Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I wasn't sure how to phrase the Topic name, Roman is 3 months post amp. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. His lung x-rays were clear at the time of his surgery. We opted out of Chemo and Radiation since he is older, and he is taking Artemisinin and we give him laser treatments daily around the surgery site and on his various lumps.He is still active and happy. I want to know what type of follow up the vet should do ? Blood tests? Periodic x-rays? And how often? Should I keep up with his vaccines? Anyone with a similar experience?
Thank you so much for posting this! Bo is 8 weeks post-op and we are not doing chemo either. I have been wondering the same thing, as far as follow up. I am looking forward to getting some advice on this topic.
Any follow up diagnostics are really up to you. The standard recommendations are not dependent on whether or not a dog is receiving chemo. Chest xrays depend on whether you want to know if and when mets are visible. If your dog had an elevated Alk Phos pre op and you want to know if it has come down, you can check his labs. You can also choose to do nothing until he is symptomatic, or not at all. Only you can decide what is appropriate for your circumstances.
My dog, Isabelle has not received chemo. I tend to get CXR's & ultrasounds at 3-4 month intervals. That is my choice and not necessarily warranted. She gets labs at the same six month interval she was getting prior to her diagnosis as a senior dog. She absolutely is not vaccinated and had not been for three years prior to her diagnosis. She would not have been vaccinated again whether or not she had cancer.
Isabelle was on arteminisin for a few months post amp. I stopped it because she experienced worsening reflux with each cycle. She also was hyperchloremic. Both resolved with the withdrawal of the arteminisin. The rest of her regimen is a variety of supplements and homeopathics. She received cold laser post op, gets acupuncture & massage weekly, chiropractic adjustments, and uses the underwater treadmill 3x/week.
We chose not to do IV chemo with Jerry too. We also decided not to get follow-up x-ray every other month as recommended. At about 16 months after his amp, a vet convinced us to do x-rays during a regular visit to get some flea meds. That's when we discovered his lung mets and started him on metronomics and K9 Immunity.
Personally, I believe optimism is very effective, and cheap. So stay current with vaccines. The rest depends on how badly you want to know what's going on with Roman, and what you might do differently if you knew the cancer had returned. If it is unlikely you would not change his current treatment plan, then the best prescription may be to just continue making the most out of every day you have together.
Why the daily laser treatments, and are you doing that at home with your own equipment? It is our understanding that cold laser is only effective for expediting wound healing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
If your dog is an older adult, who has received multiple vaccinations, he very likely has lifetime immunity. You can always get titers if you are concerned…just be sure they are sent out, preferably to Jean Dodd's lab, and interpreted accurately…but they aren't necessarily required.
I encourage you to do some research before challenging your dog's fragile immune system with further vaccinations. There is some good information available on Dr. Dodd's website, as well as other sources. If you have access to a holistic or integrative vet they can offer guidance. Many will do phone consults.
littlemanjake said:
I encourage you to do some research before challenging your dog's fragile immune system with further vaccinations.
Thanks for that input! I was confusing vaccinations with heartworm and flea/tick treatments. Though ever since Jerry's cancer diagnosis we have used all natural flea prevention.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'll echo littlemanjake on the vaccinations. Trouble was 10 when she was diagnosed. She never received another vaccination of any type after amputation and chemo, not even rabies. Our vet just was not willing to take the chance.
We traveled quite a bit with Trouble, so our vet provided me a letter to carry with us stating she was not vaccinated, but was under veterinary care and had no contagious disease and gave the Hospital name, veterinarian name, and contact information. I carried it for 2+ years and was never asked for it.
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.
I always give heartworm protection, but only Interceptor and not year round here in the Midwest.
I only give flea/tick preventative about twice a season…spring & late summer when she is going to be in Michigan, in heavy tick areas. When she was younger and Tracking in the woods frequently she got it more often.
Isabelle eats a raw diet and the fleas just aren't interested. She had a generalized urticaric reaction to Advantix in the past (& I can't use it at home anyway, because of it's toxicity to cats) so because of her MCT and my desire to avoid any excessive inflammatory response she can only have Frontline…since it doesn't repel ticks….I check her, her environment and the car very carefully. I don't like to risk giving her the topicals more than necessary, but it does take diligence.
Isabelle had both heartworm and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever when I adopted her.
In Response to Jerry:" Why the daily laser treatments, and are you doing that at home with your own equipment? It is our understanding that cold laser is only effective for expediting wound healing."
I'm using a Q-laser mode for cancer treatment, I used it during wound healing also but in a different setting. There isn't really any way to tell if it is helping but i'd rather do it than not when it might have helped him.
romanrizzle said:
I'm using a Q-laser mode for cancer treatment...isn't really any way to tell if it is helping but i'd rather do it than not...
If it can't hurt, then great! Thanks for the clarification, is Q-Laser the brand?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Yes Q-laser is the brand. Its something my parents were already using for their own ailments and they let me borrow it for Roman.
It was recommended to me to do a 3 month lung x-ray and then every 6 months after that x-rays of lungs. But I have opted out of doing them completely as it won't change what I'm doing for Maggie and will only make me worry if something is found. I rather like to have blinders on in this situation.
Maggie has had no chemo or radiation. In fact, it was recommended to me NOT to do it with her by the vet as she was so sick after amputation and the fact they never found out the exact type of soft tissue sarcoma, it would be a 'shot in the dark' on what type of chemo to use.
Maggie gets treated by daily homeopathic remedies via Dr. Charles Loops in NC(via phone consults). She also is on K9Immunity Plus, Dasquin with MSM, Maritime Pine Bark tincture and occasionally Apocaps when I can afford them.
She does not get vaccines and hasn't gotten many in her 11 1/2 years. I do yearly titers on her. In fact, if you read the pamphlet(that the vet SHOULD read!) that is in every box a vaccine comes out of, a vet is not supposed to vaccinate an unhealthy dog... I'd say our dogs with cancer, should opt out on vaccines!
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
I would agree that cancer dogs and older dogs in general do not need yearly DHPP vaccines. If you are in a high-risk area then yearly Lepto or Lyme vaccines may be warranted as well as a killed Rabies vaccine every 3 years. It all depends on what part of the country you live in and how much your dog is exposed to pathogens. I am very minimal with vaccines in my own dogs but here in the Pacific Northwest we don't have that many problems (other than fleas).
Pam
Of all the vaccines available, Lepto would be the last I would ever consider for a dog with cancer….and I would seriously weigh the benefits for any dog. The vaccine elicits more adverse reactions than any other, although there has been some improvement with newer vaccines. It is not a risk I'd be willing to take. My dog had a significant reaction to it, the one time she received it. The vaccine is only effective against 2-4 of the multitude of strains of lepto.
The lyme vaccine is very controversial and only effective against 1 tick borne illness. I choose tick protection as opposed to the risk of the vaccine. If your dog doesn't get ticks in the first place, there is no risk of lyme disease.
You might want to review the http://www.rabi.....nd.org or other sources before deciding on the efficacy of previous rabies vaccines.
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