Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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You're so right about the options - if anyone followed me around the websites today they'd get dizzy and pass out.
Maybe yogurt's the easiest way to go - I dump some in the dogs' food every week or so but not every day. So I can do that. Does the frozen yogurt they have for dessert every night count??? Well, of course. Have added probiotics per the holistic vet but got capsules...so will switch to liquid.
Palladia was the only drug onco focused on based on the xray results. Said she's had about 20 lung met dogs on it and has had none of the potential serious side effects...so if nobody's nose fell of or extra tails grew, we'll try it. Just expecting some GI unhappiness. I'm just not ready yet to go to palliative care because I look at her and we have our ROO ROO talks and I don't think she's ready.
Thanks for the always-welcome advice and comfort!
BTW, the trainer where I'm taking my GSD for agility class rescues mastiffs. He had his latest, a female "puppy", with him last week as he's working on socializing and de-sensitizing her. Scared the %&#% out of my boy Smokey when she WOOFED from behind a half-wall in the room!
Roxie's jester, Liz (THANKS, Sally!!!!!)
Liz, I'm really sorry to hear about Roxie's x-rays. How certain are the docs that the spot(s) was a met? I sure hope it's not!
Please feel free to start a new topic in Treatment and Recovery so we don't lose track of how she's doing. That way we can help you as much as possible.
As for Palladia, you'll find a lot of information here about it. I don't have experience with it but lots of folks do so I know they'll chime in, but again, it would be easier to help if you had your own topic. I would love to see if your vet's interested in being interviewed about Palladia, we need all the info we can get about it.
We send all our love and have our paws crossed that she continues being her usual, hoppy self! Keep us posted OK?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
new topic added under Roxie Lou (Roo Roo) by the technodolt to continue this discussion...
Max has been on Palladia for 4 months and we have had no issues with GI (thankfully). Pepcid is a must, and we think the fact we make his food has helped as well (just meat, beans, rice). If the dog has a reaction a medical vacation is always a nice thing. My understanding is that Palladia doesn't build up in system or build a tolerance, so a little break is never a bad thing.
How to get it...check out bone cancer dogs.org. We got Max in on a study and get it for free. However....we do have to get weekly blood tests, bimonthly radiographs, and other tests monthly when we visit the study we are part in at NCSU. It is a lot of work. They screen you pretty though before you get accepted. And Palladia isn't a miracle drug. We hope for the best, but for us, it is a last resort. Max has done all the preventative things we can do for now, Palladia, is our fingers crossed effort.
Can they surgically remove? My oncologist said they can remove up to 13 nodules if something came back bad on one of his X-rays....
Good luck!
What great progress for you, Max, and your checkbook! The study does sound like a lot of work, but it also sounds like you're getting a lot of personal veterinary attention; I'm going to look at what's available here in CT.
I've been feeding both my dogs mostly grain-free high-protein/low carb canned with a little dry for crunch, plus supplements. Found that when Roxie's appetite dropped during IV chemo she only wanted beef-based food. So I cooked up a ground beef/bison mix with rice. First batch worked like a charm. Second batch not interested. She actually seems part-cat sometimes! I'll definitely add the Pepcid, and I've been looking at other recipes to tempt her.
Onco didn't talk about surgery and I wasn't thinking quickly enough to ask. So it's on my list for next month's followup.
Thanks very much for the ideas and suggestions. We've gotten thru this first day on Palladia and her nose hasn't fallen off, and she was roo-roo-ing at me to make dinner faster faster faster, so I'm feeling less panicked. And it really helps to hear from someone a bit ahead of us on this path. Thank you again for sharing. Best to you and Max!
-Liz and Princess Roxie
Roo Rooooooing you?? Heck yeah! All is well in HRH's kingdom...or Queendom!
I already know HRH Roxie is doing great...but so are you Liz! That great sttitude of yours is not only important for your well being, but for Roxie's too!
Dynamic duo! Lotta' empowerment going on over there!
Higs:-) 
and Roo Rooooooooooingall over the place!
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!
kciardi said
We got Max in on a study and get it for free. However....we do have to get weekly blood tests, bimonthly radiographs, and other tests monthly when we visit the study we are part in at NCSU. It is a lot of work. They screen you pretty though before you get accepted.
That's pawesome you got in on the study.
For more resources, Palladia-related and otherwise, a list of clinical trials is available here on the Tripawds Resources page. Scroll down toward the bottom. The list hasn't been updated for a while (my bad) but the schools are still doing trials.
You can also visit this Tripawds News blog post which discusses the Vet Cancer Trials website, which matches people to current clinical trials.
Our Tips and Resources forum discussion also often has clinical trial resources listed.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Good luck to Roxie! I hope you can find a study! Don't forget the Pepcid! Helps the tummy! Max did that I am not eating thing too and he got over it quickly. When in doubt.... Steak!!!!
Got the Pepcid today. I suspect that at least some of it is Her Majesty testing me to see what better food I can whip up from all the good stuff that lives in the Temple of Samsung (fridge). This morning she didn't come to supervise breakfast, so I brought her bowl to her, put it on a towel in front of her, and she did the flip-the-towel-over-this-slop thing again and gave me the whale eye. Brought the bowl back in, added some shredded grilled chicken breast, turned around and almost fell over her. She'd hopped into the kitchen b/c she couldn't wait to see the improved offering. So half went and she eventually ate almost all. By then I took pity on our quad GSD, who would eat dirtballs if you offered them, and he cleaned her bowl. I have to get up 15 minutes earlier on work days to get thru breakfast.
And tonight I grilled another 2 pounds of chicken. Which means tomorrow she'll want beef. Which is why tomorrow I'm grilling bison burgers. sigh.
But of course it's worth it!!!
-Liz
LIZ! If great atitudes and outrageous wit have any healing powers st all HRH Roxie is not only healed but has grown her chopped off leg back!!
I KNOW Roxie is having an absolute ball being withyou and watchi g to wht extremes you are willi g to go for her!!
And, seriously---you are one great pawparent!
Lots of love!
ROO ROOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sally and Hapoy 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!
Well some days all we have left is laughter. And maybe that cough I thought I heard was just her snorting behind her paw at her servant. Hope so!!
Hugs right back.
Roo ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO buf. The "buf" comes when the meal is not being served quickly enough. And since each meal is now prepared at least 3 times, there's a lot of buf-fing going on.
I have to get up 15 minutes earlier on work days to get thru breakfast.
Ohhh Karen! That is too cute! Your dad is a real trooper....has Maggie's smorgasbord in front oh him, his pristine (for the moment) white apron, and holding sweet Maggie as gently as you would any infant! This is such a treasure!
I always love it when you recount some of your experiences. They're a mixture of humor, education, fun,, sometmes a little sad, joyful, compassionate and, most of all, it brings Maggie to life for all of us and graces us with her "presence". Thank you for all you do for us:-)
And yeah, I think after looking at that picture, we can all figure out why Maggie preferred "syringe feedi g"! Look at the love:-)
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!
The things we do....what a great shot! Sally's so right about the love. They absolutely do figure out how to work it. I've been reduced to out-waiting her when I'm doing the multiple-serving prep. I make a lot of noise in the kitchen with opening the cold cut drawer in the fridge, rustle plastic wrap, scrape her bowl, and wait.....and sure, enough, her white self peers around the corner with that look. And serve and repeat. By this time I'm slipping on the puddle of drool coming from Smokey Quad GSD whose teeth have no wear because he inhales everything.
Talked to onco this morning about her appetite and the bile she threw up before breakfast. We're putting the Deramaxx on hold a few days, continuing with Palladia, and she wanted me to get Prilosec. So added that to the mix, and BIG HONKING SIGH OF RELIEF, she cleaned her supper bowl first time thru. EXTRA IC for dessert!!!
Thanks, Karen, for sharing.
Liz and Roxie
Similar to Maggie and the chicken-bad turkey-good episode, I bought a whole rotisserie chicken at the store yesterday, thinking it would come in handy to tempt Roxie's tastebuds. So tonight I shredded more grilled chicken and added the rotiss....she picked thru the store-made and ate only what I'd grilled. So of course I defrosted 2 more packages, did a quick Italian dressing marinade, and grilled more of the good stuff. Meanwhile we'll be eating rotisserie bird all damn week.
We've had a setback day today (updated in the Roxie lung mets post); I just pray we can get her feeling better.
-Liz & Roxie
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