Select Canine Cancer Resources Available from Amazon:

Review this selection of books, DVDs, and helpful products for your three (or four) legged friend which we have compiled from the vast selection of pet health resources available at Amazon.com.

Helpful Websites:

Support Groups and Discussions:

• Join the discussion about canine cancer and life on three legs in the Tripawd Forums
• Yahoo Dog Health Group about certain canine drugs and their effects
• Join Cassie’s Three-Legged Dog Club — the place for Three-Legged Dogs and the People Who Love Them
• Yahoo Canine Cancer Support Group — discuss all types of canine cancer with others

Coping with Your Dog’s Diagnosis:

• Learn lessons from your dog, by reading “On Fear” by Doug Koktavy

Physical Aids for Challenged Canines:

• Save 10% on Bella’s Pain Relief Products! Use coupon code “TRIPAWDS”.
• www.ruffwear.com is where Jerry got his orthopedic assistance dog harness.
• www.petsupportsuit.com, Animal Suspension Technology Support Suits for canines with mobility impairment.
• www.handicappedpets.com for mobility braces and other support methods.

Dog Cancer Health Tips:

• Holistic Dog: Links for Canine Wellness and Natural Treatments of Ailments
• www.dogcancer.net offers many articles and resources from dog diet tips and veterinary lab results to canine cancer survivor success stories from users of the K9 Immunity supplement.
• For a great summary of Treating Cancer and Immune Support systems, see this summary of the Hoxsey and Essaic Formula Holisitic treatments.
• Shirley’s Wellness Cafe is huge resource for lots of canine health, and canine cancer, information.
• Help Your Dog Fight Cancer is a website with lots of resources, based on Laurie Kaplan’s books about canine cancer.
• Curing Canine Cancer offers an e-book “6 Things You Can Do Right Now to Start Saving Your Dog’s Life,” that offers health tips and nutrition ideas.

Support for Veterinarians:

• Veterinary Oncology Consultants assist other veterinarians in providing the highest possible quality of life for pets with cancer and their human families.
• Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA publishes Dolittler — the premiere veterinary blog for pet lovers, vet voyeurs and the medically curious.
• Veterinary Wisdom develops and distributes products and services that support the emotional side of working and living with companion animals, focusing on pet loss and grief for vets and pawrents alike.

General Information about Dog Cancer:

• Land of Pure Gold Foundation, has information on canine cancer diagnosis, treatments, and what to expect.
• www.talktothevet.com has this great article on canine osteosarcoma diagnosis and treatment.
• www.marvistavet.com answers various questions about osteosarcoma in dogs.
• www.vetcancersociety.org is home of the Veterinary Cancer Society.
• www.oncolink.com includes in-depth coverage of bone tumors in dogs and quality of life assessment.
• www.cfnaonline.com includes a comprehensive canine cancer resource center.
• about.com veterinary medicine experts address general information about dog cancer.
• Read this PDF about management of Phantom Limb Pain in Tripawd Dogs, by TC Wait of Colorado.

Fundraising Campaigns:

• Two Dogs, 2000 Miles Walk for Canine Cancer. Hudson, Murphy and their human will walk 2000 miles to help find a cure for bone cancer. Please show your support for this incredible journey.
• The Dog Cancer Ride Across America. Join Ted in Summer 2008, as he pedals over 4200 miles, to raise money for charities that help dog owners who can’t otherwise afford it, pay for the care of their dogs with cancer.
• Fight canine cancer by supporting The Dog and Cat Cancer Fund
• Morris Animal Foundation Canine Cancer Campaign: MAF hopes to raise the $30 million from April 2007 through April 2012 to stop canine cancer.

Research:

• Pet Screen: Using the latest scientific developments to make animal cancer therapy kinder and more effective. Donate a small amount of blood to further research on canine cancer.
• www.gabrielinstitute.org, one mans quest for a radical new cure cure for bone cancer in dogs

Clinical Trials:

As of March 2008, the following organizations were conducting osteosarcoma clinical trials.:
• Veterinary Cancer Clinic, Santa Fe NM
• Colorado State University at Fort Collins
• Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston TX
• North Carolina State University at Raleigh
• Ohio State University at Columbus
• The Animal Medical Center, NY, NY
• The Animal Clinical Investigation, Washington DC
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Missouri at Columbia
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Wisconsin at Madison

Dog Blogs and Other Stuff for All Animal Lovers:

• Paws & Claws is your online resource for everything Pet or Wildlife related!
• Share your pet’s stories, watch pet videos and shop for unique gifts featuring your own pets at Pet Stars Of America
• Meet Storm, a survivor from Hertfordshire, UK
• Meet Lalla, our dear friend from Tel Aviv, Israel
• Meet Sammy from California, on his Dogster Page
• Dogster has a Tripods Rule group that’s a lot of fun.
• www.squidoo.com/tripawd is Jerry’s Squidoo lens about his own dog bone cancer story.
• www.youtube.com/tripawds is Jerry’s channel streaming videos of tripod wonder dogs.
• Cru Vin Dogs, great wine supporting great causes benefiting our canine companions

Canine Osteosarcoma Cancer Lexicon

Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor in dogs and typically afflicts middle-age large and giant breed dogs. It has a ten times greater incidence in dogs than humans. See Wikipedia entry for Canine Osteosarcoma.

Limb Sparing Procedure
Limb sparing (also known as limb salvage) is a surgical procedure that provides an alternative to amputation in selected dogs being treated for bone tumors. It is often considered for dogs with concurrent orthopedic problems, such as severe success stsarthritis, that might not do as well on three legs. The goal is to remove the diseased bone and surrounding tissues while still preserving the function of the remaining limb. Oncolink provides this article on Limb Sparing in Dogs.

Pallative vs. Curative
Care for bone cancer in dogs is palliative rather than curative. Palliative treatment is any form of medical care that concentrates on reducing the severity of the symptoms of a disease, or slow the disease’s progress, rather than provide a cure. It aims at improving quality of life, by reducing or eliminating pain and other physical symptoms. Or, as the World Health organization puts it: “the active total care of patients whose disease is not responsive to curative treatment”.

Axial Osteosarcoma
While osteosarcoma of the limbs is the classical form of this disease, it can develop anywhere there is bone. “Axial” osteosarcoma is the term for cancer originating in bones other than limb bones, with the most common affected bones being the lower and upper jaws. Victims of the axial form of osteosarcoma tend to be smaller, middle-aged, and females outnumber males 2:1.

Amputation of the Limb
Removal of affected limbs resolves the pain in 100% of bone cancer tumor cases. Unfortunately, many people are reluctant to have this procedure performed due to misconceptions. Dogs will not feel disfigured by the surgery; it is the owner that will need to adjust to the new appearance of their pet.