Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Just in the past day my Dane Nova has developed a splotchy rash up around her neck area and right below, near her incision, but not ON the incision. I haven't noticed her itching or anything. Here is a picture:
Is this something that could be caused by the Carboplatin (she had her last round 2 weeks ago)? It is not her collar rubbing or anything like that, and I haven't noticed her scratching at all. It started as a few small spots and seems to be getting larger.
Also, I noticed her front pad on her tripawd paw was bleeding this morning, finally got a good look at it and it looks like there is a big pencil eraser-sized chunk out of the tip of it. Any suggestions on how to care for it?
Of course this stuff always happens on holidays. I will call the vet tomorrow about the splotches, but was hoping to get some feedback from everyone here in the meantime.
Dane Mom Sue at nova.tripawds.com and Mom to Beautiful Great Dane Queen Nova, a Blind Tripawd, who kicked cancer's butt from 11/08-03/13. The Queen is Spirit Nova now, but her legacy lives on here at Tripawds!
Happy New Year Nova & Sue!
That looks like a nip mark to me near the incision. In order to do so, which seems possible, that her head needed to dip low/left to grab the skin with her teeth. The rash on the neck might be caused by rubbing against the collar with the neck in such angle. (That said, where the rash is might not be the place she feels itchy, that is probably as far as her teeth could reach.)
There were some discussions on pressure sore. Put a bootie on the just the one with problem when she goes outside, (or if she doesn't mind, put on all three booties)
Maybe if you put some anti itch cream and a tshirt until she can get to the vet it might help. If you want the booties that didn't work for Titan check them out in the angel exchange I posted them there.
Heidi and Titan
Nova,
Tazzie did indeed have a large pressure sore on the pad of the outermost toe of her remaining front foot (there should be a picture in the photo gallery). It took about 3 months to heal and those booties were a godsend. I soaked the foot in epsom salts daily, applied an antibiotic cream then a wrap then the bootie. Don't leave the bootie on 24/7 though because the foot can't breathe and she may form a cyst between her toes. I think it took so long to heal because of the chemo and because it was impossible for her to not use it. Now she has a nice thick protective callous there. By the way, also keep an eye on the elbow since that is another common site for pressure sores with these big guys!
As far as the rash goes, it may be due to chemo if her platelets are low. She should have her cbc checked every 7 days after the first treatment to get an idea what will happen after each dose of carboplatin. Anytime the platelet count drops below 60,000 there is the potential for spontaneous bleeding, which includes bruising under the skin. I can't tell from your picture if the rash is purplish or not but low platelets cause bruises rather than a raised rash. Also check her gums and belly as this is a common place for these bruises. If you see these don't panic; the body should rebound and start making more platelets soon. Tazzie's count once dropped as low as 26,000 but luckily she didn't bleed.
If the rash is raised and red then it could be a staph pyoderma, which is a bacterial infection that could also be due to chemo (low white cells so body unable to fight infection). So if a cbc hasn't been done for 7 days then your vet might want to check that out, and Nova might need antibiotics for her skin.
Have a nice New Year's,
Pam and Tazzie
Pam and Tazzie,
The rash is more like bruising actually. She had a CBC last Friday (10 days after chemo) and everything was great. That was her second round of chemo. After the first round, here 1 week CBC was great but then the white count dropped right before her 2nd dose so they put her on an antibiotic (for 10 days) and went ahead with the chemo (adjusted the dose a little).
The pad on her foot looks like a chunk came out of it, right at the edge on the front. Is that what a pressure sore looks like? I am wondering if she could have cut it on a sharp piece of ice or something. I don't think booties would work for her, I have tried something like that in the past and she rips them right off.
Dane Mom Sue at nova.tripawds.com and Mom to Beautiful Great Dane Queen Nova, a Blind Tripawd, who kicked cancer's butt from 11/08-03/13. The Queen is Spirit Nova now, but her legacy lives on here at Tripawds!
Hi Nova, we're so sorry to hear you're having a ruff time...I don't have an experience to draw on for you...but maybe some neosporin? I have used it before on Zeus' leg where the IV was for the chemo/pamidrinite treatments to relieve the itching and any discomfort...it seemed to work well until I was able to get him into the Vet - who gave me a spray/ointment, but I don't recall the name and I'm out of town so I can't check it for you.
How about a wrap bandage for the pad on the paw like we would do for us humans?
Please keep us posted and in the meantime we'll say some prayers.
Love
Heather and Zeus
Heather and Spirit Zeus - Our life changing journey…from the earth to the heavens…one day at a time…always together
Hi Sue,
We hope Nova heals soon. Here is a photo of Tazzie's pressure sore. Is this what Nova's foot looks like?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Sorry to hear that Nova is having a tough time....they(and we) go through so much during this whole process. We have a 19 mo old Lab who is post amp 2 weeks yesterday. We had him at the vet last Tue for what was supposed to be his first chemo treatment but found out he has Thrombocytopenia which is a disease that causes a low platelet count and signs of it are the type of bruising that you described. I saw where Pam postsd that Tazzie had that same type of bruising from low platelet count due to the chemo, so hopefully thats what is causing it. I just thought I would pass this along so that you could at least have the information and ask your vet if you wanted to. Max is on Prednisone and an antibiotic for the time being and as long as he responds to the treatment we will be able to start chemo. Best of luck to you and we send big labby hugs your way.
Paula
Paula and Spirit Max
Sue,
Did you get an answer from Nova's vet? I was thinking about her all day.
Janie & Calamity
Janie & Calamity http://www.trix.....gspot.com/
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