Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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This morning ( we had a snow day- yay!) Polly went outside and went pee right in front of the door. This is uncommon for many reasons for her but regardless I am worried. The pee spot is mostly bloody pee and there were 2 little clots in it... We have an appointment with our Vet tonight, but honestly I am really concerned. I know the chemo pill that is part of the metronomics can casue a UTI- but the only experience i've ever had with a UTI and my dog was incontenence- so this bloody thing is new and it has me really scared...
Anyone else have this happen? Is there anything I can in the meantime to help before we see the vet tonight? Will they want to stop the metro?
I'm thankful for every extra minute i've had with polly since her diagnosis- but I am not ready to say goodbye yet!!!
I don't have experience with that. Sassy is also on metronomics . That is one thing our vet is checking for and told me to watch out for as it can be a sign of a bladder/uti infection. Female dogs are more common to get them too.
Sassy is a proud member of the Winter Warriors. Live long, & strong Winter Warriors.
sassysugarbear.tripawds.com
07/26/2006 - Sassy earned her wings 08/20/2013
05/04/2006 - Bosch, Sassy's pal, earned his wings 03/29/19 fought cancer for 4 months.
"You aren't doing it TO her, you are doing it FOR her. Give her a chance at life."
Try to stay calm, i know it's hard. It does sound like a UTI, and your vet should be able to tell right away. I'm not sure if there's anything you can do until then other that try to get her to drink water to flush her system. Please keep us posted on what they say OK? We have our paws crossed it's nothing serious.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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It seems to me that blood was indeed involved with a bladder/uti that one of my senior dogs had....antibiotics cleared it up and, from what I'm sure you already know about metro that can be a side effect AND it is indeed treatable. I know ow the fear can just overtake us sometimes and then the mind starts making up any crazy scenario it wants to. You will feel so much better when the vet gets a treatment plan for you. Just so sorry you have to be on this darn roller coaster ride. You know we are all here for you..
Sending you calming energy,very, very, calm I g and healing energy. Sally and Happy Ha nah
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!
Well we are back from the Vets office. They determinted from a analysis test that it is a side effect from the Metronomics and have asked me to stop giving polly Cyclophosphamide for 1-2 weeks to see if that clears it up. They think it is a swollen bladder or a cycst? Apparently this is common. I recall reading about it- so i'm not too suprised but I always assume the worst now that the big C has made its way into my life.
So depending on how Polly does for the next week or so they might put her back on it with a diuretic.. but we will see. I dont want to cause any more problems with her body... We are keeping all of the herbal supplements and the yummy cancer fighting foods... just ditching the Cyclophosphamide.
Thank you everyone for keeping me calm. You guys are such lifesavers!
Glad you got some answers and a plan. I'm sure Polly will feel more comfortable once it clears up, She's got a Google, diligent mom watching over her!
Can't remember the post--but I think it was today where someone was replacing cyclop.. with alkeran??? Then again' I could be way off base. I'm sure if it's the case someone r will chime in with the actual facts.
Keeping you in our thoughts and sending good luck to you all over the universe!! That should help you Polly feel better fast!
Sally and 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!
Hi there I read about Polly's problem in the other discussion forum and I'm sure that you also read my response. I will repeat that I don't want to alarm anyone, but for us this proved to be a serious complication. I wish you all the best of luck and hope that all clears up soon. Let me know if I can be of further help. I started Bruno on cranberry pills ASAP also just so that the cystitis wouldn't turn into a uti. FYI. Best wishes
Maricela and Bruiser Bruno
Maricela and Spirit Bruno
Hope I'm reaching you on the right post----Just wanted to hear how Polllygirl is doing and is it too soon to see the good results yet? Yes, you don't want her to have any issues but at least this is manageable.
You're a good mom and Pollygiel is enjoying every second with you!
Sending you good wishes, Sally 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!
It seems like every month, Jackson's onco is screening his urine for microscopic blood (remember, he's on metronomics , too). I presume it's for exactly this reason - and to get at it before it starts. To help keep his bladder intact, we're giving him MSM. Is Polly on MSM? It's often in joint supplements. I hope she starts to feel better soon! Keep us posted.
~ Katy
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
I feel like Polly is on every supplement known to man... Vitamin E, Condroitin, MSM, Fish Oil, Mushrooms and 3 other supplements from the vet.
This literally came out of nowhere for Polly and it has me scared to death. We went on a walk Sunday and everything was fine and then Sunday night she went outside and stayed out there longer than usual and I thought it was odd and then Monday morning there was blood in her urine. Plus clots. This usually shows up around the 6 week mark which is exactaly where we are. So if you havent seen anything yet, I have a feeling you will be fine. Polly is so small (15 lbs) that even the smallest dose could be too much. She has been off the cyclo for 9 days and we havent seen any improvement. That is what has me scared because at this point there isn't anything we can do. We started giving her canned pumpkin and a little bit of gatorade to make her thirstier and to get some electrolytes back in to her body. The pumpkin to make her poop.
I honestly am having a really hard time with this. We are supposed to protect them and I just feel like I've failed her. I can't make it better and shes so young! She just turned 6 and it just seems like her body is giving up on her, but her mind is so strong. Its heartbreaking! I honestly hope no one else on this site has to go through this. We all know that each treatment will have its side effects and we all go into it accepting that, but I dont think we ever actually think they will happen to us!
I will keep you guys updated... If anyone has any advice thats been down this road, or knows someone who has- I want to hear everything you know!!!
This is so heartbreaking. I understand your pain and many here do, too. We try and try and try to do everything and then something like this happens. You haven't mentioned - how are her spirits? Does the UTI and blood seem to bother her? I know she's outside longer and that may bother her, or not. I hope her spirit is up and that perhaps only her mom is upset. Well, not that I or anyone else wants you upset. But we all realize us parents take it harder. What has your vet said? 9 days off it...shouldn't there be some improvement? I like your idea to keep her electrolytes up and keep her pooping. How about some extra iron in her diet to address the loss of it in her urine? Not that you want to jack her up on anything else, but have you looked into supplements just for the kidneys and bladder? I checked at Only Natural Pet and there are loads of products. It's so easy to throw money at an aliment when truthfully, we need to throw more time at it. My thoughts are with you! Keep us posted.
~ Katy
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
Well, I can add what happened with us last week, but not how it resolved since Suki passed on Thursday (from a tumor, NOT the bladder issues).
My vet wanted to do an ultrasound, a urine culture and a test for cystocentisis. The ultrasound showed her bladder to not even be swollen even though there was blood and constant (and I do mean constant) desire to go pee. So, it may not be as bad as it's presenting itself.
The tests are certainly expensive, but they will give you more of a picture of what is going on with her. The bad news is that waiting it out to heal (and keeping her on antibiotics) was really the only recourse that was offered to Suki. Of course, by the next day it was mute...
You are doing everything out of love and based on the best info. available. I doubt that there is anyone on this site who has not followed the best possible course knowing that "in a small number of cases there maybe this side effect or that side effect" might happen. You are right, you have that "warning" but you don't think it will happen. Yet,to go forward with the potential for the best possible outcome is what every good dog parent would do...and you did.
Polly Girl has a lot going for er and right now just needs to feel your love and your courage....because you have plenty of both.
She will get better and known you are doing everything for her. Please don't pend one more second of your energy beating yourself up ( which we are all realty great t doing) but spend all your energyon loving her and enveloping every moment with serenity, peace and calm.
We are with you and wish we could help push the fear away.........we're all joined together and pushing...and pushing.........
Sending you support, Sally and 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!
It doesnt seem to bother her, except on walks where she pauses to pee for minutes instead of seconds. She is high strung and literally pees on everything when we go on walks. Her spirit is the same as before, a spunky little butt kicker. Although she still wants nothing to do with rawhide, which she used to love.
We went to whole foods last night and got her some steaks (spoiled rotten this one... She already gets home made organic chicken with her expensive canned dinner) and some cranberry powder and some sweet potoatoes to make dried treats.
She loves the cranberry pills and literally jumped up and tried to take them out of my hand this morning. And of course she loves the steaks.
The vet said until we reach 2 weeks there really insnt anything to do for her. Once we get there, obviously we can do the ultrasound.
We already did the uranlaysis and it just came back with no infection and only red blood cells... so what they said its a bladder syst and not an infection... I think I will look into the bladder supplements (thanks Katy) and order one and hope for the best.
I just worry that something so trivial will end up taking her and my heart will be broken. My other 2 dogs are so old I fear they will all leave me around the same time and my world will just shatter...
I am really sorry to hear about Suki. My heart breaks for you. Thats just so heartbreaking. I am sorry for your loss! I can't even imagine how you are feeling right now. Polly and I give you big hugs!
Whole Foods?! WOW, your pup gets it all! Well, you're putting everything possible into her to get her back on track. I love the idea of cranberry pills, even though I know they're best suited to ward off bacterial infections. Hey - whatever works and makes us feel good, right?! Good thinking. Best wishes ahead! I'd be curious what bladder supplement you go with and how it turns out. The reviews for some of the most popular bladder supplements at Only Natural Pet sure seemed amazing.... I shop there and buy products that have those glowing reviews. Makes you wonder - are they that outstanding or what? Good luck! At least Polly doesn't seem too phased by it at alll. That's something to be cheery about!
~ Katy
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
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