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
Here's the Duke update -
The good news: His lungs are clear. I was pretty worried about this, so YAY!! Especially since we only got 2 rounds of carbo and have been off chemo for over 2 months now.
The bad news: His onco doesn't believe it wise to give any more IV chemo. She says there were absolutely no problems with administration - the tech doing it has done it for 20 years and knows her stuff. Thus, my onco wonders about a blood vessel leak having caused the extravasation. Given she believes that may be the case, she is not willing to attempt further IV chemo. I agree, we can't afford to have another problem like this if that's what happened. I just have trouble believing that's the case. Grasping for straws here, but could the carbo be diluted in saline and given IV so that if any leaks it will be diluted? Probably not. Just wanting some solution to this. Oh, and by the way, why the huge area of tissue death from carbo?
So, his onco is only willing to do oral chemo from here on. And, she is not willing to start until we are well on the road to healing, which could take months. And months. And months. On the other hand, based on photos and my report an expert at a leading university, who has seen this before, says to get going on the chemo again right away and give 2 extra rounds. We had be planning on 4 rounds total, and have had 2 and the oops, so he says 4 more. I like that as far as increasing Duke's odds. It scares me in case we were to have a further extravasation problem. That would be the end.
The other bad news is they have now wrapped his leg from the shoulder to the toes, because he was showing some swelling in his foot again. So, to keep the dressing on his foot dry he is in a boot when he goes outside. Could this dog not catch a break? Except I guess he did: clear lungs.
The other good news: I live near where Dr. Mona Rosenberg practices and have a consult and 2nd opinion appointment scheduled with her in 2 weeks. She doesn't know it yet, but she will be the tie-breaker. Oral or IV? Start again now or wait?
Thanks for listening! 🙂
Offline
I'm glad he is doing well. We tried Chemo on Levi and it did nothing for the lung mets. We did try other things once we figured out the chemo wasn't working. He got K9 Critical Care (http://www.k9cr.....alcare.com) everyday, Artemisinin , and this stuff called Stasis of the Mansion (I swear this stuff really perked him up and I wish I would have found it right away). There are other ways to fight the cancer. We tried it all! I honestly think some of the other things besides chemo helped him more. We found lung mets January 4th and the vet gave us 30 days. Well, I gave him all my crazy supplements and he made it to June 26. The last chemo treatment was sometime mid-december. Hang in there, there are lots of options! Ask your vet if you can try supplements right away??
Levi was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-7-11
Ampuversary 10-14-11
Lung Mets Discovered 1-4-12. Chemo seemed to not be working so we switched to Artemisinin and other supplements. In May, Levi developed a sinus infection and started having seizures. The cancer had moved to his brain. We let him go 6-26-12.
Thanks for the update, and best wishes for Duke.
If you have not already seen them, and for anyone else interested, we do have a few video interviews with Dr. Rosenberg in the Tripawds News blog.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
You must live in So Cal - cuz we had an appointment one day w/ Dr. Rosenberg in San Diego when our regular onc (Dr. Vancil) was on jury duty. She is super nice!
I agree w/ Levi's mom - there are other options. If you can't/don't want to do the IV chemo anymore, you can try artemisinin and/or other supplements. You can also try the at-home chemo pills. We did the combo of at-home and arte.
The great news is the clear lungs!! Whoohoo!
Hang in there. Let us know how it goes with Dr. R.
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!
No lung mets is cause for major celebrations!!! We are doing the "Take that!...cancer" dance!!!
I know you want to fight with all the arsenals available. But as far as chemo, please know many, many dogs here have done very well without any and their survival was lengthy. I'm in the camp of going to the park instead of going to the vet for chemo.
Whatever you choose, I hope Duke does very well!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
1 Guest(s)
