Another Spyder Update

I don't know if it's the result of getting his medication regimen stabilized, the prayer wheel our dear friend Robin has been spinning, the amazing outpouring of support and love from friends across the globe or what, but by this past Saturday, Spyder was feeling better than he has in days. This was a very dramatic improvement from Friday, when Steve and I seriously feared he would not survive the weekend. By Saturday morning, his mood was perky and happy, he seemed much more comfortable, able to walk better, and he had begun acting more like his old self, other than not having much of an appetite. But then again, he's never been much of a big eater, especially at breakfast. Concerned that he wasn't going to have enough on his stomach to support his strong pain medications, we perhaps went a bit overboard Saturday night and Sunday morning trying to persuade him to eat, offering him a variety of tempting items including beef, chicken, canned dog food and cat food. By Sunday evening, he was experiencing some severe diarrhea, and we're not sure if it's medication-related or a result of too many changes in his diet too suddenly. Fortunately, that seems to be improving this evening, so hopefully it was just food-related, since his current medications seem to be controlling his pain at this time. We have him back on a more bland diet now, but have included yogurt and kefir which he seems to be tolerating well, and will continue to make sure he gets to go outside frequently to relieve himself, and is drinking sufficient water. Overall, though, his current level of alertness, activity and comfort really seem much better than his prognosis would indicate, and for this, I am eternally grateful. It warms my heart to see him lying in the sun, belly to the sky, spine working that slow twist that gets the back scratched just right and for a brief moment, I can see the puppy in him once again...

After a Rough Start - Some Improvement

This morning began with a very rough start for Spyder. He was so lame and in so much intense distress that he had to be assisted just to walk and was panting heavily with pain. He appeared in such bad shape, in fact, that Steve and I were both very concerned he may not survive the weekend. I elected to stay home with him in light of his severe discomfort and called his veterinarian to move his appointment, scheduled for tomorrow, to today. We gave him his medications and he finally settled down on his doggie-bed in the living room while I sat on the couch to keep an eye on him until his appointment time. Venus curled up beside him, snuggled up right next to his back, like a good kitty-sister and they slept there all morning.



Shortly after lunch, Spyder finally woke up and asked to go outside. Although still very lame, he seemed more perky and alert than he has in the past few days, and even stretched out in the back yard to bask in the autumn sun for a brief while. By the time of his appointment, he seemed almost like his old self, except of course the huge swollen mass on his left shoulder and the still very noticeable and obvious limp. His vet examined him, drew some baseline bloodwork and got a urine sample. She confirmed his prognosis as being quite grim with respect to survival, doubtfully more than a few months due to the aggressive metastatic nature of the cancer, but noted his health otherwise was surprisingly good. We will be keeping him on three-drug therapy, but are going to switch his Rimadyl to meloxicam both for better cost-effectiveness and easier dosing. The scary part is that he will need to be off the Rimadyl for the next couple of days to flush it from his system prior to starting the meloxicam. Hopefully his "helper drugs" of gabapentin and tramadol alone will control his pain sufficiently during this brief interval until the meloxicam can be started. We are continuing to ice his swollen shoulder and apply DMSO, and he has some herbal support on the way as well which we hope will provide some additional positive benefits. My eyes and nose having been cried raw, it was a great relief to see Spyder feeling better late this afternoon and I hope we can achieve a satisfactory level of comfort for our beautiful boy during his remaining time with us.

Back to the Emergency Hospital

Unfortunately, Spyder's pain intensified overnight and he was unable to bear weight again this morning. Since his regular veterinarian's office is closed on Thursdays, we went back to the emergency hospital where he was seen by the head of the Oncology Department. He discussed with us the various pain control options and we elected to try a three-drug therapy, plus a gastrointestinal protectant to shield against the toxic effects of these powerful medications. Right now, Spyder appears to be having some difficulty adjusting to the "loopy" effects resulting from the combination of gabapentin, Rimadyl and tramadol, and seems a bit restless, moving about the living room trying to find a comfortable position. He continues to have a severe limp and remains unable to really bear weight on his left front leg, but has taken a couple of naps since we got home, and I think is finally managing to get some bit of rest by stretching out on his favorite blankets on the couch. He even occasionally will roll over to get his tummy rubbed. Even so, I feel so helpless watching my poor sweet boy struggle to walk and trying to be so brave in spite of his cancer. His attitude, however, remains as loving and engaging as always, and I continue to see a zest for life in his eyes; in spite of his pain, his tail still wags and his ears still perk at the sound of my voice which makes me smile in the saddest of ways. Hopefully this new drug regimen will offer him some relief for the next day at least, until he goes in to see his regular doctor for some lab work and a discussion of whether to continue his current treatment or make any necessary adjustments to maximize his comfort level. As the photo below shows, the shoulder continues to exhibit severe firm swelling and protrusion. Please keep our precious Spyder (and us) in your thoughts.

The C Word

Spyder Update - Our veterinarian just called after she and her partner reviewed Spyder's radiographs from his ER visit last week and said the word we had been dreading: osteosarcoma. Apparently the consensus is that his radiographic abnormality is almost certainly bone cancer in his left upper leg and shoulder area. While the preferred treatment for this aggressive and terminal disease is amputation, Spyder's history of bilateral hip surgeries as a puppy eliminates this as an option, so we are left with establishing a palliative course of treatment for whatever quality time he has remaining. He has an appointment for baseline blood work next week, and we will determine, along with his veterinarians, a treatment plan to provide him with the highest quality of life possible for the time he has left. Right now, our primary concern is keeping him as comfortable as we can, and making sure he knows just how much he is loved. For the past eleven years, he's been my best buddy, my guardian, my permanent sidekick, and I cherish every moment with him. During some of the darkest times of my life, he has been able to lift me up with his unfettered happy spirits, and can always make me laugh, even when depression has its tightest hold on me. His joyous celebration of life with every waking moment is an inspiration to us all, and I plan to enjoy every second we have left with him, whether it's one month or one year or, hopefully, even more than that.



And although my heart is breaking today, I want to keep my brave face on for the little man who has been my best buddy and center of my heart for the past eleven years, and will always be my little Spyder.

Friday Night at the Emergency Room

Steve and I walked in the front door after work this evening to find Spyder very lame, limping and unable to put weight on a severely swollen left front upper leg and shoulder. Stoic dog that he is, when he whimpered upon walking, we knew immediately that he was in extreme pain, so placed a call to his vet who recommended taking him straight to the emergency hospital. Three hours, a few hundred dollars, ultrasounds, x-rays and evaluations by two veterinarians revealed what was most likely a severe contusion to his left front leg and shoulder area, presumably the result of either falling off our bed (where he likes to sleep during the day) or couch, or possibly a twist injury (Spyder has always been a bit, shall we say, reckless, so these are both quite plausible explanations). On the other hand, the ultrasound also showed a suspicious area along the upper foreleg which could just be a result of the contusion (hopefully this is the case) or could also possibly be a more ominous indication of osteosarcoma, the only treatments for which include amputation - not an option for Spyder due to bilateral hip surgeries as a puppy - or palliative treatment only.  On the vet's recommendation, at this time we will keep him at bedrest (as much as possible with such an active dog), on several pain medications, and observe him for the next week.



If he fails to show improvement during that time, a followup visit to his regular vet will be scheduled in order to perform a bone biopsy of the suspicious area. But hopefully that will not be necessary - keep your fingers crossed that this is a contusion only and our little man will be back to his usual active self within the next few days.

The Visitor

Playground Politics

Some people can be so hateful and rude, and for no real apparent reason other than simply because they can. Just like the cowardly playground bully trying to feel like a "big man" by berating and minimizing the "dumb girl".  i am sick to death of putting forth every effort to be respectful and diplomatic, just to have it thrown back in my face via spiteful remarks and thinly veiled insults from so-called adults.  i dunno - maybe i'm just not cut out for this.