for information, the original post is older but the thread has been periodically updated.
My pug Maggie had a different kind of cancer so I don't have direct experience with Metronomics. And although Palladia was developed to treat mast cell cancer, which is what Mag had, it wasn't released until after she did her chemo so I didn't use it. There are several pups here now who are using it and can share their experiences.
You have a great positive attitude! It is a hard thing to stay positive- but as long as there is hope for more good days then we keep up the fight.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Nirali,
So sorry to hear about Chip's mets. Your approach to diet and supplements is similar to the ones we've chosen, so I don't have anything new to offer. Plus, we're too new to the game to know if our regimen is working. Milo limped on July 2, amputated July 28, no chemo -- and right now is doing great, much like you describe Chip. Happy, high energy, looks great, and we're hoping for the best.
While I hope someone comes up with some miracle protocol for you -- and hope that you share it with the rest of us -- it sounds like you've already done a lot of research and have already been doing "the right thing" from the time of diagnosis.
My husband and I have talked about whether or not we should get x-rays on occasion of Milo's lungs. My husband says "yes" because he wants to know what is going on, and I say "no" because we're already doing the best we can, and that knowledge of what's in the lungs doesn't change our treatment. It would only change our way of perceiving how Milo is doing. Right now, I believe Milo is doing great and fighting the good fight, and info otherwise would only serve to depress me and couldn't really help Milo.
So while there may not be a miracle treatment, you've been doing something right all along, and Chip is feeling good right now. Keep up with what you're doing, hope and pray for the best, and enjoy the happy dog who isn't phazed by the test results.
Peace,
-Jenifer & Milo
Hi there,
Cancer stinks! My Bandit also has mets but just in his lungs. We did not elect to do Chemo from the beginning, so I am not sure what options are out there, but I will keep Choc and Chip in my prayers! Deb and Bandit
Hello - my dog is not an osteo dog and we don't have mets yet, but started on Palladia when we thought on the baseline CT scan there "could be" micro mets and also because Palladia has been shown to help with STS which is his cancer.
I also felt like Pofi was a little "off" the mornings after Palladia (given M, W, F in the evening) and he improved GREATLY when I decided it seemed like he was mildly nauseous and we added Cerenia on the Palladia nights. I also give Pepcid AC on Sat, Sun, Tu, Th to make sure he stomach is coated on the in between days. This approach seems to have lifted the "blahs".
Other than that, we are trying to be grain free and I am going to try Tumeric - in "Golden Paste" form and looking at Honest Kitchen Bone Broth as it also has Tumeric in it and should help make meals appealing.
My very, very best thoughts for Chip. I'm so sorry for the news the scan gave you.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Nirali, let me say right off the bat, you are an outstanding advocate for Chip, absolutely OUTSTANDING!! You're attitude not only empowers you, but it empowers Chip too! And that's a very important "secret treatme t weapon" on this crazy journey!
I don't have any specifics to add to the research and protocol you are implementing. I like that you are combining all modalities of Eastern, Western, etc.
This I do know: Chip feels great!!! These xrays mean absolutely nothing to Chip! He didn't look at them and he doesn't care about them at all!! NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN CHIP's WORLD!! Chip is living in the NOW, in the present, in the moment! He doesn't care about days on a calendar. He has zero worries about anything!!
It there is any dog who can blow statistics out of the water and beat the odds, Chip can!!! He's already showing you he's a MIRACLE DOG! All that crap showing up on xrays has NOT affected him at all!!
Cannot wait to see pics of Chip and Choc! I know they are both so loved and so spoiled!! Stsy in the moment! Let NOTHING rob you of your time together! Chip sure isn't!
Lots of love to all!
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!
Thank you so much everyone for all your wonderful replies!! All your support and encouraging words mean the world to me. Fighting cancer is always such a hard battle, and reading caring and encouraging words like all yours is always so uplifting - I'm so happy to have found this wonderful community. 🙂
Karen - thank you so much for sending me that link to Metronomic Chemotherapy! It was so informative and looks like another great option. My oncologist had mentioned metronomic chemotherapy when we were discussing treatment options, but I'll definitely discuss it with her further. Thank you so much again for all your help and kind words!
Jenifer - Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, and I'm so happy to hear that Milo is doing so well!! I admire your approach in not wanting to see the CT scans - sometimes I wish I didn't know about the metastasis, because as you said, it just affects our perception. After we found out the news, I kept thinking Chip was declining, saying things like "Chip is looking slower today", or "do you think Chip is breathing more heavily?" Chip was the same of course, but it was just my mind altering my perception. I became really low after hearing the news, but it was my sister who showed me how to be positive again and not lose hope. If your treatment is not going to change with or without mets, then it's definitely easier to stay positive without knowing. 🙂 I wish you and Milo all the very best, and hope that Milo only continues to get better and better for years to come!
Deb - Thank you so much for all your support and encouragement, and for keeping us in your prayers! It means the world to us! I'm so sorry to hear about Bandit's mets!! I will keep you and Bandit in my prayers too, and pray for his recovery! At least Bandit's mets have not spread further than his lungs, so I believe there are still quite a few treatment options available, right? 🙂
Lisa - Thank you so much for your kind words, and for all the advice on Palladia!! That's so awesome to know that adding Cerenia and Pepcid worked so well! We were getting worried about what to do if Chip kept feeling low all the time, so this is great advice that we will definitely try! Did you give Pofi the Cerenia at the same time as the Palladia, or a little later on? I'm so sorry to hear about Pofi's cancer as well, and I hope the Palladia works well for him! I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers, and wish you both all the very best. 🙂
I would also REALLY recommend turmeric if you're thinking about it! We've been giving Choc and Chip turmeric in their food for the past 4 years, and I think that's one of the reasons they've been keeping so healthy for so long. Around the age of 7-8, they started to slow down a bit, and their arthritis was playing up. We added turmeric to their food, and they bounced right back and started jumping around again! Our vet was so amazed with the results, that she's been recommending turmeric to some of her other patients too! Also, some of our family friends started taking turmeric themselves after seeing what a noticeable difference it made to Choc and Chip. We still put turmeric in their food, but the homeopathic doctor also gave us bioavailable curcumin tablets (the active ingredient in turmeric), as it is stronger than turmeric alone.
I'm not sure if you've used turmeric/curcumin before, but this is an interesting article I previously found by Dr. Dressler, on how to make it the most bioavailable: http://www.dogc.....og-cancer/
Sally - Thank you SO much for your amazing words of encouragement and support!! I can't tell you what it means to me. When my sister read your reply, she started crying (happy tears)! You're right that Chip doesn't care what his CT scans say, and he's just loving life and living in the moment. I forget that sometimes and start to feel low, but whenever I feel that way, I'm going to come back and read your message because it makes me feel so bright and optimistic. Truly, thank you so so much for your words of encouragement, care, and support.
And thank you so much for your warm words in saying that Chip is already a miracle dog - I believe that too! 🙂 Actually, our oncologist is so surprised at how well he's doing despite all his metastatic lesions. And when the homeopathic doctor read Chip's report, she said he shouldn't even be able to stand up! (Not because of the cancer, but because he has severe hip dysplasia, arthritis, three legs, and now mets on his spine). Yet he still runs around, chases the rabbits with Choc, and pushes himself to do everything Choc is doing! Sometimes I can see he's getting tired, but he never stops. He never gives up and says that he can't do something. He's truly my biggest inspiration, and is already my miracle dog. 🙂 Thank you so much again for your warm and uplifting message!! It means so much to me. And I will definitely upload some photos of Choc and Chip in the next day or two! 🙂
Hi Chip and family 🐾❤️
My girl Eurydice was diagnosed late April and had her surgery May 4th following a clear PET scan.
She lost her right front leg to osteosarcoma and went through 6 sessions of carboplatin 3 weeks apart.
Just like Chip, she sailed through chemo and has made an impressive recovery.
We are starting metronomic therapy next week and will check her blood, urine and chest X-ray prior to the treatment.
I am hoping hard there are no mets anywhere but we haven't checked until now.
We were told metronomic therapy aims to prevent tumours from growing in the blood vessels and by doing so it will slow down the progression of the disease.
It is a combination of chemo, antibiotic and antiinflamatory pills given daily.
Possible complications may be a decrease in the bone marrow, bladder and kidney problems so blood and urine tests need to be done regularly.
I am placing a huge amount of hope in this treatment and keep living each day to the full with my beloved baby girl.
You definitely have the right attitude, we must make our babies as happy as happy can be and try all we can to keep them with us for as long as possible, pain free.
We can only do the best we can, if they are happy that is such a huge victory and such an immense joy!
Please keep us updated, we are all here for you!
Sending you a cloud ☁️ of pawsitive energy 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 lots of love ❤️❤️❤️ and big cuddles to your furry babies 🐶🐾🐶🐾
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
nirali said
Thank you so much in advance for all your help, care, and guidance...
Don't miss this topic with information about Jerry's metastases and lots of helpful treatment links:
Use the Advanced Search above to refine your search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here .
PS: Here are detailed instructions for adding photos to forum posts . If you don't already share photos online somewhere, you can start a free Tripawds blog any time and upload them there.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My dog will start Palladia in a week but was first put on Prilosec for a week to help avoid some of the stomach issues. I am so hopeful this works.......
carolhansen said
My dog will start Palladia in a week...
Best wishes for your pup! You will find plenty of blog posts and forum topics with tips about metastasis and metronomics . Use the Advanced Search above to refine your search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here .
Consider starting a new topic to share your story. Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Nirali:
I had a terribly busy couple of weeks and did not see your kind thoughts and you question. I am giving Pofi the Cerenia about 1 hour prior to the Palladia. It is supposed to last 24 hours, so the 1 hour is just sort of a buffer to make sure it has started to have effect before I give him the Palladia. A few times, due to circumstances, have given at same time with no adverse impact.
Thanks for sharing info on tumeric, etc! I am looking it all over and am definitely going to find some way to incorporate.
Really hope Chip is still feeling bright and happy.
Carolhansen, I would think the Prilosec will work well to help curb any upset from the Palladia. Best thoughts for your dog, too!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
My Otis was on Pepcid A/C. I think that is similar to Prilosec.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
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