Happy Thoughts and Prayers Needed for a Real Mudpup
From Mudpuppy tewise:
Some of you probably saw the picture of one of my babies in the pet page. Her hair was long, she is a Great Pyrenees but it so thick I always cut it in the summer to help with the heat in Ga. The pic is an “after” shot. Good thing I did I guess, I noticed a lump on her elbow and took her to the vet. The vet said it was a build up of blood like a bruise and opened it up and relieved it. Took her back the following week because the elbow was bigger. This time they opened it completely up and removed lumps.
I found out Friday that it was cancer and she has two options. Either do chemo and radiation with not much of a chance for remission and spreading throughout her body or removing the leg entirely from the shoulder and hopefully they will get it all. Since it grew at her elbow it is in the bone. No I am not dealing with this well. It is breaking my heart to have her leg amputated.
I have just went through a heartbreaking deal with my horse and now this. I have done so much soul searching in the past year and still have no answers. What in the world does a pet do to be cursed with cancer, moon blindness, diabetes or some other nasty disease. I still have no answers and tons of questions. It is still very unfair, but alas life is not always fair.
Please keep her in your prayers or thoughts, her AKC name is Eva angel of Light she answers to Eva or evil. She is the sweetest dog you could ever want and very trusting.
July 20th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Tewise, I am so sorry to hear that. I’ll keep you both in my thoughts.
July 20th, 2009 at 10:13 am
My heart goes out to you and your lovely mudpup. Please seriously consider removing the leg. Dogs do amazingly well with three legs, whether they are missing a front or back leg. I had a three legged dog. He had a back leg removed when he was a puppy because he was kicked by a horse and the leg was too badly damaged to save. I know there is a chance that the cancer has already spread, but if it hasn’t, your dog will do just fine and join the ranks of all the wonderful “tripods” of the dog world.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Have her leg amputated asap.
Dogs and cats don’t react to amputation as we do. She’ll run and play just like normal. Only…no pain.
AND you’ll have a better chance of having her for a long long time. Chemo and radiation will take it’s toll. She’ll be uncomfortable, no appetite, all the side effects people have. And she won’t understand why. And it may not do any good.
To a dog, it’s just a leg. They have three more. Look up some “tripod” dogs and cats on the internet. Many have gone through the same thing; amputation due to cancer. They are living happy lives. They don’t miss their legs. They don’t mourn for them. They don’t mope around whining “why me”? They just run around and play.
She’ll still be your Eva. And she’ll have a better shot of having a long, healthy life with you. And that is what a dog really wants.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Amputation in osteosarcoma cases is usually the immediate route. May have to do adjunctive chemo once the wound heals. Make sure that the surgeon doing the amputation has done this before. And if you can afford it get a scan of her other organs. In the meantime, contact this man:
Dr. Couto @ Ohio State University. He is the best K9 osteosarcoma oncologist & his staff is beyond peer. Here’s his email couto.1@osu.edu He will respond. Give him as much information as possible and if your vet is willing, Dr C often consults without charge. He has consulted with my vet on several occasions - and not just for my pups. He is honest, compassionate, and knows his stuff. Please keep us informed.
Put your pup on a high protein, no grain diet, Raw is best but Taste of the Wild Bison/Venison kibble or ZiwiPeak dehydrated is good. Grain feeds the tumors. With TOW grain free you can also do one meal of raw and one meal of kibble. IF you have questions, just email me. I’ll be glad to provide more info and other connections as needed.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
PS I have a tripod greyhound who still does daily “zoomies” & the only time he notices the missing limb is when he’s scamming someone into feeling sorry for him & they’ll give him xtra treats. . .
July 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
thank you all so much for your kind words and thoughts. They started surgery this morning the vet said it will take 3 to 4 hours, I still haven’t heard anything, but yes I had already decided to removed the entire leg. Thank you again for the kind thoughts and keep everything crossed that it is just in that leg and not the chest too. I will keep ya’ll updated if you like..I have cried since friday and I can’t believe I still have tears..Much love my fellow pups
July 20th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
tewise
Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.
hugs,
Nan
July 20th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I am so sorry this is happening to your beautiful Eva. It is heartbreaking when things like this happen to innocent animals. As several mudpups have already said though she will do fine with only three legs. I volunteer at a local animal shelter and we have had several dogs and cats with only three legs, all of whom have been placed in loving homes are living a normal life. I will never forget one German Shepherd mix named Jane. You had to be very careful when taking her for a walk as she would tire easily, but if you took her out to the field, she would chase a tennis ball as long as you would throw it for her! Please keep us informed as to your little angel’s progress.
July 20th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
tewise just make sure that when Eva comes home, the vet sends along an anti-inflammatory (usually Rimadyl or Deramaxx) & insist that they include Tramadol. When taken with anti-inflammatory, Tramadol is much more efficient in taking care of pain. Also, get some Arnica homeopathic gel to topically soothe around the suture area. If you need some & can’t get any, let me know and I will send you. It’s a major keep in stock for home here so I alway have it.
July 20th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I’m sorry to hear about this; best of luck to you and your dog.
July 20th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Your dog is so similar to mine (Kuvasz) and I would do anything to save her life. These dogs are tempermental and fiercely loyal. which is why they become a family member so readily (the good and the bad= hopeless devotion).
I went to a pound once and saw a lab that was missing a front leg. I t broke my heart to see her in the pound. She was very mobile, and just dragged at your heart strings.
I hope you save your dog. If you choose to do nothing, you will always second guess.
A really really hard choice.
Godspeed and courage.
Frank
July 20th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
My heart really goes out to you. So sad. I am glad there are some options. I will pray for you and the little mudpup. Godspeed.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Hey-
How is the pup? It’s been awhile. You ok?
Frank
July 20th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
How odd that for the longest time I never saw a dog like Mutti (German for Mother) her being a Kuvasz. Then all of a sudden after moving to Texas, kept seeing this great big white dog, sleeping in an enclosure filled with goats. I called the owner to ask about the dog- to see if it was a Kuvasz, and he told me it was a great pyraneese. [SP bummer]
A magnificent looking animal, and every time I drive by (we have beer stores in Texas), I stop and look, wonder, and worry.
I hope your dog makes it.
Am going to Colorado on Wednesday to take my daughter to Pikes Peak and a few other places. So I hope that next time I check this, she will be fine.
Frank
July 20th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and attention to my baby. They did do the surgery and called me around 1700 hours telling me the surgery went well. Told me that it would be about another hour to finish closing the site and they would call back. About 1900 hrs they called and said I could come see her if I wanted to. The surgery took approx. 6 hrs.
I went to see her she was waking up from the surgery she kept trying to raise her head when I spoke to her. I sat with her for a little while and came on home. At about 2000 hrs the vet called and told me she stopped breathing but had a heartbeat. They were having to breathe for her. It took me about 5 minutes to get there, and about 15 minutes later she died.
Thank you Greytdog you are so kind, all of you have been so kind. Thank you Frank, yes she was a Great Pyrenees I also have a male (her husband) but he is huge. His picture is on the pet page. This breed of dog has 2 dew claws on their hind feet. Boris (the husband) will be beside himself he has already been going around the yard trying to find her.
Sorry if this does not make sense, my mind is not working real well right now. I am so mad that this has happened. I took a very happy lively dog this morning to the vet and by evening she is dead. I don’t get it. My animals are my family the only ones I claim besides my dad so they mean the world to me. But I guess I am no madder at the vet than I am myself, because I feel so guilty for not protecting her.
Bless you all, much love to you!!
July 21st, 2009 at 12:41 am
Oh, Tewise, I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. No words can truly comfort you right now so I’ll just say that I’m thinking of you and wishing you the best. Much love to Eva as she is now at peace.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:51 am
tewise, I am so sorry. She does look like an angel in her
photo. It is so hard to understand how this can be. It is so
hard. I wish there were some comfort to offer. I just lost my
white Lily cat, who learned to run like the wind with 3 1/2
legs, deaf, but at least it was expected.
It really is just plain heart breaking.
There are two mantras that are said to be really good for
animals who are dying or dead, that they like:
Om mani padme hum [or, Om mani pema hung]
and Namo Sugata Ratna Shikhin
if you can try to say it to her physical self or her spirit
for the next three days
July 21st, 2009 at 3:20 am
Oh, tewise, I am so saddened to hear of the loss of your angelic dog. It is so hard to lose them, and it just leaves such a hole. My prayers are with you, and just remember that we’re all out here for you, for whatever you need.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:39 am
Oh Tewise, I’m so so sorry about the loss of Eva. Death so hard to understand when our pups seem so full of life. But you did everything you could, and so did your vet. Cancer is a horrible sneaky enemy and even when we do everything just right, it finds a way to take our precious pups. But it can’t take the bond of love you and Eva have - and always will have. This is for Eva:
May you rest in peace, in fulfilment, in loving
May you run straight home in God’s embrace
Into the freedom of wind and sunshine
We let you go
Into the dance of the stars and the planets
We let you go
Into the wind’s breath and the hands of the star maker
We let you go
We love you, we miss you, we want you to be happy
Go safely, go dancing, go running home
(by Helen Steiner Rice)
Wind to thy Wings, Sweet Eva, Wind to thy Wings
July 21st, 2009 at 5:49 am
You are in thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:01 am
Tewise,
My tears are flowing for the loss of your angel. She truly is an angel now, free of pain.
I’m sending you loving hugs which won’t comfort you a bit right now I know, but never-the-less, they’re on their way. Hug Boris.
Please don’t feel guilty. You loved Eva with all your heart and did the very best for her and I’m sure she knows it. Sometimes that’s all that we can do. My prayers are with you.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:43 am
Oh Tewise, I was so sorry to read this. However, rest assured that you did the right thing. At least Eva didn’t suffer too much. I know that is probably not much of a consolation now. My thoughts and prayers are with you both.
July 21st, 2009 at 11:33 am
Really saddened for your loss. Don’t have the words.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:09 pm
My condolences as well. You did your absolute best for your girl. Everything you did, you did for love. And you were able to be with her at the end. (I wasn’t. They wouldn’t let me take my Caesar home after they diagnosed his cancer, and the next morning, he died before I could get there.)
If there is any way to let Boris see her, he will have some closure. He’ll understand why she’s not there. It is actually better for them than not knowing. (Goliath never did get over why Caesar just disappeared one night.)
I am so sorry for your loss.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I’m so sorry you lost Eva. I know how much that hurts.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Dearest Tewise,
I am sooooo sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Eva… you are in my thoughts and prayers….. please know that Mudpuppy thoughts, prayers and love are very healing (I know)… open your heart to all of our love energy… and it will help you to heal your broken heart..
Much Mud love and hugs to you. and to Boris too!
July 21st, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Dear Tewise,
My heart is heavy for you and Boris for the loss of your sweet Eva. I know it is hard not to blame yourself, but you did everything you could - and you were there for her at the end. She will be in your heart always. I know my sweet cat Maddie that I lost to kidney cancer 10 years ago it still in my heart. I still dream about her. And I have always been grateful that I was able to be with her at the end. She was not in pain, and the last thing she knew was the sound of of my voice and the touch of my hand.
I hope you will consider getting another dog when the time is right, for both you and Boris. Although, there will never be another Eva, somewhere there is another Great Pyrenees who needs a loving home. Just a few months ago a couple came in with a beautiful Golden Retriever who was a stately gentleman of about 8. His partner had just passed away; it was cancer also. His owners realized that he was literally grieving himself to death. They came in on a Saturday afternoon when I was volunteering and I was so happy that I thought we had the perfect dog. Just a few days before we had a young Golden mix that that been surrendered to us as her family had lost their home. When he met her in the field for the first time, I swear he smiled gently, wagged his tail and walked over to her. The couple and I cried like babies. They took her home that day. We had a follow up letter with some pics of both dogs that is priceless.
You and Boris will continue to be in my thoughts.
July 21st, 2009 at 3:20 pm
We have a three legger -he has done just fine for 9 years. Trust me, the pup won’t fuss about it, it’s we humans that feel sad. Best of luck.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
teawise - you did everything you could have. You gave Eva a good life. Yes, she will be greatly missed as all of us pet owners know. Thinking about you in this rough time.
July 29th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Wow, I just came over to this post and I am so sorry for your loss. I hope that as time has passed that your family and Boris are healing. I had to put my Newfie to sleep on 6/30 and I still shed tears when I think of him or see the tin w/his ashes.
July 29th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
tewise,
my heart hurts with you. I have had animals all my life and work with wild animal rescue. To see an animal that has a human hero to look after them is wonderful. I am sure your Eva was was loved to the end, as were you. You were her hero. With time, you will have peace and great memories.
July 31st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
My heart breaks for you and Boris. May you remember all the good times you had with Eva, and the joy you brought to each other.
August 1st, 2009 at 9:10 am
I am reading this on August 1st. I am so desperately sorry for your loss and the agony of decision making prior to it.
All of us pet lovers know that pets are more than just pets. They are part of the family. And we don’t get over their loss any easier than other kinds of losses.
How are you doing now, several days later?
Thoughts and prayers are extended to your entire family.
Samper