My Greyhound Ham Just Came Thru Leg Amputation For Cancer

[queenwinniesmom]

First, let me say how sorry I am that you are dealing with osteo. Too many of us know just how you are feeling. You are so close in time to what Madeara is going through with Asia. Please don't hesitate to come here with questions, to vent, give us updates on your boy. I'm glad you moved quickly and did the amp. To eliminate the pain and the chance of that leg shattering, it's really the only way.

You had asked if anyone did the amp with no chemo. I know that is what Dr. Couto recommends, and that most of the Greys with osteo have followed that course. It's a very individual decision, but you need to research all your options, and decide based on what you feel in your heart is right. For many reasons, some of them very personal, after Winnie had her right hind leg amputated, we chose not to do chemo. But I decided to treat her with immune system boosters, supplements, and diet change. When you read about the median survival times, you can certainly take those figures into consideration, but you can also realize that cancer is a crapshoot. Sometimes everything we do buys a good deal of time, and sometimes everything is not enough. I think that with Winnie, it was a combination of a lot of things---the artemisinin, timing and the fact that she was strong and her lungs were clear, her stubbornness, and probably, a lot of luck. We had her for 3 1/2 years after the diagnosis, and lost her to kidney failure last October, 1 month shy of her 12th birthday. I know that she was the exception, living longer than most dogs who had the chemo. But I know those 3 years were precious---quality years---and I wouldn't change a thing.

I started her on artemisinin, pycnogenol (another immune system booster), fish oil, glucosamine, and a high protein, low carb diet. And it worked. I would not be able to say that it would work for everyone, and like others have said, it's a very personal decision. Please let us know what you decide, and how Ham is doing.

Sending prayers and white light for strength and healing.

 

[Guest HeatherDemps]

Glad to hear that your boy is doing well as a tripod.

 

We, too, went through osteo. My GH was diagnosed right before Christmas and we had the leg (front right) amputated on January 16. He was turning 12 in March, so he was a bit older. He spent a few days in ICU and then I spent a week at home with him. It was kind of rough going (on me mostly) but he recovered well. Two weeks after the surgery to the day, the staples came out and he started chemo. He went through 5 treatments and the main side effect was loss of appetite. He also had a bit of the Big D, so going into the second treatment and all the following ones, we had meds for both of those available at home at all times. The treatments might have made him tired, but it's hard to know if it was that or being at the vet clinic all day.

 

We were fortunate in that we were able to enroll him in a clinical trial that covered the cost of the chemo treatments and all that was involved with those. I don't think we could have afforded the chemo on top of the surgery otherwise (I would have been willing to put us into significant debt, however, DH wouldn't have been so agreeable to that!).

 

I was told that with the amp + chemo, we should have about 10-12 months. We are at almost 7 months now and continuing to do well. I have no regrets whatsoever about the surgery or the chemo. We've been very fortunate.

 

Best wishes to you with your decisions.

 

 

Ham was limping most of the month of July and X-rays showed bone cancer in his left front leg. He was in more and more pain and on pain pills. I finally made the decision to let them take his leg last Wednesday and so far, it looks like I made the right decision. He was up and walking a few hours after surgery (as he was actually only using 3 legs for most of the month when his leg hurt) He came home the very next morning and seemed comfortable. He was hopping on 3 legs pretty well. He became quite anxious and was pacing and breathing heavily Saturday and his good front leg was very swollen with fluid. The hospital told me to remove his pain patch a day early as it might be overdosing him. I removed it and in 24 hours, his fluid retention was gone, he was back to normal and he seemed like his doggie self again. He doesn't seem to be in any pain anymore, but he is on Metacam, an anti-inflammitory and antibiotics. I have not decided yet if I want to put him thru Chemo, but I want him to have as much time as he can get. He is only 9 years old and otherwise in perfect health and eats good. I had a ramp built out the backdoor so he can easily walk in and out as I had steps all over my house. So far, so good. I would love to hear if anyone chose to NOT do the chemo after surgery or if they did do chemo and how it turned out.

 

Valerie

a new Member

Ham's web page

 

[nyGreys]

Sending lots of Prayers.

[Guest doodlebug]

Hugs and prayers for a fast recovery and long life.

[RobinM]

How brave of both of you.

 

Prayers for a quick recovery.

[Guest ChasesMum]

George was only 4 when he was diagnosed and we amputated right away. We did not do chemo and he lived another 4 months, and saw his 5th birthday. Unfortunatley we just couldnt afford the chemo, so if you can I would say go for it.

 

George's quirkyness and goofy boy really came out after he was all healed, and the last 3 months were the best of the 20 months we had him as part of our family!

 

Our vet's experience is that without chemo they seem to make it into the range of 4 months.

 

I hope Ham contiues to improve and you have some more great time with him!