Greyhound Cancer

[Guest dkcivicsi06]

I just got back from the vet and found out some horrible new that my almost 9 year old fawn female has bone cancer in her rear right leg. This is my first greyhound and im not sure what to do. she is in pain i have to carry her up and down stairs she doesnt have problems using the bathroom and sometimes she wont eat. I do not want her to suffer i am looking for people that have gone thru this and could maybe give me some help on how long is to long to put her thru anything.

[TheFullHouse]

Please join the osteo thread here in Health and Medical. The people in there have a world of knowledge and are a wonderful support group. They can help you. My prayers for you and your sweet girl.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Sweetie, you're the third new member of this unhappy club in just the last couple of days. There's an entire thread with information. Read the first post there, and you'll see lots of links. You need to get her pain under control, and discuss with a vet whether she's a candidate for amputation or not. (A greyhound with three legs is not really handicapped and can get around very well.)

 

One thing you need to know quickly is whether your vet did chest x-rays, and was there any sign of the cancer there--or any sign that the cancer has spread beyond her leg. That's going to be a big influence on what you decide to do.

 

Did your vet give you any pain meds for your girl? If so, what did he give--and how much?

 

P.S. What's your name? And what's her name?

Edited March 21, 2013 by KF_in_Georgia

[Guest dkcivicsi06]

i took her to a specialist today they did chest and leg exrays they told me that amputation and chemo would get her about 3-6 months if that.they gave me Tramadol for a pain med.

My name is Dustin and her name is Jazmin.

[schultzlc]

I am so sorry that you have received this news, and I will be sending many good thoughts for you and your girl. You're in the right place, folks here have a ton of useful information and can provide you with some much needed support.

[Charlies_Dad]

i took her to a specialist today they did chest and leg exrays they told me that amputation and chemo would get her about 3-6 months if that.they gave me Tramadol for a pain med.

 

 

My name is Dustin and her name is Jazmin.

Dustin, I am very sorry about Jazmin's diagnosis. As others have stated, there is a lot of information in the Osteo thread in H&M. As for your options there are several each with their own risks, costs and quality of life for Jazmin. I would also suggest reaching out to OSU as they are experts with Greys and unfortunately see many with Osteo. As for the 3-6mths, that's debatable as OSU has 14mths as the median lifespan after amputation and chemo.

 

Again truly sorry and if you have questions please ask, we are all here for you and your girl.

[carronstar]

Dustin, I am so sorry that you and Jazmin have received this diagnosis. You have received a lot of good advice above here. You will definitely receive a lot of support from everyone here. Charlies_Dad is just one of the tremendous examples, his Charlie did remarkably well. Shared information is amazing.

[Guest dkcivicsi06]

Thank u everyone for your help

[MP_the4pack]

I'm so sorry that you joined Greytalk because of that damned disease.

 

Whatever choice you make, remember, you make it out of love for Jazmin. So no decision is wrong.

 

I'll tell you what I did. I drove from NJ to OSU (Ohio State U, where THE greyhound oncologist is....Dr. Couto). I specifically went because I know they see hundreds of greys and they could tell me if they thought my Diamond could handle being a tripod. After a day of tests, the conclusion was that she could. So I had the amp there.

The drive out there was Wed. The all day appointment was Thurs. The surgery was Fri. And I was driving home Tues. She had two weeks that weren't the best. But once she was off pain meds, she was fine. She had a very happy painfree 6 months.

 

By the way, Diamond was 12!!!!

 

For me, while I doubted my decision for the 2 weeks immediately following the surgery, now as I look back, it was the right decision.

 

Good luck. I hope you still have her for a long time whatever decision you make. And you'll see throughout the other thread, that everyone recommends you confer with Dr. Couto. Or at least with the other doctors at OSU.

[JJNg]

i took her to a specialist today they did chest and leg exrays they told me that amputation and chemo would get her about 3-6 months if that.they gave me Tramadol for a pain med.

 

Was the specialist an oncologist? Did they say why they only gave her 3-6 months even with amputation and chemo? Most statistics show a median survival time of 3-6 months without amputation and chemo. And with amputation and chemo, the median survival time is closer to 12-14 months. Here's an article with more information.

 

Is Jazmin on anything besides tramadol for pain? Regardless of what you decide regarding amputation and chemo, she needs to have some good pain management now. Bone cancer is a very painful condition, but that pain can be managed with a combination of meds, and there's no reason to hold back. Most dogs with bone cancer are treated with at least a NSAID (like Rimadyl, Metacam, Deramaxx, or Previcox), in addition to tramadol, and often also a 3rd medication call gabapentin.

[Guest IrskasMom]

Please join the osteo thread here in Health and Medical. The people in there have a world of knowledge and are a wonderful support group. They can help you. My prayers for you and your sweet girl.

 

 

Dustin, I am very sorry about Jazmin's diagnosis. As others have stated, there is a lot of information in the Osteo thread in H&M. As for your options there are several each with their own risks, costs and quality of life for Jazmin. I would also suggest reaching out to OSU as they are experts with Greys and unfortunately see many with Osteo. As for the 3-6mths, that's debatable as OSU has 14mths as the median lifespan after amputation and chemo.

 

Again truly sorry and if you have questions please ask, we are all here for you and your girl.

 

 

 

I would urge you to contact OSU , Please . Even if you don't opt for Amputation but for Advice and Pain Managment Protocol is given .

I am so terribly sorry for this Diagnosis as I have been there once. So Heartbreaking.Try to be positive for Jazmin's sake and make lots and lots of Quality Time and Memories. Keep us Updated on her Condition .

Edited March 21, 2013 by IrskasMom

[Guest BlueCrab]

Dustin - sorry to hear of Jazmin's diagnosis. No experience with it, but you've definitely come to the right place and will get very good advice. As others have suggested, I would get in touch with OSU. They have the vast amount of experience with greyhound cancer. I love my vets down here in MD, but they're not the most grey-savvy. If I faced a similar diagnosis, I'd go straight to the pros.

[Guest IrskasMom]

I am sorry , double Exposure.

Edited March 21, 2013 by IrskasMom

[45MPHK9]

 

Is Jazmin on anything besides tramadol for pain? Regardless of what you decide regarding amputation and chemo, she needs to have some good pain management now. Bone cancer is a very painful condition, but that pain can be managed with a combination of meds, and there's no reason to hold back. Most dogs with bone cancer are treated with at least a NSAID (like Rimadyl, Metacam, Deramaxx, or Previcox), in addition to tramadol, and often also a 3rd medication call gabapentin.

Yes! When our nine year old Bee Wiseman as diagnosed with osteo she took Deramaxx, Tramadol, and Gabapentin to help her cope with the pain.

 

I'm so sorry that Jazmin has been diagnosed with this awful disease. Please consult the osteo thread in Health and Medical for specific dosages, treatment options, etc. Too many of us have been down this miserable road without greyhounds.

[4My2Greys]

Just wanted to say how sorry I am for Jazmin's diagnosis.

[galgrey]

Dustin, I'm so very sorry to read of Jazmin's diagnosis. There's a world of good advice here from people who have unfortunately walked this path before you. Sending good thoughts and prayers as make your decision on your course of action.

[krissn333]

I'm sorry you've received this diagnosis. My Pinky was diagnosed when she was 8, just months away from turning 9. It was her left rear leg. I opted for amputation and chemo - she sailed through surgery with flying colors and tolerated the chemo (Carboplatin, which was provided by OSU at no cost to me, I just had to pay my vet to administer it and run the bloodwork). We had 11 AMAZING and HAPPY months (she didn't miss that leg one bit, and not only that, she actually was HAPPIER as a tripod!). In October 2012 one Saturday I learned that she had developed lung metastases. She stayed with me until November 19th (12 days after her one year "ampiversary"). She was such a happy girl. I do not regret the decisions that I made for her. There are many dogs here that underwent amputation and chemo and are still going strong much more than a year later (Twiggy is coming close to 2 years now I think!).

 

My first osteo hound was my old man Sutra. His cancer was in his right front leg, close to his shoulder. I opted for palliative care with him as he was not a candidate for amputation at age 12 with issues with his back legs. He was on Deramaxx and Tramadol. This was kind of back before I knew much about Gabapentin. I also took him for pamidronate infusions - pamidronate works to build new bone and in many hounds can provide quite a lot of pain relief. Those infusions can be done every 28 days. They CAN affect the kidneys, so bloodwork is done before each treatment. Sutra was with me for SIX MONTHS after his diagnosis. He had been limping off and on for four months prior to that, so it's probable that he had it at that time, so it was actually more like TEN months with pain management. And those were GOOD months. We managed his pain very well and he was a happy boy right to the end. There are several dogs in the osteo thread who have left us, but enjoyed OVER A YEAR of good time with palliative care.

 

I'm happy with the decisions that I made for each of them given their individual circumstances. If Sutra had been a candidate, I think I would have amputated with him too. It was a constant worry for me that his leg would break. Eventually his xrays showed that his bone was basically TRANSPARENT where the tumor was, even though he was still moving around well and even running at times, I had to make the decision to let him go after he slipped and fell one night. THANKFULLY his leg did not break, but, I was worried that it had as I rushed him to the vet.

 

I don't say any of this to scare you, but to give you an honest picture of the different things that there are to think about as you make your choices for Jazmin. The 3-6 month time frame that you were given for amp & chemo is definitely not the average. Most get much more time, but, osteo is SUCH a crapshoot you just never know. You can opt for palliative care and get a year or more, or you can get a couple of weeks. You can opt for amputation and chemo and get a year or more, or get a couple of weeks. So, you have to do what you feel is right for you and for Jazmin.

 

Come over to the osteo thread - there are tons of us there and collectively we've done every treatment there is. We're there to support you on this journey with Jazmin, and offer advice and good thoughts wherever we can. What we're not there to do is to TELL YOU what to do. We just want you to have all of the information you can possibly have to help you make the right decision for the both of you, and no matter what choices you make, they will be the right choices for you because you'll be making them with Jazmin's best interests at heart

[TwiggysMom]

Dustin, I am so sorry for Jazmin's osteo diagnosis.

 

As everyone else said, please join us over in the Osteo Thread. There is so much information in there. Honestly, most general veterinarians and even some veterinary oncologists aren't that up to date on osteo treatments and prognosis.

 

The great thing about the Osteo thread is that we have experience from many, many vets and oncologists, along with some of the latest research and protocols ranging from pain control to amp/chemo protocols.

 

Right now, Twiggy and I are entering the 20th month of our osteo journey. Admittedly, Twiggy has had a better than typical result, as median survival for amputation/chemo/metronomic protocol is generally considered to be 14 months, but we aren't the only ones to have gotten so much good time, either.

 

Of course, amp/chemo is not necessarily the right choice for you or Jazmine. I just encourage you to look at all of the options and see which you feel would work best in your situation.

[Guest RICHandJUDE]

I am so sorry for your Jazmin's osteo diagnosis. My Santa had amputation and chemo, starting in September 2010. He lived an additional 29 painfree happy months with us.

We had to put him down last month because he had back problems. He was still CANCER-FREE. I would get in touch with Dr. Couto at OSU to see what he believes the options to be. The decision will be yours and there is no wrong decison. Good Luck!

[Houndtime]

I am sorry for the pain you and your girlie are going through. There is better medicine she can receive.

[joejoesmom]

I know you can't private message anyone yet (I think you need 50 posts to do so). Feel free to email me at:

 

finewhipador-drool@yahoo.com

 

or call me at:

 

614-523-0754

 

I live in Columbus Ohio, home to OSU and the worlds best greyhound oncologists. My Joe was amputated at OSU and we had 20 wonderful months. I have helped many people who have brought their hounds to OSU for cancer treatment. I even have a document I can send you outlining the current treatment options and prognoses.

 

I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

Jane

 

p.s. although amputation and chemo were the right choice for Joe, I fully recognize that it is not the right choice for every situation. I promise that I will not try to convince you to choose a treatment, merely give you the facts so that you might make an educated decision. Unfortunately, statistics are no guarantee. There is no way of knowing whether you will get 2 weeks or 2 years, no matter which treatment plan you follow. Osteo is a horrible, horrible crapshoot.