Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Zeke is a little over 3 weeks post-amp and we took him on Monday to the Vet for a checkup and to have staples removed. His incision is healing well, but they called to say they wanted to keep him a couple nights for possible pnumonia. He had a little cough and fever when we took him in. Yesterday they called my husband and said the chest xray they did on Monday compared to the one yesterday (Wednesday) had drastically changed and they were very concerned the cancer had spread to his lungs. How does this happen when the chest xray was clear prior to amputation??? We are so devastated. He is now on antibiotics and steriods, but it is near impossible to get him to eat, although I just cooked chicken breasts and he ate almost 2 and I was able to stick one of the pills in it. My heart is breaking, I don't know how much time we have with our big boy.
Dhiannon (Zeke's Mom) & Zeke, a 7 year old male Bullmastiff, front left leg amputated on 7-12-2010 due to a joint tumor. Zeke earned his wings on 8-13-2010, we will miss our big boy forever! We love you Zeke!!
Oh I'm sooooo sorry for you and your boy Incredibly heartbreaking...I don't know what to say other than I'm thinking of you..give your boy a big hug from Maggie & I...
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
I am so sorry to read your news of Zeke. I don't know how that happens so quickly. Are they suggesting chemo?
Give your big boy a hug for us, and please keep us posted. We're also sending you a BIG Hug!
Oh! I'm so sorry, too! That is such heartbreaking news about Zeke. It is just is so soon. How unfair.
That cancer is so nasty and you just never know.
But on the bright side, several have lasted months with lung mets. So, don't give up hope! Others will chime in and tell you more.
In the meantime, lots and lots of love is coming your way from all of us here!
Comet's mom
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Oh D, we are so sorry, this is just heartbreaking.
How does it happen? Well, lung mets apparently are so microscopic that a large percentage of dogs do have them at the time of diagnosis, only the mets are too microscopic to show up on x-rays. Sadly, it happens more than anyone wants, I'm so sorry. Nobody ever really knows how quickly they can multiply. Sometimes they take a long time, sometimes practically overnight. What is the vet telling you?
Whatever happens, keep hope in your heart and remember that there have been many Tripawds here who lived a LONG time with mets. I lived seven months, and my friend Paris (search for her here), also lived about that long if not longer, with mets.
If you got him to eat that is fantastic. The steroids (prednisone I presume?) should really make a difference and they could help for a while. Just keep spoiling him rotten and remember that the reality is, nobody ever really knows how long they have on earth. One of the greatest lessons that cancer, as terrible as it is, can teach us, is to never take each day, or anypawdy, for granted. Love each day with all of the heartfelt sincerity of a dog, and you have made the world a better place. I hope that this gives you even a little bit of hope, we know how hard it is to deal with cancer.
Many, many hugs coming your way. Give Zeke a big smooch from us OK and know that we are thinking of you.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
My heart is breaking for you. I certainly wish you didn't have to face this. We'll keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Leslie
jerry said:
. . . Well, lung mets apparently are so microscopic that a large percentage of dogs do have them at the time of diagnosis, only the mets are too microscopic to show up on x-rays.
We are so very sorry to hear of Zeke's problems. Miss Cherry's first chemotherapy treatment occured just hours after the amputation in an effort to attach aggressively any cancer cells that were already in the blood stream. Just why the cancer developes in the lungs and others have much longer is one of the extreme mysteries of this dreaded illness. If you can get Zeke to eat and regain strength, he may have a fighting chance to combat these mets. There have been a number of this community that many great months after the discovery of lung mets and we will be saying a prayer that Zeke can be one of these.
Give him a big hug from all the TriPawd community.
Spirit Cherry's Dad
Oh, I am SO sorry. This is indeed devastating news especially when the xrays were clear such a short time ago.
As has already been said, don't give up hope and just keep on loving that big boy, every moment, like crazy.
Keeping you and Zeke in our thoughts,
Carmen, Catie and Riley
Catie -
Birthday – November 4 2003
Amputation – January 13 2010
Crossed the Bridge – June 2 2011
Wow, you all just amaze me!! Zeke and I thank you for your kind words, please know they mean so much to me and instantly make my heart feel better reading your posts. Jerry, thank you for the explanation on how this happened, I am learning so much and although sometimes I don't like to hear the honest answers, I also feel that I need to educate myself and truly be able to understand what is going on. The vet is supposed to call us later after talking with the Oncologist there, but he hasn't been able to track them down. We have been dealing directly with the Nuerologist this entire time. There has been no mention of chemo to this point, and I would suspect this is because Zeke really has been difficult for them to diagnose. His diagnosis of a joint tumor is still preliminary, believe it or not, they are still waiting on the final results from Colorado State University - so frustrating! He is on the steroid "Dexamethisone", I know they put him on this one prior to the amputation and he responded very well, so I'm hoping he does this time around as well.
We are spoiling him rotten for sure and not losing hope. Also Jerry, what you said about cancer and loving each day and not taking it for granted is so true. We will continue to remind ourselves of this. Thanks again for everyone's kind words and support, it is much appreciated.
Dhiannon (Zeke's Mom) & Zeke, a 7 year old male Bullmastiff, front left leg amputated on 7-12-2010 due to a joint tumor. Zeke earned his wings on 8-13-2010, we will miss our big boy forever! We love you Zeke!!
we're sure sorry to hear of zeke's set-back. paws crossed this is just a bump in a long, long road yet to travel.
charon & gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
I'm so sorry to hear about Zeke. He is such a beautiful boy. I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.
Never lose hope and do keep spoiling the handsome guy!
FortisDad
Zeke is a beautiful boy, and as Fortis Dad pointed out - Do not lose hope. There have been members here that had several months after lung mets were diagnosed. We are all here and willing to answer any questions we can. There is a huge experience base to draw from. It is likely someone here has been there and done that and are willing to tell their story.
Many good thoughts to you and Zeke!
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'm sorry to hear about Zeke's setback... 
I know you must be feeling like things are hopeless... but as you've already read here... many dogs have lived many happy months after getting lung mets... so, there is HOPE...
In the meantime... Just keep loving and spoiling your beautiful Zeke! Sending you both a big fat hug!!!
Angel Jake and Wolfie'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!
Ewwww! That news super sucks 🙁 But it's a good thing Zeke doesn't speak English or he may catch wind of what's going on! Things that helped me when Jack was first diagnosed was to remember that our dogs don't know what cancer is, they don't know that something really scary is going on in their bodies. Why does this matter? Because you get to go on living exactly how you have been! Why change anything when Zeke doesn't know anything is different? So you got some news that he's got things growing in his lungs - that just means there's more of him to love! This may sound stupid, but when I'm feeling really down (I did this almost every day at the beginning), I sit Jack down next to me, I squish his fur (now he's too skinny, so I just scratch his head), and I tell him out loud (out loud is very important...i've tried it silently and its pointless) how much fun I had with him that day and how he's such a good dog, and how much I love him. And I tell him that he has to promise me that he'll let me know somehow how he's feeling. I know he can't understand me, but it somehow makes me feel better about things to know we've had a little "chat" about life and the future. It also helps me to think about things in a different way. Bone tumors (and joint tumors I'm assuming) are really really painful. When we amputate, we take away that pain. If the tumor comes back (Jack's is in his liver), I'd much rather have it in a place where its just taking up space rather than taking away his will to enjoy life. Another thing that helps (YES! ANOTHER! I've got tons...) is to tell myself this little bit: Is Jack going to die today? No. Is Jack going to die tomorrow? I don't know, but probably not since today he's doing so well. So why am I worried NOW?! There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of! And I discovered that I was afraid of the unknown. So, I have everything planned for how Jack will move into invisible form, so when the time comes, it's more like we're carrying out a plan rather than stepping into a manic state of life. Now he just has to follow my plan 🙂 Anyhoo, I just thought I'd share some things that really help calm me down when I let my irrational fears start to take over. And one last thing...you'd better have one hell of a party planned for that one month ampuversary...
<3 Laura and Jackers (living with liver mets for 1 month!)
P.S. Sometimes we ask ourselves or others ask us why this had to happen to such good dogs? Why couldn't this happen to the horrible mean neglected dog that lives down the street?!? This is my theory: If that horrible mean dog got cancer, what would have happened? Would he have been taken to the vet, given medication to stop the pain, given treats, snuggles, squishes, and delicious meals? Would his owners have been willing to sacrifice money, time, and energy into treating their pet? Our dogs get that. Honestly, I'd take cancer on my next dog knowing that that's one doggie statistic that won't go to a mistreated animal. Kind of weird, I know, but it makes me feel strangely better...
I'm really sorry to hear about Zeke. I think about lung mets a lot with Sadie. I wasn't going to have a chest x-ray done at all because I didn't think the results would change our course of treatment. Then I thought if she had them and we cought it early, we could do something so we did them and it was negative. I was happy, but I was prepared, and almost expecting that it would be positive. That was a couple months ago. We just went back to the vet today for an unrelated issue, and did another chest x-ray. The vet showed them to me and said he was pleased because they looked great. I kept thinking I saw "something" like I'm still expecting them to be there. Is there such a thing as "x-ray addiction?" Anyway, I think my point is that Sadie can develop lung mets tomorrow, and leave this earth shortly after, and I'm always trying to prepare for that. Zeke could live with his lung mets for many months. We really are all in the same boat. Call it the "USS Live for Today" beacause we truly don't know what tomorrow will bring. Or maybe the "USS Think Like a Dog". Anyway, my thoughts and prayer are with you, and I hope my rambling wasn't too annoying.
Hugs and sloppy Sadie kisses,
Lisa & Sadie
Sadie is my 9yr old Rott/Shepherd mix. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her right scapula 1/28/10. Our brave girl had her amputation 2/13/10 and her last chemotherapy on 6/6/10. Unfortunately, a tumor appeared in her back right leg and on 10/7/2010 Sadie's earthly journey came to an end. On 10/24/2010 we adopted Ranger, a handsome Rott/Lab mix tripawd (got hit by a car) I think Sadie sent him to us.
http://ranger.t.....pawds.com/
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