Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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It looks like Zepplin probably has at least 1 lung met. 5 weeks out of chemo, this was not what we were expecting. He had clean chest films 10 weeks ago or so half way through chemo. One image on the image was very consistent with a lung met (quarter sized) and two other suspect areas. Trying to stay pawsitive and Be More Dog , but wasn't ready for this news... Radiographs being sent to another vet for a second set of eyes. So those of you who have been through this stage, what have your experiences been?
Oh, Zepplin... we got the same news today. It looks like when it rains it pours.
Sam went in for his chemo #5 and came home without it. Our tiny suspicious spot from 6 weeks ago has turned into three mets, even while on the carbo protocol, so there isn't much reason to continue the chemo.
We, like you, are scratching our heads and wondering... now what? Our instructions were to spoil the crap out of him (Dr. S's instructions, specifically) 
But I don't feel ready to quit yet.
So, I am very interested to hear what advice is coming your way from the rest of our gang here. I think we are going to get started on some of the high powered supplements and herbal stuff that we couldn't start during treatment I'd love to hear who has had luck with what and what hasn't made any difference at all. I will start by going to the nutrition forum, but would love some insight from those who have walked this path before.
I don't think any of us are ever ready for this news...
Our golden hugs and love to you in this awful time. Tomorrow I will Be More Dog .
-Samdog's mom
Samdog was a 10 yr old Golden and retired SAR dog. We found a bone mass on 8/17/12, needle biopsy showed sarcoma 8/22/12, amputation on 8/23/12, post-amp biopsy confirmed osteosarcoma on 8/28/12. Sadly, we found lung mets on 11/27/12 and my Spirit Sam earned his wings on 12/2/12.
We didn't know where we were headed and we don't regret a single step along our path. It all happened too fast, but he left a legacy of love that we will always cherish. Good bye my heart.
You can find our story at http://samdog.t.....ipawds.com
What a sad news. I hope there's something that can be done.
Dogs: Friends for life, faithful and true.
Courage is being scared to death... but saddling up anyways.- John Wayne
bikeintime.wordpress.com (will soon have Hank story)
Aw, Silver and Samdog's mom, I am so sorry that you both received such sad news. We were very fortunate that Zeus' lung met never grew or spread (unfortunately the liver met didn't have the same game plan). Angel Abby lived for 15 months with lung mets. They used traditional treatments and holistic/supplement treatments. Her mom chronicled their treatment regime in her Tripawds blog: http://poochsmo.....pawds.com/
I know it is discouraging news, but there is life after mets. Good luck to each of you.
Lisa
Zeus was a Husky mix diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at age 11. A visible lung met and suspicious spot on his liver meant a poor prognosis-six weeks was our vet's best guess. We decided to fight for our boy and his right front leg was amputated on 12/1/11. We did six rounds of chemo, changed his diet and spoiled him completely rotten. We were blessed with 10 great months after diagnosis. Against the odds, the lung met remained a single met and grew very little over those months. A wonderful furbaby with the most gentle spirit, he fought with a strength that we never imagined he possessed. We have no regrets...
http://zeuspod......pawds.com/
I'm so sorry to hear that both Zepplin and Sam have gotten this lung mets news. I still remember when we got the news. I wasn't expecting it either. I was gutted. For us it was about 8 weeks after the last chemo treatment. There were 3 mets found.
For us the oncologist recommended metronomic Palladia. We did it for a month before stopping due to terrible GI issues. The good news is that the mets only grew slightly in that month. The bad news is that it did cause terrible GI issues (but we weren't given any tummy protection meds until the GI problems started).
About the same time as the lung mets appeared Magnum started showing problems in her back leg. We would later find out that she had mets in her hip (which I don't think the Palladia helped at all). We went from a prognosis of 6 months with Palladia to losing her in 6 weeks due to the bone mets (not the lung mets).
There are some wonderful success stories out there so please don't get discouraged by our experience. BUT, while you should always plan to beat the odds, make sure you continue to savour every single moment because you just don't know what will happen next.
We will be hoping and praying that you will get many many more months with your beautiful dogs. As Lisa says, "there is life after mets".
Sending you both lots of hugs.
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
I am sorry to see so much bad news in one topic. I know it is not what anyone wants to hear. There has been many months for some after mets. Don't forget our leader, Jerry!
And for sure do not stop building those beautiful memories. Live one day at a time. Fight each battle as it presents itself. Sending good thoughts to you both.
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.
So sorry, Zepplin and Samdog. It wrenches your heart right out when you get that kind of news (of course, the dogs are just as happy as they always were!).
Wookie stopped chemo after 5 treatments due to mets (only one in the lung, but multiple mets in the ribs, lymph nodes, and skin). We had done MP with Palladia since the very start of chemo, and added Leukeran once we decided to stop the IV chemo.
Honestly, I cannot tell you whether the Palladia or Leukeran has helped. We just stopped both a few days ago since we seem to be nearing the end with Wookie and I just want him to feel as good as he can. Would his disease have spread faster without the Palladia and Leukeran? Did it make any difference? I don't know. I guess I wasn't ready to give up on treating him, and I wanted to try whatever I could.
Many dogs live many happy months with lung mets. All you can do is keep trying and give them more love than they know what to do with. 
Right hind limb amputated 7/3/12 for OSA, started on alternating cycles of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin and oral Palladia. Single lung met 9/1. Met in the neck muscle removed 9/30. Large mass in sublumbar lymph node 10/2. Rescue chemo with ifosfamide 10/6. Mets to the rib and axillary lymph node 10/21. Started Leukeran and Pred 10/25. Wookie left this Earth for a far better place on 12/4/12. I miss you, Boo, you were my heart.
I am so sorry to hear this news. What a tough blow. While the news that your pup has lung mets is devastating, there have been so many pups who have lived with lung mets for ages-- Jerry, Abby, and Zeus jump to mind. We opted not to do chemo, and Scout never developed lung mets (clear chest x-rays the day before he died). In his case, the cancer metastasized to his abdomen and spine, seemingly out of the blue. There really is no rhyme nor reason to it all-- my advice is to bury your head in the sand (i.e no more chest xrays) and enjoy the heck out of your golden boys.
Catherine
PS Zepplin-- I love your new avatar
Scout: January 31, 2002 to November 7, 2011
Scout's diagnosis was "poorly differentiated sarcoma"; amputation 1/11/2011. Scout enjoyed 9 fantastic years on 4 legs and 9 glorious months on 3 legs. If love alone could have saved you…
We've been in your shoes, and I remember how devestating the news was. Love him every single second. In our case, we kept trying treatments. We'd already done 3 rounds of carboplatin. When we found the 1st met, we tried a round of a different conventional chemo (doxyrubicon, I think). But, it didn't slow the mets. So, then we turned to metronomic chemotherapy and Palladia. Studies show that both of those slow lung met growth for some dogs. We don't know whether it helped in our case or not.
The good news, from my point of view, was that we had 4 very high quality months after the mets were discovered. K, our Lab, had been my running buddy for her whole life, and she kept running, albeit shorter distances, for 3 months post-lung-mets. And, we kept hiking pretty long distances up until the last week. So, you probably have high quality time ahead of you. In some ways, I felt like they were some of the most precious days of my life and of K's life. We hugged and played every single day.
I'm so sorry for your news. I'm sure that Jerry will post his list of links to info about treatments for lung mets when he has time. In the meantime, I'll see if I can find his reply to my message back when I found out about K's lung mets.
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
Here were the links that Jerry gave to me when K was diagnosed with lung mets. I know that he'd be chiming in if he wasn't so busy with Wyatt right now.
metronomic therapy for canine osteosarcoma metastasis jerrys experience
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
I'm with Catherine--I bury my head in the sand and do no x-rays. However, my dog did not have bone cancer but a different type. Still, twice-yearly x-rays were recommended and I opted out. I try to make every day a day that Dakota enjoys. For each dog, that's different. For Dakota, it means leaving him alone and letting him sleep, giving him a lot of physical touch and ostrich liver jerky. Whatever floats your boat, you know?
Whatever time any of your dogs has after discovering the mets, just make sure you don't drag guilt along. Leave guilt and regret at the curb. When they are gone (from mets, old age or something else), make sure you can honestly say that you loved your dog all that was possible and they knew it. Because in the end, that's all that matters. They know you love them.
And I know absolutely that they feel the distraction that all this worry brings, and they don't want you distracted. They want you. Period. The relationship with you is what is fulfillling for them. When you sit and are content in their presence and love is connecting you, then you are being more dog.
Shari
From abandoned puppy to Tripawd Warrior Dude, Dakota became one of the 2011 February Furballs due to STS. Our incredibly sweet friend lived with grace and dignity till he impulsively raced over the Bridge on 12-15-12.
Dakota's thoughtful and erudite blog is at http://shari.tr.....pawds.com/
Zepplin and Samdog, I'm sooooo sorry to hear this. Getting that news is like getting the wind knocked out of you. Even though you know in the back of your mind it'll happen some day, you're never prepared for it.
In the years since Tripawds began, we've known dogs who did great for a long time, even with mets (I made it 7 months past two very large mets that were discovered). One dog stands out above the rest, Reno, whose story is here:
Reno: 3-Years Thriving with Canine Osteosarcoma and Lung Mets
His case is the exception, but thy're out there, so you just never know. The links that KBear shared are also helpful (thank you KBear!).
The other thing is, nobody ever knows how long we have. With or without mets, nobody has an expiration date stamped on their butt (as Trouble's Mom likes to say!), so live each day to the max, and make the most of whatever time you have together. And of course, we're here for you.
{{{{hugs}}}}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm sorry you both got bad news.
Maggie had different cancers so I never dealt with lung mets. But one of the things I learned from Mag with her first cancer battle is what it means to Be More Dog . In our case her prognosis with the first cancer was 6 to 9 months WITH chemo. I made the mistake of focusing on those dates, not the dog that was right in front of me. When the second cancer diagnosis came I didn't worry about the prognosis- in fact I didn't even ask for one. I made sure every day was Mag's best day and didn't worry about what the future might bring. I couldn't treat it and didn't do any more tests. It wasn't always easy, and of course thoughts of the end would sometimes come into my mind- but as long as Mag had a good day I figured we had at least another one coming, and that was good enough.
That being said- I hope your boys are the stat busters!! I think you have to approach it that way. There are always long term survivors- no reason way Zep and Sam can't be in that group. Stay positive and optimistic until they show you there is a real reason not to be.
Karen and Spirit Maggie
I am so sorry Sam and Zeppelin 
Chili Dawg developed his lung mets at the same time it spread to his hip so we focused more on his hip pain. Don't give up yet, like the others mentioned there have been others that have lived longer with their lung mets and there's no reason NOT to think your dogs wouldn't be in that group.
Sending you hugs!
Spirit Chili Dawgs pack
Diagnosed with OSA: 5/2/2011 Ampuversary: 5/11/2011 OSA returned in hip: 8/26/2011
Chili Dawg crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 8/30/2011 & is now pain free. He was my heart dog, and I miss him every day.
Thanks all.
Today is a good day. Sam is here at work with me and getting loved on by my staff, so all is well.
We are going to start him on Power Mushrooms, some chlorophyll stuff (can't hurt), up his fish oil dose and keep him on cosequin. Of couse steak, salmon, fresh eggs, etc in addition to a little kibble - I figure it has some nutrients that I can't get to him with the people protein. And as much love, play time and swimming as he wants.
Anything else you guys would recommend that has worked for you?
Samdog was a 10 yr old Golden and retired SAR dog. We found a bone mass on 8/17/12, needle biopsy showed sarcoma 8/22/12, amputation on 8/23/12, post-amp biopsy confirmed osteosarcoma on 8/28/12. Sadly, we found lung mets on 11/27/12 and my Spirit Sam earned his wings on 12/2/12.
We didn't know where we were headed and we don't regret a single step along our path. It all happened too fast, but he left a legacy of love that we will always cherish. Good bye my heart.
You can find our story at http://samdog.t.....ipawds.com
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