Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi, We just got home from the vet to have Nola's pre-surgery tests run and they did find a small mass in her lungs. I still want to move forward with the surgery, but is it a mistake?
Oh gosh Nola! You are so beautiful! Very regal looking.
This is incanny.....there was a very recent post....with a link......and Jerry and rhe moderators and others will direct yoj to it....by a vet/onco that said she woud NOW proceed with surgery even with lung ets! She said this was a switch from her earlier days but now dogs are showi g they can have good quality time and even really good extended time to in some cases!
Many, many of our tripawd heroes have gotten great extended quality time even after mets and they will chime in I'm sure.
Some had clear xrays before surfery and still had a very short time.....some, a much longer time.....it's pretty much a crap shoot and kind of boils down to you and you kowing Nola better than anyone else!
I won't try and recount any further because someone will lead you to the link.
I just wanted to get to you as soon as I saw this because I remember reading what great news this was!
How is her overall attitude? Eatng, drnking, zest for life, etc.? Remeber, Nola doesn't know she's "sick" and is just enjoying being in the here #nd now with yo!
You stay strong.....do your research and look for newlh updated studies, etc.
Will be checki g back here later.
Sending you lots of hugs!!
You already know we are here for you and yo are not alone!
Sally and Happy Hannah
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!
Here is the article! 
I agree I think it's up to the pup. And you. I think others can chime in with their modes of dealing with the mets, holistic and metronomics
. Hoping for the best for you!
Lori and chuck
We did. Our Zeus had a lung met and a suspicious spot on his liver at the time of diagnosis. We took a chance and went forward with the amp and then six rounds of Carbo. We also changed his diet to the 'cancer diet'. He lived ten months post diagnosis and they were ten really good months. Every dog is different, but many dogs here have done well even after the discovery of mets. Good luck!
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
I'm really sorry to hear about Nola's x-rays, but keep in mind you still have options. As you can read in the article, more oncologists are willing to proceed with amputation as palliative care:
In veterinary medicine, if palliative options are successful in controlling pain related to cancer, patients will often live longer than they would if their signs were not controlled, simply because their quality of life is vastly improved and euthanasia can be delayed. Survival may only be extended by a few weeks to months, but for many owners this is exactly what they need to come to terms with the diagnosis and enjoy good quality time with their pets.
....
Focusing back on our patient Duffy, I discussed palliative options with his owners, especially in light of the concern for the small lesion seen within one of his lung lobes.
As with most owners, their main concern was making sure Duffy remained pain-free for as long as possible. Although they weren’t quite sure they were ready to commit to chemotherapy after surgery, they were willing to take the risk in the face of possible metastatic disease and elected to move forward with amputation of his affected limb. We were able to perform surgery the very next day, making the time from when I met Duffy to his recovery from amputation (and beginning of time pain-free) less than three days.
To read about Zeus' experience, check out these Tripawds blog posts Lisa helped us create:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Just chiming in to offer love and support. This is tough place and tough times with no easy answers. Your pup will tell you if it's worthwhile. Is Nola a fighter? Have strength? Energy? Passion? It's impossible to know how that 1 growth will perform over time. Maybe amputation will give her a chance? Amputation is tough, but we all kind of found it's the first 2 or 3 weeks that are toughest. Then, a dog we've not had for a long time returns! They get better!!!!
Best wishes! Keep in touch.
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
First of all, I am SO SORRY for not responding back after asking that question. I'm still trying to figure out these blogs and never realized that I had responsed. I'm used to getting email alerts on my dog cancer chat groups and didn't even remember to check back. I was pretty emotional the day I posted and my mind was all over the place.
Secondly, THANK YOU so much for all of this encouragement, which makes me so glad that we DID decide to amputate and Nola is in day 3 and healing very well as well as adjusting to life on 3 legs like a champ. To answer many of your questions about her spirit, Nola has an amazing fighting spirit...quite stubborn actually and I think her determination to always get her own way is going to give cancer a run for its money...as she has always done us. She eventually just wears us down and I'm hoping she does the same to cancer...just keep fighting and wear it down. So yes, that is why we had to take the chance. She shows no signs yet of the mets actually in her lungs, but they are there in the x-ray. Actually I believe it is only one met...but one is one too many.
I can't wait to go to the links that you gave me on additional options for care. At this point, the fight is on and as long as my girl has fight left in her then I will be right beside her fighting right along with her. I can't tell you how much hope you all gave me. Thanks so much for responding the other day, even though I sort of posted and then dropped off the face of the earth for a while. It's been a very long and emotional two weeks.
Best wishes, Heather and Badass Tripawd Nola
Heather, no need to apologize, really! We understand how tiring the whole experience is. Heck I'm the one who should apologize, I just now put two and two together and realized it is YOU, Nola's Mom, who I talked to on the phone today! Duuuuuh. Sorry!
But wow that's great that Nola is doing well. It certainly took a lot of courage and faith to proceed with the amp but like we said, you just never know, so we hope with all our might that she will beat those odds and kick those mets to the moon! As long as she is happy and healthy now that's all that matters. When it comes to cancer, it's all about quality not quantity.
Meanwhile, you CAN definitely subscribe to Forum notifications. Every forum topic has a subscribe button at the bottom left corner of the discussion, like this:
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am so glad to hear Nola is doing so well! You sound like your spirits are up! Which is just what she needs at this time, her Mama fightin' for her!
Don't forget to come by the chat room if you can, we're here to help!
xoxo,
Erica & Jill
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
You keep hanging tough for your Nola! She's a winner! She's got what it takes to set her own rules!
Yoy are one strong courageojs advocate flr yor sweet Nola! Any decision made out of love is tne right decision"
All of us are right nere by yor sde and ot going anywhere.....and neither is Nola!
(((((((((HUGS)))))))))))
Sallh and Hapoy Hannah
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!
She's got quite a team of supporters on her side! I'm glad to hear that there's optimism and she's fighting hard, kick-ass hard! Way to go!!! Is there a picture (or many) that you can share with us? I'd love to meet your warrior.
~ Katy & Jackson
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
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