HELP - My best friend has osteosarcoma

[lucasmom]

Weily4life-
Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers...on behalf of all of us on this thread. Stay in touch with us. By the way...the pictures of your rotties are beautiful!!! Laurie

[Anne]

Originally Posted by Weily4Life

lucasmom and everyone else here experiencing this dreaded disease with your beloved Rotties, I am so sorry that you are going through this and will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and for keeping us in your prayers.

Sophie's oncology report went quite well. Her enzyme levels are now within the normal range which is a huge relief. I think the supplements she's taking brought the levels down.

The tumour in her mouth was measured and they report it has not grown in the last 3 weeks. It looks bigger to me and it bleeds from time to time now. Sophie is still happy and enjoying life. She's such a stoic girl.

My thoughts are with all here who have OSA dogs. I know just how heartbreaking it is to see our beloved dogs suffer this horrible disease. The feeling of helplessness and despair is overwhelming sometimes as we do our best to keep them comfortable and pain free.
Blessings to all who are lovingly caring for these wonderful dogs.

[Marley55]

Hello All,

We are back from our camping trip and I am trying to catch up. Unless I missed a post, It seems everyone is still doing well.

Jaxx had a great time camping. Hanging out by the fire,having grilled hot dogs at lunch, scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast and, sit down because I almost passed out....before we left Mark went to the butcher shop for steaks for our trip. When I unwrapped them there were 3 HUGE porterhouse steaks. Why I asked, did you get 3 steaks ? Mark's reply " one is for Jaxx" !!
Much to Jaxx's dismay he did not get his entire steak at once, but it did make taking his pills a much happier event.

Before the OS I would have been fussing about feeding him like that but now the trips to Stricklands for his vanilla cone with sprinkles come as often as possible.

The only thing that really pained me was the last night we had a beautiful fire and sat by it till almost 11:00. Jaxx was snoozing and waking often to keep an eye on the raccoons that try to raid camp sites. We got up to clean up and put things away I called him to come in the camper and he just sat by the fire not moving. I called him again and he would not come which is totally not Jaxx. I call and he moves like a freight train. I went over to move him along and had to coax repeatedly for him to come in. I finally gave up and just sat down on the ground to talk with him. I swear it was like he did not want to leave the fire because he somehow knew it would be his last one. Jaxx and I sat and talked about our life together and I cried and cried and then cried some more. I promised him I will be ready when he is. He has been such a great dog, with me through everything and I owe it to him to do the right thing for him.

He was very happy to be home and on his "real" sofa and spent hours snoozing and supervising my tasks from his sofa vantage point.

We see the Dr tomorrow morning for a re-check but it seems to me we are doing as well as can be expected keeping him comfy.

Keeping all of Jaxx's friends and humans in my thoughts and prayers.

Take care...Marley

[abbiesdogs]

Hi, Marley I'm so happy Jaxx had a great camping trip and he got his steak (even with pills in it!) good luck at
dr's tomorrow.
Laurie, I can't tell you how thrilled I am that Lucus is doing well, after I read your post about his last vet visit being a happy one instead of his final one I was crying with joy!
I check this thread every day to see how all all your babies are doing, and although I don't post (I feel like I'm imposing) I want you all to know that I'm thinking and praying for all of you and your pooly rotties. Love and hugs.
Abbie

[caseygina]

Hi everyone,
It's been a few days. I am glad to see everyone is doing pretty well, had good weekends and good vet news!! It's been an interesting week...we have been getting the house back to "pre dx" condition and I hate it. It was weird sleeping in our bed after two months without Riley being there...we had been sleeping on a mattress with her downstairs once she was diagnosed. We haven't put her food bowl or any of her toys away, we are just not at that point yet. Baby steps here. Last Friday we were at my brother-in-law's and my 4 year old niece asked me why we don't have a pet anymore. I didn't understand her question at first and then she said "Riley-why don't you have a pet anymore." I got so choked up, I couldn't answer her. My brother in law heard what she asked and had her sit with him. I guess my brother in law and sister in law told her that Riley had died, and when she asked where she went, they told her Heaven-that is where all pets go. So that's why she phrased it the way she did-usually she always asks where Riley is, or where her "part time doggie is." It will be tough next weekend when we go down the shore for Memorial Day-our first time without Riley-we've been going down there with her since we got her, March 2000.

Laurie, we will eventually get another dog. We have already decided that we can't not have one-we briefly touch on the subject every once in a while, but we're not ready for that yet. My husband has had a dog pretty much his whole entire life, and I have fallen in love with dogs since we got Riley. No one could ever or will ever replace Riley, but we do have love for another one.

Mike-I hear what you are saying about people asking us about another dog. It's like, let us grieve over the loss of Riley. Everyone does things different, but Riley was one of a kind and we can't just replace her. I have to laugh, one of our friends referred to her when offering their condolences as our "furry child." That is exactly what she was-and so much more.

Here is hoping everyone continues to do well. I am keeping you and your babies in my thoughts and prayers.

Gina

[lucasmom]

Hi my friends-
Bad news...Lucas' tumor burst open today. My 14 y/o daughter called me when she got home today from school and I rushed right home from work. I dressed the wound and called the vet. Lucas will be seeing the vet in the morning. I gave him 150 mg of tramadol for pain. Please pray for him. This may be the end..........I do not want my baby to suffer. Laurie

[Marley55]

Oh Laurie, how awful ! Please keep us posted on his condition.

I am keeping Lucas and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Marley

[jlaack]

Bad news...Lucas' tumor burst open today. My 14 y/o daughter called me when she got home today from school and I rushed right home from work. I dressed the wound and called the vet. Lucas will be seeing the vet in the morning. I gave him 150 mg of tramadol for pain. Please pray for him. This may be the end..........I do not want my baby to suffer. Laurie

Oh my god! What do you mean it burst open? He fractured? Did it break the skin? If so 150 mg of Tramadol is not sufficient to keep him through the night!! When our dog's plate broke he was on 100 mg of Tramadol and extended relief morphine, plus a sedative so he didn't try to move around in his very medicated state. I can't even imagine trying to control the pain with Tramadol! If it truly fractured (since it is bandaged it sounds like it has) please do not make him wait till the morning! As hard as it is for you, you need to put him first. Get him to the vet immediately to PTS. At this point there is no possibility for him to have a better day tomorrow. You cannot make wait; it isn't fair. I am truly, truly sorry; and I don't mean to upset you at this very difficult time. Now is when Lucas is counting on you. Please, do the right thing.

[Debbie Ervin]

Lucas is in my prayers. Jaxx is in my prayers. Debbie

[lucasmom]

jlaack-
Lucas is resting comfortably right now. The tumor broke through the skin only. He did not fracture his leg. The skin surface is open about 1/2 inch. It isn't bleeding though as would be expected. I put some antibiotic ointment on it and dressed it with gauze. I think it must feel better with the dressing on it because he really doesn't appear to be in pain. I gave him another 100 mg of tramadol. I asked my vet for some oxycotin but he refused saying that both tramadol and oxycotin are both opiates. Actually, tramadol is a non-opiate but he apparently doesn't know this.

Don't worry, I will not let Lucas suffer. I will do the right thing, even if it means putting him to sleep tomorrow. Thanks for your concern. This has been a very long haul. Laurie

[Anne]

Laurie that sound terrible. I have you and Lucas in my thoughts. I know you won't let him suffer.

It is a very long haul caring for an osteosarcoma dog. It's certainly the hardest thing I've had to do. Our dogs have such trust in us to do the right thing and sometimes the right thing isn't so clear to us.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by lucasmom

Actually, tramadol is a non-opiate but he apparently doesn't know this.

Tramadol is synthetic, but still in the drug class as an opiate agonist, just like oxycontin and morphine. All three provide pain relief by binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system.

[Ninasmom]

Good luck Laurie. Our thoughts are with you and Lucas.

[jlaack]

Lucas is resting comfortably right now. The tumor broke through the skin only. He did not fracture his leg. The skin surface is open about 1/2 inch. It isn't bleeding though as would be expected. I put some antibiotic ointment on it and dressed it with gauze. I think it must feel better with the dressing on it because he really doesn't appear to be in pain.

Laurie, I feel a little better that it was just a skin break and not a fracture. Evenso, the skin is the first line of defense against infection. With it gone and no possibility of healing he will be susceptible to infection regardless of antiobiotics and bandages. I am glad he is seeing the vet, but the vet doesn't seem to "get it". The tumor will only continue to grow causing the open skin wound to increase in size. There is nothing that can be done to stop this. I feel for you and Lucas and am very sorry that this has happened.

[Weily4Life]

Originally Posted by lucasmom

Hi my friends-
Bad news...Lucas' tumor burst open today. My 14 y/o daughter called me when she got home today from school and I rushed right home from work. I dressed the wound and called the vet. Lucas will be seeing the vet in the morning. I gave him 150 mg of tramadol for pain. Please pray for him. This may be the end..........I do not want my baby to suffer. Laurie

Sorry to here this. Lucas and Laurie you are both in my thoughts and prayers.