Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I've been absent for a little while because we thought that K's lung mets would take her from us soon, based on what we were told at our last appt at CSU. Her lung mets are beginning to take a toll. She doesn't like to run or hike as long, and she can't handle heat. But, those are relatively minor symptoms compared to what we were told would likely happen in this month.
So, fast forward to today, and I am seeing signs that K is not feeling good. I noticed her hind legs looking a little weak and then trembling during our morning hike. At home, her head is down and she's not acting normal. Her vitals are fine... it just seems like her hind legs aren't working quite right.
She's currently on Masitinib and metronomic chemo. This is not a standard treatment for osteosarcoma lung mets but K has exhausted all other options (none of them seemed to slow her cancer).
My question for you - has anyone else seen weak and trembling hind legs in an osteosarcoma dog? Has anyone heard of it as a side effect of Masitinib? I've read the posts about hypertrophic osteopathy (thank you Angel Abby's Mom) but K's hind legs are not swollen so I doubt that's the cause. Any insights or advice?
I'm sitting here waiting for her oncologist to call us. Yes, I am freaking out. This was not a scenario that I envisioned. Thanks, in advance.
We've been trying to do really fun stuff with K all the time since her time on Earth is short. We have a camping trip planned to start tomorrow - to one of our very favorite places to go with our dogs. Now I'm scared to go...
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
I was just thinking about you and wondering how K was going. I'm glad to hear she has been getting along better than expected. Magnum's back leg (she only had one) trembled a bit in the early stages of when her bone mets to the hip started causing her grief. She would seem weak on it. In her case it was the first signs of it hurting her to put weight on that leg due to the lesion growing in her hip. But she didn't show any other signs (ie. head down, acting different).
I hope that's not K's problem. I hope your oncologist calls you soon. Thinking of you.
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/
When Ab's back legs started to get weak and shaky from the HO, I at first immediately called the onc's office. It was the w/end so my normal onc wasn't there, but the office staff told me to stop the Masitinib (we tried it as a last resort too) because they said weakness in the legs was a side effect.
I hope you get to go on your camping trip! Keep us posted,
Jackie
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!
I just talked with the onc. She said that hind leg weakness has not been reported as a side effect of masitinib. Indeed, my own search of the veterinary journals is showing the same thing. Palladia does have this side effect but it's not reported for Masitinib.
The onc had me do a quick exam, checking for spinal pain and checking hind leg reflexes. Both were normal. She had me take K's temperature. That was normal too. (All this while she was on the phone). Gums are pink with rapid refill time. So, K doesn't appear to be generally sick.
So, the plan is to watch K to see if this resolves by itself. If it doesn't, we may be doing chest and spine xrays soonto find out whether there are now spinal mets. If there are spinal mets, I think that the time for fighting this awful disease is over.
She said that we should skip the camping trip if K isn't her normal self tomorrow morning and go to the vet instead. Hmm, which sounds more fun to you? I know what I'm rooting for!
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
No experience with he meds but we are sending you positive thoughts
Spirit Samson was Spirit Tripawd Daisys four legged "brother" and ruled as the self proclaimed head of the Monkeybutt Federations East Coast Division. Lady Chunky Monkey stayed from Oct 2011 and left for the bridge in Apr 2012. Miss Perdy is left and has some big pawprints to fill.
Do you have what it takes to be a Monkeybutt? Find out more at the Monkeybutt Federation
Now that you say that, I remember better what the onc.'s staff person said - she did say it was a palladia side effect, but since they work similarly we should stop the mas. until we saw the onc. By the time we saw him, we found out it was the HO and didn't really pursue the side effect discussion anymore.
Yes, camping sounds like WAY more fun. Hope she rallies and you get to go!
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!
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