I received some disheartening news today. It has been preoccupying my thoughts all day. My friend's 8 year old black lab broke her back leg in two places over the weekend. I believe they took her to emergency care and had some preliminary x-rays taken. The doctor discovered some spots and they feared that it was bone cancer. Additional testing was completed this morning, and it is in fact cancer so they had to take her leg. The doctor's findings support that the cancer hasn't spread, but they were told that the most time they would have left with their furry family member would be 1 - 1 1/2 years if they elect to do chemotherapy. They decided to go through with the surgery and the chemotherapy treatments. I totally support this decision. My friend says that dogs recover nicely from a leg removal surgery and that the loss of her leg will affect her minimally. I was glad to hear that!
I have not talked much about Murphy's disease on my blog, but the above story lends an opportunity for me to do so.
Our Murphy has Elbow Dysplasia. Elbow Dysplasia is similar to Hip Dysplasia, it is also a degenerate disease the affects the elbow joint. It is believed to be caused by abnormal growth and development causing the joint to be malformed and weakened. Some veterinarians speculate that the problems that occur because of Elbow Dysplasia, such as osteochondritis dissecans, is in fact the primary reason that the elbow became malformed to begin with. The prediction on how Elbow Dysplasia will affect your dog is hard to determine as there are varying degrees of the disease. The dog could only develop arthritis or it could develop lameness. The treatment for Elbow Dysplasia is surgery, weight management, medical management and anti-inflammatory medication (taken from http://dogtime.com/definition/elbow-dysplasia).
When Jason and I received this news back in January, we were absolutely devastated. The surgeon made it seem like our only real option was a $3,000+ surgery. The fact is that even if Murphy did go through the surgery, it may not fix him. We had a discussion with our doctor and decided to treat Murphy with monthly shots to manage his pain and discomfort. We also monitor his weight gain which is essential. We have carpet in his room as well as a big area in our basement (I hope to carpet more space in the future). Jason and I also noticed this week that we think the cooler weather is aggravating his condition so we are going to add an aspirin to his dinner in the evenings.
We have been very blessed because it seems as though Murphy's lameness and soreness has improved this past year. That can happen with some cases and luckily it has happened with Murphy. His disease does not seem to slow him down right now and does not seem to prevent him from leading a full and happy life. Jason and I worry about the future, but we try not to. We try to enjoy each day with Murphy and we just love him like crazy.
When someone shares news such as the news about my friend's dog Luna, my mind goes into overload and I often think of MUCH better things to say than when the person is standing there right in front of me. That same thing happened after my friend walked away. I sent him an e-mail later this morning and in that e-mail I told him more about Murphy's condition and Jason and my viewpoint on it. Our doctor told us that the surgeon was wrong to make us feel like our only options were to go through with the surgery or to put Murphy to sleep. He said that it really depends upon the type of dog Murphy is. Some dogs can cope well with discomfort and other dogs cannot. I think Murphy has proved in the past 1 1/2 years that he is a tough puppy. He never cries when he receives shots and he goes to the doctor at least once a month. Most dogs HATE their doctor, but Murphy loves his doctors! It is so cute. We are truly blessed! I told my friend as much and said that I think it is up to Luna. She could prove the doctors wrong and she could be around for another 2 years or more. The only thing they can do is make her as comfortable as possible within their means and love her like crazy.
Please join me in saying a special prayer for my friends and their pup Luna.
This Thanksgiving I have so much to be thankful for. Murphy definitely tops the list.
Treasure every moment you have with your furry-haired family members and love them like crazy while you can.
"We give dogs love we can spare, time we can spare and room we can spare. In return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made." -- Mary Focklam
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