Everything that has happened to Buster in the last 8 months has been uncertain. And long. I mean agonizingly long. A limp that appeared very suddenly late last August. A month of getting even a tentative diagnosis. A tendon release surgery in October for what appeared to be and probably was a torn tendon. A failed six week recovery period where Buster wasn’t allowed to do much of anything, but then he never experienced the rapid and complete recovery that tendon release surgeries usually provide.
A steroid shot. An MRI. Physical therapy. Embarassingly, two acupuncture sessions born of desperation. More physical therapy. The false hope of improvement when Buster did in fact have a couple of months when he improved quite a bit. A rapid regression into an extreme limp, with the same forelimb that simply dangled and then wasted away, with constant discomfort for my poor sweet dog. Another MRI.
And then two months ago, a shocking diagnosis that I wasn’t expecting, because I thought everything was related to a tendon injury. The diagnosis was nerve sheath tumor, which I had never heard of. But the grotesque perpetrator finally appeared clear as could be, a thick and ugly mass under Buster’s front right arm pit on his latest MRI.
And with that, as of about 2 months ago, I entered the world of veterinary oncology, a world nearly as complicated and multifaceted as it is for humans.
wHAT A GORGEOUS DOG
What a beautiful Dog.
So sorry for the diagnosis. We are battling bone cancer and we have learned to take it one day at a time. Any advice you need you will get on this site so ask and ye shall receive.
What are your treatment options?
Thank you! He had his amputation 1 month ago and we are starting radiation on Monday. I’m blogging about it because I found so few resources about the experience and how tolerable the side effects are. I hope to blog all the way through it.
Oh my.. a long road indeed. You must be exhausted to say the least. Those nerve sheath tumors seem to be horrible to diagnose. So sorry this is happening.
xoxoxo
Thanks for your kind thoughts. Buster is a brave trooper. I hope to get him through this so he gets to enjoy his golden years.
Buster is a cutie! I’m so sorry for the diagnosis but now he’s getting the care he needs to kick that cancer’s butt for good.
Thank you sooo much for sharing the treatment experience here. You are right, there aren’t a lot of firsthand experience stories specifically about this type of cancer therapy. We are so grateful you’re taking the time to do it, so now we have something to point members to when they consider it as a treatment option.
Keep up the great work and give Buster extra lovin’ from us. Glad to hear he’s on the road to recovery!
Well Buster, you have just won our hearts!! And you’ve won the CUTENESS AWARD too! Yes, strong victorious Warriors can ve cute!😎
Geez, sorry you’ve had such challenges getting to this solution…and it is, indeed, a good solution!!
We’ll be looking for more updates and you continue forward…..with pictures of Buster’s cute self!😁
Extra hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Thank you for your support and good wishes!