Osa's wild ride

Well, its been a while since our last update, but no news has been good news in this case.

Yesterday Osa celebrated 4 months post surgery and her last chemo appointment.  The Vet techs made her a hat and every one was happy to see her so, happy!  In a month we go in for an ex-ray re-check.

Osa is doing very well in recovery now.  She is due for her second chemo treatment next week and her blood counts are all in the norm!  Her mobility has improved greatly and we recently took her up the the snow to try out her stuff.  The deeper snow gave her a bit of a problem but she enjoyed her self any ways.  We are keeping her t-shirt on her until she stops trying to nibble at her incision site.

Getting un-stuck from deep powder with a little help from dad (Brian)

Osa figuring out her snow paw skills

Osa and dad (Matt) pawsing for a smile.

Just a month ago we came home from vacation to pick up our Anatolian girl with no concept of what was to come.  In a day we noticed a slight limp. The suspicious lump appeared the next day.  Within a week the lump had grown frighteningly larger and we had her into the vet for an x-ray thinking it possibly a sprain.  The phone call the following Saturday morning was heartbreaking.  Bone biopsy’s followed and in two long weeks, our daughter was seven pounds lighter and minus her left front leg.  We prayed we made the right decision. We suffered with her ordeal.  Now just over two weeks after her surgery she is complaining less, has more energy, and seems much more her old tail wagging self.  Yes, the sparkle is coming back.

We are still in the first week of chemo, but finally I feel a break in the oppressive mix of anxiety and fear that has been the past 30 days. This Tripawd community of people who have gone though this has helped me to cope with this storm.  I just want to offer my heartfelt thanks.

Brian.

Osa wants to thank all her tripawd friends out there cheering for her too!

Osa had her post surgery followup and Oncologist review.  It went well. Stitches are removed now and she is being treated with 15 minute IV infusions every 3 or 4 weeks for 5 total sessions.  Her white cell count showed normal and will be monitored weekly for the first month.  Thankfully yesterday and this morning she seems to be doing better, less crying and more energetic.

The vet tech suggested she might be over dramatizing a bit with her crying and I think Osa knows we are on to her now 😛 Under direction we are tapering off the gabapentin this week.  We will see in the next few days if there is any side affects from the chemo treatment, but the shift in behavior is encouraging!

This past two weeks may have been really emotionally trying.  Osa’s surgical site is healing well but she has been complaining a lot, more and in a manner we have never heard in her life.  Its heartbreaking that she is still so very sad. We can’t tell how much is pain and how much of it is frustration or boredom. We are trying to keep her stimulated but she is not much interested in chews, her toys or the like.  Outside visits seem to interest her the most.

She goes in for her post surgery stitches removal and oncologist visit tomorrow.

Osa resting in the back yard for a bit for a change of scenery.