Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hugs and prayers for you and Oliver! Hope you are all home and he's finally comfortable.
Thank you for the hugs and positive thoughts! The Chief of the ER looked at him and sent a picture to the Chief of Surgery who performed his nerve resection. ER Chief let us know that there were cells in the sarnoma that did not look happy, but weren't definitively an infection, so she was going to send a culture to be tested. In the meantime, she had planned to clean the area very thoroughly. While she did that, another section opened and began to drain. She let our surgeon know, and he recommended that Oliver be sedated, the doctor open the area up a bit, flush it, stuff it with gauze, and the suture wide around the area to protect it. He also wants to see us on Tuesday when he's back in the office. They also said that the skin doesn't look great and may be dead, which would require another surgery to remove it.
It seems this nightmare will not end. Feeling a bit down right now. I am SO sad for him, I can't imagine what his little body must be going through. I don't understand why he is encountering every complication possible. 
I am so sad to hear this. It is just horrible that he has had to go through so much, and so young. Are they keeping him overnight? Sending lots of prayers and positive thoughts your way!
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
=&×$!&%# I am sooooooo sorry and sooooo piffed off that Ollie, and you, are gping through this!!! This is absolutely craaaazy!! Just shaking my head in disbelief. We are all so distressed for you and with you...as though that could help in some crazy way!
Yeah, not only every complication possible, but every unheard of complication!
All lf thix is happening in the NEW incision? The possibly dead skin...the NEW incision? Just clarifying, the do not think it is an infection? Are they still attributing the pain to.....to what...? Don't mean to be asking so many questions. Team Ollie just wants the best for this sweet boy!
Try and remember that Ollie is YOUNG and FIT and that all is a big positive!
Do you drink alcohol? If not, go ahead and start! You can sober up tomorrow! In fact, I don't really drink other than a rare glass of wine (I prefer chocolate!), but I think I might down a glass! This is so tough on you! Again, remeber Ollie is YOUNG and STRONG and WILL bounce back!!
@OVE, LOVE, LOVE AND HEALING ENERGY SURROUNDING OLLIE!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
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!
Thank you both! They didn't say they'd be keeping him overnight, so we are waiting on pins and needles. And yes, Sally, I've had my share of wine since this all started! A good glass of red wine AND chocolate have kept me sane. The purple area almost went away until his 2nd surgery (basically where the blood was pooling). Then today, it filled back up, but this time, it was a little warm and harder to touch than it should be. I just think that the blood and fluid have been pooling to the same area first from the amputation and next from this nerve surgery, so that's a lot. And the purple skin looks necrotic now, according to the ER doctor. I hope the cultures don't come back as MRSA
, which I've seen on some of the forums. 
Oh sweet Oliver
Hang on in there, we are sending all the pawsitive energy we can master to you, sweet boy!!!!
The fact Oliver is young and so, so loved is a huge point here !!!
Sending you a huge bear hug and lots of cuddles to Oliver
Eurydice 77kg/170lb Great Dane limping end of April 2016, amputation (right front leg/osteosarcoma) 4 May 2016 6 courses of carboplatin followed by metronomic therapy, lung mets found 30 Nov 2016. 3 courses of doxorubicin, PET scan 26 Jan 2017 showed more mets so stopped chemo. Holistic route April 2017. Lung X-ray 5 May 2017 showed several tennis ball size mets, started cortisone and diuretics. Miss Cow earned her XXL silver wings 12 June 2017, 13 months and 1 week after amputation and 6 1/2 months after lung mets, she was the goofiest dawg ever and is now happily flying from cloud to cloud woof woofing away :-)
I can't believe your bad luck streak - so not fair! I hope you have a more positive update soon. Sending copious good vibes!!
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
Solidarity with Team Ollie 🙂
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!
ok, so they cultured the incision/drainage today? Has Oliver already been on antibiotics? Make sure that you are very gently (if you can) massaging around the area - this will help to increase the circulation to the area. Increased blood flow is great for healing. It also helps the body to re-absorb extra fluids. Ice helps to reduce inflammation.
Donna
Donna, Glenn & Murphy
Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs
Anxiously awaiting a new update - still can't quite wrap my head around these developments. I know he was just finishing a course of abx, so this seems so puzzling.
Sending good vibes still.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
I'm working my summer Theater job and I can't be on the forums much- I'm just now catching up on everything.
I'm so sorry that Ollie is having such trouble- nothing about the cancer journey is fair and sometimes it seems extra unfair. Your boy certainly deserves a break!
Did you ever get the path report deciphered and are the surgeons talking to the oncologist? I'm wondering if some of the skin healing issues could be related to the mast cell cancer.
I won't be around much after today for the next week or so, but I will be keeping Ollie in my heart and sending strong, positive and healing energy your way.
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
Hi everyone,
Thank you for the advice, support, and general caring sent our way. Oliver was dropped off at noon today to get sedated for his bandages to be changed. Yes, he's been on antibiotics this whole time. Since his amputation, he's been on cepadoxamine (200 mg. once per day). Yesterday, they added enrofloxacin (1 1/2 136 mg tablets once per day). We have to go in to drop him off again tomorrow morning, since the surgeon wants to see him as well.
He went to bed around 2:00AM last night, it took awhile for him to get off of sedation enough to administer his drugs for the night. The fireworks certainly didn't help things. This morning, he seemed more like himself, and of course, we have to go and get him sedated again today 🙁 I will of course keep you all updated as things progress.
Hope you're having a safe and happy 4th of July.
Ok, sounds reasonable. We have all been so worried about Oliver and you both.
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
I agree with otisandtess, this sounds reasonable given the circumstances. Glad there is close oversight to try to get him on the right path.
Lisa, Minneapolis
On October 27, 2016, nearly 6 months after amputation, and 18 months since his cancer likely started, we lost Pofi to a recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in his spine quite suddenly. His canine sister also succumbed to cancer on March 1, 2019 - we lavished her with our love in the interim, but life was never quite the same without her only real canine friend. Cliff kitty had to leave us, too, suddenly, in August 2019. Lucia kitty grieved all these losses, but helped us welcome two new Lurchers into our home and our lives, Shae and Barley.
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