Life as a Tri-pawd

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Your feelings are so similar to what I went through with the back and forth. I will say looking back now once Katy was about a month post-op and seemingly back to her normal self I realized just how much pain she had been in prior to the surgery. She has a very high pain tolerance (we learned that through all the knee issues) but in those couple months before the amp she had really slowed down and was much more reserved. It shows just how much pain she was in with the shoulder tumor. Her spirits are much brighter without that leg/pain.

It did happen so fast once we got the diagnosis and it was such a roller coaster for us because at first, they thought she had hemangiosarcoma which is far less treatable so I was going through all the research etc. When we got the diagnosis of osteosarcoma is was actually kind of a relief because we at least had some options to work with. You need to just kind of take it one step at a time. That's what we do. Right now we're focused on the after-chemo time even though there is that underlying dread of the January scan. I try to keep that buried.

I should clarify that the leg/shoulder with the osteosarcoma was her front left leg. Her ACL/Cruciate surgeries were in both her back legs so the concern was to be down to literally one good leg. Ortho vet thought she could handle it and she has. I have heard though that the location of an ACL/cruciate repair can often be the spot where osteo starts, but that wasn't the case with us.

 

[sara_s]

Oh yes, I am definitely on this roller coaster. I burst into tears any time I try to talk about it with DH, and I'm not usually like that. And I totally get what you're saying about change in behavior - Ciara is out of sorts today, probably in a decent amount of pain from all the activity yesterday. She does pull on her walks, but has slowed down considerably in the last month or two.

One step at a time is good advice, and it will take me a lot of work to keep reminding myself of that. Also a lot of meditation and prayer...anything will help.

I understand the front leg amputations can be a lot more difficult - and I'm so glad your pup has recuperated well with it. I get the sense that Ciara's ACL injury lent itself to this diagnosis. The type of osteosarcoma she has is chondroblastic, which affects the joint cartilage, but apparently spreads more slowly, which is another reason they thought she was a good candidate for the treatment.

All the signs are pointing in this direction, and I'm trying to stay positive that it will work for us too.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Oh yes, I am definitely on this roller coaster. I burst into tears any time I try to talk about it with DH, and I'm not usually like that. And I totally get what you're saying about change in behavior - Ciara is out of sorts today, probably in a decent amount of pain from all the activity yesterday. She does pull on her walks, but has slowed down considerably in the last month or two.

One step at a time is good advice, and it will take me a lot of work to keep reminding myself of that. Also a lot of meditation and prayer...anything will help.

I understand the front leg amputations can be a lot more difficult - and I'm so glad your pup has recuperated well with it. I get the sense that Ciara's ACL injury lent itself to this diagnosis. The type of osteosarcoma she has is chondroblastic, which affects the joint cartilage, but apparently spreads more slowly, which is another reason they thought she was a good candidate for the treatment.

All the signs are pointing in this direction, and I'm trying to stay positive that it will work for us too.

Will be thinking of you. Please post questions or anything. It is such a hard decision to make and the day of the surgery I was a complete mess. Broke out in tears all day! Then such a range of emotions when seeing her for the first time post-amp... Each day gets easier, but I admit I have this fear laying low just waiting for the cancer to return.

I have read that the point of ACL/Cruciate repairs can be a starting point for the cancer. Even though Katy had it in both knees it isn't where hers started. She's literally on her last good leg now.

 

[sara_s]

Will be thinking of you. Please post questions or anything. It is such a hard decision to make and the day of the surgery I was a complete mess. Broke out in tears all day! Then such a range of emotions when seeing her for the first time post-amp... Each day gets easier, but I admit I have this fear laying low just waiting for the cancer to return.

I have read that the point of ACL/Cruciate repairs can be a starting point for the cancer. Even though Katy had it in both knees it isn't where hers started. She's literally on her last good leg now.

Thanks so much. I hear ya, that will be a challenge for us as well. It's really not a matter of if but when it will come back. Cancer is such a nasty thing.

I think right now my questions mostly surround the recovery. What's normal, what's not, how much pain can I expect her to be in and is that pain manageable? We are lucky in that this hospital keeps the dogs post-op for the first 2 nights, and they administer local anesthetic directly to the area through a port. After that, I feel like we're on our own and this vet office is 30 mins away, too far to just jump in the car and go at a moment's notice.

As you can tell, the second guessing has happened again.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Thanks so much. I hear ya, that will be a challenge for us as well. It's really not a matter of if but when it will come back. Cancer is such a nasty thing.

I think right now my questions mostly surround the recovery. What's normal, what's not, how much pain can I expect her to be in and is that pain manageable? We are lucky in that this hospital keeps the dogs post-op for the first 2 nights, and they administer local anesthetic directly to the area through a port. After that, I feel like we're on our own and this vet office is 30 mins away, too far to just jump in the car and go at a moment's notice.

As you can tell, the second guessing has happened again.

We did the surgery at K State Vet School which was 3 hours from our home which made things more difficult. Katy stayed for 3 nights for pain management. It sucked having to put her through a 3-hour car ride to come home but she was pretty drugged up. There was an electricity outage at the hospital when we picked her up so it was kind of chaotic. They gave us a bag of all the meds and stuff to take and discussed all the med schedules, etc. We arrived home 3 hours later only to realize that they had forgotten to put the Tylenol/Codeine in the sack they gave us. Since it is a controlled substance they were supposed to put it in at the check-out or something and forgot. So we were in Omaha on a Saturday afternoon with no pain meds! K-State couldn't call the meds into a pharmacy because it was across state lines and you can't do that for narcotics. They called a local emergency vet but they refused to prescribe and said we'd have to bring Katy in for a full workup with blood work etc. We didn't want to put her through getting back in the car and going to so all that with her pain meds now worn off! My husband was so outraged that he went to our local vet clinic that had closed at 1 PM (it was 3:30 at this point) and the lights were on so he pounded on the door repeatedly. By sheer luck, our vet was in the back doing some paperwork and she is an angel and opened to the door to my crazy, angry (not at her) husband. She immediately gave the prescription so we could get it at Walgreens.

Really for the first week, Katy was pretty drugged up and just slept in her bed in the living room. She didn't have much interest in doing anything. We just stayed around her and petted and loved on her which she seemed to appreciate. My other dog was scared of her and her condition and steered clear. She did have a little sign of infection starting as she was being dismissed from the hospital so she also was on some antibiotics for a couple weeks which took care of it. The first 2 weeks were the toughest on her and us. About the 2 week mark, something seemed to kind of click and she was more her normal self and things got much easier and it was just a matter of watching and learning what limitations she might have. Any guilt we had about doing the amp disappeared at that point. We were filled with it those first 2 weeks! Those will be the hardest and you will second guess yourself like crazy. It will pass though, I promise!

It might be different for a back leg amp vs. front, but now she hops more than walks and therefore she goes at a faster pace. I had to buy a long leash so I didn't have to run so fast to keep up with her. When she's running it is actually more normal and seems easier for her than when walking, to be honest. It is more difficult for her to control her speed sometimes so I make sure I'm at her side when going down the stairs because I don't want her to fall or something and break her one good leg! Once she took off after a squirrel in the backyard and got going so fast that I think she forgot she was missing the leg and took a tumble with a somersault that scared me, but she seemed fine (that was after being fully healed). You'll also notice that they naturally take the one leg and start to position into more of a central spot like a tripod that will help with balance and the one leg will bulk up with new muscles!

One thing that I have noticed about Katy and others have mentioned in the Facebook group is that she is more affectionate now. She seems to lean against me and block me so that I have to stop and pet her more often than she used to. She's a golden retriever so she's always been glued to my side and affectionate, but it is even more pronounced now. It doesn't seem to be in a dependent way though, more like an "I love you so much I can't stand it" way. In some ways, it almost feels like a thank you and trying to get in every possible love while she can.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My dog's was on his front (left) leg, also.

I agree that either way, there will be some tough feelings to get through. But it sounds like the OP's dog will do well with the treatment plan.

It is nice to see how many people here are willing to go so far for their pets! It makes some of the heartbreaking stories out there a little more bearable.

And WOW to the above story about the pain meds! Your primary vet is a saint!

 

[sara_s]

We did the surgery at K State Vet School which was 3 hours from our home which made things more difficult. Katy stayed for 3 nights for pain management. It sucked having to put her through a 3-hour car ride to come home but she was pretty drugged up. There was an electricity outage at the hospital when we picked her up so it was kind of chaotic. They gave us a bag of all the meds and stuff to take and discussed all the med schedules, etc. We arrived home 3 hours later only to realize that they had forgotten to put the Tylenol/Codeine in the sack they gave us. Since it is a controlled substance they were supposed to put it in at the check-out or something and forgot. So we were in Omaha on a Saturday afternoon with no pain meds! K-State couldn't call the meds into a pharmacy because it was across state lines and you can't do that for narcotics. They called a local emergency vet but they refused to prescribe and said we'd have to bring Katy in for a full workup with blood work etc. We didn't want to put her through getting back in the car and going to so all that with her pain meds now worn off! My husband was so outraged that he went to our local vet clinic that had closed at 1 PM (it was 3:30 at this point) and the lights were on so he pounded on the door repeatedly. By sheer luck, our vet was in the back doing some paperwork and she is an angel and opened to the door to my crazy, angry (not at her) husband. She immediately gave the prescription so we could get it at Walgreens.

What a nightmare! God bless your husband - I would have been panicking!

Really for the first week, Katy was pretty drugged up and just slept in her bed in the living room. She didn't have much interest in doing anything. We just stayed around her and petted and loved on her which she seemed to appreciate. My other dog was scared of her and her condition and steered clear. She did have a little sign of infection starting as she was being dismissed from the hospital so she also was on some antibiotics for a couple weeks which took care of it. The first 2 weeks were the toughest on her and us. About the 2 week mark, something seemed to kind of click and she was more her normal self and things got much easier and it was just a matter of watching and learning what limitations she might have. Any guilt we had about doing the amp disappeared at that point. We were filled with it those first 2 weeks! Those will be the hardest and you will second guess yourself like crazy. It will pass though, I promise!

Ciara can tend to be a lazy dog, but she does like to eat and go on walks, so if she's not doing that, it will be noticeable. I am insisting on an antibiotic - we didn't get one with the biopsy and we ended up having an extra week of drugs because the incision was irritated. I just want to knock it out before it becomes an issue.

It might be different for a back leg amp vs. front, but now she hops more than walks and therefore she goes at a faster pace. I had to buy a long leash so I didn't have to run so fast to keep up with her. When she's running it is actually more normal and seems easier for her than when walking, to be honest. It is more difficult for her to control her speed sometimes so I make sure I'm at her side when going down the stairs because I don't want her to fall or something and break her one good leg! Once she took off after a squirrel in the backyard and got going so fast that I think she forgot she was missing the leg and took a tumble with a somersault that scared me, but she seemed fine (that was after being fully healed). You'll also notice that they naturally take the one leg and start to position into more of a central spot like a tripod that will help with balance and the one leg will bulk up with new muscles!

Yes, not sure how it affects their spines or anything, but the doctor indicated that they figure out their balance/gait and it takes a little bit to adjust to, but since she is already lifting that leg, having the extra weight and pain gone will make it relatively easy to adjust. Doc also mentioned that the running looks more natural because they figure out the "order" that the legs touch down.

One thing that I have noticed about Katy and others have mentioned in the Facebook group is that she is more affectionate now. She seems to lean against me and block me so that I have to stop and pet her more often than she used to. She's a golden retriever so she's always been glued to my side and affectionate, but it is even more pronounced now. It doesn't seem to be in a dependent way though, more like an "I love you so much I can't stand it" way. In some ways, it almost feels like a thank you and trying to get in every possible love while she can.

So sweet. I think I'm a little afraid this will change Ciara's sweet personality but as long as she's not in pain, that's the most important to me. Some of the other posts in the FB group were disconcerting, esp. the short lifespan after surgery and chemo, as well as complications that come up with chemo... One step at a time, right?

My dog's was on his front (left) leg, also.

I agree that either way, there will be some tough feelings to get through. But it sounds like the OP's dog will do well with the treatment plan.

It is nice to see how many people here are willing to go so far for their pets! It makes some of the heartbreaking stories out there a little more bearable.

And WOW to the above story about the pain meds! Your primary vet is a saint!

I agree! Everyone on here has been so great about sharing experiences and you have no idea how comforting that is at this point. My husband said something interesting a couple days ago....imagine if someone else had adopted Ciara and they were willing to do this for her, but we weren't. She relies on us as much as we do on her for comfort. We want to keep her safe and healthy as possible, and that's why we feel this is the best decision. It may mean I have to convince myself of that every day, but I know deep down it's the right thing to do for her (and us).

 

[monsterkitty]

This is a huge decision and very scary! Every dog will be different. Staying ahead of the pain will be a big thing, just like when we have surgery.

Truthfully, I hid the osteosarcoma Facebook page. I found it more depressing than helpful.

Like ShelsGoingToDisney, Dug lost his front left leg. He doesn't go for walks anymore, we call them hops. In fact, we often call him Happy Hoppy because he is so happy and he hops! His older Golden brother made sure Dug's head was nice and clean when he came home. We call him Kitty because he gives everything a bath like a cat, including Dug and the cats.

One thing you mentioned is the couch. Dug is a couch potato. Within an hour or so of being home, he figured out how to get on the couch without jumping. He just went over to it and somehow got up there while we weren't looking. He also loves his dog bed, which he never used before.

It will be okay. It's going to be hard and you will shed more tears, but it's going to be okay.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

This is a huge decision and very scary! Every dog will be different. Staying ahead of the pain will be a big thing, just like when we have surgery.

Truthfully, I hid the osteosarcoma Facebook page. I found it more depressing than helpful.

Like ShelsGoingToDisney, Dug lost his front left leg. He doesn't go for walks anymore, we call them hops. In fact, we often call him Happy Hoppy because he is so happy and he hops! His older Golden brother made sure Dug's head was nice and clean when he came home. We call him Kitty because he gives everything a bath like a cat, including Dug and the cats.

One thing you mentioned is the couch. Dug is a couch potato. Within an hour or so of being home, he figured out how to get on the couch without jumping. He just went over to it and somehow got up there while we weren't looking. He also loves his dog bed, which he never used before.

It will be okay. It's going to be hard and you will shed more tears, but it's going to be okay.

LOL! We say to Katy "let's go for a hop!" now too! Katy didn't really attempt to get back on the couch for a couple weeks, that may be because her back knees are not as secure due to arthritis etc?

 

[sara_s]

Truthfully, I hid the osteosarcoma Facebook page. I found it more depressing than helpful.

I feel like I'll be doing this as well. So far it has been very depressing, which makes sense in a way - people are finding an outlet for the grief and bad experiences, etc. I don't think it does me any good to read that stuff when I feel so guilty/vulnerable anyway.

Like ShelsGoingToDisney, Dug lost his front left leg. He doesn't go for walks anymore, we call them hops. In fact, we often call him Happy Hoppy because he is so happy and he hops! His older Golden brother made sure Dug's head was nice and clean when he came home. We call him Kitty because he gives everything a bath like a cat, including Dug and the cats.

That's so cute! We have 2 cats, 1 of which loves to head butt Ciara with affection. However, both of them also like to steal beds, so I may need to entice them by building another "bed" upstairs. Otherwise will be a lot of shooing away.

One thing you mentioned is the couch. Dug is a couch potato. Within an hour or so of being home, he figured out how to get on the couch without jumping. He just went over to it and somehow got up there while we weren't looking. He also loves his dog bed, which he never used before.

In a way, I *hope* Ciara wants to do this, as it would mean her personality is still in tact. After the biopsy, she lasted 2 or 3 days before she decided she needed to be on the couch. We had to barricade the couch to prevent her while the stitches were still in.

It will be okay. It's going to be hard and you will shed more tears, but it's going to be okay.

One day at a time, one day at a time...

 

[sara_s]

Update: surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday. The surgeon is out the rest of this week. I wish it were sooner so the healing process can begin sooner, but it is what it is. We will pick her up Thursday and let her rest up.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Update: surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday. The surgeon is out the rest of this week. I wish it were sooner so the healing process can begin sooner, but it is what it is. We will pick her up Thursday and let her rest up.

I'm glad a date has been set. Plan in place. Now to get you through to next week. We're here for you. May I suggest getting some nice pictures of you with your dog prior to surgery? Even professional shots in your favorite spot. It will occupy your time a bit and you will have them forever.

 

[sara_s]

Thanks @Pea-n-Me - Will be spending a lot of time cuddling her and taking her for walks, letting her go out back to sniff around, etc. The weather in South Florida is supposed to dip tomorrow through Thursday, so lots of time outside for her.

And thank you to everyone for the kind words of support and positive stories. They really do give me hope that it won't be as bad as my mind is telling me it will be. We'll get through this, and it will be all worth it no matter the outcome.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks @Pea-n-Me - Will be spending a lot of time cuddling her and taking her for walks, letting her go out back to sniff around, etc. The weather in South Florida is supposed to dip tomorrow through Thursday, so lots of time outside for her.

And thank you to everyone for the kind words of support and positive stories. They really do give me hope that it won't be as bad as my mind is telling me it will be. We'll get through this, and it will be all worth it no matter the outcome.

Does she have any pain medication for now? Maybe you could give her some before your walks so that she's not uncomfortable, and a little more later.

 

[sara_s]

Oh yes, we are on a regimen of Tramadol 2-3 times a day and Rovera once a day. I've been cutting her to 2 Tramadol if she seems okay. I bet they will give me all kinds of stuff next week. We also have Gabapentin but the surgeon recommended the Tramadol for now.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh yes, we are on a regimen of Tramadol 2-3 times a day and Rovera once a day. I've been cutting her to 2 Tramadol if she seems okay. I bet they will give me all kinds of stuff next week. We also have Gabapentin but the surgeon recommended the Tramadol for now.

Perfect! (And glad things have improved so much medically for pain management!)

 

[sara_s]

Perfect! (And glad things have improved so much medically for pain management!)

She seems to react very well to medications - doesn't have a problem keeping anything down, no queasiness. *knocks on wood*

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Glad to hear you have a surgery date set. I felt it was easier to deal with when we had a plan in place as if I was actually doing something to fight it so to speak. The days leading up are a bit bittersweet. That last long walk we took I must have looked like a nut to anyone who drove by bawling tears as we walked along. One thing I wish I had thought of and done was to take a paw print of her bad leg. I don't know if it would have helped, but it just seemed so odd to me after we brought her home that such a large part of her body was just gone. Those feelings have lessened considerably with time though. Will be thinking of you and please ask any questions or just vent as you need to!

 

[sara_s]

Glad to hear you have a surgery date set. I felt it was easier to deal with when we had a plan in place as if I was actually doing something to fight it so to speak. The days leading up are a bit bittersweet. That last long walk we took I must have looked like a nut to anyone who drove by bawling tears as we walked along. One thing I wish I had thought of and done was to take a paw print of her bad leg. I don't know if it would have helped, but it just seemed so odd to me after we brought her home that such a large part of her body was just gone. Those feelings have lessened considerably with time though. Will be thinking of you and please ask any questions or just vent as you need to!

I felt a little bit better, the date is set, we're doing everything we can about it. I'm taking her to get her pre-op blood panel tomorrow morning, to test organs, enzyme output, etc. If anything comes back iffy on that, that will change things for us. I don't anticipate anything being off though.

 

[sara_s]

Hi all. Well, the day is almost here. Ciara’s bloodwork came back normal and my husband is driving her down tomorrow morning. I broke down again on Saturday feeling like we weren’t making the right decision. Ultimately I think we were given two crappy options and we opted to go with the less crappy one. I hope and pray she does well with the surgery, recovery, and eventual first round of chemo. But first let’s get her through the surgery.

I’ll post an update when the surgeon calls me tomorrow. Until then, appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers.