Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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This is truly sad news. Here's to lots of pizza in your future Zeke! Take good care of your mom.
Angel Ruthie's Mom
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I am so sorry ... and believe me I know exactly how you feel. Magic's lung mets showed up about 3 weeks or so after surgery and it was a huge surprise since the lungs had been clear at surgery. As everyone has said, even this doesn't necessarily mean to lose hope, but to love every minute you have with him. It is an awful ugly disease and there are absolutely no absolutes....we can only make the best decisions we know how to make on a day by day basis with love and all the info we can gather. Some have longer than others, but it is the quality of the time we have that is important.
Hugs to all of you.
Thank you all! Diane, I am so sorry about Magic, like you said, it was such a surprise when the xrays were clear at surgery. We will not lose hope. Ruthie's Mom, I am so sorry too....gosh this awful disease doesn't make it easy. Zeke doesn't want to eat anything, I'm really getting worried. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get him to eat? He started an appetite stimulant yesterday, but tonight I couldn't even get him to eat enough to take that pill. He had some chicken and turkey baby food this morning, but he wouldn't eat fresh steak, a hamburger or chicken tonight. This is scaring me. If we can't get him to eat, how can we give him the pills to see if they will help? Arrrgghhh!!! 
It's just not fair! Thanks to everyone for spending the time to post replies, you all are so wonderful, I know there are so many others out there who have gone through this or are currently going through this and it means a lot to us to hear of your experiences.
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!!
I, too want to add how sorry I am to hear the bad news about Zeke. It's so unfair.
I know Diane had issues with eating but I think it was because he knew she was always popping him a pill! She tried many things and found some dog biscuits and tri-tip (but you tried that already)
You may have to finger the pill all the way to the back of his throat until he swallows. I use peanut butter on a stick. (the handle of a plastic knife) If he'll open his mouth, you can scrape the peanut butter behind his teeth.
Here's a quicky video:
Wishing you all the best with many hugs,
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.
I just want to say I'm so very sorry to hear about the lung mets. Its not fair but its so important to remember that Zeke's still Zeke in that he doesn't know he's sick.. he doesn't know that he has mets. Just try to enjoy all you can now.
You made the right choice with the amp based on current vet stats, pain relief & giving him the best odds at a longer life.. you did the best you could & you still are. 🙂 I've known of dogs that have lived over a year with mets so you never know.
Wishing you guys tons & tons of time together!!
Jenna & Zak
I'm so sorry to hear your bad news. Sadie is a complete chow hound. I could put dirt inside a hot dog and she would eat it because it was in a hot dog. So when she wouldn't take her pain meds after surgery, even if I put it in a piece of steak, I was worried. I ended up getting pill pockets, which to my amazement worked. It's had mixed reviews here, but might be worth a shot. The main thing is to put the pill inside without touching it to the outside. Somehow, it masks the smell and tast of the pill. I hope you have the chance to give Zeke his very favoritist things in the whole world, and that you get to keep spoiling him for a long time to come.
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/
I'm so sorry to hear about Zeke.
It just isn't fair.
Damn damn damn, damn cancer!
Yes, spoil that boy big time...he knows you love him big time.
Here's to a miracle of more good times.
hugs,
Denise
Kona turned 9yrs on April 16, 2010.
Kona was diagnosed Memorial Weekend 2010 with osteosarcoma.
Right rear leg amputated on June 4th. First chemo June 18th 2010
Second chemo July 9th, 2010 Third and final (yea !!!) chemo July 30th, 2010
ONE TOUGH GIRL this Australian Cattledog !
***Kona's journey/fight ended late in the evening of December 22, 2010***
We Love you so much Kona….always
Bella 9yrs, albino lab/aussie shep/pit?(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind (from birth) in one eye limited vision in other.(laid back, ok lazy 73 lbs)
Cotton, 5yrs, albino hound/terrier of somesort/???(abandoned in mts as a puppy) deaf & blind in one eye(from birth), excellent vision in seeing eye. (ball addict…destroyer of Kong balls…yes,etc), high energy 55lbs knots of muscle)
Kona Kai's pup brother and sister as well as her buddy and playmate cat, Shaymous 12yrs (like Seamus), miss her terribly.
That's a helpful video Comet, thanks.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I am so sorry to hear about Zeke! He is such a big sweet boy. Is he on prednisone yet? That often makes them feel better and can increase appetite. He was on a lot of antibiotics before when pneumonia was suspected and those may be causing anorexia so ask your vet about stopping those if he doesn't need them.
Pam
So sorry to hear this about Zeke, he is a beautiful boy. I think if they go thru the amputation, there should some God issued guarantee of at least 6 months!
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Please give him a big old hug and pet the soft hair on his snout for me!
Hello,
Here is a copy of a post I did in another thread. It was for Alexander, I didn't change the reference- just copy and paste. These are just some things I learned dealing with a pug who didn't want to eat:
I can really relate to how frustrating it is when the pups won't eat. Maggie had several medical issues which made feeding her a chore for her last 3 months. As I recall she ate OK after her amp and through chemo. But those last months were tough. Here are a couple of things I learned, maybe they will help.
Make sure your hands are clean when feeding, no scented soap, no lotion. Mag would turn away from my hands if I had put lotion on them.
Don't show your frustration in front of Alexander- he will react to it. And don't force too much. Mag could read when I got too uptight and actually went outside to avoid me trying to feed her. So I would offer food and if she didn't eat it I would just try the next thing.
Is there someone who doesn't usually feed him available to try? Sometimes Mag would eat for my dad but not for me. She would eat cookies from the vet techs- but when I brought the same cookies home she wouldn't take them from me.
Try a change of scenery-feed him where he doesn't usually eat.
Never hide meds in food. If Mag found a pill in cheese as an example, she wouldn't eat cheese for weeks.
Sometimes if I put a piece of food in her mouth she would start eating. Don't force too much though…
For the foods she would eat- it was really hit or miss. One memorable day she refused chicken but ate turkey!!
I did find that she would always take pub cheese- I got it at Trader Joe's. Basically its whipped cheddar cheese. I could put a bit on my finger and she would lick it off. Sometimes a little cheese was enough to get her to eat on her own.
I ended up syringe feeding her for most of the last two months. I tried several foods but she would almost always eat canned food from Merick (I think). I ran it through a blender to make gruel and fed her that way. She actually really liked it most of the time. Of course she was really small- you would need a pretty big syringe for a Dane.
Karen
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