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Lucas Has An Ominous X-Ray...


Guest greytkidsmom

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Crap....that is not the news anyone wants to hear. We'll keep Luca and you in our thoughts.

Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge.

Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl.

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Guest greytkidsmom

Its everywhere.

 

Lucas had a nuclear bone scan today. The spot in the femur lit up as well as some other spots including a vertebral body. Tomorrow they will do a FNA of the femur lesion to confirm that it is metastatic disease. I asked if that was really necessary but that is a spot that hasn't been hurting and this will give us a true picture of what we are looking at. I think it will also help DH who has really been taking this all to heart.

 

How did I go from a basically healthy dog with a limp and one lesion to one with widely metastatic disease? I have studied everyone's posts about what to look for. I only waited a week and then insisted on films so we could "diagnose it early." I downloaded and printed articles about greyhound bleeding and about amicar. We have talked about OS and amputation since we have owned greyhounds so we would be prepared for the inevitable. It feels like I failed somewhere.

 

He has to stay overnight to get rid of his radioactive pee. They will do FNA first thing and stat the results. We should know tomorrow afternoon. The sooner I can get him home the better.

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I know how you're feeling... having read up as much as possible to be prepared, and when it hits, you are paralyzed... I felt the same when I found out, on my birthday, that Remy had OS. I already knew he wasn't an amp candidate and felt horrible that I could do no more than palliative care for him. But we had 14 more weeks together, and he had 14 more weeks of being absolutely spoiled rotten.... 9 of those weeks were fantastic since we were ahead of the pain... the last 5 weeks were awful as he continued to get exponentially worse... I am so so sorry you area dealing with this... you are in my thoughts. get him home and spoil him... take load of pictures... create happy memories... take him out while he can still enjoy walks... take advantage of the time you have left and make the best of it....

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I recently contacted Dr Couto about a case--this poor hound had known OSA in a front limb-he had his amp at Ohio State and sailed through the surgery. I will add that from the time the lameness was first noted to amp was very short. This hound had 4 rounds of carboplatin in the usual timely matter. Shortly, afterwards he started acting painful--back for limb and chest rads-they appeared clean. This poor guy just seemed to become more unsettled and just wasn't acting himself--he ended back up at Ohio State for a further work up. They started with more rads and that's when reality hit--the cancer had spread to his other limb, spine, chest...... He was released from his pain and needless to say his owner was devastated--she did everything right and yet he succumbed to quickly to the cancer. Dr Couto claims there is a subset of OSA that appears to be more aggressive--and here's the kicker--the chemo acts like a catalyst.

Edited by tbhounds
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Guest 4rooers

Laura, you have never failed any of your babies, and you never will.Give Lucas all your love for as long as you can.I know he gives you all of his.Hugs to you all.

Kim

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Guest greytkidsmom

I recently contacted Dr Couto about a case--this poor hound had known OSA in a front limb-he had his amp at Ohio State and sailed through the surgery. I will add that from the time the lameness was first noted to amp was very short. This hound had 4 rounds of carboplatin in the usual timely matter. Shortly, afterwards he started acting painful--back for limb and chest rads-they appeared clean. This poor guy just seemed to become more unsettled and just wasn't acting himself--he ended back up at Ohio State for a further work up. They started with more rads and that's when reality hit--the cancer had spread to his other limb, spine, chest...... He was released from his pain and needless to say his owner was devastated--she did everything right and yet he succumbed to quickly to the cancer. Dr Couto claims there is a subset of OSA that appears to be more aggressive--and here's the kicker--the chemo acts like a catalyst.

 

That sounds just like Lucas. As much as it sucks right now I am extremely thankful for the vet who did a thorough physical exam and followed through to determine the cause of his hind leg pain. It would be more heartbreaking to do the amp and chemo only to find out that we were too late anyway. I wonder if anyone is doing studies on this form of OSA.

Laura, you have never failed any of your babies, and you never will.Give Lucas all your love for as long as you can.I know he gives you all of his.Hugs to you all.

Kim

 

Thanks Kim. That means a lot.

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{{{{{{{{{{{Laura}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

 

It's only natural that people who love their pets would feel that they've failed them. Without going into details I felt that way with Pearl and Onyx (actually all of them). I'm so very sorry Lukas is not doing well.

Edited by MP_the4pack
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I have been following and am so sorry to read the results. I hope you have many opportunities to share the enjoyable things with Lucas. I, too, have felt that I have failed my dogs at times. I think it is natural to feel that way. Hugs.

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Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus 
Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart
The flame that burns the brightest, burns the fastest and leaves the biggest shadow

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Ah jeez....I am so sorry. You have never failed Lucas nor any of your other pups from the posts I have read (Kebo is great example). I hope you have some good times still ahead with your boy, I am beyond sorry this has happened as I knew you would fight the fight for as long as he could.

Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge.

Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl.

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Guest vahoundlover

Laura, I am so sorry to see this! There is no way you failed Lucas. You know cancer is so unpredictable and can spread without any outward symptoms. You've done everything you can for Lucas and I know you will continue to do the right thing. My love to you and Damon

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Guest greytkidsmom

Lucas gets to come home tomorrow. The lesion in his femur (the "surprise" lesion) was not visible by ultrasound so they couldn't do FNA. They proceeded with a biopsy which I am not super happy about but because the bone was too thick to see through with US there should be a low risk of pathologic fracture. They sent cells to cytology which was inconclusive. We will have to wait for histopathology for tissue diagnosis of that lesion. They are hesitant to have the oncologists to speak with us until there is a "tissue" diagnosis of metastatic osteosarcoma. I think that is because they want to present Lucas with the option of palliative radiation. I just want to take him home, give him pain medicines, and spoil him. Lucas is DH's heart dog and they both just need to be with each other right now. Its funny, DH has been trying to get Lucas to get in bed with us since we found out but he is such a good boy that he won't.

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:grouphug

Cynthia, & Cristiano, galgo
Always in my heart: Frostman
Newdawn Frost, Keno Jet Action & Chloe (NGA racing name unknown), Irys (galgo), Hannah (weim), Cruz (galgo), & Carly CW Your Charming

Princess http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?i=1018857

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are." -- Unknown

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Lucas is DH's heart dog and they both just need to be with each other right now. Its funny, DH has been trying to get Lucas to get in bed with us since we found out but he is such a good boy that he won't.

 

Maybe you need to whisper in Lucas's ear that he really needs to hop on the bed for his Daddyman.

 

Sending gentle good thoughts and cyberhugs.

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Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest greytkidsmom

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and white light.

Lucas indeed had osteo in both his right shoulder and left knee.

He was comfortable with pain meds until a day or so ago when he became restless at night. The tumor on his shoulder had grown to the size of a golf ball in a week's time.

We couldn't bear the thought of him breaking that leg so we let him go yesterday with words of love whispered in his sweet freckled ears.

 

It was 30 days from when we first noticed the limp and 17 days from the original x-ray that we let him go.

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We are so sorry for your loss of Lucas. Know you gave him the best care possible and love. We feel your broken heart.

 

Hugs

 

Cora and the furkids

Vallerysiggy.jpg

Then God sent the Greyhound to live among man and remember. And when the Day comes,

God will call the Greyhound to give Testament, and God will pass judgment on man.

(Persian Proverb)

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I'm so very sorry for your loss. :grouphug

Cynthia, & Cristiano, galgo
Always in my heart: Frostman
Newdawn Frost, Keno Jet Action & Chloe (NGA racing name unknown), Irys (galgo), Hannah (weim), Cruz (galgo), & Carly CW Your Charming

Princess http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?i=1018857

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are." -- Unknown

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