Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
2 weeks and a couple days after amp, we went today for followup/staple removal. The oncologist had called us a week ago or so with the confirmation of osteosarcoma - not a surprise, we were 98% of the way there already.
We reviewed treatment options more closely - essentially carboplatin chemo, or low dose chemo administered at home.
He's essentially telling us, on average, 6-8 months without chemo, 12-14 with. He didn't have any studies he could point to for at-home chemo with osteosarcoma, but he feels there is benefit there as well.
He could of course live longer than that either way, or shorter. Right now he has no lung masses evident. We did the amputation to improve the quality of life, I'm not sure if that's true of chemo. He's getting around better than I'd imagined already, so it was the right decision.
I know a bunch of you have made the chemo decision - how did you decide?
Hi there! Although we decided against chemo.. I can tell you our thought process. Cody is 7, and had his back right leg amputated for osteosarcoma. He had no lung mets and our oncologist too gave us the "stats" on chemo vs. no chemo. For us it was about a.) the price and b.) having to take Cody into the vet every three weeks when we didn't know how much longer he has. We wanted him to be as happy and as dog as possible and traveling to the vet that much just didn't seem right for us. We decided to try the holistic approach and called Dr. Loops out of NC to start homeopathic remedies. That was how we made our choice... and whatever you choose will be right for your family.
Good luck and so glad to hear that he's getting along so well!
Cody and Family
Cody is our 7 year old Australian Heeler mix boy. Diagnosed on 2/20/14 and became a tripawd 2/21/14! We chose a homeopathic approach and he is being treated by Dr. Loops our of NC.
We decided not to do IV chemo with Jerry, but did put him on metronomics when his lung mets showed up. He loved life on three legs for two years!
There are various forum topics where others have discussed their experiences too. Here are just a few:
Low Dose Continuous Chemotherapy Anyone?
Chemotherapy Options for Osteosarcoma
Different chemotherapy protocols?
Hope this helps!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Well I can speak to choosing to do chemo but we were dealing with a different kind of cancer (hemangiosarcoma) and it's a vicious blood cancer. We discovered Shelby's cancer through spleen removal and then subsequent amputation about 3 months ago. My choice for doing chemo was that:
A. Shelby was an excellent candidate and her vets recommended it as she's a young at heart, spirited dog (she's 13 now but was 12 when we started).
B. the prognosis for her kind of cancer was 1- 2 months and w/up to 6 months (we just surpassed 6 months)
C. It really never occurred to me NOT to treat her since I know that dogs don't have the same results as humans with cancer. Sure, there are few days of lethargy and nausea but overall the good for us has out-weighed the bad.
Now Shelby did develop lung mets about 5 months into her fight and we are fighting those right now with a few extra rounds of chemo and hopefully tomorrow switching to maintenance chemo. I am also treating her by cooking for her, reducing ALL grain in her diet (cancer feeds on grains), supplementing her diet with a mushroom therapy regime for her kind of cancer. All in all, it is a very personal decision and one that only you can make and trust that no matter what decision you make, you will find tons of love and support on this site.
Best of luck!
Alison & Shelby
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
Not easy decisions for any of us. For Snoop we opted for chemo, 6 rounds of carboplatin and we are on metronomics
. He's been doing well, we've just passed our 10 months.. There's no guarantee for any of these treatments, it's a decision based on your baby that you think is the best. We have no regrets on our decision and value each day we have with Snoop.
You'll make the decision you feel that's best for Nordy.
Esther and her Snoop
Hi! It's definitely a decision you have to make as a family and a personal one. For Jill, I decided to go with chemo. What really pushed me to do it was when her oncologist told me we could always stop. If she reacted badly to it after the first time, then thats it - there was NO need to continue with it, nothing was written in stone.
There are many many reasons to do it and many many reasons not to. Definitely read around on the forums here, you'll find a ton of info. Come to the chat room too if you can - theres usually a bunch of us in there at night and we can all tell you about how chemo was for our pets!
All the best,
Erica & Jill
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
My pug Maggie had mast cell cancer. I went in to the amp surgery thinking we would be in really good shape, even cancer free. After surgery a large amount of cancerous cells were found in the lymph node removed with her leg. Lymph system involvement is really bad in mast cell cancer. Her prognosis went down to 6 to 9 months WITH chemo. I chose chemo for a couple of reasons- she was only 7.5 years old and the vet said that the approach would be palliative, aiming to give her more time comfortably. And like Erica said- our oncologist said we could stop any time. And I have to admit, going from thinking the amp was curative to thinking I had put her through surgery for just a couple months (without chemo) pushed me toward doing it.
On the other side, Maggie's little sis Tani also has mast cell cancer. She has been fighting cutaneous tumors for several years. Tani is getting close to 14 years old, and has several other serious health issues. She also is a handful at the vet, she doesn't like to be held or touched very much. She weighs all of 15 pounds- but when she goes in for a physical we usually have to do the blood draw in a separate visit. For Tani I feel the right choice is a holistic approach including diet, herbs and supplements.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
This is a really tough one. Like Karen, we thought Jake would come out of surgery and be fine (he had a nerve sheath tumor). A biopsy before the surgery showed the tumor was low grade but once out, it came back high grade. We were given the options; and, honestly everything inside of me was screaming not to do IV chemo. So, I just went with my gut feeling. His favorite place was home, he did not like being at the vet and he was 11. I felt like chemo at home would have been what he preferred. We eventually took him off metronomics because he couldn't give kisses due to his saliva being "toxic" (he LOVED giving kisses, it was one of his most favorite things). He looked like a sad sad puppy every time we had to tell him no kisses. So, we felt like him being able to give kisses increased his quality of life the most.
Jake beat the nerve sheath tumor and I don't regret our decision on the chemo at all. Unfortunately, he got a completely unrelated hemangiosarcoma which came on with a vengeance out of nowhere. It was penetrating a major artery and there was nothing to do for it. No chemo, no surgery, nothing could've stopped it. There was no option but to make him comfortable. So in the end, being able to provide the best quality of life was absolutely the best decision we made.
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
Online
Yeah, yet another tough decision on this journey. And as you can see......the ony EIGHT answer is what YOU feel his best for your voy.....you know him better than any vet or any statisticor any prognosis.
It's s crap shoot anyway you look at it...realy! Some dogs do very well with NO treatment.....JD, who did just pass had over ten months with no chemo. He did not like going to the vet among other things, and lived a quality filled life rightup to the end. Some dogs even live years! Some pass too quickly. me with holistic...some live a long life, some pass quickly. Same with chemo and metronomics ......it really is a crap shoot.
My decision process for selecting four rounds of Carvoplatin (most vets do five, however)
At that point, she ad no problem going to the vets.....happily got in the car to go. That was a huge factor for me.
Could always stop if side effects. As you've read, the side effects, IF they do happen, are pretty minimal and easily treated. Happy Hannah had no side effects.
And.....you have to kow yourself. For me, I would have second guessed myself if I had not tried it. At the same time...I would have second guessed myself if I did try it and she passed quickly! May I bring up "crap shoot" one more rime?
Hapy Hannah celebrated a one year ampuversary just recently!!! Can I say the chemo helped?? Absolutely not!! Do I feel it was the right decision for us? Yes.
Do thoroughly check out holistic, nutrition, supplements, etc.....you can do all sorts of combo. treatments too.
Your decision will be made out of love and that will be the right decision!
Sendingyou peace and clarity. "Talk" it over with Nordy...he'll let you kow how he wants ro proceed!
HUGS!!
Sally snd Happy Hannah
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!
Chemo is a very personal choice and it may not be right for everyone. When my dog got histiocytic sarcoma 4.5 years ago I elected to do chemo as he was 4 and there was no other option with his type of cancer. Most dogs dont make it past a couple of months from what I have read. I also used supplements and to this day he is still on supplements. When something works I am too scared to change anything. Frodo had lumostine and had no side effects after the first two rounds of treatment. The first two the dose was a bit high and he got infection which required a dash to the vet for intravenous antibiotics. Even when that happened it was always business as usual and he was running around like a madman. If you use an oncologist like I did as opposed to a gp vet they at least no what to do if there is a reaction, what can go with what etc and modify things. Years of study in just cancer goes into it.
Not sure of your location but there is some new Australian research into a trial of a drug to stop the spread of osteosarcoma to the lungs which occurs in 90% of cases. So far it is looking promising http://www.cani.....earch.html so if you are near on of the centres see if you can participate. Should it be successful it will be a great thing for dogs the world over.
http://www.cani.....cer.org.au - Dedicated to Canine Cancer Awareness
I've been lax in my updating here lately - apologies! This is the thread I'll keep updated on Orion for the time being.
He's doing well, getting around just fine on 3 legs, although his arthritis makes him stumble every now and then due to the stiffness in his rear legs. Come to think of it, he did that on 4 legs sometimes too, but now it's more obvious when it happens.
We've made the no chemo decision, we'll keep him as healthy as we can for as long as we can. He finally just settled into a semi-normal routine and is no longer anxious - more like his old self - that's where we feel like he needs to be.
Hair hasn't grown back really much at all, but it's at least black in that area instead of bright white! Other than that, no real issues to speak of - thank goodness
Thanks for all your support everyone.
Best news ever! Isn't it great when life returns to normal?!
Congratulations, I'm so glad things are good for you and Orion. No apologies necessary for not stopping by but we always love to hear how you're doing so don't be a stranger.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
So great to hear that Orion is doing well with his new normal. Just curious...do you have him on any supplements for his arthritis?
Sorry I'm late in reading this thread. Just FWIW, I wondered about the chemo trade-offs for Lexie as well. She can't stand needles so I knew that traditional chemo would be on-starter unless there could be close to 100% certainty of a game-changer...not likely. Since she had lung mets I ended up doing 15 days of Metronomic chemo since it was easy to do it orally at home (a nice smooth capsule -- much better than a pill, IMO).
Lexie's suspected and very aggressive soft tissue sarcoma has some pretty atypical elements to it, so we're waiting on the full biopsy results before we talk about another round of Metronomic chemo, or other interventions.
Hope Orion will continue to do well. Best of luck, and please do check in and keep us posted!
Deb and Angel Lexie* Diagnosed at age 13. Tried radiation first; wish we had amputated upon diagnosis (even with lung mets). Joined Club Tripawd April 2014 & Lexie loved life on 3 legs! Advice: Start physical therapy as soon as your vet clears it, especially hydrotherapy if available :-) See Lexie pics here.
GREAT UPDATE!! Orion (sorry I called him Nordy earlier) is doing well and feeling like "NORMAL" and that's all that matters!! Enjoying a quality life full of joy and happiness is THE best treatment there is!! You know your pup better than anyone and clearly seeing him so happy means you've made the right choice!!
Just continue to enjoy each moment and love and spoil and then love and spoil some more!! He's just so happy being pain free and jjst being Orio !!
We're pulling for you AND, we are also "pulling' for some pctures!!!
Se ding love and hugs to all!
Sallyand Happy Hannah
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!
1 Guest(s)
