Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
I am trying to decide what to do about chest X-rays after amputation. Kaiserin had her amputation because of a grade 2 fibrosarcoma - not oesteosarcoma, nothing spread to the bone. I was told this means that the risk of lung metatesis is pretty low. I was told at the cancer centre when we first went a year ago, anything from 10% to 20%. Some literature says as high as 25%. Her lungs were clear on the day of surgery (August 1) and the pathology report showed nothing had spread to lymph nodes or anything on the leg that was removed. Surgery was considered curative. So then I got different opinions on what to do for chest X-rays. The cancer centre said X-ray every 2-3 months. The surgeon said do it after 6 months. The one radiation technician said some people choose not to do it as there really isn't any way to treat it if it is in the lungs so people just do it more because they want to know. So now Kaiserin is almost 4 months post amputation (and doing amazing). So I guess my question is - does anybody know if there are any treatments if it has spread to lungs? Because I am not sure I want to put her thorough a sedative and the stress and the cost of doing X-rays when she is doing well if there is no treatment anyway!
Hi,
I think this is actually a very personal decision. Manni had osteo so it was more than likely to be spreading to his lungs. Our oncologist back then said to me that you can either do it or decide against it: it wouldn't really matter.
I am one of those that need to know. As in: everything. So we had xrays taken every 6 months at first and then every three after a year and a half. There is, in fact, treatment for lungmets, but it's not a cure. At all.
However, over here we don't use sedatives for xrays so it wasn't that big of a deal really and I just really felt the need to know and the need to be prepared -not that I was in the end. But I have also learned other people feel differently and that's fine too of course.
Whatever you decide on: it'll be fine.
Hugs
Tina
without Manni
Guardian of Manni the Wonderdog. -Or was it the other way around?
Osteo and amputation in Dec 2015. Second, inoperable, primary osteosarcoma found in June 2017.
The end of our adventures came Dec 10, 2017. 2 years to the day.
Aww I'm so glad Tina shared her experience. Angel Manni is so proud of his mamma.
Yes Kaiserin IS a rock star! I love watching her progress in the Team Tripawds Virtual Race!
What it comes down to really is, what would you do if you did find out if she had mets? Would you pursue treatment? There are some treatments that oncologists are trying (you can read more in this post, mostly about metronomics but also has lots of links to lung mets therapies), but the battle against lung mets has some pretty depressing odds.
The odds you are dealing with are pretty darn low. I would celebrate that fact, most cancers are not that way so YAY KAISERIN!
We opted out of x-rays for 17 months. When we did, and we discovered Jerry had mets, it changed everything. He was no different at that point, but we really had to wrangle our attitude in and learn how to Be More Dog . We did not pursue any treatment other than K9 Immunity and metronomics once we found out.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks both of you for your input. I think I am the type of person who wants to know. I was also under the impression there wasn't anything you can do if it has spread to the lungs but that doesn't seem the case. There are treatments. So I will do the X-ray I think - maybe at the 6 month mark, not sooner. Then at least I can know all the options and decide what approach to take. Right now I think I am having more stress worrying if it might have spread (because even 10 or 20% is not no chance). Then if the lungs are clear, I can live happily and not worry for another 6 months! If I do nothing, I will just spend all my time worrying!
Have you considered a ct vs xray? More precise and more expensive. And sedation needed
luke4275 said
...a ct vs xray?
FYI: The Tripawds News blog has a few articles and videos explaining the difference, for anyone interested...
X-rays vs. CT Scans for Canine Bone Cancer Staging
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
kaiserinmom said
Right now I think I am having more stress worrying if it might have spread (because even 10 or 20% is not no chance). Then if the lungs are clear, I can live happily and not worry for another 6 months! If I do nothing, I will just spend all my time worrying!
And I'm not saying this flippantly, make sure you live every day happily regardless and not worry about the tomorrows. THE major lesson of this whole journey is to Be More Dog . The one "regret" we sometimes hear from people is that they wish they hadn't spent so much time worrying about what "might" happen, worrying about the tomorrows. In retrospect, that kept them from the pure joy of making sacred memories and living in the moment with their furbabies.
And pictures, take lots of pictures!! We would love more pictures of the beautiful Kaiserin!
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!
1 Guest(s)
