Osteosarcoma is the farthest thing from this handsome boys mind. When humans, battle cancer the ordeal is often described as “brave, heroic or courageous”.
The beauty of going through this with my best furry friend, is that never once has the word cancer crossed his mind, he has never wasted one moment worrying about when or IF the big “C” will return. Sarge just faces each day with a vigor for life and an excitement for the little things like going for his daily hop, chewing on his favorite bone or squeezing one of his personally selected toys from the pet store. Sarge also has developed the post chemo gift of becoming a picky food eater and will turn his nose at his high dollar grain free food if there is not fresh chicken or eggs placed lovingly in the kibble.
These added months and years have been a welcomed, albeit shocking survival story. He has beaten all the odds. Only 10% of dogs with osteosarcoma live this long past diagnosis. I wish I had his canine ability to not worry, to just wake up to each day with joy (and a wiggly butt) unaware of the potential dangers that could come each day.
Here is to survival, here is to “ignorance is bliss”.
Praying 2017 will ring in more happy healthy days for Sarge and all the fur babies out there kicking osteosarcomas butt!
We love you!
Author: c1nicolei
Sarge has been the the love of my life since we rescued him in 2007. He was thought to be a carcass on the side of the road in our community park. As I walked over to look at the pitiful dead dog, I soon realized he was still breathing, barely. We rushed him to the vet and although severely malnourished and in a terrible state, with TLC he miraculously pulled through. Snap shot ahead to 6/2014, we decide to go outside to play fetch, he was so excited and full of energy, doing his typical bouncy boxer pelvic shuffle. He took a nasty tumble and the sounds that followed was nothing short of heart piercing. My heart stopped, because I knew it was bad, very bad. I am a PA, not a veterinarian, but I knew instantly the leg was broken badly. I splinted him and rushed him to the vet. What initially was going to be an orthopedic surgery to repair a broken radius and ulna, quickly turned into, "Your dog sustained a pathological cancer, we think he has osteosarcoma". I could not even hear what I was being told. How could this seemingly happy, healthy, FULL of life dog have CANCER?? The BX confirmed my worst fears. This whole process took over a week. In that time I researched every aspect of canine osteosarcoma I could find and I had already made up my mind, we were going to fight this, not for me, but I knew he was not done living!!! Making the decision to amputate was not one taken lightly. We ensured there were no macro mets and that his blood work looked stable. I also decided if we amputated we would also do chemo. Sarge had his leg amputated 2 days ago and I am amazed at his hour by hour improvement. We start chemo in 2 weeks. I will keep everyone updated and love reading stories on here that give me hope that he will be able to be a happy, pain free normal Sarge!!! This is when we joined TRIPAWDS! What a wonderful, reassuring supportive community! I love you TRIPAWDS!
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Way to go Sarge! Let’s hear it for a wiggly butt 2017!
Way to kick some major butt Sarge. I am so glad to see you are doing well. Keeping showing that dreaded disease who is boss
xoxoxo
Michelle & Angel Sassy