Osteo Thread Part 9

[gracegirl]

Good news is that she likes the new Hill’s prescription onc food. Which is $45 for a 6lb bag and $60 for a case of cans(!!!) We are cutting it with her regular food. Just need her to regain some of those lost lbs! 

[FiveRoooooers]

29 minutes ago, gracegirl said:

Good news is that she likes the new Hill’s prescription onc food. Which is $45 for a 6lb bag and $60 for a case of cans(!!!) We are cutting it with her regular food. Just need her to regain some of those lost lbs! 

Wowzer, we are all in the wrong business 

If it's allowed with all that she's getting, canned puppy food is calorie-dense and has always helped to put weight on my senior campers. 

Tessie 

[gracegirl]

Thanks for the reminder! We did talk about dry puppy food but I’ll shoot a quick note over to the oncologist about cans as well. Maybe I’ll supplement some of that in. At this point money is no object, as it’s a short term solution to getting the weight back on her and I’m thankful to be in a position where I can spend whatever it takes to get those pounds on. 

[greysmom]

  Tessie    

[gracegirl]

She’s been off the Palladia and rapamycin since last Thursday and I haven’t see a change in her personality yet. She’s still acting painful, but it could also the three corns I have hulled this week (one in each foot). I’m debating whether I get her in for X-rays next week vs waiting until the week after. I’m also debating calling the oncologist to put her back on the Palladia and rapa since she’s actually acting more lethargic off of them. Or maybe I’ll give it a few more days. I don’t know. This sucks. I hate it. 

[EllenEveBaz]

 

[kudzu]

I’m sorry you & your girl are going through this.  It definitely sucks, big time. I have a few more words to describe it but I don’t want to get banned. Still hoping for the best.  

[gracegirl]

Thank you. I appreciate all those words. I’ve probably said them a lot this week. This is really hard. 

[greysmom]

  {{{hugs}}}   

[gracegirl]

I posted this on Facebook. I might as well post here too. 
 

I could use some advice please. Or prayers. Hopefully both. 

I have a 9.5 year old retired racing greyhound with Osteosarcoma. She was diagnosed last June, read left leg amputated last July. Six rounds of carboplatin chemo ended in November. We first saw small lung nodules measured in mm in March. She’s been holding steady with Palladia, losartin and rapamycin. We had the series of vaccine injections, the final on July 13th. She’s been in regular PT weekly since November but recently has developed corns on all three remaining feet. I regularly hull these. She occasionally skips meals which is normal for her even before surgery but she also seemed a bit more lethargic than usual. Maybe the heat? Or storms? (She has storm phobia). Hard to say. 

I had a regular chest x-ray scheduled for her last week so I proceeded with it. It reveled a 4.5cm x 5.5 cm mass in her lungs. She also lost 8.8 lbs in six weeks so that’s not great. 

As a result we decided to take her off Palladia and rapamycin. Her last dose of these was last Thursday morning. We also put her on a new president diet to try to get more weight on her. So far her lethargy remains unchanged and she has more discharge in her eyes. I should also mention her blood work is perfect. 

Any thoughts or suggestions on what I could/ should try next? 

I’ve consulted the oncologist and our plan is to give 200mg Gabapentin every 8 hours for pain from the corns. I also have permission to restart her on Palladia and rapamycin if I feel like I’d want to do that. The oncologist didn’t think it would help much though. I’m scheduled for another X-ray on August 24 to track the size of the nodule, that’s three weeks from the date we discovered the sizeable one. 

TL:DR - OSA in 9.5 year old greyhound. Amp, chemo, vax, Palladia. Now lethargic with a 5cm mass in lungs. Seeking advice. 

[FiveRoooooers]

No advice Lauren, just our support and prayers for you and Tessie. 

[gracegirl]

Thank you so very much. We need a lot of that right now. 💞

[EllenEveBaz]

Adding our good thoughts.   

[greysmom]

{{{hugs}}}

[gracegirl]

Tessie is gone now. She had an emergency oncology appointment this morning and the doc said to me “i think this is the end of the road”. Her joints are full of fluid and she’s very painful. We loaded her up with sub q fluids plus steroids to let her have a good afternoon at home. She felt well enough to eat today after the fluids and steroids so she had a junior bacon cheeseburger, a few fries, two chicken nuggets and we spilt a chocolate frosty. She was tired. My heart is broken. 💔 We fought so hard together. 
 

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by gracegirl

[ramonaghan]

I'm so sorry you've reached the end of the hardest road. You and Tessie were so lucky to have each other and loved each other so well. You always did right by your girl, and she knew it. Rest well and whole again, Tessie.  

[JaimeL]

So very sorry for your loss of Tessie.

Fly with the Angel's sweetheart.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Run fast and free, Tesssie

 

[FiveRoooooers]

You both fought so hard. Tessie has been such an inspiration. Lauren, I am so sorry. 

Rest well, sweet girl. Your wings are truly brilliant. 

[Houndtime]

I am so very sorry for your loss.  I do hate cancer.  It is the thief who robs us, every day, of those we love.

[greysmom]

I'm so, so sorry.  Even when you know it's coming, it's always a horrible surprise.

Run with the angels, sweet girl...  You will be so missed.

[dante2zoe]

I am just so very sorry.  You both fought so hard.  

[EllenEveBaz]

Tessie -- such a strong, brave girl.  May your spirit run with the wind.

Sending all of our comforting thoughts to you and all who loved her.  

[gracegirl]

I told my nine year old nephew what happened. He started whaling. That was heartbreaking. I hate this disease so much. 

[ramonaghan]

 Perfectly appropriate response, kiddo.