# Brooks (owned by Lgnutah, now Brooksismyboy)



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Sad news to share.
Brooks and I joined the forum about 8 or 10 years ago, back when Joe was the administrator.
He was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma last week (it is in the center of his left front leg, in the center of his humerus).
We begin palliative therapy (radiotherapy and bone strengthening infusion) on Wednesday.
He is not a candidate for amputation, due to extreme weakness in his back legs.


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## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

Oh no! I am so sorry to hear this! Spoil him rotten!


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Sorry to hear this about Brooks. He is a special boy. Hope the RT helps.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

You are one of the originals that I remember well here, I'm just so terribly sorry to see this diagnosis for Brooks. I wish I had wise words, something to help you. My heart goes out to you.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I'm so sorry to see this. Like Nolefan said, you are one of the originals and it's terribly sad to see something like this happen


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Oh no! I am so very sorry ??


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I'm so sorry to see this...  

I'm very sad to see bad news hitting so many lately.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry to hear about Brooks, sending good thoughts and prayers to you both.


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## KathyL (Jul 6, 2011)

I'm sorry to see your post about Brooks, I hope the palliative therapy gives Brooks some relief.


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## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I am so very very sorry to hear this about Brooks! Hugs to you both!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Oh no! I'm so, so sorry to hear about Brooks. <<hugs>>. FWIW, a customer of mine at the pet hotel had a similar situation, and the bone strengthening therapy worked great. His dog lived another 18 good quality months.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> Oh no! I'm so, so sorry to hear about Brooks. <<hugs>>. FWIW, a customer of mine at the pet hotel had a similar situation, and the bone strengthening therapy worked great. His dog lived another 18 good quality months.


Oh, if you only knew how much this raised my hopes. 
His regular vet did an xray of spine and left leg in late September and the cancer wasn't visible yet but he did have spondylosis (bone spurs along spine). 
The continuing limp sent us to a specialty vet who did an xray in early Nov which showed a mass about 3" long inside (and there was a shadow extending outside the humerus). 
He is so debilitated already that I hope I am doing the right thing. I don't want him to suffer.
They did bloodwork and all the numbers/organ systems tested seem OK. They did an aspirate of a mass in his anal gland and that was benign, did chest xray, aspirated his lymph node on the left side, did an abdominal ultrasound and could not see any metastases at this point. 
So, these things also give me some hope.


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## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

I'm so very sorry to hear about Brooks, sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers over.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Oh, I am sorry to read this.

Sending best thoughts that the pallative course brings you both a lot of quality time together.




lgnutah said:


> Sad news to share.
> Brooks and I joined the forum about 8 or 10 years ago, back when Joe was the administrator.
> He was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma last week (it is in the center of his left front leg, in the center of his humerus).
> We begin palliative therapy (radiotherapy and bone strengthening infusion) on Wednesday.
> He is not a candidate for amputation, due to extreme weakness in his back legs.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

I'm so sorry about Brooks. I hope the bone strengthening therapy brings him a lot more good quality time.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

When it was necessary, they controlled this guy's pain with gabapentan and tramadol. He lived very, very happily for the entire time. Still trying to catch frisbees in the yard!
I hope Brooks does at least partially as well :x



lgnutah said:


> Oh, if you only knew how much this raised my hopes.
> His regular vet did an xray of spine and left leg in late September and the cancer wasn't visible yet but he did have spondylosis (bone spurs along spine).
> The continuing limp sent us to a specialty vet who did an xray in early Nov which showed a mass about 3" long inside (and there was a shadow extending outside the humerus).
> He is so debilitated already that I hope I am doing the right thing. I don't want him to suffer.
> ...


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Brooks was first on Novox (Rimadyl) beginning in September, which seemed to help for about 2 weeks, then his limp returned. In Nov Gabapentin was added but I really didn't see any lessening of the limp. Tomorrow he has the first radiation therapy and Zoledronate intravenous infusion. I am going to talk about the pain issue-whether adding or substituting Tramedol is warranted right now. Due to the type of bone cancer he has, his bone is very prone to fracture, so he is not to run.

Brooks unfortunately also developed a hot spot on his face the first day we went to the specialist (they just shaved and cleaned it and at home I continued with the usual hot spot remedies I have used in past years). By the next week, it seemed to have gotten infected inside his cheek, so his regular vet put him on an antibiotic (this was between visits to the specialist). Two days later at the specialist, the dentist there determined he had gingival inflammation so put him on a 2nd antibiotic. Meanwhile, we realized the 1st antibiotic was causing significant stomach upset, so it was eliminated. The sore is still a little raw spot on his face-even with wearing a cone he could still rub the place against his cone, and somehow the second I took the cone off he would scratch at it. But, I just hate subjecting him to wearing the cone on top of everything else. 

So, poor guy just has so much going on. I am hoping he responds in a few days to the radiation/Zoledronate (oncologist said some dogs feel much better in a day or two after the very first treatment). He will have radiation therapy once a week for 4 weeks.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

You and Brooks will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Have you tried Domeboro for the hot spots? You can get it at Walgreen's, sometimes Walmart. It can almost work miracles!


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## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

Poor Brooks! Hopefully everything kicks in soon!


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> You and Brooks will be in my thoughts and prayers.
> Have you tried Domeboro for the hot spots? You can get it at Walgreen's, sometimes Walmart. It can almost work miracles!


I was using Curad Silver Solution, Sulfadene and another sulphur product called Nu Stock, some OTC antibiotic ointment and OTC cortisone cream. When it started getting worse, the vet prescribed Animax (which is the drippiest stuff to apply).
I've never heard of Domeboro, I will get some tomorrow


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Tito and I were at a hunt test, and he had chewed his groin raw and oozing because of some chigger bites. Someone running another dog there was a vet, she looked at him for me and told me to pick some up at the Walgreen's next to the hotel and make a warm compress that night and the next morning. I was shocked, by the next morning it was like 90% better! I asked my vet about it later, and he said its all they ever used to use for hot spots. He said he didn't really know why they don't use it as much anymore, it works great.
Probably because you can buy it over the counter instead of from vets!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

ACUTE MOIST DERMATITIS IN DOGS, VetSuite Veterinarians Edited by Andrew Hillier, BVSc, MACVSc, DACVD In Depth Content Dermatology amp Otic Diseases Acute moist dermatitis, also referred to as hot spots or pyotraumatic dermatitis, is a skin condition 

Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats Veterinarians Love and Hate


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

I am sorry to read about Brooks. My thoughts and prayers are with you both!! I hope you will see a difference with radiation and bone strengthening.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I hope I am doing the right thing, subjecting Brooks to radiation therapy......he seemed worse after yesterday's treatment (they said the anesthesia would make him sluggish for a while), but he is limping the same or even worse, as he did after his biopsy (having things done to his already painful leg has just seemed to increase his pain.......but maybe it's the progression of the cancer which the oncologist said was aggressive).
He is supposed to have radiation treatments once a week for 4 weeks. Which means being put to sleep each time, not allowing him to eat the morning of and until 3=4 hrs after the treatment (his most favorite thing!).
Yesterday they said the Zolodrinate infusion sometimes makes the dog feel better and limp less within 24-48 hours, and it takes 2 or more treatments before the radiation therapy improves his limp (about 70-75% are helped by this).
Just so unsure......


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I'm just seeing this thread today - and I'm so sorry. My heart goes out to you. I hope the RT helps. It's so hard trying to make the best decisions, doubting yourself, worrying about them. But you will make the best decisions you can, based on the information you have. You love him more than anyone.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> Have you tried Domeboro for the hot spots? You can get it at Walgreen's, sometimes Walmart. It can almost work miracles!


I was too exhausted after the day at the vets with Brooks, and just wanted to get him straight home after (it's an hour drive each way)
Anyway, I didn't stop to get the Domeboro. I am going out to get it today, but looked online and see it is sold in packets that are dissolved in water and in gel form. Did you every try the solution as a wet compress, or is the gel the best bet? (his sore is on his right cheek and whenever he lies on that side it gets rubbed)


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

I'm so sorry about Brooks.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I used the packets, warm water, and a wash cloth. It's an astringent and dries quickly once you take the compress off, so I think it's okay if he lies on it. Tito laid on his all the time, it was by his *boy parts*.



lgnutah said:


> I was too exhausted after the day at the vets with Brooks, and just wanted to get him straight home after (it's an hour drive each way)
> Anyway, I didn't stop to get the Domeboro. I am going out to get it today, but looked online and see it is sold in packets that are dissolved in water and in gel form. Did you every try the solution as a wet compress, or is the gel the best bet? (his sore is on his right cheek and whenever he lies on that side it gets rubbed)


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## Bodiesmummy (May 6, 2014)

Poor Brooks (and his family- you are suffering too). I'm sorry he's not a candidate for amputation because that takes away the pain at least. My Fionn has osteosarcoma and had his amputation 2 months ago. Before the surgery, I looked into all the options including palliative. It's a good alternative and will hopefully give you lots more quality time together.
Fionn could not have nsaids post op so he was on gabapentin and tramadol. Tramadol and gabapentin are generally super safe and they can take surprisingly large amounts of both. Bone cancer of any kind is extremely painful and hard to manage so I wouldn't be afraid to dose him up good until the radiation and zoledronate kick in. I've heard that Zoledronate really helps with the pain too. Since we know that dogs do not show pain the way we do, it's a safe assumption that they are in more pain than we think. The tramadol did make Fionn pretty sedated and sleepy so we tapered off that as soon as we felt his post op pain would be subsiding. As soon as we did, the old Fionn was back. Best wishes to you both as you navigate the horrible terrible "C".


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

How are you, and Brooks, doing?


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