Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi Everyone, our Cooper had his leg amputated at the end of July of this year when we discovered he had osteosarcoma. He completed 4 rounds of carboplatin very soon after and is now on metroneumic (sp) therapy as well as palladia. so far he is 5 months and his bloodwork and his scans have all been clear but we never stop worrying. I know that there are some great stories on here (from a dog Charly and another Vizsla Bart in particular) that have given us a lot of hope that Cooper can be with us for a lot longer than the 12-18 mth expectancy. I know that a lot of it is not in our hands, however I want to be sure that we are doing everything we can to help our little guy who will turn 7 tomorrow! Does anyone know what types of therapies/medications/chemo that survivors or dogs that have lived 2+ years have followed? We went to a nutritionist and now cook for him and give him supplements such as milk thistle (for liver), fish oil, BalanceIt powder, and meat/veggies/quinoa/sweetpotato. we are also starting MSM joint supplement as directed by our doctor.
Is there anything we are missing? Also, when do mets usually start to show in the lungs? I feel like we are so lucky but then each time a vet appt gets closer I get sick to my stomach that we will find something. he is the greatest pup to our family and deserves the best shot. reading the success stories on here makes us feel so much better so thank you!
I truly think it all depends on the dog and the circumstance. I know of some who have been on therapies and been successful and others not so much. Trouble made it 27 1/2 months with only joint supplements and a diet to keep her trim after amputation and chemo. In addition our vet didn't believe in doing further diagnostic lung x-ray unless there were symptoms indicating a problem.
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.
I have a local friend, Cemil, a 150 pound Anatolian Shepherd front amp. He is over 5 years past his amp and he didn't do any chemo.
My little pug Maggie did do chemo after her amp for mast cell cancer and lived almost 4 years and did not pass from mast cell. Her prognosis when we started chemo was 6 to 9 months.
All you can do is your best, and live each day to the fullest. It took me months to learn that with Maggie. I thought the 6 to 9 months was written in stone somewhere. When we got to 6 months I waited for her to disappear. Then we got to 9 months and she kept going. All the time I was expecting the worst Maggie was living her spoiled pug life and not worrying about a thing. I finally realized I had done what I could and I needed to enjoy each day we had together.
For us with mast cell cancer the vet visits were abdominal ultrasounds not X-rays, but I do know what you mean. Once I decided not to do any more aggressive treatments I stopped the checkup ultrasounds. I wanted Maggie to enjoy her life and not spend so much time a the vet.
I hope Cooper blows the stats out of the water!
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,
Glad your Cooper is doing so well so far, and I agree with Shanna and Karen......there are so many successful stories, and not so successful here, but we all do what we feel is right for our pups and kitties. And like Sally and many others say, this cancer journey is a total crap shoot most of the time. And I agree with your assessment of always getting sick to your stomach when periodic testing is being done.....the stress was almost too much to deal with....
I also can't really add to what had already been said by Shanna and Karen, my Polly had to fight an entirely different cancer with hemangiosarcoma.....this is an awful, aggressive cancer that is a time-bomb that will go off way sooner than later, so I had to come to terms with most likely losing her very soon, although we did beat her prognosis of 3-6 months with chemo ( which we did do), she lived 13+ months.....
It sounds like you are doing anything and everything to ensure the health of Cooper, and that is awesome.....I always think that for as much love and care we give our special and much loved pets fighting cancer, that they should almost live forever.....and yes, like Karen said, I also hope he blows stats out of the water.....!!
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Hi Cooper ! Happy 7th Birthday !
To your mom: I'm exactly in the same boat with Johnnie, 7-months post-amp and very anxious in the post-chemo phase, wondering what else I could do.
Besides a home-cooked no-grain low-carb diet since the diagnosis, I started K-9 Immunity Plus very early, still doing the chemo, and in my view it helped a lot to keep his blood work in good order. This is now a permanent part of his diet, six chews a day, 3 with lunch and 3 with dinner. One month after chemo I started him on Apocaps , and now he takes it twice a day (2x 3 capsules), and whenever possible an extra 3 capsules before bedtime. It is an expensive supplement, but decided to give it a try. Charley the Chocolate Lab takes K-9 Immunity and Artemisinin (Arte).
Johnnie's 3-month checkup is due now in January and I am already getting very uptight, although he seems to be fine. We have already completed 1 year and 3 months since he started limping. If he had been properly diagnosed from the beginning, he probably would have had surgery in December 2013.
Daniela
Our awesome Golden Boy was diagnosed for OSA in April 2014 in the proximal humerus, front-leg amp on 05/20/2014. Finished chemo (Carbo6) on 07/10/2014. Ongoing treatment: acupuncture + K-9 Immunity Plus ( 3chews) and home-cooked no-grain diet. Stopped Apocaps because of liver issues. Liver issues: controlling altered enzymes with SAM-e and Milk Thistle. October 17: started having seizures. Taking fenobarbital for seizures. April 18: started prednisone.
Wow! I Appreciate each and every one of your inputs and great success stories. it is true that I have to live more in the moment (we literally do not want to plan vacation for our family knowing he may be at a medical boarding facility and something may change while we are gone for a few days). I feel like acting like that is exactly how Karen described it (like he is supposed to disappear soon with nothing to change it). I am slowly learning to just appreciate the fact that he is here with us and doing so great that he is even playing with his toys again, something he didn't do for much of this year! RedBank hospital has been wonderful but I also like to hear of recommendations such as the Artemisinin and apocaps that I will definitely look into! I did ask about K9 Immunity and the nutritionist recommended to us BalanceIt but I want to now compare the two and see what the benefits are and possibly switch him.
I met a woman who fed her dog puperoni as a snack every day and he lived until 22! it is so crazy how you can try to follow the rules the best you can and something like this can happen to the poor guy. I am not on here often but will definitely follow your stories and am grateful you took the time to post and make us feel a little better!
......"Ice cream!!! Give Cooper a scoop of ice cream everyday!! Two M&Ms and let uim eat some deer poop!"
Oh my goodness! Every now and then Happy Hannah is able to break into my computer from up at the Bridge and add her two cents worth!!!!
Youve really gotten godd adice...I just want to reiterate the BEST advice...
LIVE IN THE MOMENT!!! BE MORE COOPER!!!! Do NOT let ANYTHING rob you of your time together!!!! To worry about the future takes you out of the present and prevents you from enjoyingnwhat is REAL....and right now is what is REAL!!! That stupid piece of crap disease can NEVER win as long as you stay FULLY PRESENT and in the NOW! To do otherise gives in......takes away from the joy and happiness you have now with Cooper....and you are waaaaaay to strong to give in!!
No one knows about tomorrow and Cooper certainly does not have a time frame stamped on his butt!! Well, I dont think so anyway....go look at his butt right now....do you see anything stamped on his but.....other than Be More Dog
?!
Everyone have a scoop of ice cream tonight in honor of Cooper!!! And we'd love to see pictures!!!
Hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Cooper is having great quality!!! And yes, longevity is great, but without QUALITY it means nothing!!
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!
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