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
For those of you who remember Duke, as you know we've had an "interesting" time of it. But, the title of this post almost says it all.
The good news is he had his 7 month ampuversary on 11/2/12. And the even better news - his chest x-rays revealed no lung mets. 
YAY!
The horrible extravasation wound is down to the size of a dime. FOUR MONTHS LATER! 
No residual anger about that... (See prior posts for more info about that.)
Duke is also feeling better because he is finally off antibiotics - after four months on them! So now that he is feeling better off the antibiotics, let's see if I can make him feel yucky again. 
The wound has healed enough now that he can start a metronomic protocol. Although it will slow wound healing, the oncologist feels it is small enough now to start the MP. (For those who don't know that slows wound healing by inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels - potentially good in the fight against cancer, bad for wound healing.)
As for diet - he is on Orijen Fish, Wellness canned Chicken, and Honest Kitchen Embark. Thanks to those of you who helped with those recommendations. That was the one thing I could do for him while we sat on the treatment sidelines waiting for his wound to heal.
So, tomorrow we start oral chemo. The protocol:
Metacam - daily (which we started a week ago).
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) 25mg given with Furosemide 50mg - every other day. <- Start tomorrow. (Finger crossed he tolerates it well.)
Doxycycline - will add in a month if he tolerates the above.
So, fingers crossed he will tolerate the MP, it will be effective, and we will have many more months together!
I searched the forum for info that others who had done a metronomic protocol, but feel free to give me your thoughts and experiences in case I missed something. Thanks!
Offline
Of course we remember Duke! I have wondered how he was doing and this is such a great update! Hope he continues to do well.
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/
We could never forget Duke. He was given one very rough trot! So glad that he is celebrating 7 months. That is awesome. Good luck with the MP.
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
I was just wondering about Duke the other day! I'm so glad to hear he's doing so well!! Max was on MP, and he did very well on Cytoxan; but I know some others on the forum did not. Maybe it just depends on the dog. Either way, we'll be sending positive thoughts to Duke that he won't have any adverse side effects. Stay strong Duke!!
Oh Duke this is GREAT news! I was thinking about you last week and hoping that no news was good news! Thank you for letting us know life is good again.
What is Furosemide?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Aww.... he's so glad you remember him! 
And thanks for the good wishes.
He had his first dose of Cytoxan this morning and seems to have done really well with it. At least so far. He's feeling very chipper this evening.
The Furosemide is Lasix which is a diuretic. One of the extremely bad side effects of Cytoxan is hemorrhagic cystitis - basically severe urinary tract issues, up to and including hemorrhage. So, the diuretic is used along with the Cytoxan to encourage drinking and flush the kidneys and urinary system. He already has some urinary issues so I hope this doesn't trigger any more. Hmm... maybe it's time to get him back on cranberry. I'll have to check with the vet on that and see if that would be ok. Don't see why not. He was on cranberry for a long time due to his issues. He is currently on phenoxybenzamine to relax his urethral sphincter. I guess excessive urethral sphincter tone is not uncommon in greyhounds, which leads to difficulty emptying the bladder, which leads to bladder infections and UTI's. My Duke. What a hot mess.
Ok, I know about Lasix and I can see why the vet prescribed it based on his medical history with urinary issues. Do let us know what your vet says about cranberry and if it cranberry works. Looks like Trouble used to take cranberry but she didn't do metronomics . Other members have talked about cranberry here.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks soooo much for the update. So glad that things have gotten so much better. From one greyhound to another--Lily sends her best wishes to Duke!
Joan and Lily
Our beautiful Lily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her front leg on 12/14/11 at age 8 and had amp on 12/16/11. She completed 5 rounds of carbo. She was so brave and kicked cancer's butt daily! She lived life fully for 4 years, 3 months, and 15 days after her amp. My angel is a warrior princess. I miss her so much.
So glad to hear Duke is doing well and that his wound is almost fully healed. What a long road you have been down!
We did MP w/ Abby (Cytoxan and Piroxicam) and she had no troubles with it. Hope Duke does well on it.
Jackie, Angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
1 Guest(s)
