Hi Storm and Kod

Tazzie (2) and I are at the same point in the journey as you. From reading other posts, these journeys seem far too short, but certainly a good 7 or 12 or 24 months is worth it! Tazzie limped for a few months this year, but having had an elderly dog previously, I managed it as though it was the early onset of arthritis. Bone cancer was completely outside of my radar and I completely missed this until the limp got really bad about 10 days ago.

Tazzie also lost his leg last Wednesday, July 15, and is now past his first full day at home. He flew out of the clinic yesterday, but seems to be suffering the effects today, finding it hard to get comfortable and clearly in more pain than when he left the clinic. I will try to limit his exercise as much as possible this week to get through this bruising period - lots of red and purple coloration below his surgical site - they did remove the scapula so maybe that results in more bruising (does it?). It sounds like Koda is similarly active. After a restless night and day, Tazzie is finally somewhat relaxed this evening. Looks like I'll be spending the night on a thermorest in my friend's kitchen, which is where Tazzie finally fell asleep!

Well, I guess we'll be able to exchange a few notes as things progress in the next little while. Apart from healing, this week should be the lull before the Storm (sorry, no pun intended) when the test results come in. Do you expect to pursue chemo?

Susan and Tazzie

Hi Storm and Koda

Good to compare notes although we wish we didn't have to. Sure is helpful to have this site though. The mornings seem the hardest (based on a sample of 1&1/2 days, so perhaps that is premature to say). Tazzie slept well last night and I did okay (both on the kitchen floor, covered with various rugs - of course he tried to move onto the slippery hardwood instead). The side his surgery was on touched a chair this morning and he winced loudly. The vet was definitely wrong that they would make sure he felt no pain. Maybe that was the case at the clinic, but not now. His tail is curled under and touches his stomach, which is a sure sign of pain

Still, we got down the steps and did the alley walk/hop, ate a full breakfast after the kibble was seasoned with cat food, and had poo #3 and, so that is all good. He seems to like to lie out on the deck, which is something I don't have at home. That is where he is now, but it was really hard for him to lie down this morning - it just seemed painful and took several tries.

Do any of the seasoned tripawd pros know if it takes longer, with more pain, to heal when the scapula is removed? I don't think my vet said that.

The challenge today, which I am still deciding whether or not to tackle, is to drive home three hours so we can be in our own home. Life should be simpler there and no-one will have to sleep on any kitchen floor or have an angry cat hiss and swat at Tazzie. On the other hand, there is no vet nearby or anyone to help. Tazzie is a nervous back-seat driver in the best of times (pant, pant, drool, drool, pace, pace), so I'm not sure about doing this. I want to try to get him into a crate, but not sure how a newbie tripawd will accomplish that. He has only been in a crate a few times in his life, but seemed fine each time.

At present, I definitely plan to tackle chemo and the surgeon 'strongly recommends it'. I don't want to have gone through this amputation stage without trying to increase his survival, as long as the quality of life is good. At least so far, the surgery has not lessened any pain - that is for sure. Hopefully things will look brighter in a week or two weeks when some healing has happened. I guess we will get some results in a week or two, and maybe that will tell us more. At that time, we speak to one of the oncologists, who we have not met (they are away on holidays last week). I fear I was really too slow in getting him to the vet in the first place, so things have probably gone further than they should have.

My vet sent the lymph node away and did not check it out at the clinic to my knowledge. But he was going to take off the scapula regardless. If the lymph is clear, isn't there more reason to do chemo? (Better chance of survival improved that much more?)

The whole situation is complicated logistically. This summer, I live 3 hrs south of the place offering these specialized services. I was supposed to leave last Tuesday to work in California this month, but canceled or postponed my arrival (have not determined which) when this came up last week. Then in mid-August, we drive 15 hrs (ooo, Tazzie in the car for 15 hrs) to Winnipeg, where I'll have to find another vet to continue chemo. I don't know if most cities offer such services.

Yes, I wish I saved a tube top from the 1960's. That would be very handy right now!

Have a good day Storm,

Susan and Tazzie