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
Offline
Our Bernese, Brigus, had his osteosarcoma diagnosis mid Sept 2016, and his rear leg amputation 2 weeks later. No obvious metastases at that time. We are in session 5 of 6 chemo sessions, and his alkaline phosphatase (ALP)has steadily risen over the past 6 weeks (lowest was about 135(early November), highest before chemo was about 250(end Sept). It is trending upward again to about 201 today. The most reasonable explanation is the spread of his cancer to other bones. While we were always hopeful that this marker would stay lower, we have to accept it for what it is. Does anyone have any experience with their dog's ALP staying high, but living a year or more. Our vet thinks he has less than a year now from diagnosis (as per the stats we all know). The good news is he is happy, eating lots, and enjoying his walks, and our company.
Today was a set back however.
Thanks for any advice
Martin
Best wishes for Brigus! Thanks for checking in.
While you wait for more feedback from others, check out these related forum topics...
Search results for 'alkaline phosphatase' (27)
Use the Advanced Search above to refine your search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here .
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Okay Martin, I'm not just blowing smoke here, okay? You have EVERY reason to nave HOPE!!
From the links that the Admin Guy posted, I pulled one that I knew nad been addressed by our "volunteer vet". There is an interesting and HOPEFUL response from Cherry's Dad, as well as "Tazzie (Pam, our volunteer Vet!).
Anyway, you can read it. As you will see, chemo itself can cause a steady rise, not to mention the other possible that were mentioned in the posts.
Remember, everything thing, e v e r y t h I n g... statistics, prognosis, good test results, less good test results are just "general I indicators" and in NO way take in the individual dog and all it's previous history, all medications he's been in, etc, etc, etc.
http://tripawds.....osphatase/
Goodness gracious I am certainly NO vet and have ZERO insight into this subject!!! . But based on some of the information in that link, it seems like there's a little "jumping the gun" and "overreaction" from the Onco. And the ALP of Brigus doesn't even seem all that high!! And it does not seem "reasonable" at all to me to conclude the explanation that it has already spread to other bones! Just my UNPROFESSIONAL opinion and nothing more!
.OST IMPORTANTLY, BRIGUS DOES NOT HAVE A TIME FRAME STAMY A YWHERE IN HIS BJTT!!! Lift up thst fluffy tail right now! Do it!! Really!! Do you see any timeframe stamped anywhere?? NO! Now give Brigus a treat and apologize for the ...er...inconvenience!!
Good thing Stubborn Pug Maggie didn't losten to "statistics"! She was "supposed" to succumb to the disease within six to nine months! FOUR YEARS LATER, she passed to a different kind!
Golden Johnny just celebrated his THIRD YEAR AMPUVERSARY! DOBI NITRO just celebrated TWO YEARS!! CEMILLE is going o. FIVE YEARS! So follow Brigus's lead and live in the moment, worry free, a d NOT listening to ANYONE who wa ts to treat him as a statistic instead of the wonderful INDIVIDUAL he is!!
Brigus is feeling GREAT!!! He is happy!! Brigus is loving life and could care less what any of his "levels" are!! Those reports don't mean squat to him!!
So, fo me, you have plenty of reasons to have hope!!
Love and hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Thanks you guys,
Feeling better the past 24 hrs. Thanks for your inspiration both of you! I've concluded we will just work with what we've got and as long as Brigus is happy we will keep maximizing his enjoyment in life. You're totally right - he doesn't know what his labs are! We are grateful we've gotten this far post amp and we are hopeful for many happy days ahead. Thanks again.
Ignore the stats. Brigus does. Although he might like a cheeseburger, which was the way we handled 'bad' news.
And actually, the purpose of the labs is for you and your vet to make treatment decisions. They do not mean anything more or less than that. Once you have made the required decision, you move on. Sounds like Birgus is doing great and feeling great. The labs don't change that. And there is no way to know what will happen tomorrow. Unfortunately osteo is just sneaky, and we cannot live in fear of it. We just have to live with joy in every moment that we are together.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
Hi Martin & Brigus!
Just to toss in my two cents here - my sweet girl was diagnosed with OSA after breaking her leg while running in our yard. It was so completely out of the blue and so high up in her leg (her front leg, just below the shoulder), that I didn't realize it was broken. I let her limp around for days, thinking she just sprained something and only took her to the vet after the limp (which had started to get better) got worse. Boy, I felt like a real jerk. Then, when I got the diagnosis, I agonized over what to do given that she was nearing age 12 and treatment was costly, so poor Izzy lived on pain meds until I could decide and then schedule surgery to amputate.
I give you that info so that you understand that Izzy had cancer long enough to grow a tumor that broke a bone and then didn't have her amputation until weeks (too long!) later ... I still feel bad but my girl is a champ and so brave. At the time of diagnosis, there was no evidence of spread to her lungs, even though her tumor was on a bone right there next to her very deep chest. I was told she would survive for about 4 months without chemo and maybe 8 or so with it. At the time, I couldn't afford chemo as I struggled to pay for the surgery itself. I started Izzy on K9 Immunity Plus and changed her food - not that was I'd been giving her was terrible - because I read that it was better to go grain free with a cancer diagnosis.
All of that said, you're provide more intervention than I was able, so Brigus already has a better shot than Izzy. And yet, as I sit here typing this response, I am listening to my sweet girl snore away, all snug on her orthopedic bed . To date, we have not seen spread to the lungs. That hasn't stopped Izzy from having other health issues - after all, she's mighty old - but I just want you to know that statistics and odds don't mean that much. In fact, I took Izzy to see the oncologist who'd diagnosed her 9 months after her amputation and she confessed that, while reviewing the chart prior to coming into the exam room, she kept thinking, "This can't be the same dog. It can't be!" and yet, it was. In fact, Izzy has become a favorite at the specialty vet hospital and has made friends not just with their oncologist, who continues to help us with Izzy's "other" cancer, but with the surgery team as she had her knee repaired this past September, exactly one year after her amputation.
So don't believe the hype! Enjoy every minute with Brigus and don't be too surprised if you have LOTS of minutes left!!
Please keep us updated. We are here to help!
Momma to the world's most beautiful American Bulldog, Izzy!! Lost her front leg to OSA 9/18/15. Diagnosed w MCT in June 2016. Celebrated her 1 year ampuversary with knee surgery on 9/18/16! MCT recurrence in Dec 2016. Happy & hungry til nearly 14, earning her wings on 7/31/17.
Ah, looking for hope is so much different than having hope. For example; getting ready for work, I look for hope that my pants will zip up the next morning after a huge supper the night before. Having hope, (or possessing hope) is knowing that my elastic band stretchy pants will always fit.
If you're looking to possess hope, then look no further than the love you and Brigus already share. That's where hope resides, therefore hope is already yours. All you have to do is cash it in. Save some in the back of your heart for the days where the emotional roller coaster dips so that you can withdraw a little bit to get you through the valleys.
And, I do believe in miracles. Hope is like kryptonite against cancer. Use it as a weapon and a shield for your sweet, sweet fur-baby.
The truth is, I have a closet full of stretchy pants, but only one pair of zippered ones.
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
PAM!!!! Well articulated and with brilliant metaphors!!!!
And IZZY is auch a great inspawration for all of us!!! 🙂
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!
Thanks for the feedback a dn support everyone, you are all so thoughtful and inspirational. Would you believe Brigus has a tumour in his right eye. It seems completely unrelated to his osteosarcoma but his intraocular pressure is rising (like glaucoma), which is known to be quite painful so he will be getting a right eye enucleation (removal) next week ( need to give two weeks after chemo). Not looking for any sympathy but as you a ll"get it" I just thought you should know. Much like discovering tripawds do well I have all indications that dogs do fine with one eye. His sight in that eye is apparently all but gone now anyways. This has been quite an unbelievable 6 months to say the least.
Cheers, and thanks again everyone
Martin
btw we will send the eye for pathology so I will let you know what it was when I hear
Pam - as usual - beautifully stated with lovely metaphors!!!
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
BRIGUS!!!!! It's time to stop with all these issues young man!! You didn't think being a tripawd would get you enough extra spoiling so no you're doi g this? Geez
Martin, so sorry you are having to deal with this extra stress and worry. Ugh.
And supposedly it is very painful so he will feel better after it's removed. Yes, you are right, Beigus will adjust very well to having one eye and so just fine.
Actually, believe it or not, we've had several tripawds who had no sight in either eye for one reason or another, who did very, very well. Some were that way before the surgery, and some were that way after the surgery.
So surgery is next week? Will he have to spend the night? Update us when you can, olay?
Sending all sorts of healing positive energy to ssweet Brigus! He's a lucky boy to have such a good advocate in you!
Hugs to all
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
PS. Pictures of this handsome fella' when you can! 🙂
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!
Hi all,
surgery set for next Wed and will spend one night at the vet (specialty center- well staffed 24/7 and opthalmology doing the surgery). Brigus still seems relatively comfortable (with meloxicam and tramadol), and we are enjoying the snow even more this winter.
I tried to post some photos but not familiar with the "enter source" text box- any suggestions?
Cheers
Martin
Hi Martin,
try uploading the foto into your media library. If you click on the picture once it's uploaded you will see it has its own URL which you can then copy and paste into the "enter source" box. Hope this helps!
Tina
Guardian of Manni the Wonderdog. -Or was it the other way around?
Osteo and amputation in Dec 2015. Second, inoperable, primary osteosarcoma found in June 2017.
The end of our adventures came Dec 10, 2017. 2 years to the day.
Martin Leahy said
I tried to post some photos but not familiar with the "enter source" text box- any suggestions?
Here are detailed instructions for adding photos to forum posts . If you don't already share photos online somewhere, you can start a free Tripawds blog any time and upload them there. Need further help? Post in the Tech Support forum and we'll be happy to help!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
tinsch said
try uploading the foto into your media library.
Martin: Tina is referring to the Media Library available in all Tripawds Blogs . You can start your own free blog in minutes here. Or, click the My Sites link in the admin bar at the top of any page here (if logged in) and click Add New to create your blog.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
