Ok - Somebody Give It To Me Straight

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

I'm not sure reality can be much worse than everything I'm imagining right now.

 

With Coach's progession to advanced bone cancer, what is most likely to happen to her? I guess I just want to know what to expect at the end.

 

Is she most likely to fracture her leg and then we'll have to put her to sleep or will it spread to other organs with resulting complications?

 

For those that don't know us, she'll be 14 in May if she makes it and she has weak back legs so I've already decided not to put her through more trauma (i.e. amputation) trying to prolong her life. We just want her remaining life to be comfortable. We've had a wonderful 9 1/2 years together so far.

[Guest greydogluvr]

I do not think that there is a standard way in which hounds lose their battle with this awful disease. I have has 3 experiences with osteo (one currently fighting a courageous battle). This first we has to send to the bridge due to the cancer spreading to her gums, which was very rapid growing, and despite our effort to remove the growths, caused her to bloat. Our second, was 12 and, like you, we chose to forgo the amputation. It was the difficulty controlling the pain and the fluid retention in her legs that led us to lead her to the bridge.

 

Big hugs to your girl. I am sorry you are going through this. I know, first hand how terrible it is. Please give her big, gentle hugs and anything she desires.

Edited February 8, 2009 by greydogluvr

[Guest ArtysPeople]

From what I've read, the road you're traveling is one of the less common ones -- older dog, no amputation. FWIW, I think you've made a really admirable decision. If you haven't already, I'd ask Dr. Couto and the people at OSU. They generally support chemo and all that, but I'd have to think they'd know what to expect in your situation.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

My Scout was 12 when she was diagnosed with bone cancer. Like you, I decided against amputation because of her age and the fact that she was terrified of vets. It became a fight to control the pain and ensure that that leg didn't break as I understand that pain is excrutiating. When it got to the point where the medicine only worked when she was so drugged she didn't know what was going on, I decided to let her go. She was not enjoying anything.

 

Do make sure you have a vet that will come to your home to put your dog to sleep. Scout just drifted off on her own bed while I scratched her ears. Then we let my other grey and my cats sniff her body so they understood she was gone. It was a horrible experience but I do know I made the right decision.

Edited February 8, 2009 by Scouts_mom

[RobinM]

Do make sure you have a vet that will come to your home to put your dog to sleep. Scout just drifted off on her own bed while I scratched her ears. Then we let my other grey and my cats sniff her body so they understood she was gone. It was a horrible experience but I do know I made the right decision.

 

this is something I have worked out with my vet. If it has to happen, I want it to happen in the place that my babies feel the most comfortable. Home.

 

Continued prayers for Coach.

[duncan41]

Pain control is of primary importance. As far as metastasis and end stage experiences, every dog is different but work with your vet and OSU to understand what to look for. Other than that, spoil her rotten.

I am so sorry you are dealing with this monster. Gentle hugs to you both.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

Pain control is a must. IMHO if you can not control the pain then it's time to say goodbye.

It's not an easy choice and we all chose when it is the correct time.

 

Bone cancer is EXTREMELY painful.

 

With my 2 hounds that had bone cancer they were both very different situations

Dave, started limping, I took him to the vet and he already had a hair line fracture in his leg. He never limped before that day.

We said goodbye to Dave the next day.

 

Cassie we came home to a girl with a horrible broken leg. Again she never limped a day in her life. We again said goodbye the next day.

 

The way I look at bone cancer is your working with a ticking time bomb.

Expect swelling in the leg, more pain where meds are not going to be able to control, and then the possibility of a break to that leg.

I never want to type this to anyone but if it was my hound, at 14, weak hind end and bone cancer, I would watch her very close and react before I am forced to.

 

I am so sorry you are going through this and it's a heart wrenching time. Love your girl, spoil her rotten and embrace every moment you are allowed to share with her.

[HopeForHounds]

I couldn't put it any better than Heather just did. Bone cancer is extremely painful. I would contact OSU for some idea of what to expect and advise on pain meds. Dr Couto is a BIG believer in pain meds, he said vets often don't give enough especially to dogs as stoic as greyhounds can be.

 

Having been in your shoes, a day too early is better than a day too late. That's a lot easier to say than to do.

Spoil her, take pictures, make some memories and most of all love her, she only knows today.

 

Edited February 8, 2009 by foxysmom

[Guest mike]

Pain control is the upmost importance. I'm a vet and bone cancer is the worst. Don't worry yourself with anything but pain control. IT MUST BE MANAGED at all times. They mask their pain. Be on top of the pain at all times.

Medically speaking, most dogs are released from bone cancer before a fracture occurs. The pain is incredibly horrible. You will know by the way your dog reacts on a daily basis.

Euthanasia is the top pain control you give to your companion. Humans don't get this. Although, extremely painful for you it is the right decision when pain can not be managed. I can't tell you how many people call me in tears because they waited to long. Know your dog. Every dog is different.

[Anne]

Phantom began limping about a week before Christmas. Rimadyl helped for about 3 weeks. Then I added the tramadol and it worked very well for about a week. Then I had to up the dose and up the dose until he was on 300mg a day. He was about 65 pounds. He was having a lot of trouble going down and then back up the ramp to do his business, I did not want him to get to the point where he would break a bone. I chose the day after a really good day to let him go. I promised him that I would not let him be in horrible pain. I told the vet that I would rather let him go a week too soon than a day too late. It wasn't about anything but making sure he was not in unbearable pain and that he could eat and enjoy his life.

I'm so sorry about Coach, hugs to you both.

[Guest Leah]

I am so sorry that you are going through this. When our boy had osteo I fear I waited too long. I did not realize how well they can hide the pain. He was on pain meds and never limped then one day he was walking in the backyard and his leg broke. From the previous x-rays it looked like that might not happen due to the way it was growing, but turns out it was much much more aggresive than the vet thought. If I had it to do again I would not be as selfish as I was the first time

[Hawthorn]

In Teddy's case I remember being shocked at how rapidly his pain was progressing. We could notice a difference from one day to the next. I had read about how grindingly painful bone cancer is in humans (dogs can't tell us) and I really didn't want Teddy to go through that or the excrutiating pain of a fracture so we let him go earlier rather than later. It was devastatingly hard for us to make that decision but I knew I would never forgive myself if I allowed Teddy's leg to fracture and his last hours were spent in agony. It really is all about quality of life rather then length of life.

 

[Bevd]

I'm so sorry you're going through this.

 

Maddison had fibrosarcoma in his hind left leg/hip area. He was only a very young dog (4) but wasn't a candidate for amputation due to the location of the tumour. We managed his pain and we took the risk of letting him run and play as he wanted to because he was so young and energetic.

 

One night, he changed position on the settee and he really hurt his leg. It didn't fracture but whatever he'd done, it really hurt him and we knew that the battle was over and we let him go to The Bridge that night.

 

With regard to your question about it spreading to other organs - in my very honest opinion, I don't think there will be time for that to occur. (I'm sorry to say that).

 

[Guest IrskasMom]

 

 

Dr. Mike said it best. PAIN CONTROL is most IMPORTANT. Just about all of us had this Monstrous Experience . It's Heart-

breaking difficult to see your Baby in excruciating Pain , that's why you have to stay ahead of it.

I wish , there was anything more Encouraging to say , as to spend as much Quality Time together

Everybody HUG your Hounds.

[Batmom]

Pain control is a must. IMHO if you can not control the pain then it's time to say goodbye.

 

Exactly so.

 

With all due respect, OSU won't be able to tell you what will happen when to your dog.

 

Once you have a significant bone lesion, particularly one that is aggressive enough to change noticeably between one x-ray and the next (a few weeks time?), the bone could break under very little stress. There isn't really a good reason to wait for that to happen.

 

I'm sorry you and your pup are going through this. Sending lots of hugs and gentle scritchies.

[zimsmom]

I went through this 2 years ago with Lexi. A greyhound experienced vet who I went to for a 2nd opinion stated it best. "If your not going to amputate than you have to have the dog put to sleep". The pain is too much. She was PTS soon after.

Edited February 8, 2009 by zimsmom

[Guest greytloves]

Pain control is the upmost importance. I'm a vet and bone cancer is the worst. Don't worry yourself with anything but pain control. IT MUST BE MANAGED at all times. They mask their pain. Be on top of the pain at all times.

Medically speaking, most dogs are released from bone cancer before a fracture occurs. The pain is incredibly horrible. You will know by the way your dog reacts on a daily basis.

Euthanasia is the top pain control you give to your companion. Humans don't get this. Although, extremely painful for you it is the right decision when pain can not be managed. I can't tell you how many people call me in tears because they waited to long. Know your dog. Every dog is different.

 

No matter how hard that is to hear, that is exactly what has to be thought of. The pain is there to stay (and get worse) and there is not any hope to get better.

 

Been there, done that and it sucks.

[Guest myjazzy]

I haven't read all the responses, but enough to agree with what is being said about the pain. If you find out about the cancer before a leg breaks, controlling the pain is the most important thing. With jazzy, I did not amputate, but did chemo, until the chemo did not work any more, and then had to make the decision to let her go when we could no longer effectively control the pain. It's very hard, but it's the last act of love you can do for them. I'm sorry you are going through this, but unfortunately, too many of us do.

[Guest TaraCoachCougar]

Well, my heart just shattered this morning when I originally read the posts, but that's what I needed to hear.

 

Shouldn't have read it on my way out the door to church, though. I cried on and off all during handbell practice. I did make it through Sunday School ok, but had already decided after we played bells for the prelude, I was leaving.

 

I decided to go by Wal-mart and get a few supplies (treats, muffins, Frosty Paws, cottage cheese) as we are going to have a "party" this afternoon for Coach. I'll go ahead and say she is doing pretty well today. I did up her tramadol yesterday to a whole tablet in both the morning and night and then this morning she took a whole and I slipped her another half into the chicken nuggets I brought home from McDonald's. I've also got a cheeseburger put back for supper that she'll split with Cougar.

 

She's resting on our bed (mattress on floor) with Cougar right now. I've charged up the camera battery and need to go plug in the video battery. We are blessed with a 70 degree day here so after she has rested a while, we are going to go on a pontoon boat ride. That is one of her and Cougar's favorite things to do. We are going to have a wonderful day and then I can go back to worrying about when it will be time.

 

It would be easier for me to be able to go ahead and get past all this, but something is telling me she's not quite there yet. Probably my own denial, but I know she's not going to get better. There went my heart again...

 

I'm prepared to make that decision for her, but I'm scared of making it too early. Guess I'll have to rely on her to let me know. I've said before that I will handle her absence, but I cannot stand to think of her in pain.

 

OK - enough for now. I've got a party to pull together.

 

 

[Jackandgrey]

My Jack lived for 6 months with osteo with pain control only. He was happy and healthy always . I let him go the as soon as I knew that would no longer be true if I let him go on for a day longer. Truly he did not suffer. They are all different but pain control is absolutely the key and being conservative with analgesia is not helpful. By that I mean I varied his dosage depending on his day and and his condition. I also recognize we were very lucky. Bless you on your journey with your baby. It is so hard.

[Guest TBSFlame]

Don't be afraid of giving out the pain meds. combinations of meds help the most. You will be lucky if you get 2 months from dx. I got 2 months with Hawk and 5 with Beecher. Beecher's tumor was on his side. My heart breaks for you. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Guest MorganKonaAlex]

Statistically, most are euthanized when the pain can no longer be controlled. The starting dose for Tramadol is usually very low. I would suggest talking to your Vet ahead of time. Find out the maximum dosing and get the prescriptions for additional meds. filled and ready to go. The situations were you have to increase the meds always seem to happen on week-ends or nights.