Lesion On Xray

[Guest MnMDogs]

Ryan's picking up the films and we're going to send. We're also going to ask about VF (thank you to all who mentioned that). This New Englander didn't know we actually live in an area where it has been seen. I just don't want to do anything that will cause too much stress and pain.

 

All of your posts mean so much.

[carronstar]

My first, very unladylike response is "crap on a stick". I am so very sorry.

[Remolacha]

I am so sorry!

[Guest kbone]

I'm so sorry . You never know,miraculous things happen all the time and she may surprise you and last another year or two. You guys are in my thoughts and prayers.

[MandysMom]

I'm so sorry for the diagnosis. Sending prayers.

[gryhnd_adoptee]

It's cancer, and the radiologist considers it aggressive.

 

The vet also mentioned the possibility of a fungal infection or osteomyelitis. But we won't know without a biopsy. At her age (9.5...I really thought she would make it to at least 10), I can't do that to her.

 

We're just going to keep her comfortable and let her go when it's time. The vet estimated "months", and I promised Matty that I won't let her suffer. She's my first and as too many of you know - this is just the sickest feeling in the world.

 

 

I am so very, very sorry for the diagnosis. I can absolutely relate to the gut wretching, sucker punched sick feeling...we walked our Lulu to the bridge just 8 weeks ago with osteo in her rear leg. The just turned 7 two weeks prior to saying goodbye.

 

Your story mirrors our own..."grasping at straws". Lu was a New England grey who never raced, but we brought up the possiblity of valley fever as we traveled to Ohio with her often over the years where the inlaws live during the summer. In the winter months, they snowbird in Mesa, AZ. On the slightest outside chance that she may have picked up some of the VF spores from their belongings in Ohio, or their car...we tesed her. It took 10 days to get results as it had to be sent to a lab in CA. In the meantime, so we were not losing ground (just in case...again...grasping at straws), we also began treatment for bone infection with antibiotics.

 

Lu seemed to have gotten better in the first weeks of the antibiotic, but looking back in hindsight now, it was probably because we had just reached a good point with her, and the pain meds were working for her. The VF test came back negative, but we never gave up hope (again...just in case), and gave the antibiotic right up until the end when her leg began to swell overnight. It was then we finally allowed ourselves to realize it truly was cancer.

 

We decided not to have the biopsy at diagnosis, only because of the chance of false positives. If she responded to antibiotics, or if the VF test came back positive, we at least knew we were headed in the right direction with treatment. If she did not improve, we would know it was what we truly feared all along, we felt there was no sense in putting her through the biopsy.

 

At diagnosis, we were told the x-ray was cloudy, but not severe. There was no typical star pattern in the x-ray indicative of bone cancer. Our vet estimated we would have 3-6 months with our baby girl. In reality, we only had her 7 weeks post diagnosis. While we are so very shattered by her loss, we can look back and say we tested and treated for the what ifs, other than the biopsy. We don't have to re-trace our tracks and keep asking ourselves "what if" it was an infection, or "what if" it was VF. We at least know we did all we could do given the circumstances we were handed. Our vet was a saint through the whole ordeal. He never once discouraged our hanging onto threads of hope. He never once said...no...it couldn't be VF, or couldn't be an infection. He stood by us all along and encouraged the tests and treatments. Looking back now, by hanging onto that slim thread of hope, it allowed us to deal better with the diagnosis in some odd way. It helped me to carry a somewhat upbeat attitude which helped LuLu overall.

 

Love the stuffing out of your girlie for the time she is with you. As hard as it is, try to remain happy around her, it will help her overall attitude as well. Try to take comfort in knowing that those of us that have walked in your shoes completely undestand what you are going through. Unfortunately...too many of us here have worn these same shoes, and walked the same path.

[RobinM]

I am so sorry.

[JedsMom]

I'm so sorry. Please know that we're here for you.

 

Make the most of every day together.

[seeh2o]

I'm so sorry to read this. Spoil her to the hilt.

[BrGreyhndz]

Fingers crossed that its treatable. Hugs to you all.

[Guest Leah]

I am so sorry

[Guest PiagetsMom]

Thinking of you and Matty and sending

[iluvgreys]

So very sorry to hear the "C" news. Such a difficult path to travel. Pain management is crucial. What has your vet prescribed so far? Might want to join the Circle of Grey for additional support and advice. Hoping you have much more quality time with your precious girlie.

Edited April 25, 2009 by iluvgreys

[Guest NHgreys]

so sorry for what you are going through. please lean on us for support & keep us posted

[Guest MnMDogs]

I just tried to join Circle of Grey, but it's not letting me verify my email address. I keep getting a message that I'm signed in, and I sign out and try again to no avail.

 

Right now she's on 50 - 75 mg of Deramax with 15 mg of pepcid in the morning. I'm giving her 75 mg of tramadol at 8 am and about 4 - 5 pm. It's so very hard to gauge her pain since she is a very vocal (whiny) girl, and the affected leg is the back left, which was her "good" back leg. She has an old right hock injury and some disc disease, so I don't think she can compensate for that leg as much as she would if otherwise healthy.

 

That being said, she's still acting like my Matty beast. Spinning around to play and enjoying her walks. Although they are noticeably slower - even just over the past 10 days.

 

I always used to ask her "Do you know you're 9...are you ever going to slow down". I would give anything for the answer to that last question to be no.

 

As of today, I'm just trying to pull myself together and enjoy all of her little quirks that make her my Matty bear.

[CaliforniaGreys]

We've got you both tucked very tightly in our prayers

[NancyB]

I'm so sorry, sending prayers and hugs

[Guest SandOSU98]

I'm so sorry. No experience or advice, just prayers and hugs.

[iluvgreys]

The combo of pain meds + pepcid sound good, and you can always increase the frequency of the tramadol as needed. Glad she's still her happy spinny self. Don't know what the problem is with the yahoo group. The list owner's email addy is CircleofGrey-owner @ yahoogroups. com (take out the extra spaces). Maybe she can help you.

[Guest 4baddogs]

Oh, that sucks. I'm so sorry it wasn't good news.

[Guest greytbookert]

I'm so sorry for the dx! man this disease is just too awful for words!!

[robinw]

Oh no, Carol. I'm so very sorry

Edited April 25, 2009 by robinw

[GreyPoopon]

So, whining runs in the family too, does it? Two of Edie's nicknames are "whiny b****" and (my new favourite) "needy Edie". She also tends to look morose. Neither the whining nor the morose expression have much to do with how much pain her arthritic shoulder is causing. She also tends not to limp.

 

The best cues to the amount of pain seem to be whether she: puts her full weight on it when she stands; wants to chase her ball during play time; flips out and races around the yard every few days; gritches at her sisters if they step too close to her when she's lying down; or hangs out in an empty crate. It was the behavioural stuff (the crate use and the gritching) that first tipped me off that she was in pain. That and the look in her eyes which I first noticed in a photograph.

 

I think if she seems playful and happy with life, you're probably doing a good job with pain management.

[jodyksam]

I'm so sorry :hope

[Guest VirginiaGreys]

I'm sitting here crying...I'm sorry for what you're going through. Spend lots of quality time with her!