I'm Really Scared - Don't Know What's Going On Options

[merlin96]

Hi there. I've been around for awhile now. I posted originally when I lost my Jack back in April 2009 and I've stuck around to occasionally try to lend support to others facing their own loss. Probably not nearly as often as I could but anyway.

After my Jack died, I adopted Sweetie, a 6 y/o Akita Shepherd mix who was aptly named and who is, obviously, now about 8 y/o. Back in the beginning of August, I noticed she was favoring her left leg when walking up the steps so I took her to the vet and he said it was probably age related arthritis (although warned it could be something worse like a tumor but we'd have to take it one thing at a time), prescribed an NSAID and said let's see how she does. She responded to the NSAID (Deramaxx) but had a really bad side effect of itching so I had to take her off of it. Since then, we've been seeing an accupuncturist every 2 weeks. She's been responding fairly well except every few weeks she'll continue to have these episodes (I don't know what else to call them) where she'll be unable to put any weight down on the left back leg, she'll be limping around, and she is painful to the touch on her left back side hip region. X-rays of her hips showed no signs of displasia or degeneriation. Blood work all came back normal (she does have lymes, which she had when I got her, but her numbers are so low as to be, according to the vet, almost unreadable).

So after several of these episodes, notwithstanding the bi-weekly accupuncture, I took her to an orthopedic/surgical specialist, who gave a tentative diagnosis of a pinched sciatic nerve and prescribed another NSAID (Metacam). Unfortunately, by the time she gets to these vet appointments, Sweetie usually has walked off enough of her pain or whatever she is experiencing that the vets are unable to observe the acute limping etc. that I'm seeing at home. I've finally managed to get a somewhat crude phone video of it that I'll take to our next, as of yet unscheduled, appointment. Anyway, (sorry this is so long), the specialist said if the episodes continue, we should do a CT scan to rule out (1) any soft tissue mass; or (2) lumbrosacral disease. So I've decided to call tomorrow and schedule the CT scan. Since her last accupuncture appointment on Tuesday, I've had to give her the Metacam every day. She has had nothing but bad days, i.e., she seems to be getting worse.

I'm really scared. I don't know what this is but even when she seems to work out the initial limping enough to go for a short walk, I can tell that she must still be in pain because I can see she isn't putting her full weight down on the left leg. But then it's weird because at other points, she'll put all of her weight on it to lift her right leg to pee (she pees like a male dog). I'm so confused. Has anyone else seen anything like this in any of their dogs? Does this sound like a tumor? I am so scared I'm going to lose her. Other than the limping, as of now, she is otherwise fine - her appetitie, energy level, etc. I am a wreck. I feel completely unprepapred to deal with this.

[merlin96]

Moon-Beam,

Thanks for the reply. Just checking back in. Sweetie went for the CT scan on Wednesday and actually ended up getting more x-rays instead. The news was devastating - couldn't have been worse. She has spinal osteosarcoma - inoperable, untreatable, progressed to the point her spine has deteriorated. No wonder she is in so much pain. Since I will not be doing the palliative radiation for pain relief -- the only option available at this point, which would provide some pain relief (who knows how much) and extend her life for maybe 4 more months, but require anethesia each of the 4 times and all that goes with it --- we are probably looking at days or maybe a week or two if we are lucky. She is on several kinds of pain killers and fosamax to try to strengthen her bones against a pathological break. Other than that, the news is just as bad as can be. I hope I don't regret not doing the radiation but it just feels like the wrong thing for her. At this point, she is too painful to even get in the car without a great deal of coaxing and I just think I want to let her have whatever time remains to be low key and spoil her. It goes without saying I am devastated. There should be a new word for devastated. There are no words. I guess soon I'll be posting in the other section. Thanks for listening.

[lytlewren]

My best friend has the same diagnosis. As soon as I read your post it totally hit home. We had the same preliminary diagnosis as well. Even took some of the same meds. My heart goes out to you. I can't make anything better, though I wish I could, for all of us. Please know that you are not alone. As trite as it sounds, I am finding some peace in spending as much time with Hiway (my boy) as I can and doing his favorite things daily as much as he still is able. We go to the river so he can fetch, which is his favorite thing in the world, he lives for a squeeky ball. He isn't able to fetch on land any more because of the risk of pathological fractures, but the vet said swimming was fine. If you can find something your buddy enjoys as much do it as much as you can, and take every picture opportunity that presents itself.
And again, know that you aren't alone.