persephone Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 :) Look at her - she's beautiful. It will be wonderful when the hair grows back, and she gets more confident . Thank you for posting photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted November 18, 2013 Author Share Posted November 18, 2013 No worries. I actually left the barricades down this arvo that keep her confined and a salesman knocked at the door and she was up and off in a flash fur up, barking. She was quicker than the 4 legged ridgeback to the door. Was good to see but the barricades are back up. I think she is foxing a bit enjoying being spoilt rotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 LOL. I am sure she is lapping up all the attention . She looks a lovely dog and her wound, although frighteningly large, looks tidy and healing well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarope Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 What a beautiful girl Dave... I'm so glad everything is going so well for you and her...good luck mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaS Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 What a beautiful, beautiful girl Jazz is and what fantastic owners you and your wife are. It's fantastic she is doing so well!! Keep us posted and keep the pics coming :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Shepherd mom Posted November 19, 2013 Share Posted November 19, 2013 The canine spirit is an amazing thing. We could certainly learn a thing or two from our dogs. She's a gorgeous girl! Out of curiosity Dave, did the vet recommend that you put your girl on any joint supplements like Glucosamine and Fish Oil? I would expect that her remaining rear leg will take strain, especially when she gets older, carrying all her weight at the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted November 19, 2013 Author Share Posted November 19, 2013 The canine spirit is an amazing thing. We could certainly learn a thing or two from our dogs. She's a gorgeous girl! Out of curiosity Dave, did the vet recommend that you put your girl on any joint supplements like Glucosamine and Fish Oil? I would expect that her remaining rear leg will take strain, especially when she gets older, carrying all her weight at the back. She is already on fish oil for the cancer as its very beneficial. But she will be on joint guard or the like once we speak with the surgeon and the oncologist to ensure that its okay with the chemo... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 Got the pathology results and she is clear, no cancer in the surrounding tissue. But they still only expect for her to see another 12 - 18 months even with chemo... I hope she proves them wrong and goes on a lot longer than that. I understand they estimate on the conservative side but still stings a bit to have a time limit put on her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Got the pathology results and she is clear, no cancer in the surrounding tissue. But they still only expect for her to see another 12 - 18 months even with chemo... I hope she proves them wrong and goes on a lot longer than that. I understand they estimate on the conservative side but still stings a bit to have a time limit put on her. Good news and bad news, Dave73. Why the time limit if there is no cancer in the surrounding tissue? Is it because where once there is cancer, it will be there albeit somewhere else? I hope too that she thrashes their odds . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted November 21, 2013 Author Share Posted November 21, 2013 (edited) Due to the type of cancer. Its just so aggressive and it will probably pop up elsewhere sooner or later. If we didn't amputate they felt she wouldn't make Christmas and that was just after the CT scan that showed no cancer anywhere else and it picks up cancers as small as 2mm in size... We to are hoping that she beats that time frame by a large margin. I have spoken to heaps of people recently in the GSD world and have been advised that the time frames are very conservative. 2 recent ones a 7 yr old had the spleen removed with the same cancer and was given 3 months with no chemo and she lived to 10 where it turned up in the liver. And a 9yr old GSD also had the same cancer in the spleen and had it removed same prognosis and she lived to 11 and died of non cancer related(bloat). My local vet reminded me today that my last girl Trix gsd mix had that cancer in an anal gland and it was removed when she was 9 and lived to 11 with no other treatment where it turned up in the liver. Edited November 21, 2013 by Dave73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Gosh - estimates way out. I'm sure Jazz will confound them too. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 First bout of Chemo today. A bit groggy as she needs to be sedated for it. Hopefully no nausea but we have anti nausea tablets. Could only take out some of the stitches as its still not ready, so another week of the cone at night when she sleeps, I was sleeping on the couch and had her right next to me but I wasn't sleeping as every time she moved I would wake up to ensure she wasn't licking the wound. 7 night without much sleep meant that I was a nightmare at work and home so the boss (wife) ordered me back to bed and the cone on Jazz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 First bout of Chemo today. A bit groggy as she needs to be sedated for it. Hopefully no nausea but we have anti nausea tablets. Could only take out some of the stitches as its still not ready, so another week of the cone at night when she sleeps, I was sleeping on the couch and had her right next to me but I wasn't sleeping as every time she moved I would wake up to ensure she wasn't licking the wound. 7 night without much sleep meant that I was a nightmare at work and home so the boss (wife) ordered me back to bed and the cone on Jazz... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Hope Jazz continues to do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesluvscavs Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Thinking of you both and Jazz. Sending positive healing thoughts her way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 The canine spirit is an amazing thing. We could certainly learn a thing or two from our dogs. She's a gorgeous girl! Out of curiosity Dave, did the vet recommend that you put your girl on any joint supplements like Glucosamine and Fish Oil? I would expect that her remaining rear leg will take strain, especially when she gets older, carrying all her weight at the back. WSM, Spoke to surgeon and oncologist and they have advised me that there is no need for Glucosamine as her bones and joints are very good. They checked all her joints that would be bearing the extra weight before offering amputation as a option. Also the chemo will apparently help joint and bone strength anyway. She is day 3 after chemo, she is showing some signs of nausea (constant licking) but no vomiting or dry reaching and she still has a very healthy appetite and no2's are all firm. Last night before bed we let her out to toilet and she took off down the back yard chasing a cat and she went past her RR brother (geez she can move on 3 legs) which she shouldn't be doing so we have to be careful as she is back to her usual bully/protective self. It brought a tear to our eyes knowing that she will be the same dog just with 1 less leg and we definitely made the right decision. Today she is bringing up her toys and ushering me to the door to play chase like we always did from a pup but I have to resist. Tomorrow she will be going out for coffee with us which was a Saturday ritual before the surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Fantastic news, Dave73. They sure are remarkable creatures, our canines. I hope you all enjoy the coffee ritual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Well she loved the coffee run but she hates her special harness that we need to help her into the car and up and down any stairs we encounter. A little white dog took a swipe at her in the outdoor café and to our amazement she reacted the same way before the surgery with venom and speed. I always keep her close when small dogs are around, she never starts anything but if a dog lunges at her or shows aggression she reacts very quickly but I didn't bother as I thought no way is she going to be up to reacting to anything but thankfully the snap of the jaws just missed. I found peoples reaction to her strange 1 woman actually commented to her husband how cruel we are for having a leg removed on a dog and not putting her down. I was in a good mood as I had my girl out and about and I didn't send a comment back to her. Also people want to know how much it cost, I answer does it matter they say well its a dog, and I reply would you pay to save a family member and they say yes well I say she is a family member and the cost isn't the concern it her being happy and having a quality of life which she has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Sadly, Dave73, you will have to prepare yourself for some (probably a lot) negativity . It is part of the human psyche to want to transfer their own feelings onto others with very little understanding or care of what they are doing. When this happens, get your equilibrium back by popping into this thread to see what genuine and understanding dog lovers dog think and feel about what you have done :laugh: :laugh: . You have given your Jazz the opportunity to continue to lead a happy, balanced, loved dog's life. But because Jazz's difference is so obvious, you are going to be presented with this for the rest of her life. You sound well equipped to deal with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave73 Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 thanks for the reassuring words. Hopefully I can remain calm when these situations arise.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Shepherd mom Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 The canine spirit is an amazing thing. We could certainly learn a thing or two from our dogs. She's a gorgeous girl! Out of curiosity Dave, did the vet recommend that you put your girl on any joint supplements like Glucosamine and Fish Oil? I would expect that her remaining rear leg will take strain, especially when she gets older, carrying all her weight at the back. WSM, Spoke to surgeon and oncologist and they have advised me that there is no need for Glucosamine as her bones and joints are very good. They checked all her joints that would be bearing the extra weight before offering amputation as a option. Also the chemo will apparently help joint and bone strength anyway. Dave, I was thinking more long term, like when those pesky problems like artritis start to sneak in...especially as your girl will hopefully be around for a very long time! Great to hear that her joints are strong though. Sounds like she's bouncing back very quickly. I reckon once her fur grows back, people won't even notice her missing leg easily. I hope her chemo continues to go well and she doesn't continue to get nauseous. Thank you for the updates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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