Two weeks ago , and at this very moment, my sister and I were trying to get a newly amputated, 90 + pound, black lab-dalmation-Rotty mix out of the back of the station wagon and into the house. But let me go back.
About three weeks ago I noticed a slight limp as JD went about her daily life, I was thinking that I am such a bad Dog-mom….I had let her nails get too long and that must be putting stress on her paws as she walked. But even after a nail trim she continued to limp, and not from her arthritic back legs but in the front. So I called the vet’s office and got her seen. Dr. Pam gave her the once over and said she would like to x-ray, to rule out cancer. CANCER? why would she suspect cancer? I had a Golden who had cancer and his problem manifested with a visable lump on his lower leg, JD had no real swelling at all. Dr. Pam explained that she had had a Mastif who developed bone cancer and just wanted to check for it in JD. So I left my girl with the them for x-rays. Just a few hours later the phone rang and I was shocked to hear that yes indeed JD had bone cancer. Now let me tell you that I say shocked because I really, deep in my gut did not think that was her problem. I truly did not think that was her issue. But yes indeed it was.
When I went back to pick up my girl, the doctor spent much time showing me the x-rays and explaining how the cancer grows and what treatments were out there. I had time to decide what to do, the cancer did not seem to have the ‘starburst’, it seemed to be still within the bone of her upper left leg, close to the shoulder. Dr Pam talked about pain management, amputation, chemo, and alternative treatments. AMPUTATION ? How would that work? How would she manage? Yes JD is 10 years old and suffers some arthritis in the back legs, but the puppy that still lives in her soul would would not settle for a limited life on three legs. I was told to take a look at tripawd.com for information and it turns out for inspiration.
That night I spent hours looking up everything I could find on osteosarcoma and reading the stories of dogs who had managed or should I say thrived with only three legs. In just two days pain took over my girl, I spent one totally sleepless night as she sat staring at me and whimpering and panting, holding up the cancer leg, seemingly begging for relief.
I called the vet and scheduled the amputation. That cancer leg had to go, and with it the pain, I was not going to have her suffer like that.
I was assured that the x-rays showed that her back legs were most likely going to be able to handle the stress of the shared weight and that is it us humans that have the biggest problem with amputations. A morphine patch was applied to one of her back legs and the surgery was scheduled for Thursday July 22nd.
My sister was visiting me from out of state and we made a steppingstone of JDs two front paws and spent her last four-legged night telling her we would help her fight.
We were able to pick up my ‘fur-daughter’ on Friday evening the 23rd and I was petrified. I did not know what to do, how to care for her, how much she could do on her own etc. My sis and I were like parents bringing home a newborn baby. I drove and she sat in the back of the wagon trying to sooth JD who was still pretty drugged up.
Dr. Pam lent me the harness she had used on her girl, but for now it rubs the surgery site so we tried a towel under her, but this was bulky and tough to hold on to. So we made a sling out of a grocery bag. You know the cloth type, pretty strong and with nice handles. Cutting out the sides made a great sling/cradle that we placed under her stomach as we walked by her side out to go potty. Other than that she just slept and let the left over anesthesia, pain pills and morphine patch do their thing.
My fantastic vet clinic is open long hours and 7 days a week, so I was able to be reassured by Dr Pam, one last time that evening. JD needed help getting up and walking for a day or two but then she seemed to find some strength. Her long suture line was in good shape, and she was heavily wrapped and bandaged. I must admit my life was consumed with watching her, did she need water, to go outside, was she comfortable? I kept a log of all of her medications and their dosage times, so I wouldn’t get confused. Eventually I mellowed out as I saw JD’s will to get stronger and her attempts to try walking/hopping.
Once the big bandage came off she graduated to t-shirts. This was more to keep her from licking the stitches, than for protection of the surgery site. As the days went on things got better. Although I must say that she resisted pooping for 4 days. I guess the idea of finding the balance position was just too much. But eventually she pooped and boy did she poop! I have never seen such a big poop!
The biopsy of the leg bone and nearby lymph nodes gave good news. Yes osteosarcoma but slow growing, had not exited the bone and nodes were negative. I am choosing to have JD go through chemo treatments. I am a breast cancer survivor and believe that if any of those pesky cancer cells did escape and are traveling around her body, we should fight to get them.
So as I started this post, today is two weeks to the day that my sweet girl came home from surgery, and I have scheduled her first chemo for next Friday. I have such hope that the fighter in her and the fighter in me can beat this thing.
If you are considering the surgery, worried about what will happen, how to handle it or whatever you particular fears might be; just read the posts from families who love their ‘fur children’ – gather stregnth here and information from your vets and trust that our animals are amazing beings, full of possibilities and hope.
JD now hops very well and the faster she goes the better she does. She is one tough girl! She is off all pain meds except for the Deramax she always took for her arthritis. I wish I had a way to post a picture of her or some video of her in action. Maybe I will figure out how to do that soon.
I must thank my sister for her support. She had come to take care of me after I had a surgery and JD’s cancer came in the middle of my healing process. I do not know how I would have been able to cope without her help- I love you Denise. And thanks Dr. Pam for all of your support and guidance.
JD’s Mom