Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I'm incredibly sad to report that Belle was diagnosed with 2 lung mets today. Our oncologist said they are about the size of m&m's at the moment. (no sign of them at her last visit in November.)
I am doing my best to focus on the fact that Belle is still loving life, but am terrified that she is nearing the end of her journey here with me.
Can anyone comment on their own experiences with this type of diagnosis? What treatments are available, if any? Our doctor didn't suggest anything as she is already taking cyclophosphamide. Is there anything else I can possibly do?
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks tripawd family,
Brittney and Belle
Hi Brittney and sweet Belle,
So sorry you got this bad news today, this journey is definitely a tough one, but try not to get too stressed out by the news.
I can't help much with the mets diagnosis nor treatments for them, as my own sweet angel Tripawd Polly dealt with a type of ugly cancer that never produced lung mets. But I do know there have been many, many friends here that dealt with mets in their pups, and they managed to live a pretty long time all things considered, with a good quality of life. As always, though, never give up, and I am sure there is a treatment plan that may work for Belle. Take each days as it comes, and enjoy the moments 🐾💜
Keeping you and Belle in my thoughts,
Bonnie, Angel Polly, Pearl, and Zuzu 🐾💘
Check this forum topic for LOTS of helpful links:
And don't miss this relative blog post:
Canine Osteosarcoma: Lung Metastasis Treatments
Bone Cancer Tumors and Treatment Options for Dogs
Tripawds Survey Gives Glimpse of Cancer Metastasis in Dogs and Cats
News from #AAHA2016: Learn About Canine Osteosarcoma Breakthroughs
The Lobectomy Option for Osteosarcoma Lung Metastasis
Everything You Need to Know About Osteosarcoma in Dogs and Cats
Reno: 3-Years Thriving with Canine Osteosarcoma and Lung Mets
And many more...
Use the Advanced Search above to refine your search results with specific phrases, and you're sure to find lots of forum topics with helpful feedback. You can also search all blogs here .
Hope this helps!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
FYI: We've moved your topic here to the Treatment, Recovery and Oncology forum to help others searching for answers to similar questions.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Okay, right off the bat! Belle is NOT nearing the end of her journey with you!. Not as a result of those two little nodules anyway. Now, that's not to say that at 14 1/2 her "maturity" may be catching up with her.
And yes, there ARE treatments to consider. Palladia is one, Lukeran (sp) is a possibility and Metronomics is another!
My Happy Hannah got some great extended time even after a met was found "the size of a baseball", the Vet said! Mets generally aren't "painful" and she just got on with being spoiled, eating ice cream and getting tummy rubs.
Sassy Sugar Bear got almost eight gloriius months after her mets were discovered. And, of course, Jerry also continued living life to the fullest even after mets were discovered.
THE most important thing, especially now, is to let NOTHING interfere with your time together!! These xrays changed NOTHING in Belle's world!
To grieve now for what you have not lost is to waste the time you have together NOW!!
You have removed Belle's painful leg and have given her, and continue to give her, extended quality time for loving and spoiling!
Here's something you posted a couple of months ago to help keep you focused on what's really important...and that is that Belle feels great!! 🙂
......eager to eat, going for walks at the park, and I've seen more tail wagging than I've seen in a couple of years. Less pain looks so good on her.....
Lots and lots of hugs and love..........
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!
We tried an oral chemo, palladia, but were only on it for a week. But is sounds like you are already on a chemo, so that is probably best. I think the most important thing to remember is that mets don't mean anything other than that they are there. What is important is how Belle is feeling. And if she is feeling great, just continue to live in the moment with her. As Sally said, a lot of dogs live for months with mets. Some do not. But there is no way to know, so all you can do is enjoy today 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 Belle and Mom 🐶🌹
I know it is extremely hard to have such news when we always hope for a different result ...
Eurydice did her CT scan about one month ago and it showed 3 small tumours in her lungs.
She did 6 carboplatin sessions after stitches where removed followed by about a little over one month of metronomic treatment (cyclophosphamide, antibiotic and anti inflammatory)
When we found the mets, her oncologist stopped metronomics (as they were obviously not able to stop progression of the disease) and we started a 5 session doxorubicin IV chemo which seems to be the most effective.
Before the 4th ssession (she had 3 so far) we're having another CT scan which will show us how chemo has affected the mets and hopefully either they are gone (rare but possible) shrunk (good news) or stayed the same size (not bad).
If they are still there but not bigger and no others have developed they may or may not operate, we will discuss it then.
I am told there are other treatments that can be used after the maximum doxorubicin dose is given (if there is no remission or the disease is not stabilised) but we will be entering a somewhat "unknown territory area" as there is no data to strongly support those drugs.
I am willing to fight this with all the weapons and within reason until the end.
My dear, dear friend, my heart is so in tune with yours 💕
We always hope our babies will pull out of this and every time there are bad news we feel completely lost...
But we cannot surrender.
Belle and Eurydice have the strength to fight and really enjoy life with their Moms 💗
We have to stand tall for our girls 💪🏽
Sending you a huge bear hug and tons of cuddles to your gorgeous girl 😘😘😘😘😘💗🐶
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
Hello! Just checking in to see if anyone else has a story to share. I know miracles happen and I'd love to read about them.
Thanks:)
Brittney
Well, I just saw this on kitty immi's post and I hope his Mom doesn't mind me sharing.
Her Dad just crossed over the other day from that piece of crap disease. He was told he had about three months.....that was SIX YEARS ago!
My a ility to find specific stpries is hindered by the fact that I can't remember enough EXACT SPECIFIC phrased, on exact names to "search" them on here!
But I'm gon a give it another go while others are chiming in.
How are YOU doing? We know Bella is doing just fine, but sometimes we humans can get a bit of a panic attack and need ro be pulled back from the edge. So do not hesitate to vent around here. We all do...And it helps! Really!!
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!
Thank you. We are doing as everyone says here and taking it day by day and hoping for slow growth. We'll keep everyone posted♡
Thanks Tripwad friends,
Brittney and Belle
Do you have any more pictures to share of Belle?? I'm absolutely in love with her avatar picture!
Glad you posted tinight to bump the thread up. I got sidetracked and didn't get back with some of those success stories. You did read Reno's link for starters, right?
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!
I actually do have a miracle story. It has been almost 2 years (February 2015) since my labradoodle Katie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and had her front right leg amputated, with lung mets a few weeks later. Carboplatin and palladia both failed and tumors in the lungs continued to grow rapidly. We started comfort care. Then one day Katie and my other geriatric dog chased a raccoon and she sprained her back knee on the same side as the amputation. Total misery! It looked like the end was coming; the oncologist estimated 1-3 months. She was given rimadyl and pain medication, and then I decided "Oh, what the heck" and added lots of turmeric to the regimen. In December of 2015, Katie started looking healthy! I took her back to the oncologist and they were shocked that she was still alive. X-rays showed a 90% reduction in the tumors in her lungs.
What is amazing is that the two remaining small tumors in her lungs are still asleep. They are not gone (she gets x-rays and tests every 3 months). But Katie is now 12 years old, feels good and looks great. Katie's medical journey was presented at a vet conference last summer in Houston because she was not supposed to survive. I am so happy!
Could it have been rimadyl that caused the spontaneous remission? Turmeric? Who knows, cancer is such a mystery. But maybe my story will give someone a little hope.
Thank you soooo much for bringing up Katie's inspawrational journey!! YAY FOR KATIE!! 🙂
Here's the link to Katie's post. There is also a post from Corrine with another victorious story! Worth checking out!!!
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!
Oh what a story full of hope!
Thank you for sharing!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm so sorry to hear. We too, after 2.5 years cancer free of osteosarcoma (with toe removal in December which was fibrosarcoma) we learned of 2 mets in our Cooper. We need to speak to our oncologist still as the visit we had was just the ER but his bloodwork and abdomen scans showed clear except slightly low red blood cells (he got sick and it had some blood in it which caused us to take him). I am grateful for the Katie success story to keep our hopes up and will be rooting for you as well. Our guy was just put on something to help his cough in the meantime (which will hopefully increase his appetite) and we will begin treatment asap. He just turned 9. Good luck to you!
Can someone please tell me where I should buy the tumeric from and how to prepare it and the dosage??
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