Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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A little late to the pawty, but a big WELCOME to Annie! She's a very pretty gal! Love the video of her getting all come in her bed.
To my untrained, unprofessioinal eye, that "stump" looks unusual to me. Was the surgery done by your regular Vet, or an orthopaedic ssurgeon. Yeah, maybe get a second opinion jist for ease of mind.
Update when you can.
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!
Thank you Jerry, Petra, tlahaye & Sally for weighing in on this.
Even in the past couple days since posting my message, I feel more convinced this is NOT normal muscle mass. It has gotten a little bit bigger and it just feels too round and hard. I also looked back at my photos from the month of April and realized it seemed to pop up soon after April 15 when we had taken them for a hike on the Appalachian trail. It didn't happen until the incision had already been fully healed for about 2 weeks. I definitely want to have someone look at it. Jerry - no, she has not been to a rehab specialist yet and I will definitely be looking into that!
The problem is, we are currently out of town at my parents' and I'll be traveling for work for 8 days starting Monday evening, so it will be at least 12 more days until I can get her back to see her regular vets. If it is a fluid accumulation somehow, perhaps it just needs to be drained? It seems crazy that a tumor or other mass could grow that fast.. 🙁
I'm hoping to get a referral from my vet to someplace in southeast Michigan which is where I am now, so that perhaps I could take her to have it evaluated on Monday before I leave, and then my parents will be caring for her while I'm traveling. Our home & regular vet (animal hospital where her surgery was done) is in Baltimore, MD.
April 15, almost no lump, on our hike:
April 25, sizeable lump:
Last night May 4, very large lump:
Hi lovey
i wonder if it is fluid build up from your hike. Two weeks after stitches are out is not a long time for a healing process to be complete, I don’t think anyway? If this is the case, the sooner and the simpler the solution to Annie’s problem. She could be pretty uncomfortable with the tautness of the skin and the pressure underneath. I know when Stewie formed a seroma (a fluid build up under his incision site) my vet was worried about an infection, so these are things to consider if it is a seroma ?
Good job for staying on top of it Mum and hopefully it will all be sorted before your parents take over their grand baby sitting!
Good girl Annie, your doing good for your Mum!
All good vibes coming your way guys!
Petra, Stewie and his suntanning Kittens.
Remember...“live in the moment!“ 
Petra is correct, two weeks isn't really that long. Jerry had his seroma drained about 12-14 days after his surgery, so not unusual. Does it feel warm or squishy at all? It could also be an internal sutures reaction, which again, isn't uncommon. Not a serious situation but definitely something your vet needs to check out. Sorry about the travel schedule messing things up, but you are doing a great job figuring out how to deal with this so hang in there.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks both of you. The lump feels warm, but definitely not squishy - it's VERY firm and tight feeling. I spoke to my vet's office again. She recommended I find an AAHA-accredited place nearby and try to get Annie looked at and have them do a needle aspirate. I hope I'll be able to do this tomorrow since she does seem to be growing increasingly uncomfortable, poor baby. Oh, and it's good to know that a hike could provoke fluid buildup! To clarify, when I said 2 weeks after incision was healed, I wasn't referring to stitches out but when all the scabbing had completely resolved so her scar was totally smooth- it was about 6 weeks after her surgery that we went on the hike, 3 weeks after stitches out - but it was definitely the most strenuous activity she had done as of yet, so it could still be the source and the timing certainly supports that. Thank you again so much for your input! I'll let you know what we find out.
We took her to an ER/specialist vet to get an x-ray today. Annie seemed restless all night and making noises like she might have been nauseated. I wanted to have it checked out before I leave on my work trip. Well, now I don't want to go at all. The x-ray showed "bony density" and the ER vet's theory is that it's a new osteosarcoma tumor and/or her armpit lymph node from the amputated leg also swollen with cancer. The ER vet said that if they had done the surgery they would have removed her clavicle, which our vet left in. To me it doesn't look like this is growing from her clavicle because that's clearly visible, but she said it could also just be a bone fragment that has grown.
She said Annie would have to have another surgery, otherwise our choice is hospice care. I don't want to put her through surgery again, not to mention put ourselves through it, plus the expense. I'm half annoyed that my regular vets did not see this as a problem in the photos I sent, but on the other hand they wouldn't have been able to do anything about it either I suppose.
Beyond feeling heartbroken, I am hoping to talk to our regular vet tomorrow about what to expect. Will this thing continue to grow as fast as it has been? How long can her skin even contain it? Is there a risk of it bursting out? Needless to say we have started her on some pain meds again, though it doesn't seem like this tumor is nearly as painful as her leg was before surgery...
The vet recommended a padded thunder jacket to help her feel supported with that weight hanging off the side. What style do you recommend for a tripawd?
“...but she said it could also just be a bone fragment that has grown...”
please hold on to any hope you can! I am sorry to hear that it’s not a simple build up of fluid! Please know that I am going to keep you and Annie in my prayers... 🤞 for bone spurs Annie!!!!
Thanks for updating this far and please do continue to do so. We will pray you tomorrow!
Petra, Stewie and his Kittens
I don't mean to sound disrespectful to the wonderful hard-working ER Vet, but this just seems like an odd thing to haopen where ostro SUDDENLY shows up at the amp site..
A bone fragment that has grown, even though that sounds strange to me, it seems more logical than osteo.
I know I'm ZERO help, but I sure would get another opinion beyond the ER Vet and your regular Ver.
Maybe post under ASK A VET thread. Our "Volunteer Vet"is ccery knowledgeable about osteo,o the surgery, etc. If you see a banner of Tazzie on here, that's her tripawd Mastiff who brought the good Doctor here in the first place.
And IF So this some worth of bone fragment and requires surgery, it may be fairly minor and not nearly as hard on sweet Sadie as the amputation .
Im so sorry you are have to deal with this. I sincerely hope another opinion can give uou some more i insight into options.
Maybe others have some knowledge on what's going on.
Give that sweet girl a vig smooch for me.... .,and a scoop of ice cream! Make thdt two scoops!
Hugd
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!
Hi sweetie 💗
These are very, very difficult times but you've got to try and breath ...
I totally agree with having another opinion to find out exactly what is going on.
The ER vet may well be inclined to think it is an osteosarcoma but that doesn't make it certain at all.
How can he be sure?
If it was me (and it is just my personal opinion for whatever it's worth) I'd probably consider having a CT scan done.
You are in my thoughts and prayers, sweetie.
Sending you much love and cuddles 😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
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 :-)
I hope that you got some good news today from your regular vet. I'm so sorry for all your worry.
But just a head's up, but on more than one occasion we've seen members return home from the ER completely freaked out because the ER vet gave bad news like this, which ultimately turned out to be incorrect. ER vets are awesome and they can save lives in minutes, and make pets feel better, but it's our primary or specialty vet we want to work with on finding the cause of situations like this. So hang in there for the whole story OK?
I'm not sure if Thundershirt has more than one style that would work better for Tripawds.
Keep us posted. (((hugs)))
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks all for reading and replying. It helps a lot to get your input.
I did talk to my regular vet yesterday as I was boarding my plane. She had seen the exam report and x-rays from the ER vet, but that vet had also shown the x-ray to their radiologist and sent the radiologist's report over as well. The radiologist confirmed that the lump looks cancerous, but also saw mets in the lungs where the ER doc had not. It was a brief conversation, since as noted, I was on the plane, and we're going to talk again today.
I was able to shorten my work trip so that I can go home this weekend and be with her, but for the next 5.5 days Annie and her sister are with my parents. She hates it when I leave and I hope this doesn't make anything worse, but it's the next best possible place she could be (more than home with my husband since he has to work all day) - she has acres of land to roam around in, grass to lie in, swamps to wade in, and lots of company. I can't wait to get back to her. As of yesterday morning she was still interested in running with her sister and even tried to help dig up a chipmunk in the woods. All I can do is hope she does not decline steeply while I'm away from her.
Thanks again.
Oh sweetie 🌺
These are not the news we were hoping for but let’s not forget nothing is cast in stone yet.
Nothing is 100% sure yet, remember that.
Your baby staying at your parents with her sister is really pawsitive, being with people all day long can only be good for her.
It must be terrible for you to be away right now but you are doing your very, very best and that is all one can do.
You’re in my thoughts and prayers, sweetie.
Sending you a big bear hug and cuddles 😘😘🐮💫✨🌟🌹
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 :-)
Oh I'm glad your vet is in the loop right now. Did they talk about plans to aspirate the lump when you get back? Even lung mets don't mean an instant decline, you just never know. Many have defied those expectations.
While you are away Annie is in a lovely place to be with people she loves and do things that make her happy. What an amazing spirit! Annie doesn't know what the reports said, she just knows she is having fun at the grandpawrent's place and can't wait to see you again. At a time like this, that is the best thing you can do for her. I know she must be on your mind 24/7 while you are away, that's gotta be hard!
We hope with all our heart that you get better news when you get home. Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Just sending an extra dose of good wishes for sweet Annie. And yes, ditto Jerry, she is just fine at her grandpaw's house! As Jerry said, she sure doesn't care about anything the doctors say...nothing...nada.....doesnt mean squat to her!
Were it not for ghe xrays, you wouldn't even know the mets were there, as she was showing no symptons. Impoint that out because, ecen after symptopns do appear, many, many dogs still get great extended quality time! As you know, Jerry thrived for almost two years, and half of that time was with mets!
Once they determine EXACTLY what's going on with that lump, you can devise a plan of action and move forward. Same with mets.
In the meantime , continue to stay in the NOW, in the moment....and make each moment the best moment evvvver!! Itis sooooo much fun spoiling a tripawd!
I kmow you will be soooo thrilled to get back home. Try and catch up on some good much needed rest.
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!
Hi Annie and Furmily
I am sorry that you have to be away from your girl if, only for a short time. I’m sure it must be stressful on you! Annie is surrounded by a million tons of love right now though, so you just worry about yourself and getting your job done and then you can come home and be with your girl! Then you can get some more definitive answers.
In the meantime, Annie only care that your and the rest of her pack are doing excellent and that makes her feel mighty fine! I am very sorry that it is not a simple ‘seroma ’! That would have made life so much easier heh lovey! My heart goes out to you! I do hope that the universe remains on your side and gives you glorious amounts of time with your girl!
Much love and many hugs to you all
Petra, Stewie and his Pride of Kittens
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