Last week we found out that our beloved Remy has Osteosarcoma in his left front leg; and today he is in surgery to have his leg amputated. I have to tell you this was a whirlwind week and it wad no easy decision. Remy is an 8 year old sweet black lab that we adopted about 6 years ago. Everyone that meets him falls in love and wants to take him home. We know how very blessed we are to call him our boy. He loves to run free when we take him to the farm fields near by, and yes to roll in manure from time to time. Heck, he’s a Lab. So when we got this diagnosis we were devastated.
This morning we took him to our wonderful Vet Kristy and had to leave him. We are scared. I have been researching and reading and losing sleep but I have faith that Remy will make it through the surgery and rally in the days to come. Are choices were do nothing and keep him as pain free as possible and pray for a few months with him, or remove his leg and keep him pain free and pray for at least another year (or more) with him. I am so grateful to find this site and to see these beautiful Tripawd dogs running and playing and enjoying their life. It gives me real hope.
My husband is having a very difficult time with all of it. I am keeping busy researching the cancer diet and how to prepare for him when he comes home. I am a dog trainer and spend a lot of time with dogs and their owners. However, nothing prepared me for this. Please keep Remy in your thoughts today if you read this.
This is Remy a day or so ago on some pain medicine having a nap on his bed.
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Sweet Remy, we are sending lots of pawsitivity your way for a speedy recovery! Please keep us posted and know that you are in great company. We have total faith you will make a great Tripawd Hero! xoxo
Thank you Jerry. He is already amazing me. It’s day 4 and he is hobbling from room to room. Tail always wagging. Love this boy even more than I ever thought I could. We have faith in him as well. Thank you.
Your story hits very close to my heart. Gerry, my yellow Lab was also diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his left foreleg. I found out on a Monday, and by that Saturday I had him at an animal hospital to have his leg removed, as I could not live with the idea of him in pain, and was blessed to be able to afford the procedure. I’d had no idea that he was in pain, as he was a gentle giant and silent sufferer. After his surgery, while awaiting the ok to come home, the head veterinarian let Gerry stay in his office, as his wag thumping tail indicated to him that he was recovering quite well. The nurses and staff fell in LOVE with him, and just about let me take him home. Like all labs, he just had that effect on people. the only time Gerry wasn’t himself, was when he was on the pain medication right after the surgery. He amazed me with his “bound right back”attitude, once he was off the pain killers, and I will never regret having had him undergo the surgery. He was walking/hopping immediately after the surgery and still loved to do all of the things he had, chasing the deer out of his yard, taking car rides and getting the wind in his face, and going for daily walks with “his girls:, my dogwalkers. Before he went back to his regular diet, I made sure he’d eat by slowly boiling chicken breasts and mixing it with white rice. If you don’t put salt in the water, I highly recommend saving the chicken water and freezing it into ice cubes. He LOVED them, and made me feel calmer, knowing he was staying hydrated. One of the few changes I made was ordering him an orthopedic bed that had a three sided bolster, to support him while he leaned against it. I bought a fleece lined sling to help him out of the car, and off “his” other bed, in the bedroom. I was concerned about him injuring his other foreleg, but he could have cared less. His demeanor and personality never indicated that he’d gone through such a big surgery, and for the time I had left with him, he was a happy boy who went with me every where.
You have stumbled upon a WONDERFUL site of supportive people who have found themselves in your same situation. Take advantage of their advice, and use this forum to get questions answered as well as to celebrate small victories. My blog is called “Brand New World” if you want to read through our journey.
The chance you get to see and smell his fur, will be a much needed relief to your human worry, but know that he is going to be SO much happier, without the painful limb, and will make you prouder than you may have ever felt. I wish you love and blessings. ~ Danielle
Hi Danielle,
I think we have the same Lab. It is day 4 for Remy and he is up hobbling around, wagging his tail, eating, drinking, pottying. I am simply amazed. I always knew we could learn a lot from our Dogs but this is a real lesson for me.
I could not allow my Remy to be in pain. It would be something that I knew could be made better and so we made the choice to take his leg off and not use pain meds until he could no longer take the pain. It just was not an option. Finding this web site was a God send. We are not alone with a dog that has lost a leg and that faced a cancer diagnosis. I will try to post photos of Remy as I go and will definitely check out your blog Brand New World. Thank you so much Danielle.
Lynn