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My name is Bracken and about 6 years ago I became very lame and none of my vets knew what was wrong with me, then after about 4 months my owner became very annoyed and asked for a referral so she could find out what was wrong with me and help me to get better.
Eventually we were referred to an osteopath, he took one look at my x-rays and said he could do nothing for me, he could see from the x-rays we had brought with us that I had bone cancer, the image was sunburst typical of boner cancer or osteo sarcoma as it is known. He said to take me home, make me comfortable and I would have 8 to 10 weeks and he would give me medication to help control the pain. At this point it was hard to hear what the vet was saying as my owner was sobbing very loudly protesting they must be able to do SOMETHING.
The best he could offer was to let my owner speak to the soft tissue surgeon the oncologist, but did not hold out much hope.
The oncologist came in a really nice lady, felt happy with her as I have always been a nervous dog that was a good thing. She said the only option she could give us was to amputate the leg but she would not do this without chemotherapy, my owner at this point would have agreed to anything to help me, but before we went ahead we had to have my lungs x-rayed to see if the cancer had already spread there, if it had she said it would just be a matter of keeping me as comfortable as possible, my owner tearfully requested that if my lungs were bad please to let me go (what ever that means) before I come round from the anasepthic as it seemed cruel to continue if that was the case, but if my lungs were clear then we would go ahead with amputation and chemotherapy, where there is a chance then you have to take that chance.
So my amputation was scheduled, as soon as my leg was amputated all my pain would be gone and I should have a happy 6 to 12 months pain free life to live, sounded good to me. Just getting rid of the awful pain was something!
The day of my amputation came quickly, my owner stayed on the mainland she would not go back to the island without me and wanted to visit me daily whilst I was in the hospital, unfortunately that day things did not go as planned, I went into the hospital, my owner fussed over me then I went to sleep and she left, when I woke up I still have 4 legs? It seems my owner was half way home when she got a call from the vet, that the blood donor dogs had not turned up so we would have to rescedule for the next day, I could stay overnight if she wanted, but she wanted me back at home for the extra night so home we went (well back to janes where we were staying)
The next day things went to plan we went back to the hospital and again I had a nice sleep this time when I woke however things were a little different, I was a little unsteady on my legs and there seemed to be something missing from my back end, could not figure it out. The next morning however my owner arrived and I was no waiting about I was up on my remaining three legs and through the door the moment i heard her voice, I got told off for that and they made me have a towel under my belly to help me (I have to admit I did need little support when it was time to go to the toilet that first week, its hard wobblying on three legs till you get used to it), but I didn't care I was just so happy to see my owner. Soon I was home with my lifelong companion Ebony (another labrador) and I began to enjoy life again that horrible pain was gone! I was also being spoiled by everyone who came to see me, no matter what I did it was ok! This is the life! Then we were back on the ferry for our chemotherapy treatment once every fortnight for three treatments, everyone was worried about me, what the effect the chemo might have on me, but to be honest I did not really notice any difference, I had a nice long sleep in the car after each treatment on the way back to the ferry to the Island and that was about it, the next day I was back to the normal me.
My chemo finished and I had another check up and was all clear on the lungs so my owner was very happy with me. Time went on and every three months we would go for an xray to check on me and soon a couple of years had whizzed by. Then an awful thing happened, I lost my Ebony, she had always been there, but she got a different cancer, and she tried so hard to fight like me but she just couldn't make it, my owner was very upset she had been asking the vet about the lump on ebonys chest for three years each time he said it was just a presssure point, it wasn't, and my Ebony went quietly to rainbow bridge and I was all alone. My owner was so worried it seemed wrong just to go out and get another dog right away, but she was also worried I would go into decline without Ebony and pine away she couldn't bear to lose both of us so five months later we went on another trip to the mainland and came back with a small bundle of black fur, Lady Ellenor, now known as Elly. She was so tiny but my owners knew since I had lost my leg I was wary of some dogs and this seemed the best way to go, I was very good I loved her and let her play with me, jump on me and pull my ears, it was nice having another dog with me. Unfortunately the next month, Harry my owners brothers dog, accidently jumped on me i fell and tore the cruciate ligament in my one remaining back leg. Wow did everyone panick, we went right to the mainland vet (oncologist) and she was a real star, she realised we needed to find someone who could repair my cruciate ligament and make it weight bearing the same day and I only had one back leg, she sounded around and sent us to professor mc innes at liverpool university some 400 miles away. so off we went puppy Elly too to Liverpool and stayed there a few days whilst I got my leg fixed. Wow that was so much better I could walk without pain again, just before we got to the hospital for the operation my pain was so bad I walked across the garden at home on just my two front legs, not a bad feat for a tripod labrador!
Now we are in June 2006 6 years on from the beginning and I have just had my x rays, and blood test for liver and kidney function, my owner is soooooooo happy with me as yet again we have the all clear.
I do have one problem though I have larangerical paralysis but it is not bad enough yet for the operation, but everyone is keeping a close eye on me and when I need it the oncologist has said she will do it, she is so nice to me.
I am nearly 14 years old now and getting deaf and do absolutely nothing I am told to do and life is just great!
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