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Tazzie's results: haircut by haircut
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Winnipeg
Member Since:
13 July 2009
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30 September 2009 - 6:12 pm
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Pam & Tazzie

Thanks again. I saw your post on this thread after the one on the 'ask a vet' page. The details of dosage are really useful in helping us sort through this. Still leaning toward the metronomics rather than Palladia. Just read about Palladia on the Dressler blog (40% with mast cell tumors improved for a period of three months). We can't get Palladia up here anyway.

The Artemisinin from Holley pharmac arrived. I will probably confirm dosage with you in a day or so before beginning that. I also ordered a related product from the other company you mentioned but have not seen it yet.

Susan & T2

Kirkland, WA
Member Since:
2 June 2009
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30 September 2009 - 7:02 pm
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Hi Susan!  Just wanted to let you know that even though it sucks that the tumor was an osteosarcoma met, all that matters is that Tazzie is just as darling as ever and wants to have FUN!!!  He's just adorable and you tell him to keep it up because he's such an inspawration to everyone 🙂

<3 Laura and Jackers

Wesley Chapel, FL
Member Since:
13 September 2009
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1 October 2009 - 4:32 am
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Hi Susan and Tazzie,

I'm so sorry about the latest pathology results... I hope that whatever treatments you and your oncologist do decide on... do the trick! Jake and I are sending you a big hug!!!

Jake's Mom

Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!

Oregon
Member Since:
19 September 2009
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2 October 2009 - 9:56 pm
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Luvs and hugs from Sh and mom.. Sorry about the latest results, I hope they can find something else to do the trick... Please keep up posted.

Alisa & Shilo

Shilo diagnosed with osteosarcoma 9/4/2009, amputation 9/9/2009. ShiloAnne lost her battle 11/23/2009 where she regained her fourth leg and is patiently waiting for her parents to join her. We will always love you baby girl.

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30 September 2009
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4 October 2009 - 3:11 pm
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Polo and Tazzie have the same attitude--we're thinking about you. Earlier today, I was in the den (Polo was in the front room with mom) and he came running in there and jumped on the couch to say hi--like he always does. That got me thinking--I put a gate on the stairs. You mentioned Tazzie charging down the stairs--how the heck does that work!!! I let Polo do what he wants within reason (No jumping into the car). I'm worried he'll break his leg, but I was worried about a lot of things that he is now squashing...

Jerry mentioned no activity until the stitches come out. I'm leaning that way (makes since), but Polo sure does want to go for a walk. My Doc says light activity to promote circulation.

I found this post interesting because we don't have an oncologist--good to compare notes. We've discussed options and medications with our Doc but I told him that I don't want to know everything.

Does anyone use a boot on the front leg? I'm thinking about getting one since going for walks in my neighborhood means hitting the streets--I'm worried about wearing out his pads.

Polo and Mike

Polo Jones, Golden Retriever, Shalimar FL

Winnipeg
Member Since:
13 July 2009
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4 October 2009 - 4:17 pm
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Hi Polo

Polo sure does look "humble and loving" as you described in another post or blog.

I bet Polo will be charging down stairs if you have them. Tazzie is a decent sized dog (most people call him a horse, but at 75 lb that is only mid-sized or smallish for the tripawd crowd). He takes two steps at a time, which makes sense since the other front leg is not there to do the alternate step. When he takes three at a time, I get concerned. I'll have to get it on video. But Tazzie's amputation was July 15. The current stitches are not from that! He was not nearly as active as Polo following his amputation.

Unlike you, I so wish there was an oncologist in town (and a heated swimming pool for winter!) It is hard for a cancer specialist to stay on top of everything, let alone a GP vet. If your vet has someone to call, such as an oncologist, that is great.

Member Since:
30 September 2009
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4 October 2009 - 5:32 pm
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Well Tazzie is certainly a good looking boy and brave--I reckon Polo will have to follow his example. We do have stairs. For the now, my wife has converted our front livingroom into our living/bedroom so we don't have to use them--I gated them. I'm not sure if our Doc is consulting with an oncologist--I'll ask him.

Polo Jones, Golden Retriever, Shalimar FL

Winnipeg
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13 July 2009
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4 October 2009 - 5:53 pm
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We were away from this home when Tazzie was diagnosed. There were only a few steps into the house where we lived this summer. (He did climb steep basement stairs the day after I got him to the house where we stayed following surgery. Ugh I did not mean for him to do that.)

We returned to this house, with loads of steps, at about 7 weeks post-amp. I had expected to move beds and everything down to the main floor. But Tazzie seems fine on the stairs. They are covered by carpet. I would not want him to be doing what he is doing if there was no carpet. He did a bit of sliding on two wooden steps to the kitchen and the rest of the lino kitchen floor, but matts on that floor helped. 

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30 September 2009
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9 October 2009 - 4:49 pm
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Catching up—yea our floors look like an Arab Rug Souk... I think Polo will conquer the stairs—he’s not afraid of anything. We need to conquer our fear.

Polo Jones, Golden Retriever, Shalimar FL

Winnipeg
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13 July 2009
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9 October 2009 - 7:52 pm
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Hi Everyone

Thought I'd post an update before the big weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving - true to form it started snowing today). I haven't read much on the tripawd site this week, but of course cried a river when reading Jacki's post. I sure hope you are holding up okay Jacki - well, none of us do right away, but hopefully the good memories will start to make you smile. You have lots to smile about with Macleod.

This week, in the world that revolves around Tazzie:

Medically, we started metronomics (Cytoxan) on Wednesday. We are following Maximutt's protocol, which is a whopping 25 mg per day. This is higher than usual for our tripawd dogs, but the oncologist recommending it has lots of dogs of our size (Max and Tazzie size, ~75 lb) on this protocol.

After reading up on Cytoxan for humans (that was probably a mistake), I started boiling heaps of vegies so that I can coax Tazzie to drink large quantities of water, so that we can flush that bladder out frequently.

It is getting a bit taxing: give the drug on an empty stomach with water; feed him a bit later; give him another drug with a "small meal" at some time of day, and so on. (Did most of you giving Cytoxan simply give it with a regular meal?) Hopefully I can draw up a food and drug and follow it. I need to start relaxing and enjoying the fact that he still feels happy and healthy. Devoting so much time to treatment definitely gets in the way of enjoying our time together. (Things were going really well for a few weeks of regular chemo, but we lost ground when the met was found.) The stitches from the lump that was removed 2 weeks ago are still in (slow to heal due to the chemo), which means he has been wearing a cone a lot and his activity has been somewhat curtailed - and it is horrible to curtail a cancer's dog activity. You want them to do as much as dogly possible! It is one thing to curtail your dog's activity for 2 weeks when you are looking forward to years of life. Quite another when you don't know how many days, weeks or months are ahead.

Good medical news today: we did routine blood work (amazing that he has any blood left). Liver enzymes were all normal, BIG YAY, allaying the fear that the one high liver value in the previous work was showing an increase due to cancer. In fact everything, even anemia (YAY), was just ticketyboo except for that darn creatinine, which is still a bit high. Overall, pretty pleased with these results.

 My neighbors invited Tazzie, and me as his companion, to their cottage on a lake tomorrow. So Tazzie might get his last swim of the year, although given the weather I can't say for sure. (My vet gave him permission to swim even though he still has stitches.) In any case, he will be around people who adore him and will have a grand time. 

Susan and Tazzie 2

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9 October 2009 - 9:36 pm
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I hear you on treatment mode—glad I read this post. One, for the metronomics info and....I know this forum is for our dogs treatment and recovery—but it sure helps me to hear the human side. I cannot remember if I’ve written about this before but we lost our first born, Buddy, Polo’s adopted brother adopted, German Shepherd/Chow. last year to a brief (one week) illness and our last moments together, though loving were horrible. He was so sick and it ended so fast. Had I known how fast, I would have done things different and Bubba’s last car ride would have been different. Like you, I don’t want to waste time, which already works against our dogs. Saving a few months means very little in the big picture and I will not regret anything. Polo’s at an age when anything can happen so I’m going to make sure we do things like going to see loved ones at the Lake. The plan is to keep Polo with us for as close as possible to his natural life span but everyday is one closer.

Take care and have fun at the cottage. Polo and Mike

Polo Jones, Golden Retriever, Shalimar FL

Oregon
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19 September 2009
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9 October 2009 - 9:46 pm
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Susan so glad to hear of the good news with the results. You are so good to Tazzie trying to keep up with all those treatments he has got going. It is so tough, isn't it. I think it is great you are taking Tazzie to the cottage and I hope that he gets that swim in, I am sure he would love it.

Shilo is all into the going bye-bye everywhere, and although I used to not let her go very often. Now I always have thoughts in my mind to make everyday count, and so she goes. Of course is eating up every minute of this spoiling she has been getting last last few months.

Making them all count, that is what it is all about right?? You 2 enjoy your weekend.. We look forward to hearing of the great time you had when you get back. 🙂

Alisa & Shilo

Shilo diagnosed with osteosarcoma 9/4/2009, amputation 9/9/2009. ShiloAnne lost her battle 11/23/2009 where she regained her fourth leg and is patiently waiting for her parents to join her. We will always love you baby girl.

Cordoba, Argentina
Member Since:
20 August 2009
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88
10 October 2009 - 8:53 am
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Glad to hear your results were OK.

You two go and have a pawesome weekend!

How nice of your neighbours to ask you too... and not only Tazzie WinkerWinker

Take care and enjoy yourselves in water or snow or whatever!!!

Hugs

Cecilia

Spirit Horacia, Castaño, Olympia + human family Cecilia, Georg and Julia - - - Hori first diagnosed 8/6/09, ampu 8/12/09, run over the bridge 9/10/09 – We miss you every day dear girl!

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