Osteo Diagnosis

[Guest greyt_learner]

It is possible it could be from the amp. Has he been very active? I know that it's possible there could be internal bleeding so I would contact your vet. Our Charlie is not a fan of the new ramp into the truck and that is why we use a harness for him to get into and out of the truck as I can guide him up and down the ramp easier.

 

I hope it's nothing serious. We'll be thinking of you and Puck.

Kyle

 

We didn't amputate - we're doing pain management, so I have no idea about it - I'll call the vet tomorrow.Thanks for your thoughts.

 

 

Sirocco is doing much worse today. The tumor is huge. His right leg is very swollen and he is needing pain medicine about every 4 hours. DH is off this week to give it to him but everyone is back to work and school on Monday. He still enjoys eating and pettins but moving is a lot harder. We are probably going to send him off to be with Polly and Chester at the bridge on Thursday morning.

 

I'm so sorry about Sirocco - I know you'll do what is best for him .

[teri_d]

Sirocco is doing much worse today. The tumor is huge. His right leg is very swollen and he is needing pain medicine about every 4 hours. DH is off this week to give it to him but everyone is back to work and school on Monday. He still enjoys eating and pettins but moving is a lot harder. We are probably going to send him off to be with Polly and Chester at the bridge on Thursday morning.

 

you will make the right choice for sirocco - it is just not right to see them in pain. hugs to you and sirocco as you face the week ahead - know that you have friends who understand and are here for you on gt - don't hesitate to rant/rave/cry -- because we're right there with you all the way. you are in our thoughts and prayers. teri

 

It is possible it could be from the amp. Has he been very active? I know that it's possible there could be internal bleeding so I would contact your vet. Our Charlie is not a fan of the new ramp into the truck and that is why we use a harness for him to get into and out of the truck as I can guide him up and down the ramp easier.

 

I hope it's nothing serious. We'll be thinking of you and Puck.

Kyle

 

We didn't amputate - we're doing pain management, so I have no idea about it - I'll call the vet tomorrow.Thanks for your thoughts.

 

 

[

 

poor puck! i have no experience in this area (lol) but i'm sorry he has this complication....there was another thread on here that involved the same anatomy part and treatment - anybody remember what thread it was??

[Guest ChasesMum]

Sirocco is doing much worse today. The tumor is huge. His right leg is very swollen and he is needing pain medicine about every 4 hours. DH is off this week to give it to him but everyone is back to work and school on Monday. He still enjoys eating and pettins but moving is a lot harder. We are probably going to send him off to be with Polly and Chester at the bridge on Thursday morning.

 

Aww honey I am so sorry you are going through this with Sirocco. That really sucks. : give him some scritches from me...

[Charlies_Dad]

Sirocco is doing much worse today. The tumor is huge. His right leg is very swollen and he is needing pain medicine about every 4 hours. DH is off this week to give it to him but everyone is back to work and school on Monday. He still enjoys eating and pettins but moving is a lot harder. We are probably going to send him off to be with Polly and Chester at the bridge on Thursday morning.

 

I am so very very sorry to hear about Sirocco. Spoil him rotten while he is still here.

[Batmom]

I'm so sorry to read about Sirocco. Will you give him a hug for me? Tell him he is handsome and admired worldwide for his exploits. Hugs for you and your family too.

[Guest azlorenz]

Sirocco is doing much worse today. The tumor is huge. His right leg is very swollen and he is needing pain medicine about every 4 hours. DH is off this week to give it to him but everyone is back to work and school on Monday. He still enjoys eating and pettins but moving is a lot harder. We are probably going to send him off to be with Polly and Chester at the bridge on Thursday morning.

 

 

I am so sorry. Love him and love him some more.

[Guest roselle]

Hello, I'm new and joined this group today because my grey Gracy was diagnosed last Thursday. She just started limping 10 days ago, but the tumor is huge the vet feels it's very advanced. Lung films do not show mets. Her tests will be reviewed by oncology radiologist Thurs. I'm thinking amputation or put her down as the vet recommended. This has just hit us on top of the head, it happened so fast and she looks so healthy. I want more time with her.

We are due to leave on a 2 week trip this saturday. We have a great dog sitter who stays with our dogs in our home. My concern is that her leg will fracture while were away and she'll be in horrible pain. I don't know what to do. Any comments will be most welcome.

Edited August 4, 2010 by roselle

[teri_d]

Hello, I'm new and joined this group today because my grey Gracy was diagnosed last Thursday. She just started limping 10 days ago, but the tumor is huge the vet feels it's very advanced. Lung films do not show mets. Her tests will be reviewed by oncology radiologist Thurs. I'm thinking amputation or put her down as the vet recommended. This has just hit us on top of the head, it happened so fast and she looks so healthy. I want more time with her.

We are due to leave on a 2 week trip this saturday. We have a great dog sitter who stays with our dogs in our home. My concern is that her leg will fracture while were away and she'll be in horrible pain. I don't know what to do. Any comments will be most welcome.

 

welcome to gt -- sorry you are here because of os dx....drat -- gracy's diagnosis is the pits -- we really don't like new members to our little club we have going here - if you read all the way through the 8 pages you will find lots of support and ideas. your decision on the path you will take must be made for you and gracy - in this thread are quite a few with os and each has a little bit different path they are on - but we all understand and are here for you - hugs and prayers - teri

[NeylasMom]

Sirocco is doing much worse today. The tumor is huge. His right leg is very swollen and he is needing pain medicine about every 4 hours. DH is off this week to give it to him but everyone is back to work and school on Monday. He still enjoys eating and pettins but moving is a lot harder. We are probably going to send him off to be with Polly and Chester at the bridge on Thursday morning.

I'm so sorry.

 

Hello, I'm new and joined this group today because my grey Gracy was diagnosed last Thursday. She just started limping 10 days ago, but the tumor is huge the vet feels it's very advanced. Lung films do not show mets. Her tests will be reviewed by oncology radiologist Thurs. I'm thinking amputation or put her down as the vet recommended. This has just hit us on top of the head, it happened so fast and she looks so healthy. I want more time with her.

We are due to leave on a 2 week trip this saturday. We have a great dog sitter who stays with our dogs in our home. My concern is that her leg will fracture while were away and she'll be in horrible pain. I don't know what to do. Any comments will be most welcome.

I'm so sorry to hear about Gracy's diagnosis. For a really good overview of osteosarcoma and treatment/pain management options, check out this site. If you decide to amputate, you need to do it as soon as possible, both for pain relief and to hopefully get rid of the tumor before the cancer has started to metastasize (good chance it will have already anyway though). Recovery from amputation is not a joke, so you would need to cancel your trip to care for your pup I would imagine. There are those of us who have chosen both routes here - amputation or just pain management - so we can help with either option if you have specific questions or just need support.

 

What pain meds does the vet have her on in the interim? Good explanation of bone cancer pain and management options here.

[Guest ChasesMum]

Hello, I'm new and joined this group today because my grey Gracy was diagnosed last Thursday. She just started limping 10 days ago, but the tumor is huge the vet feels it's very advanced. Lung films do not show mets. Her tests will be reviewed by oncology radiologist Thurs. I'm thinking amputation or put her down as the vet recommended. This has just hit us on top of the head, it happened so fast and she looks so healthy. I want more time with her.

We are due to leave on a 2 week trip this saturday. We have a great dog sitter who stays with our dogs in our home. My concern is that her leg will fracture while were away and she'll be in horrible pain. I don't know what to do. Any comments will be most welcome.

 

so sorry you had to join us! We hate to see more houndies with OS.

 

So where are you headed on your trip? Can you postpone it or rebook?

 

As said, if you choose to amputate you would really need to cancel your trip ...it would be quite unfair for a dogsitter to have to deal with that sort of recovery unfortunatley. You want more time but you are leaving and those 2 things don't go together. What a crummy situation! i would say that if you do go, have a contingency plan in place. The sitter and the vet should have pretty specific instructions on what is to happen should a fracture occur, and sitter should have pain meds on hand to give her. by the time you get home she could well be a very different dog than today. also plan for what would happen if she was in really bad pain while you were gone - at what point would you want her put down, etc.

 

I know how it feels, we had 2 trips planned - one only a few hours away but for my best friend's wedding - in October which we cancelled when George was diagnosed. We had to be home to care for him. the other trip was a company-paid trip to Mexico in January which we did go on but he was well healed after his amp and he stayed with the vet clinic manager. And we had family right here in case something heppened. He passed about 3 weeks after we got home.

[Charlies_Dad]

Hello, I'm new and joined this group today because my grey Gracy was diagnosed last Thursday. She just started limping 10 days ago, but the tumor is huge the vet feels it's very advanced. Lung films do not show mets. Her tests will be reviewed by oncology radiologist Thurs. I'm thinking amputation or put her down as the vet recommended. This has just hit us on top of the head, it happened so fast and she looks so healthy. I want more time with her.

We are due to leave on a 2 week trip this saturday. We have a great dog sitter who stays with our dogs in our home. My concern is that her leg will fracture while were away and she'll be in horrible pain. I don't know what to do. Any comments will be most welcome.

 

I am very sorry to hear about Gracy's diagnosis. You have three options that I am sure your vet has explained, pain management or amputation with/without Chemo or release her from this nasty disease altogether. None of these are easy decisions and yes you do need to be around for the amputation as each pup reacts differently and there is a post-op period of about 7-14 days that they will need your help. We just went through the amp with our Charlie and while he was walking well the first week, I purposely stayed at home working for two weeks so both myself and DW could be around for him.

 

Again I am sorry you are going through this and having to make a decision like this. Give Gracy a hug from me.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Charlies_Dad

[Charlies_Dad]

A quick Charlie update! We had our first Chemo today and everything went well after a slight mix-up. We had it scheduled for 10:30am and I received a call yesterday morning confirming the appointment on my cell. Then late yesterday a message was left at our home number that the drugs likely would not arrive on time so they had to push us to Thursday afternoon - let's just say I wasn't happy when DW told me that. She called them back and they stated if the drugs came in early enough they may be able to do something late this afternoon. Fast forward to this morning and I get a panic call of a very emotional DW that now it's been changed to Friday! Supposedly the lady today was not the nicest 'customer service' person and just told her that the appointment was not recorded so you are being pushed to Friday. After that discussion, DW got ahold of the person who orders the drugs and she promised that as soon as they arrive they'll do everything possible - talk about two different stories at the same clinic! Well I decided to call from out of the country and got a very nice lady, I explained the situation and she promised me they would do everything and understood completely the emotional situation. While on the phone with her, their drugs arrived by courier and she called back within 5 minutes asking us to come on down. So Charlie did fine, we are just trying to source Suramin which we cannot get in Canada unless the vet is performing a research study and must prove it. Dr. Coutu recommended this so we are trying to obtain some through other sources (we won't mention any names...no, they are not part of the GT community, I swear!).

Charlie is resting now and got a big ice cream for his troubles so everything is good right now. The only concern is his WBC is a little low (lower than when he had the operation) so we are looking for ways to help him get that back up.

 

A pic of our 'amp' room. It's actually our sun/tea room off our master bedroom and we place our bed on the floor through the French doors so we could be close to Charlie. All the pups are there except Angie (Pug).

 

 

Kyle

Edited August 4, 2010 by Charlies_Dad

[Guest azlorenz]

Good grief Kyle! I'm glad everything finally worked out but I'd have been pulling my hair out. Hope Charlie gets along fine with no complications. Flash goes in for his post 1st chemo bloodwork Friday. Keep your fingers crossed all is well.

[Guest ChasesMum]

scritches to Flash and to your patchey hound too Kyle (name???)!! lordy what an ordeal... Shannon I hope flash's bloodwork is ok.

 

Carol, how ya holding up? How's Anubis?

[Ullaluv]

Carol, give Sirocco lots of hugs, kisses and bread from his aunt, and tell him how honored I was to know him. You know the gave this boy the very best possible home in the whole wide world.

[Guest azlorenz]

scritches to Flash and to your patchey hound too Kyle (name???)!! lordy what an ordeal... Shannon I hope flash's bloodwork is ok.

 

 

Flash says thank you for the scritches!

[Charlies_Dad]

scritches to Flash and to your patchey hound too Kyle (name???)!! lordy what an ordeal... Shannon I hope flash's bloodwork is ok.

 

Carol, how ya holding up? How's Anubis?

 

 

 

 

The 'patchy hound' is Shelby. We adopted her a couple months ago and she's a senior (11yrs old) and she is a super sweet little girl. She has really opened up since we got her and now runs around the backyard in big circles. She's also a chow hound like Charlie and is always in the kitchen looking for treats. We are so glad we adopted her as she is so easy and so sweet.

[Sirocco_Nikki]

Carol, give Sirocco lots of hugs, kisses and bread from his aunt, and tell him how honored I was to know him. You know the gave this boy the very best possible home in the whole wide world.

 

 

Thanks a bunch Hope. You should know how special he is since you helped us pick him out. I have to chuckle when people talk about rescuing dogs because Sirocco rescued me. We lost Chester one year to bone cancer and then Polly the next to heart failure. I was scared spitless of going through that kind of pain again. However, I started having the strongest feelings that Chester was telling me that another dog needed a home and to get to it. You did our home visit and boy, did you pick up on our real requirements quickly. Good with the kids. Ornery enough to keep me entertained. Calm enough not to make Tom nuts. And that's what we got: a brittany spaniel attitude in a greyhound body that took naps. What more could anyone want out of life?

 

I really appreciate everyone's support through this. It has made all the difference in the world. I was totally overcome with grief with Polly and Chester. With Sirocco, it hurts like the devil but I don't feel overwhelmed because I know there are others right here with me (even though I've never met you).

 

It's time and I know it is. However, Sirocco scammed me out of my potatoes at supper and then ate a scoop of frozen custard. I am hoping we can wait until Friday now when his regular vet will be on duty. It would just make me feel better to know that Dr Sheff was with him too.

[Sirocco_Nikki]

woops. posted twice.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Sirocco_Nikki

[Batmom]

Scamming is what that boy was born to do . Hugs to you and all your family, Carol.

[Sirocco_Nikki]

scritches to Flash and to your patchey hound too Kyle (name???)!! lordy what an ordeal... Shannon I hope flash's bloodwork is ok.

 

How's Anubis?

 

Double those scritches for Flash and Shelby from me. Also sending a big round of hugs and positive thoughts to Charlie. Kick some cancer butt Charlie! Also also, checking for an Anubis update.

[Charlies_Dad]

 

It's time and I know it is. However, Sirocco scammed me out of my potatoes at supper and then ate a scoop of frozen custard. I am hoping we can wait until Friday now when his regular vet will be on duty. It would just make me feel better to know that Dr Sheff was with him too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's the way Sirocco! Stealing your Mum's potatoes and custard to boot! Nothing will keep you from good food. Keep it my furry friend and know we all love you.

[Guest azlorenz]

" With Sirocco, it hurts like the devil but I don't feel overwhelmed because I know there are others right here with me (even though I've never met you)."

 

More truthful words were never spoken. This week for some reason I have been through the whole gambit of emotions. I am so thankful to have a tripawd Flash going through chemo and my heart breaks for each of you having to deal with letting go right here and now. I am so sorry for you who have had to let your darlings go already and those who will in the near future.

 

I'd love to not see a new diagnosis for AT LEAST the remainder of the week.

Edited August 5, 2010 by azlorenz

[teri_d]

woops. posted twice.

 

sweet post like that deserved a double post!!!! my heart is with you & sirocco!! charlie - so glad 1st chemo is behind you - so custard for you as well!!! flashy - prayers will follow you friday as you get your post first dose of the killer stuff check! also hoping for anubis update - drat. rivie is still holding her own. she sees the vet tomorrow for her 2 week check - to measure rib stability and tumor growth, etc and check on pain management, but i think it is ok for now. we are going to try to take her on a little car trip vacation this weekend, so well see how that goes -- thank you all for the support - you have no idea what you all mean to me - i find myself checking for update and looking - cheering for you and crying with you several times a day - thanks guys -

Edited August 5, 2010 by teri_d

[teri_d]

just got home from our vet check - everything is as good as it can be right now -- rivie has actually gained a pound (extra cheese/treats for the meds and the homecooked chicken breasts - yum!) heart and lungs are clear sounding - ribs seem stable - tumor has grown, but not horribly in 2 weeks. i had the day off work, so i THINK i figured out this picture deal - here's my beautiful rivendell escort (rivie).....

Edited August 5, 2010 by teri_d