HELP - My best friend has osteosarcoma

[Anne]

Originally Posted by Xena's Daddy

P.S. What is TPLO??? I keep seeing it, but everyone uses the abbreviation! LOL......

Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy. There are some pics on a website. Google TPLO will give you the information and pics.

The misdiagnosis of Sophie's elbows turned out to be a muscular problem, not an elbow problem! There was a slight sign of arthritis on the xray and the ortho specialist told me after the arthroscopy was done that her elbows were 'clean' so the surgery was done for no good reason other than the vet couldn't figure out what the problem was. Sophie was exactly the same after surgery. I found a good myotherapist who fixed the problem with massage within about 3 weeks and she's never limped since.

Sophie's osteosarcoma was diagnosed in December. She is still doing quite well despite a poor prognosis.

There are a few of us on here with osteosarcoma dogs. I wonder how NinasMom is doing. We haven't heard from her for a while.

[Xena's Daddy]

Caseygina

Sorry to hear about Riley.......... There's WAY too much of this going on right now, but I guess there always is......we're all just getting 'involved' in it now.

So it sounds like Riley was Dx early (You said there's no tumor??) I know Xena was diagnosed BECAUSE of the tumor. We probably would've found out earlier, but her condition was masked by the fact that she already had a bit of a limp from her elbow dysplasia.

It was actually after a very short walk thatI first noticed something was wrong. She was limping WAY too severely. (It was only 1-block!) A couple of days later I noticed the 'lump'. It has grown quite a bit from then, (1/20) but it's still kind of slow (I think) judging from what I've read about it. Right now it's about the size of a plum. So yes, it's quite visible.

Be very careful with the walks, as any activity seems to antagonize the area. Is he limping yet? This is a very painful disease.....I hope the Tramadol is working. It still seems to be helping my girl. In fact, I find her waiting by the refrigerator in the morning when I get up, so that tells me it must be working, or she wouldn't be so eager to have it. (I keep her medicine on the fridge)

Keep us posted on his progress, we're all in this together!!
MK

[Xena's Daddy]

Originally Posted by Anne

Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy.

There are a few of us on here with osteosarcoma dogs. I wonder how NinasMom is doing. We haven't heard from her for a while.

O.K., now I know why everyone uses the abbreviation!! LOL............

Thanks,
MK

P.S. I guess we should check in on her??

[caseygina]

The tumor is on her bone-not visible and when you rub her leg you can barely feel a difference between the right and the left. around the end of january, she wasn't putting pressure on her back right leg. being 8 years old, i thought it was arthritis, or maybe her paw was sensitive-she was walking and running fine-she looked like a little pony when she gallops!! we did xrays (came out okay) and had her on rimadyl for a month and then in march did more extensive xrays and found the tumor on the bone in her right hind femur. She does limp very slightly when she's in the house, but if we're outside to go to the bathroom, you would have to look for it to know something's wrong.

we are very slow on the walks-she loves it, because she can sniff everything-it takes about 10 minutes for a normal 2 minute walk. and we're headed down the shore this weekend to go open up our house - hopefully not the last time we'll be making the trip with her. appetite is fine, she's drinking normally, and still acts completely normal. that is what makes this so hard!!

hope everything is going well with xena, sounds like she's hanging in there. will keep everyone posted. glad we can are all here to compare and support each other.

[Xena's Daddy]

Originally Posted by caseygina

appetite is fine, she's drinking normally, and still acts completely normal. that is what makes this so hard!!

You're telling me!! I HATE this 'thing'!! I also went to the Vet thinking it was arthritis or something. I was in total shock for about an hour after I left their office, and not much better for the rest of the night. Actually, I haven't been in a good mood since...................


MK

[tla0126]

Just wanted to let all of you know that I have mistakenly been readings ya'lls posts while I'm at work. I've been fighting back tears since yesterday. I will definately keep ya'll in my prayers and I wish the best for all of you. I can't even imagine....

[lucasmom]

Thank you tla...we appreciate your well wishes. I am so thankful that we "rottweiler lovers" have found one another on this site. It has been so comforting talking to one another and sharing. I feel the love and support, compassion, and kindness from all of you. It sure helps.

My Lucas's tumor has grown very fast since diagnosis on 2/28, but I agree with Xena's Dad that the growing has tapered off. Or...I just am not looking at it because I made Lucas little socks that he wears on that leg so I don't have to torture myself looking at it every minute. I was going crazy!!! He probably hates the sock, but it helps me to not focus on the tumor.

Lucas is on prednisone now and it is really helping him walk and run. The inflammation has improved significantly. He began to get sick to his stomach on the piroxicam, so I thought I would trial some prednisone. The tramadolol is given just at bedtime to help him sleep. Otherwise, he doesn't appear to be in pain....but these dogs ARE stoic.

I will be praying for all of you.

[aprillovesherdogs]

Hello. This is my first post on ANY forum. I lost my 10 year old rescued male Rottweiler Matty to osteosarcoma on Saturday, March 29 at 1:47 p.m. He started with a very mild right front limp which I watched closely. I was prescribed some anti-inflammatory to see if it was just a sprain or sore, old joints. He was re-examined and x-rayed immediately when the limp appeared in his hind leg as well and he needed to be completely assisted to go outside. The x-ray showed very aggressive osteosarcoma. Treatment was not recommended. He did not get to come home with me. From the first limp to his loss was two weeks. While I am shocked at his rapid decline, I am more shocked that it seemingly appeared overnight. At 10 years old, he was an extremely active dog. One day he was fine and then the limp. He, as with my remaining three dogs, are not out without my supervision. I do not remember any type of injury or tumble, as some of the posts have indicated with their dogs.

I have so much sympathy for those that have posted before me about their loss and current struggle with the dx. I struggle with my decision to euthanize because he clearly was not ready, despite the fact the he could not walk unassisted and was in pain. Even while waiting in the lobby to be seen, he was still trying to meet the other dogs and attempted to mark everything on the way in. His eyes were alive and he was eating and eliminating as normal. While it was absolutely the most loving thing I could do for him, it was the most painful event of my life.


If you are preparing to euthanize, please absorb every ounce of your friend that you can. Take the time to stroke every inch of their body, remember their scent and talk to them. I was given such a small amount of time during the procedure and I feel as if he were snatched away from me because it was after hours. My inexperience and distress were to blame and that mistake will not be repeated if I must go through this again. This is a final goodbye and it should not be hastened because someone had somewhere else to be.

Bless your caring hearts. I will think of all of you while I continue my recovery.

[Xena's Daddy]

Wow........that is HORRIBLE!!! I'm really sorry to hear about your loss. That's a really tough way to go. I know when I first found out about my girl, they suggested a biopsy to be sure. They kept her overnight, and although I was picking her up the next day, I felt SOO utterly devastated at home alone that night. And all I was doing was thinking about the possibility of OS. I can't even imagine how you must have felt.

But I have to say that you should not be too hard on yourself, as a dog with 2-affected limbs has no other real choice. And from the sounds of things, the OS moved VERY quickly in your dog's case.........
The only thing I can say is you probably didn't have to do it right then-and-there..........the rest of the weekend would probably have been fine, IMO. But as you said, someone had 'somewhere else to be'. And there you are, distressed & confused...........actually, more like completely leveled!! You would think they would at least have the compassion to suggest going home to say goodbye for a couple of days..........instead of cashing in one more sale for the day. Disgusting!!!I feel for you.............

BTW, you give very good advice! I find myself petting my girl all the time, stroking her legs, back, face, ears, etc. And I talk to her constantly!! Actually, it's not really very different from the way it's been throughout her life so far, she's always had it pretty good! ;)
And it's funny you mentioned the 'smell'.......ever since Xena was a brand new puppy she's had this sweet 'puppy smell' right on her forehead. Well, she's almost 7-1/2 & she STILL has it!! I smell it all the time!

Thanks for your warm words & support, I know we can all use it!
Hope you're feeling a little better soon,
MK

[caseygina]

aprillovesherdogs, i am so sorry!! we're almost 3 weeks since the diagnosis, and riley is being spoiled more now than ever-and she's been spoiled since the day we brought her home over 8 years ago. i hope you find comfort in the wonderful years you had with matty. and i take your words to heart-we cherish every second we have with her-even more so now. always petting her, talking to her, i love kissing the space between her eyes-she does too, always puts her head down and gives you her paw. i love our little girl!! i don't take for granted anything with her anymore-i take her into work with me, and my husband's working from home more so someone is always with her.

it's a shame that we all have this horrible thing affecting our family members. we've been down this road before with our parents (who survived). i hope one day a cure is found so others don't have to suffer the way we are.

hang in there, i'll keep you in our thoughts.

[lucasmom]

Aprillovesherdogs-
I am glad that you found us and this site. We have been supporting one another with our stories, sympathies, advice, and most of all....a listening ear. Boy, this is VERY hard and painful. I am sorry that you did not have time to prepare for your grief because your poor dog was so sick, so fast. The last thing you would have wanted though is for your dog to suffer. Although we all want our buddies to live as long as possible, if my dog could not get up, or was in pain, I would definately do him the most loving thing I could do for him and that would be to put him down. As hard as it is, you made the right decision.

Stay in touch with us on this thread. We are all going through this dreaded life event together. It helps to know that we aren't alone. God bless you. Laurie

[aprillovesherdogs]

Thank you for your kind responses. I have another male Rottweiler that is almost 11, and two mixed breeds. With my Rottweiler, Ansel, I am watching him closely and taking every precaution to avoid tumbles and any kind of injury. I am so happy to have viewed these posts because I have gained so much insight on this disease. At current time, I have not noticed anything that would lead me to believe that he is affected.

In 2001 (age 4) Ansel had two ACL repairs and recovered beautifully. Even now he gets around very well. Does anyone have reports of osteo affecting these repaired areas later in life? Thank you.

[Xena's Daddy]

Originally Posted by aprillovesherdogs

In 2001 (age 4) Ansel had two ACL repairs and recovered beautifully. Even now he gets around very well. Does anyone have reports of osteo affecting these repaired areas later in life? Thank you.

Excellent question, but I can't answer that. What I can tell you is that my girl tore both ACL's, and had elbow dysplasia. But the cancer showed up in the front wrist, (Distal radius) which is a very typical spot for it to rear it's ugly head. Never did had an injury there.......
MK

P.S. I was wondering the same things myself

[lucasmom]

As mentioned earlier in this thread, Lucas fractured his radius earlier in 2007 and after being casted for 12 weeks, developed OS in that exact area. I am told that the cancer was likely already in his system and that the area of weakness where he fractured it (his radius) attracted the cancer cells. I am plagued with thoughts that if we only had amputated his leg after his accident (as was suggested by several vets who thought his leg would never heal properly) that perhaps he would not be suffering with OS today. I guess it is kind of the "chicken and the egg" theory.

I do know that I did what I thought was BEST for him at the time and did not want to have my poor baby with three legs if there was any chance that his leg could heal. Who would ever have thought that this would happen. I will struggle with this the rest of my life. But I made my decision out of love and perhaps it was indeed the wrong decision.

[lucasmom]

It was a beautiful day today in Rochester, NY...almost 65. The sunshine was a welcome change to our cold and cloudy days. I took Lucas for a short walk and after he came home to rest, my neighbors came over to visit him. Unfortunately, he got so excited that he lept down the stairs and fell on his side. He has been in pain all evening! I am sick over this. I have him on extra tramadol and he is sleeping now. His tumor is so huge that I cannot even fathom it gettting bigger without bursting through his skin. He is on Prednisone for inflammation, but this thing is out of control. Why won't it stop growing!!!!!!! Laurie