Bindo

so sorry to hear that Gwp4me, but every finger and paw crossed that Struppie responds to the next treatment, and continues to enjoy life to the full.

Many thanks Guys for all the good wishes and thoughts. Just updating as it might help others who are going through a similar journey and trying to make decisions. Lucy is going well on the chemo, they adjusted the dose down after her first week, when some bloods came back a bit low. She really doesn't appear to have any adverse effects as yet. Just noticed that she is a bit slower on walks at the end, but that could be a combination of her amputation (although really well healed), the drugs, and age. So we just take it easy, and do shorter ones, out of the heat of the day. Still eating like a horse so no trouble get the meds down :) She is playing with all her toys and annoying the cat as usual. Like some others, I was always of the opinion that I would never put a dog on chemo, but you never know until it happens to you! So, we shall take each week at a time, and hope that she remains disease free for a while yet. You can see here that she is still very agile: Mmmm, I can get up here but how do I get down? And now, where is that cat's dinner plate?

I know what you're going through gwp4me. We started Lucy's chemo 2 weeks ago, she's on Palladia 2 tablets every second night, Vinblastin injection weekly with prednisolone in between. Overall she seems to be coping with the treatment quite well, but last week one of her blood results was low, so we have to check that again this week before starting again. Already, she is a bit pudgy from the steroid, and over the weekend her panting was much worse on a (previously) normal walk. I know this is a side effect of the prednisolone. Just that every little change, or lump and bump, sends you into a spin, wondering if this is another occurrence. I guess we have to be thankful they are well now and make the most of the time we have with them. Good luck for Struppie, hope he continues to feel well and enjoy life!

Here's the photos, let's see if it works: The 'pedicure':

Just loved the look on Monty the schnauzer's face as he drove - so cool, like he'd been doing it for years! :)

All the best for Struppie - they are both adorable! And what a beautiful environment they live in too. :)

Hi Jules, my dog has always used 'under the bed' as her comfort place, when she is a bit our of sorts or scared. When you think about it, it the one place in the house where they know that you will end up at the end of the day, ie in bed asleep, so I guess it's a security thing - Mum will be here at the end of the day. :)

I am so sorry for you - losing two dogs within a month must be devastating.

Any updates on Ginger? What did you decide in terms of the Palladia treatment? We started it last night for Lucy, so I will post updates in her thread as we undertake this journey!

Haven't been in here for a while, so pleased to see that Emma is doing well.

Oops, double post

Quick update. Lucy's paw has healed very well and she now walks quite well without any bandage, but vet wants her to wear her a baby sock when out and about, just for protection, for a few more weeks. We get some interesting looks! We saw the oncologist yesterday and she has started on a mop up regime of palladia and prednisone via tablets, with an injection of another chemo drug weekly. They say all her test results to date are very good. I was worried about her other paw as a new lump seemed to appear, but they aspirated yesterday and no mast cells, still an ongoing bacterial dermatitis we are trying to clear, so that's a relief! We have also started her on a cooked diet with supplements, so we'll see how she goes tonight with that - food has NEVER been a problem with her, so fingers crossed that continues. I can't speak highly enough of all the vets and nurses at SASH. Lucy can be quite fearful in new situations and at the vet, but they know exactly how to 'meet and greet' and they tell me she is the perfect patient for them. A bit like your kids always on best behaviour when you're not around. :laugh: The 'patchwork' coat was clipped back today, so she is all ready for a long weekend at the beach, where hopefully the salt water will also help the paws. We're all realistic about her long term prognosis, but feel with the clear margins and as long as she is happy and active, it is worth a shot. Once again, thanks for all the support and help from in here, and when I get my act together, I will post a few photos of the girl with her new 'pedicure'. :)

Hi guys, quick Lucy update. Good news - lines all clear and lymph node negative!! So, we see the oncologist next week re the need for mop up chemo, but at least now I feel that we have given her the best chance and am cautiously optimistic. The wound is healing really well, and she should have the stitches out late next week. I had a look and it didn't seem to bad at all, as a friend said, just a radical pedicure :laugh:. Once her coat grows back, probably won't even notice it. She is nearly back to her normal self, hunting lizards and chasing birds in the backyard. We can start short walks this week. She is now sporting a nice new fluoro orange bandage, and looking forward to a weekend up the coast, sitting on the deck and barking at all and sundry who dare to walk past! :) Many thanks to all the supportive advice and wishes, much appreciated.

Good to hear that Ginger is going so well. I think others on here have had experience with Palladia, so will probably let you know.

Quick update: Lucy is home from hospital, surgery went very well and she is quite mobile already, with a nice padded bandage. Awaiting pathology for clearances (if possible) and then will see the oncologist for ongoing treatment. Feeling a lot more positive than two weeks ago, and we have given her the best chance for remission. Fingers and paws crossed! Many thanks to everyone here for their support and wishes.

Just thought I would give an update re Lucy. Better news this week; chest, liver and spleen all clear, no signs of secondaries anywhere. Other paw is not MCT, just inflammation and bacterial infection. She is on polaramine now and we see the vet again tomorrow re probable toe (2) amputation later this week and mop up chemo. Thanks so much to everyone for their thoughts and suggestions, will keep you updated re our progress. :)

Many thanks Staffy Luv and others, Yes, I read right through your thread last night (and can remember Ollie's fight from being on the forum at that time), so thanks very much for all the detail and positive thoughts. I am writing down all my questions for the vet on Thursday, so hopefully we will have a plan after that. As with many human cancers these days, hopefully we can look upon it as managing a chronic illness, not an immediate death sentence. In the meantime, apart from a slight limp, Lucy is as bright and hungry as ever, so that's good.

Hi Everyone, I received some devastating news last week re Lucy (my 8 yr mini schnauzer) and was wondering if anyone here has had similar experience. What we thought was an interdigital cyst in her left front paw, turned out to be Mast Cell tumour grade 3, very hight mitotic index, ie agressive and will proably metastasize. We have an appointment with the oncologist on Thursday, to see what the options are, but because of the location and grade, I am not optimistic. I am not going to put her through a lot of traumatic and disfiguring treatment, just want her to have quality time of what is left. The worse thing is, that I think there is another site developing in her right paw too! I've read some of the posts on MCT in the health and this forum, but most of these have been on other body sites, not the paws. I can alrady see where this awful tumour is re-growing now on her left paw (following the initial surgery)so not sure how much longer she will be able to walk on it. Any advice or experience would be much appreciated.

I've also hear first hand horror stories of dogs drowning under pool covers and in inground pools (unfenced). I guess the smaller clam type pool for the OP's dog, which it can hop in and out of, is fine, and probably better off uncovered. We have an fully fenced inground pool and until the dogs were adults, there was extra fine netting around the fence to stop any unwanted entries. As mini-schnauzers, they're not great water dogs and only went in the pool if running around the edge while I or the kids were swimming and they fell in. Hopeless swimmers, and no matter how much I try to teach Lucy to swim to the steps each summer, she never gets it and ends up going vertical instead of horizontal The pool gate is never propped open. After my mother told me once that she chased a duck on their pool (fenced across half the backyard) fell in and had to be rescued, that was the last time she stayed there Much safer in the boarding kennel these days!

When this topic was being debated a number of years ago, someone mentioned that a database on tail injuries following the docking ban, was going to be set up. Has this ever happened? It would be interesting to see empirical evidence on all tail injuries for traditionally docked as against non-docked breeds. I have owned a docked and non-docked dog from the same breed under the same circumstances (city normally, but lots of time in the bush) and never had a problem with the tail. Love the look of the tail and would not support a reversal of the ban, unless there was overwhelming objective evidence for a particular breed(s).

LIke others have said, wombats and dogs are not a good mix. We have a place in the central tablelands which is wombat central, and have heard of dogs in the area being killed (crushed) by them. My dog is off-lead all the time up there, but I have trained her not to go near the holes. Nearly died one day when a mother and baby were out in the middle of the day and she took off after them, but luckily the 'stay' worked and she stopped before the hole. I really hope you find her Donski, safe and well.

I think the original suggestion for a mini schnauzer is fine! Great little sturdy dog for the kids, non-shedding and low allergy. If you get a pet clip every 6 weeks, then a quick brush once or twice a week is all that is required. I recently minded a relatives staffy and was amazed at the amount of dog hair within a few days Once you have a non-shedding dog, you forget how the other half lives.

I'll second that one! It's a superb location and the dogs that go there seem to be all well-behaved with responsible owners. Off lead 24 hours a day.

Totally on the farmer's side with this one. And any wandering dog(s) can do damage. We had friends who had large property at Mudgee and in addition to their working dogs, had two Scottie terriers, who were not contained. Guess who was caught in the act, killing sheep on a neighbouring property? On their own, no problem, but together, a killing machine. We have a small place in the central tablelands and often the culprit is a poorly trained pig dog, who has no recall and then ends up in the bush. The farmers near us shoot first and ask questions later, especially when the dog is hanging of the throat of one their animals.

This discussion reminds me of our days as kids with our gorgeous black and tan kelpie Laddie, the smartest dog I've ever known. He knew and loved all the neighbourhood kids and often used to 'visit' us at our pre-school, three doors from home. My Mum also used to take him to the shops in the car (?why) and she'd let him out and say 'you mind the car Lad' and he stayed at the back of that car for hours, while we shopped. He also knew how to climb the ladder to get on top of the cubby house with us, but Mum often had to rescue him to get him down! He also knew how to flush out the rabbits for my Dad on hunting trips in the bush and then stay behind the gun. Amazing dog, with no formal training at all. Of course, times have changed and I support the current rules re leashing/wandering etc, but the lack of socialisation for some dogs is a true concern.