Lisa - Mosby has not had an MRI. He only had x-rays and an ultrasound prior to surgery.

The sarcoma lump is "probably" STS, but osteosarcoma definitely cannot be ruled out simply because he has had osteosarcoma and it's very aggressive. He's going to have a surgeon look at it when he's in for chemo next Thursday to get more of an idea of where it is exactly and what it's affecting, and scope of surgery. It's fairly square on his thigh muscle, but I just don't know anatomy enough to really know what it may or may not be impacting, including a nerve sheath tumor. My fear, of course, is that the osteosarcoma has metastasized to his spine. I hope this is not the case. If it's just muscles, which it may well be because of how he's carried himself post-operation (very crooked), and because he's a very long dog - a lot of spine there. In horses a long back definitely leads to back problems, and I assume it's similar for dogs. I think I absolutely need a consult for a better evaluation of his back pain and how to treat it. i.e. the methocarbamol for a short period combined with an NSAID, something like that. I do NOT want to continue to just mask the pain (unless there is some situation where that is the only option).

I'd be open to increasing the gabapentin. I need to check at home what dosage he's on, he gets it twice a day, but I'm not sure how many mg each pill is. He is roughly 73-38 pounds. I'm going to discuss all of this with his vet hopefully today.

Sally - the vet last night doesn't think it's disc issues because he ambulates well, but certainly we can't rule it out without something like an MRI. He isn't doing very stressful things for PT - sit-to-stands, cookie stretches, and hip rocking. The one he really doesn't like is cookie stretches, which makes sense if his back hurts. When we went to PT his back started spasm-ing while the vet was working him up, so she put the TENS unit on him and it seemed to relax him. However, yesterday when the tech put it on him, he started panting and was very uncomfortable. I kept mentioning it to him, and she kept saying it was on the lowest setting, but -- I personally would have stopped. So I'm also wondering if that triggered it.

Anyway, he seems to be better today with the increased meds, and he should have a relaxing day at home while we are at work. Hopefully that will help, too.

I also want to note that these were the whole peanuts, so my husband was cracking individual peanuts for him. 🙂

The vet today said that I would notice that Mosby would have more energy, although it would last fewer days after the first session, and would last longer after later sessions. Mosby has been brighter and more "with us" this evening than he has in a long time. He used to wallow on the floor and insist that we both pet him, while repeatedly stretching into his back and relaxing. He actually did that tonight. It may well be that I'm just overly optimistic, or it may be a coincidence, but I'll take it! 🙂 And I don't get the lump checking blame this time, this one is on my husband! I will tell him to refrain. :/ 

Had to add one more small miracle. We have never let Mosby go up the stairs to our bedroom post-amp without full assistance in his harness, so he doesn't have to put effort into it. I figured we'd just do it indefinitely if needed. Well, yesterday, after we let him out for the night, before my husband could put the harness on him, Mosby just casually walked himself up the stairs. I almost stopped him because it made me nervous, but he went up so calmly I just let him go. He doesn't go straight up, he kind of holds his body at an angle, so he's not pulling himself up each step. Our jaws were hanging open, but as soon as he got to the top and then looked down like "um, guys, you coming?" I rushed up and praised him and gave him a treat. We are still in awe! We'll probably still keep using the harness just in case, but if he wants to go up and does not seem stressed or strained, we'll let him go up. He'll tell us if he's not comfortable doing it. What a good boy.

Some positive, some negative news.

Mosby's CBC and kidney values were good yesterday, so he got his 2nd carboplatin treatment. He handled it well and ate all his dinner yesterday. Unfortunately he lost all his appetite this morning. We added another anti-nausea med to the other one he's on, and will try feeding him rice and boiled chicken and go from there. He has also decided he will no longer take meds in peanut butter or easy cheese. So ... back to the drawing board (or the hot dogs). I know that this isn't that unusual for post-chemo, but he didn't lose his appetite last time, so it's definitely a change.

On the positive side (in addition to CBC and kidneys being good, and being done with 2nd treatment), the oncologist aspirated the lump in his armpit and only found fat cells, so it sounds like it's one of his many lipomas, not a new sarcoma. The surgeon evaluated his sarcoma and thinks the surgery is doable, although, as we knew, the deep margin will be tough. But it needs to come off. So the plan is still to finish the 3rd treatment, then wait two weeks, do the surgery, wait two weeks, then resume treatment. Fingers crossed.

Mosby seems to be in decent spirits other than the loss of appetite. Still eating treats - other than peanut butter or easy cheese or marshmallows! Drinking well. We are in contact with the oncologist who is monitoring him closely. Onward and upward. I can't wait to get through with this day and get home and spend the weekend with my boy! Ready to spoil him and hopefully find something that he will eat!