Ranger's Osteo-amputee Journey

[4greyhounds]

We are just now reading this and we are so happy that Ranger is doing Good! Sending lots more healing prayers and thoughts, thanks so much fr the updates.....

[queenwinniesmom]

Please keep posting. You're both doing great, and now we can see how incredibly beautiful he is!

[Guest K9_Lady]

Kristen, I have been thinking about you and Ranger and wishing you the best year together ever!! Continued Positive and Healing thoughts coming his way.

[Guest IrskasMom]

 

Kristen a very Happy New Year and a well Improvement on Ranger .

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

UPDATE: Day 17 (post-amp)

 

Sorry I missed yesterday's post ... I am happy to say I have nothing to report! Everything is going well.

 

My in-laws are on their way here for a visit, so I will have to respond to all your good wishes/ideas later tonight after they leave.

 

We are still so blessed to have our guy home with us and going through chemo with virtually no side-effects (knock on wood). Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers -- they make a huge difference in our little spot in the world :-D

[Patsy]

"Nothing to report" . . . . what excellent news!

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

UPDATE: Day 18 (post-amp)

 

And another good day! We have decided to refill his tramadol because we don't want to be caught without it if he is in pain. We are still giving him 2 tablets/2xday and will continue that until we see the pain recede.

 

He is still eating greyt: we found another flavor that was snarfed up immediately. Merrick's Cowboy Cookout! It was a real hit!!

 

We go tomorrow for our first CBC blood recheck. I'm hoping for good news

 

Funny story: last night DH says Ranger's nose if kind of warm. I say, "Why don't you take his temperature just to make sure." Five minutes later I hear from the other room, "His temp is 107, or maybe it says 109, it's hard to read." Well, I know I read somewhere that 102-103 was a special number. So, I immediately go running to the printed instructions they sent us home with. I'm frantically reading and find that anything over 103 is cause for calling the hospital immediately. I freak out!! I don't know why, but I decided to check the temp myself. We are both sitting there waiting for the beeps to tell us it's time to read the temperature.

 

beep.beep.beep -- I look at it and it says .......... 101.7 I look at DH and say, I thought you said it was 107? He says, "Yes." I say, "OK, something really bad is going on if his temp is fluctuating that much within 5 minutes. What is going on?" We decide to take another reading and while we are changing the probe covers on the thermometer he says, "See, this says 107 too! We both got 107!!" I look at him and say in my sternest voice, "Is this what the thermometer showed when you looked the first time?" And he says, "Yes, but it went between a 7 and a 9."

 

I bonk him on the head and laugh in total relief ... he was just reading it wrong. In the low lighting he was missing the second 1 and reading it as 107 or 109 instead of 101.7 or 101.9.

 

It was definitely a nice end to a freaky situation! Hope to report tomorrow that all is clear!

 

Our final BITE-NAUGHT® solution: Three Walgreens adhesive pads to cover the entire incision (or most of it). We found some that are 3" x 4" and three piggy-backed on top of each other (so there is no adhesive that touches the incision) do it. It may take a bit longer to heal up by not being in the open air, but it will be an infection-free way to heal vs Mr Licks-A-Lot. Thanks for the suggestion of the men's boxer briefs -- we tried it and he got in the hole immediately! Then he got them to fall down and they were riding on his privates (which can't be comfy).

 

Oh, on a side note: Ranger saw a bunny on the other side of the yard yesterday. I almost went flying after him because of the leash. Yea, no question he will be running again soon.

[Remolacha]

I've been reading Ranger's thread, but don't usually post. I just had to comment on the bunny story, though Glad that he is feeling so much better!

[Bevd]

Oh I can imagine your horror at the dodgy temp reading

 

Glad he's doing so well

[duncan41]

Aren't Monday's wonderful when all is as well as it can be? Ranger, you're a ray of sunshine! Keep letting your Mom know that everything is going to be ok - do you think that she believes that the bunny just "happened" to be on the other side of the fence? Nah! It's a sign! Yee-haw!

[Neighsayer]

Don't let hubby do any more readings! Glad all is well.

[lizjaye]

Kristen: I'm trying to keep up with Ranger's thread. Glad Monday was a good day. Take care of yourself.

 

 

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

UPDATE: Day 19 (post-amp)

 

Excellent report from the doctor! Ranger's white blood cell count is at 5K. I guess normal is 6K-12K, so he has full approval to continue with the chemo treatment. We will be going for round #2 next Tuesday.

 

Things we asked our oncologist:

 

* THE LICKING!!!!!! -- She laughed (kindly, not maliciously) when we told her of all the options we tried to keep him away from his incision. She said the best way was probably exactly what we are doing -- the bandages. She also remarked that though this is a slower way to heal (instead of being in the open air), that it is also a more sterile way to heal the wound. So, I guess Walgreens will be selling a lot more bandages later today! I should really buy some stock in Walgreens She also recommended putting nothing on the wound at all (we asked about Neosporin or something like that).

 

And a side-note to the licking -- we asked about giving some Benadryl (as was suggested by another osteo mommy). She thought that would knock him out more than lessen the itching. She said the itching is actually a very good sign that the parts are all knitting back together well. I had this crazy mental image of little baby knitting needles just working furiously back there. Just clicking away with those little crazy colored needles. click click click. Then I realized I was gazing off into the corner and probably drooling, so I had to snap myself back to reality and leave my visions of little knitting needles. <click click click>

 

* Diet -- We asked about a low carb diet. She said the low carb diet tends to help other types of cancers, but she has not seen any medical studies showing any benefits to osteo patients. I emailed OSU to see what their opinion is, mainly because they deal with greyhounds only. Our oncologist deals with all sorts of breeds, so what may be true for one may not for another. I'll definitely let you all know what I hear back from them.

 

* Shaking -- We've noticed that Ranger gets "the chills" sometimes. He'll be laying down and each inhale is accompanied by a shivering that goes all the way through his body, enough to sometimes make his teeth chatter. We were told years ago that a dog who shakes is displaying pain. We wanted to make sure this is the case before we keep throwing Tramadol down his throat and then later find out it was unrelated. She said panting and labored breathing is a more accurate measure of pain and that the shaking may just be part of who he is. That being said, we are going to try and reduce his Tramadol down to one pill in the morning and two pills at night. That way we can monitor how he's doing during the day to see if there is any difference.

 

At the moment, he is sleeping on his bed in my office with total fangs hanging out and legs a-running in his sleep (yes, his stumpy runs with the other leg!) If this is what the rest of his life will be like ... I'll take it!!! :

[nettles]

Hi Kristen

 

Looks like things are going along pretty good. Glad to see it.

 

Rich

[Neighsayer]

Another great report! Pictures?

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

UPDATE: Day 20 (post-amp)

 

Again, nothing to report. I took a couple pics yesterday, so I'll post those below. We are now on 1 Tramadol in the am (if needed) and 2 Tramadols at night. Yesterday he did not need the morning dose, so we didn't give it to him. I'm so happy he's coming out of the pain stage.

 

Report on diet from OSU: "We don’t make any changes in the diet of greyhounds with OSA, we keep them in the same diet they have been previous to the diagnosis." That's good news for all of us. Ranger is thrilled with his diet and we are happy to know our oncologist is up-to-date with her information as well.

 

We are in the process of changing his bandage today. Taking off the old one let us smell that cooped up, icky wound smell a bit. It's not strong, but it's not pleasant either. He's laying around with DH right now to let it air out as long as we can before bundling him back up. I'll take a pic of the bandage after it's reapplied so everyone can see our final option.

 

Here is his incision site. It's red in the photo, but not red in real life. The discoloration is really from his mottled skin color. It's really healing up nicely!

 

This is our new "vented" bandage. We cut the ends off of three pads and kind of poof them up like a little tunnel to get some airflow, but keep out prying noses and lickers!!

 

Here's my little comma man. I love it when he lays shaped like a comma. And on this side, you wouldn't even know he was missing a leg!

Edited January 7, 2009 by RSD_Ranger

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

Hi Kristen

 

Looks like things are going along pretty good. Glad to see it.

 

Rich

Pretty soon we'll be at a Meet & Greet to showoff his new tripod status!!

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

UPDATE: Day 21 (post-amp)

 

Nuttin to see here. We're all doing well

 

We are off the Tramadol completely and do not notice a difference. He has started acting very normal (coming in for treats when he hears the treat drawer open). He has yet to care about any of his past toys, but we'll just give him some time.

 

Thanks for checking in ... I have nothing to report

[Guest vahoundlover]

Ranger, you are one amazing dude!! Keep up the good work!

[mangos_mom]

UPDATE: Day 21 (post-amp)

 

He has yet to care about any of his past toys, but we'll just give him some time.

 

Thanks for checking in ... I have nothing to report

 

Mango just started playing toys this past week, which would make it about 28 days post-amp. Of course, she had that nasty little recovery curve-ball, which might make comparisons a moot point, but just thought I'd offer it up.

 

Glad to hear that Ranger is doing so well!

[Guest poopsie1]

Good job, Ranger. Sounds like you have everything under control, Kristen. You and Ranger are in my thoughts daily.

[Guest RSD_Ranger]

Again nothing to report ... I'll start posting updates again after his chemo, round 2! (unless something noteworthy happens in the meantime)

 

Mango just started playing toys this past week, which would make it about 28 days post-amp. O

That is great to know ... we'll keep watching

 

[Batmom]

How wonderful is it that there's nothing to report? You're taking such good care of that boy. Fingers and toes crossed for only good things ahead.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Kristen, I just ran across this thread. I own Bart and Olive and live in Bolingbrook. When Ranger is feeling up to it, wanna come to a nice dog park in Naperville and let them run and have fun? Let me know, Olive is a nut at the park. Bart, well he will run if he feels like it, or if there is something small and furry to chase.

 

Chad

[RaineysMom]

glad to hear he's doing so well, Kristen!!!!!!

 

Rainey and Nuber sends wet sloppy kissies to him!!! :kiss2