ramonaghan
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Everything posted by ramonaghan
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Checking for an update.
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So glad everything went well. It sounds like you are very well prepared. Definitely try to get some sleep tonight...you will probably have some bumpy nights ahead, but just remember it's temporary! The harness is on its way, hopefully there Wednesday!
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Willa needs your vote!
ramonaghan replied to ramonaghan's topic in Cute and Funny things Greyhounds do
Oh gosh, I hope they're not sending you dozens of emails. But yes, I am very happy with where she is! -
That's where we landed with both of ours—Sweep because she was so stressed and wouldn't walk or eat for them (when she saw us and our car, she suddenly figured it out, lol), and Willa because she was doing so well. It'll be okay either way. What amazes me is that some go home the same day!
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Baknforf baknforf...
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Have yoga mats or non-slip runners on any slick floors. Use towels and blankets on her beds that can be easily switched out and washed if she soils them (or even use pee pads as bed liners). Yes to lots of foods to tempt her. If antibiotics are prescribed, don't give them until she's eaten. Don't be surprised if Carmen is a little weirded out at first (Doolin was), but a good sniff and all will be well.
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It's the . They learn it as land sharks.
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I *think* Sammy likes you. Quite a coup, getting you to surrender your bed! Congrats to Buster for landing in his forever home, and I'm sure it won't be long for the lovely Merlin. Will you be offering dogsitting services for your former fosters?
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Happy birthday #11, Mark! I hope you demand more fries upon your daddyman's return.
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What Mary Pat said. You've both got this. I'm going to send you the "sisterhood of the traveling harness"—I have your address from the holiday cards. She can comfortably wear it 24/7 and it has good juju (and fur) from all the hounds that have worn it previously. I wish I'd thought to send it yesterday when the PO was open. Here's a video of Willa at a playdate yesterday coming in hot after the four-legged boys. Amelia will be there before you know it!
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Willa needs your vote!
ramonaghan replied to ramonaghan's topic in Cute and Funny things Greyhounds do
I completely understand! I wouldn't ask or expect anyone to provide that info. Thanks for your support—she is still in the top 3 and will almost certainly make the first cut in a few days, so I am delighted! She started at 30-something before the power of the greyhound community kicked in. -
I totally relate to that—the limbo phase is terrible. Now you're in action mode.
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I'm sorry it's official, but it sounds like Amelia will be in great hands. We'll all be backnforfing for her on Monday! Make sure they give her Amicar or tranexamic acid to control bleeding. I got it filled at my local pharmacy because there was a shortage at the clinic. She will still bruise quite a bit, but having one of those meds on board is crucial for greyhounds. When you have some mental bandwidth to consider next steps, I recommend you take a look at the clinical trial being done for a cancer vaccine. It's significantly slowed or even reversed metastasis in some cases. We got the first vaccine in Cincinnati the same week Willa started chemo, and the booster three weeks later; all the follow-up can be done locally. There are only ~10 clinics offering it, so most people have to do road trips; I think the closest option for you would be Pittsburgh. The vaccine itself is free, but you have to pay for the oncology exam at the participating clinic. I figured, Can't hurt, might help, why not do it. Here are the details and the web page. There's also a Facebook group.
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Willa needs your vote!
ramonaghan replied to ramonaghan's topic in Cute and Funny things Greyhounds do
Yes! It has to be at least 24 hours since your last vote, but you can vote every day. Thank you! -
Willa needs your vote!
ramonaghan replied to ramonaghan's topic in Cute and Funny things Greyhounds do
Thanks, everyone—she is in the top three now! Greyhound people are the best. -
Too many of us have been through it, that's for sure. If you decide on amputation, be prepared to feel that same sense of helplessness and heartache and guilt for a few days...but it does get better. The first time you see them run as a tripod is the best feeling in the world. Talk to your vet about her current pain meds (I hope you'll be talking with them soon anyway!). There's no reason to be conservative with them—get ahead of the pain as much as possible. Osteo has been described by human patients as feeling like your bone is exploding.
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Our indoor stairs are very steep (old house) and Willa never did them even with four legs. Sweep had already stopped using them by choice before she became a tripod. Neither has had any trouble on outdoor stairs; in fact, there are several steps into the oncology department at our specialty vet, which always blows my mind. I know lots of tripods do just fine with them. If you're on Facebook, definitely join the Greyhound Osteosarcoma Support Group and, if you decide on the amp, Hounds That Hop.
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One month post-amp
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She had surgery August 1, came home August 2, and was walking mostly unassisted for potty breaks on August 3. There was a huge improvement at 1 week. At 2 weeks, when she got the stitches out and started chemo, she was basically herself again. Most people say 2 weeks is the magic number. Sweep's recovery was harder than Willa's because she wouldn't eat for a few days afterward and she was a senior, but the 2 week rule still held. And not that it's necessarily relevant, but Willa's tumor was also in the right front leg by her ankle.
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What tests are they doing—ruling out osteomyelitis and getting a radiology consult? When you get more info, you might also consider a consult with Dr. Couto. He's wonderful. When Sweep broke her leg there was no sign of osteo; they repaired the break because the bone was still so sound. When the break didn't heal as expected after a few months, they took new scans and saw the osteo. So a break is probably already a real risk, and you want to be very careful with her. That's not meant to be alarmist, it's just the awful reality of this disease. And I'm not steering you one way or another, but I do want to offer that even if we lost Willa tomorrow on her sixth-month ampuversary, I'd still have no regrets about doing it. She had no side effects from chemo and none from the vaccine we did. After the first two weeks, she was back to herself and she's had an incredible few months—running on the beach and in the snow for the first time, playing with her brother, and being loved and snuggled every single day. It super sucks that Amelia and Willa are both so young, but the age serves them well in recovery. I'm also aware that we are fortunate in that we have had insurance for both Sweep and Willa, so we didn't have to worry about that aspect of the treatment. We said yes to everything available.
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Oh Monica, I am so sorry. I know it's a lot to process. Please ask any questions here and we will help you through this no matter how you decide to proceed. Many of us are unwilling experts at this point.
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Willa needs your vote!
ramonaghan replied to ramonaghan's topic in Cute and Funny things Greyhounds do
Thanks, Ducky; I meant every word. And I like your thinking re: her crown. I won't have to call the city to remove that... -
Yep, we're doing this again—it worked out well last time! Fortunately, in this case she did not have to dress up as a piñata. Willa's in a contest to be "America's Favorite Pet" (sadly, I could not enter more than one pet). With your help, she could be the cover dog, which would be so great not only for greyhounds but for tripods. Linky here. You'll have to verify your identity through FB (sorry). It's free for one vote, and then there are different tiers for votes with a donation to Paws.org (which I am not soliciting, just to be clear). We'd love your vote if you are so inclined. With this one, you can vote once per day. Thank you, friends.
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Thanks, that's a good point I hadn't considered. I don't think he's that kind of hound, but I decided against the chicken wire anyway. I decided I'd rather any future rabbits have that escape route. Very nice.
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Gotta admit, I was waiting to hear from Milo. And the humans here don't eat much meat at all, but this might have pushed me officially over the line to vegetarianism. The stray cats and the crows have been enjoying "lunch"...I really thought something would have dragged it away by now. I did knot have to put it out of its misery, which I cannot even fathom. I just sat and petted it for a couple of minutes as it passed. I really think Doo was on his way back inside to play with his new toy. OMG.
