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Magic - Not good news - lungs
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Member Since:
10 March 2010
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18 April 2010 - 2:09 pm
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Well crap.  Good results on the blood work and I took him to the park then in for chemo.  This would be his second chemo, three weeks from the first.  They were xraying his tail (they did something during dental work last year and I want to know what it is...at THEIR expense! and be sure it is not something connected to the cancer now), and I left it up to his doc on the chest xrays at this time.  She decided to go ahead and do it.  Thank God as it turned out.  He has three spots in his lungs...different lobes.  I am fortunate that we do have a board certified oncologist on staff at the practice, although it isn't his hands on doc.  They have already had a conference before the vet called me.  They are changing to driamycin (I guess it also goes by another name that also starts with D....that apparently has been used with carboplatin...but not with as good a result as the carboplatin alone).  They are changing because they feel that the cancer "laughed at the first treatment" with the carboplatin and are trying this to see if they can keep it in check.  She said this is NOT the last weapon in the arsenal.  I thought our worst problem was getting in the truck.

He has been doing so well that this really kicks my ass today.   I knew that it was down the road, but I was thinking DOWN THE ROAD, not five weeks down the road.   But I'm not giving up, we will do what we have to do and use every weapon they can produce to keep this in check if possible.

I don't know what to say...so I shall go cry before I pick him up in a couple of hours.

 

My heart lives at Rainbow Bridge
Member Since:
28 November 2008
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18 April 2010 - 3:59 pm
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Diane - take a deep breath and dig those feet in for a good fight. I am encouraged that the vets had other options they are willing to try.  That tells me they aren't ready to give up, and it isn't time for you either.  As you said this is not when you thought you would face this, but we never know when it will be. Magic needs you to be strong, and I have no doubt you can everything he needs.

As I said with Opie, you guys are in my heart.  Fight a good fight, we are all right here with you.

Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul.  Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.

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10 March 2010
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18 April 2010 - 4:27 pm
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Thanks Shanna....I can't believe how this has knocked me over....like I said I KNEW it was down the road but have been practicing avoidance (I really don't have to practice that a lot, I'm good at avoidance) and thinking if I could keep OJ going (he did three years of chemo...quit last year and then kidney failure in Nov that we deal with daily) I can certainly keep Magic going...I guess for a minute I forgot I was human and not God.

I have been frantically reading all over the site anything at all about the lung mets and the driamycin or adriamycin (why do I see it both ways) that is apparently Doxorubicin...which I am kind of afraid of...I was so happy we were doing the carboplatin after reading some of the posts about the other.  See, if I don't have enough trouble, I need to go out and borrow MORE!

Just waiting now for the call to come get him.....called my friend with cancer who would really know this feeling intimately...she had had her second surgery, was told everything was a-ok, sold her house, made arrangements to buy her exhusband's place up in a less medically advanced area (more remote), went in for her THREE MONTH scan and had six new tumors on her liver.  She spent every other week with me when she went through both six month sets of chemo cuz her hubby was working and I could baby her .... maybe that will be my lot in life!  well anyway....off for more reading...thanks again, I so appreciate your support.

Madison, WI
Member Since:
5 December 2009
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18 April 2010 - 4:39 pm
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Oh, Diane, I'm so sorry.  It's not over, it really isn't, but I remember only too well the blow of the first appearance of lung mets.  Especially when it comes so soon before chemo is even finished.  That was the case for Yoda too, though a little later for him.  The vast majority of his time was great quality.  And the length of time after mets are found really can vary alot, even without treatment, from what I've read of others on the forums.  Paris went for many months with lung mets - she was amazing!

Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.

He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.

Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com

Member Since:
10 March 2010
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18 April 2010 - 5:56 pm
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Boy that's what I'm hoping for....longevity even with the lung mets....I just saw the xrays...sh*t....one is small, one is questionable and one is HUGE....and just to show me that they aren't all blind at the vets' office, they showed me the one before surgery....omg, where did that big sucker COME from!  And of course there is always the possibility they AREN'T cancer (yeah right....there is MY wishful thinking again!  Just cuz he has those fatty tumors, I have now transported them to his lungs and made them benign)...

He is home, they couldn't get him to pee, probably because he had to poop really really bad and never poops anywhere but home....which was a bit of a trial when he was in the hospital....so he  has pooped and peed everywhere and ate scrambled eggs and liver and some of the kitty's (well it is canine/feline high caloric food) left over food ... didn't eat it all, but did a pretty good job.  Now we will wait and see if we get nastiness from the new chemo.  We sailed through the last one (except of course for the bad white blood cell count)...they want to see him in 10 days for a blood check and in three weeks they are going to xray again...if they have shrunk (does that happen very often?  Should I put any hope in that?) they will do an echocardiagram before another adriamycin treatment (maybe it will be easier on his body if I refer to it by that name instead of the dreaded doxorubicin name, it will make it better)  His heart looks good on the xrays, too bad his lungs don't look the same!

They have other stuff in the arsenal...the doc did say what they are hitting him with now and the one as backup (don't remember the name) are stronger than the metrononics drugs?  Are those always the same?  Trouble is, names are flying fast and furious and my brain has now pretty much shut down taking in any more info with medical names...at least for now.  Apparently OJ actually got this Doxorubicin when he did his chemo....So I reminded Magic how well OJ did and that he didn't want to let his kitty buddy beat him out did he??

Thanks folks....and yes, CANCER SUCKS BIGTIME

Portage Lake, Maine
Member Since:
8 December 2009
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18 April 2010 - 6:21 pm
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Oh Diane....I'm sooooo sorry for Magic....  Gawd, from Opie to now Magic.  Way too soon for Magic just 5 weeks from amputation!  Keep your chin up...as hard as it is..........  hugs to you and Magic..

 

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09

Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13

http://maggie.t.....t-24-2013/

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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18 April 2010 - 6:51 pm
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Diane, we just got back online after a couple of days of goofing off and saw this, we are so very sorry, this isn't the news anyone expects so soon after amputation. Oh we are sending you lots of hugs right now, we know this is hard to deal with on top of everything else.

But first be strong, and remember that otherwise Magic is doing GREAT, which is a big plus. He is a strong boy and with a strong body and with his good attitude, he can deal with this much better than a dog who isn't as well off as he is. Obviously his doctors think he's going to fight this too, this is really, really good news.

Remember like Gerry's Mom said, Paris did really, really well for a long time after amputation, even with mets. It can happen.  And like Dr. Rosenberg said in our last Veterinary Cancer Group video, try to think of cancer and mets as a condition tht can be managed with medication, instead of living in total fear of it. I know, easier said than done. But if the mets can be stabilized with chemo, then that is a major victory.

My other suggestion; take a pen and paper with you to the vet's and write it all down. The meds and the protocol and whatever else you have questions about. That way you'll get more clarification from the docs at the time of your appointments, and we can be of more help you here too.

Many, many hugs. Please keep us posted. We send our healing thoughts your way...

 

 

 

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Los Angeles
Member Since:
2 November 2009
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18 April 2010 - 7:21 pm
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I'm so sorry for your news about Magic...he seemed like he was doing so well.  This just really sucks and there's no other way to put it.  This is the news that we all dread hearing but know that we will one day.  I take Mackenzie in this week for her chest x-ray and am very nervous.  My heart goes out to you and Magic.  You are in our thoughts and prayers. 

Kami (Mackenzie's Mom)

My sweet golden Mackenzie.  She became my angel on Dec 29, 2010 at the age of 8 1/2  although she was always my angel from the time we brought her home.  She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Sept 2009 and officially became a tripawd (front leg) on Nov 5, 2009.  She will be forever in my heart and now she's running free with all of our other tripawd heroes.  I love you Mackenzie!

Member Since:
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18 April 2010 - 7:23 pm
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Thanks all - and hey Rene and Jim, you weren't goofing off, you were taking some well deserved happy time (I sincerely hope) after a horrible trauma!!!!

The doc is great about answering questions and telling me names....and then you get to a point where even when it is written down it looks something like...wingdings on the computer.  I do know now that Adriamycin (I left the A out, but have seen it looking around without the A so i dunno) and Doxorubicin are one and the same...did I say that?  Am I repeating myself??  Well, that is either old age or I have now gone around the bend...there I go.....

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10 March 2010
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18 April 2010 - 7:25 pm
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Oh keeping fingers tightly crossed for Mackenzie (I really like that name....) I truly didn't expect it this soon, but when I pull myself together, we will just determine to fight this too.  You know that it is down the road, but I sort of expected it to be WAAAAAAYYYYYY down there....We shall do the best we can and Mackenzie will I devotely hope get a perfectly clean bill of health!!

Arizona
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28 September 2009
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18 April 2010 - 7:29 pm
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Magic, we are so sorry, please keep fighting the fight. We pray that with the arsenal the vets have they will come up with something for you. I agree totally with you, cancer does suck big time. 

 

Jo Ann & Tasha

Tasha 8 years old, First cancer diagnosis 6/26/09, Last cancer diagnosis 9/26/09, Amputation 10/01/09, Loving our girl moment by moment.

Tasha lost her battle and became my Angel on May 4 2011. Forever in my heart….

Los Angeles
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2 November 2009
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18 April 2010 - 8:37 pm
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Oh thanks so much Diane...we will be keeping our paws and toes and legs and everything else crossed for you and Magic! I can only imagine how you wouldn't expect this to happen so soon.....but hopefully Magic will follow in some of the other tripawds' footsteps (like Paris) and live a long time in spite of these mets. 

Thanks about Mackenzie's name too - it's a family name and I always said that if I had a girl I would name her Mackenzie so my girl ended up being Mackenzie my golden retriever (I don't have kids - just my dogs!) 

I wish you the best during a most difficult time....

Kami (Mackenzie's Mom)

 

 

 

 

My sweet golden Mackenzie.  She became my angel on Dec 29, 2010 at the age of 8 1/2  although she was always my angel from the time we brought her home.  She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in Sept 2009 and officially became a tripawd (front leg) on Nov 5, 2009.  She will be forever in my heart and now she's running free with all of our other tripawd heroes.  I love you Mackenzie!

Las Vegas, Nevada
Member Since:
14 August 2009
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18 April 2010 - 9:10 pm
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Oh Diane,

I'm in shock there is bad news this soon.  My heart just breaks for you.  I don't want to sound pessimistic when I say that I just didn't want you to have to worry about anything but him being happy for a while.  Now you have to think about "it".  You have enough to worry about with OJ and his issues and of course getting Magic in and out of the truck! 

My dear Diane I'm thinking about you and Magic and I wished I could say or do something help.  But please know I'm here if you need to talk. (which helps sometimes)

C's mom

 

Thank goodness I'm not a hospice worker, I'd really, really suck at it after seeing my reaction this weekend.

 

P.S. Kami keep us posted immediately. 

 

 

Her Retired AvatarComet - 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.

Calgary, AB
Member Since:
30 January 2010
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18 April 2010 - 10:14 pm
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Sorry to hear the news about Magic. I had Tai on Doxyrubicin (Adriamycin) for her chemo treatments (osteosarcoma) and because it can be hard on their hearts I supplemented with CoQ10 and Omega 3. She is still on both even though her treatments are over as they also have some anti-cancer benefits supposedly. I am dreading getting chest xrays done but she's due in a month so I'll have to start building some strength. We're keeping our fingers and paws crossed that the new chemo treatments can help to slow down Magic's lung mets. Stay strong. Our thoughts are with you and Magic as you continue the fight.

Tai Dog and Laura

Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.

Opie
15
18 April 2010 - 10:56 pm
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Hey Magic,

 

Keep fighting.  Maybe we can kick lung mets' a-- together.  Take care of your mom...they go crazy when they get this kind of news.  Opie

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