a_daerr

Iams green bag! Firms that poop right up.

My boy had a spindle cell sarcoma tumor on his leg. The oncologist explained to me that spindle cell is a type of fibrosarcoma (in other words, cancer of the connective tissue). The good thing about fibrosarcs is that they are generally localized. If you remove the tumor and get clean edges, it *can* be a one-and-done thing. The downside is that they can be tricky. It's hard to determine what exactly constitutes "clean edges." I've heard of ones where the tumor comes back almost immediately. Others come back months to years later, and some don't come back at all. Fibrosarcs can also be elusive and take on the characteristics of other types of cancer. In Henry's case, the spindle cell basically mimicked osteosarcoma and had eaten holes through his bone. The only way we could ensure clean edges was to remove the entire leg. We had good results (almost two years post diagnosis) because fortunately, dogs come with spare legs. I can't speculate about how easy or hard it would be to remove a spindle cell tumor in Greta's location. If the lungs are clear, I'd probably go ahead and have it surgically removed. Then let the pathology determine how you proceed if/when it comes back.

Awesome update!!!!!

Hello all! This thread has been pretty quiet for awhile. I'm hoping no news is good news! My boy Henry is 21 months post amputation today! We had a very eventful summer packed with hiking, greyhound events, and the addition of a new brother (Boogie the kitten, who joined our family on the Fourth of July). Henry continues to do well as a tripawd, and we are diligent about preventative maintenance (regular chiropractor visits, joint supplements, monitoring weight, and keeping his nails as short as possible). Henry's had his fair share of falls, scrapes, scratches, and trips to the e-vet this year for minor injuries. I can see him slowing down a little bit. But for an almost 8-year-old tripawd, he is still pretty damn impressive. Here he is at Taughannock Falls at Grapehounds NY. After this pic was taken, he did the river walk/wade/swim with us the whole way back. Looking forward to hearing some good updates about the other cancer dogs on this thread! Hope you all had a greyt summer.

Henry, currently 20 months rear right leg post-amp from an atypical (spindle cell) fibrosarcoma.

I wonder this too? My dogs tolerated a lot of stuff in the beginning. Then, once they'd been around for awhile, they got some confidence and realized they could say no to things they didn't like. Henry was very patient with kids in those first few months. I thought the same thing- he'd be a good therapy dog with kids! Fast forward a few years, and he avoids kids like the plague. Absolutely hates them. In any event, I agree that this dog will probably more time to adjust, because she's been bounced a few times before and needs time, structure, and stability to build trust. It's human nature to want to do double-duty to console and "fix" a fearful dog. The best thing you can do right now is give her space. I can see how it's disappointing, especially if you have this overarching expectation that she'll go back to how she was before. But ask anyone who has had the privilege of working with a shy, fearful dog. The end result is so worth it.

Yeah, I was going to say... the day I noticed it in Truman, it was in the 80's, which is very hot for us in PA.

Is it really hot where you live? This happened once to my Truman, and it was after heavy exercise on a hot day. He ran until exhaustion with a few other greyhounds at a dog park. Afterwards, he started walking with jelly legs and seemed really confused. I chalked it up to borderline/mild heat stroke and got him cooled down ASAP.

Sounds like discoid lupus. Not a real serious condition, but you want to watch sun exposure and make sure it doesn't develop lesions/infection.

This sounds pretty standard to me... for the first year post-amp, Henry went back in for chest x-rays first every 3 months, then every six months. Now, we're coming up on two years post-amp, and he only has to go in annually. Even though it won't necessarily change your course of treatment in your case, the chest rads will determine whether or not the cancer has hit an unmanageable spread. At that point, it would be more compassionate to have him PTS instead of him passing through a slow, debilitating, drawn out process. Especially if the lungs develop masses and start filling up with fluid, the dog can slowly drown to death. For some dogs, osteo can get really awful near the end. Sending hopes and prayers that's NOT the case for your Stolie boy.

Haha, that's pretty funny. Trumie went through an "independent" stage where he slept on the couch.

People tend to want to double their efforts with shy, spooky dogs. We want to hug them and coddle them and prove to them that we're okay and can be trusted. The best thing you can do at this point is the exact opposite. Ignore her. No eye contact, no forced interactions. Toss treats if you want to, but do it from a distance. Think of it this way... If you wanted to hatch an egg, you wouldn't take a blow torch to it. You'd let it warm up in your hand until it comes around on its own. As frustrating as it is, trying too hard to 'make' her like you will be very counterproductive. Just give it time and patience. Best of luck to you.

Definite slab fracture. They're recommending a dental with extraction and Sanos sealants. He's not in dire need of the cleaning, but since he's already going under, might as well. Vet positively gushed about how clean his teeth looked 'for a greyhound.'

Do you guys think this is okay to be dealt with by my regular vet? Or should I consult with the specialty clinic? Also... I'm a bit unfamiliar with these types of dental issues. Do they usually just remove the tooth on a slab fracture? Can they reconstruct it someway?

Thanks guys. It doesn't seem to cause him any obvious pain or discomfort. Also, I had just brushed his teeth and was messing with that tooth, which probably explains why his gums look so red in the pictures. They usually do not! Just Googled 'slab fracture.' This is exactly what it looked like when it came off. I'm a little optimistic that the pet insurance will pay something toward the dental because of this tooth fracture. http://dogknobit.com/2011/11/21/show-and-tell-a-slab-fracture-and-bloat/

See the V shape that runs down Henry's molar? A piece of (what I thought was) dental scale fell off about a month ago. Now, I'm starting to wonder if this tooth is fractured. The tooth is no longer smooth- it's uneven coming up from each side of the depression.

Since you're new to this board, I'll gently say that the topic of off-leashing greyhounds (at least in the U.S.) is extraordinarily unpopular. The others are right. If people at your adoption group find out you're off-leashing, you can (at minimum) be blacklisted, placed on a DNA (do not adopt) list, and in general, make a lot of enemies. It's not that they're trying to be disrespectful. Many of these people have had firsthand experience searching for a lost dog, or finding one dead due to an owner's irresponsibility. That being said... if you off-leash your dog to hike (right, wrong, or indifferent), I'd strongly recommend a Tagg GPS tracker. The unit attaches to their collar and links to an app on your smartphone. If your dog ever wanders away, you can activate the tracker, and it will ping their GPS coordinates off the closest cell towers every three minutes until they're found. The unit itself costs about $80, and the monthly fee is around $8. But coming from someone who also hikes with dogs, it really is an invaluable tool. I had to use mine for the first time this summer when my Truman went after a group of deer. I wasn't as concerned about the potential for injury as much as I was that he might go to far and be unable to find his way back. Watching him ignore my calls and continue to chase deer for those few moments, I felt so unbelievably helpless. I've never met your dog, so I don't know if his prey-drive and temperament is appropriate for being off-leash. I will say, both of my dogs had been with me for years and had worked through exhaustive amounts of training to be able to hike off-leash. We've hiked hundreds of times without incident, and I'm comfortable with their behavior. But I also understand that there is still inherent risk, and we do what we can to mitigate it. For us, that means lots of consistent recall practice with high value rewards, a good pet insurance policy, and using a GPS unit for unexpected situations. At the end of the day, it's your dog, and you're going to make a decision that you feel comfortable with. My advice is to be proactive. If you insist on off-leashing him, set up any and every safety net possible.

What a bombshell! Congrats, Kathy! Can't wait to meet her.

So very sorry for your loss. He will be forever remembered by that amazing Halloween costume! If you ever google "greyhound," that photo ALWAYS comes up.

If you're definitely not doing the amp/chemo route, you'll at least need to look into some palliative care options to control his pain (radiation, medication, or a combination of both). Osteo is the most painful type of cancer there is. It's likely that every step is causing him excruciating pain, even if he isn't necessarily acting like it is. There are some types of cancers that you can take a "wait and see" approach... osteo unfortunately isn't one of them. FWIW, my vet discovered Henry's osteolytic bone lesions on a Friday. They made an appointment for him on Monday morning and gave us the weekend to decide-amputate the leg or put him down. Due to the pain and the huge risk for catastrophic break, our vets were not willing to let us take him home and let him naturally decline and pass away on his own. I know this is going to come off as harsh (trust me, I don't mean it to be), but it's almost inhumane to let the dog suffer through that kind of agony. At best, you'll get a few more weeks/months. Given your boy's age and his seizure history, you're probably best to have him PTS now while he's still having some good days.

Another vote for chiropractor and supplements. Henry is almost 8, with only three legs. He walks and hikes about 3 miles a day. Once a week, we'll do a longer hike, about 6 miles. His energy is still fantastic, but I do notice that he gets little injuries a lot more frequently.

Ah, Trumie Doomie. He's an odd duck. I'll have to make a Truman thread soon. Here's a picture from our last collar event: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/311474-wetherby-martingale-co-new-thread-for-2015/?p=5830897

Sorry about that. At least 45 days *after* the bite.

45 days on the 4D, according to my vet. If you're past that mark, I'd probably just go ahead and do a 4D instead of sending the tick out to be tested (not sure it matters if said tick is decapitated). Ticks are bad this year. I pulled one off my own ear the other day, then subsequently went to urgent care for a round of doxo.

Who needs a bone when I can chew on my own foot?