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CELEBRATING GREYHOUNDS MAGAZINE ARTICLE Presented and published in its entirety by "Celebrating Greyhounds" Fall 1999, a national magazine for Greyhound Adopters, Owners and Friends. www.adopt-a-greyhound.org. We are the people with Josie, the three legged, 7 yr. old, surviving cancer, male Greyhound. It seems we ignited a spark surrounding the treatment of cancer. Quick version of details: Late November 1996 Josie diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Outlook not good according to three veternarians (including specialist). Advised treatment: amputation, chemotherapy, dead in 6 to 8 months. Pay us approximately $ 5000 to $ 6000. These odds are great if you're a bookie in Vegas. Not for us. Began regimen of Pycnogenol anti-oxidant new to U S A, used in Europe since 17th century, (DUH!), multivitamin, vitamin C & E and drug known as Feldene. Advised by specialists, Josie dead by February 1997. Remission affected by New Years Day 1997. Encouraged, sought help from holistic veternarian who prescribed European,Chineese and American Indian herbal remedies. Josie cancer free until unfortunate leg break in March 1998. Break was through lytic area of left rear tibia. Cancer was regenerated faster than healing process. Amputation late August 1998. At death he weighed almost as much as he did with 4 legs, A $ 5000 fur coat would not look or feel as good as his. Attitude is alert, bright eyed, happy, pain-free, and at times a brat. Fortunately for all of us this worked. Why? Ask the Lord, for the physicians are scratching their rearends. They told us that traditional methods were only to buy time. I would have paid $ 50,000 if they could have assured us that Josie would have lived out his natural life. Why torture this animal on a bad bet ? Surely it would not have been for him but for our selfish needs not to let the animal go in peace. Unfortunate circumstances such as usually terminal diseases need to have all courses of treatment investigated. Matters as: quality of life, cost vs. comfort and cure, selfish reasons, faith, and being the true trusting friend to your animal in such a time. This is not to take sides one way or another but to express that any hard-nosed opinion during these times may not be in the best interest of the patient who is looking for your love more than ever. Just remember, that this is big business and traditional practitioners (not all) have much to lose and nothing to gain by a little herb. Why would they bother to know anything about it. Swallow hard . . . make the best choice for your friend who has given you so much. Don't wait until a decision has to be made under stress. Open your mind, research, listen, learn as much as you can, and don't think it can't happen you. "TIME" is of the UTMOST essence no matter what course of treatment you choose and which you can't afford to waste investigating " What should we do ? What does our good friend want us to   do ?" presented here unedited back to contents

Josie's Story This is what I usually send anyone who needs help. It's lenghtly but informative. I must tell you that our Josie has since passed & I have lost another grey, Pilot, to bone cancer who did not go through an amputation. We NEVER did traditional Chemo on Josie at all. We chose to go the holistic route & it worked in our case. Our Josie, 8 yr old. greyhound that lived 37 total months (in remission 3 times) after his first diagnosis of Osteosarcoma. About the mid way part he had an amputation on his left rear leg up to the thigh. Our traditional vet ( an Orthopedic Specialist) is very compassionate towards the plight of the greyhounds & gave extra special attention to Josie while doing the amputation. It took Josie a little bit longer than most to recover from the surgery. Probably a good 8 or 9 weeks for him to find his most comfortable ways of manuvering around & to make all the adjustments he needed for life on 3 legs. He was 84 pounds before the time of the operation.   There was a lot of bruising but the area healed very well, all things considered. Initially we too had no signs of the bone cancer either until he was lame one day. The wierd thing about Josie was that his cancer did start in his right front leg in 96 & we were able to shrink that tumor there with holistic/homeopathic herbs along with some traditional meds too. Each time a tumor appeared there was never any trace of the cancer in his chest area though. Should your animal be diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, PLEASE, PLEASE, DON'T let him/her run around or jump up & down on things. Their bones are so prone to fractures when the osteosarcoma is present. They can snap even when they would only be doing a simple turn around. As for learning how to walk & balance, that takes them a short time with the "possibility" long down the road of developing a mild arthritis due to the weight shifts on their haunches, hips & shoulders. Our holistic vet suggested accupuncture & chiropractic visits which are "very" beneficial to them when only 3 legs support their whole body. We worked closely with our traditional vet & the holistic vet & they both worked together too. Some traditional vets will not be open to anything less than standard practice guidelines. . .LOCATE AN OPEN-MINDED VET. We did a lot of research on nautral herbs, supplements, anti-oxidants & the like. Please do the same! The more knowledgeable you are will be beneficial to your friend. Without a doubt, you'll wind up knowing more than your vet. That's OK ! . . . back to contents

PILOT - OH PILOT "Be comforted, little dog, thou too in The Resurrection shall have a golden tail" Martin Luther 1483-1546 Pilot came to us originally as a foster for over the holidays "only". Art went to see him before Josie & I met him and immediately it was love and a sense of great sadness. Pilot was a bounce-back and had been sheltered at a clinic for a month. He was extremely scared, shy, and timid but a beautiful big boy. Unknown to us, the director of our group "hoped" that we would keep him because she knew we could help him overcome his difficulties. We thought how wonderful it would be for Josie to have a buddy and his Mom home with him all the time before he passed. Needless to say we flunked fostering the first time out. Pilot was learning things from Josie daily and Josie benefited so much by having him around. Josie became the Alpha male again and kept Pilot in line even though they were friends. Even the vets could even see what a boost it was for Josie to have his "pal" Pilot around. Pilot was afraid of almost everything one could imagine. We worked dilligently with him. Art slept on the floor with him the whole first week to help ease his fears at night. He was very leary of men, but he and Art bonded quickly. It didn't take long and Pilot was able to comfortably go for car rides without cowering and hiding up against the van doors. What fun we all had going to the nursing home for many heartwarming visits. He even rode in the elevators without reservations. He went down to the therapy room & helped the residents there too. Poor Pilot was not without health problems. He had Pannus in his left eye. We treated it very aggressively and thank God, we seen results right away. After our move to Indiana we found out that his system was generating a raging toenail bed infection on the front outermost left pad. We immediately started strong antibiotics and the condition would improve while on the meds but quickly reverse once off of them. He dealt with being on antibiotics for 6 of the 13 months he was with us. He had kennel cough before coming to us, which probably contributed to the nagging cough that we worked so hard to cure him of too. In January our local vet confirmed that Pilot had Tonsilitis and would need a Tonsilectomy soon. We wanted to try a holistic tincture before surgery since having such positive results with herbals with Josie. But, before we could clear the tonsil problem up he started to suffer with a lameness in his right rear leg. Again, our local vet treated him with all he knew with no improvement. We knew what signs to look for but not in our wildest dreams did we suspect Osteosarcoma. In less than a week a tumor grew and tripled in size. We brokenheartedly scheduled a visit with our bone specialist to confirm our worst fears. The cancer was out of control and had spread throughout the whole leg. Our Pilot had become brave but was not a strong willed animal. He was still grieving over the loss of his pal Josie. He "knew" how sick he was, accepted that his time had come and we allowed him to gently cross over in Art's lap with relief and in peace. We were not prepared to loose him on that day but knew only too well the need and found the courage to do what had become so evidently necessary. Just before Christmas "99" we were contacted surprisingly via the internet by his former kennel owner and her daughter who was Pilot's trainer. They were elated to hear that he made it to a warm and loving home at last. He had been gone since 1996, but left those people with sweet memories of him too! They explained to us that he was always willing and eager to please them and if their facility had not closed he would of still been racing. Pilot competed in 41 races from 6/1/95 to 4/13/96 with 3 Win, 3 Place and 1 Show finishes. We now are convinced that there "are" caring people in the "Industry". We are so very happy that they cared for him kindly in his early days. We introduced him to another pal in January after Josie crossed in the hopes a friend would be as good for him as he was for his Josie. After the second meeting with Kacy we knew Pilot was sicker than expected and held off adoptiong Kacy until February. Pilot came to us shy, scared, & unsure of everything. In time he came to know the love & care he so desperately needed was what he finally found. He actually became quite a watchdog & protector for all of us. We had such plans for him but just not enough time to show him. He came to us frightened of the world and left us with all the courage we knew he possessed. Pilot was and will always remain his Dad's "PAL" and Mom's "big" puppy. As it was put to us so meaningfully, "Josie and Pilot were together in life as buddies, even though it was short lived, and now they are together forever at the Bridge." We'll see him again and relish the thought of a sweet reunion. back to contents

ARTHUR with KACY & ROODY

Kacy (Kacy Zeplin - 07/02/96, Red Brindle)
Our pet sitter Renee was a foster mom to Kacy and felt that he'd be an excellent companion for Pilot after Josie's crossing. We had a glorious first meeting, the two of them hit it off so well. Pilot's health declined so quickly after that, we decided to wait to adopt Kacy. After Pilot's crossing we couldn't wait to bring Kacy home. It was the longest, sadest ten days of our lives. Kacy became our sweetheart of a Valentine, a fitting gift for all of us.
Kacy's sweetness inspired Arthur to compose a web page dedicated to him. Please visit The Intrigue of Kacy
Kacy competed in 101 races from 2/10/98 to 9/30/99 with an impressive 14 Win, 9 Place and 11 Show finishes.

SHARON with KACY & ROODY

Roody (Kacy Rooster - 03/22/97, Red & White)
From the track he was placed in a home that didn't work out. His first foster home at Cindi's house was temporary too. At his second foster home, Renee's, he was happily reunited with his track kennel mate Kacy from St. Croix, WI. When Roody met Art for the first time, "it was blattent seduction" as our greyhound friend Anne Llamas puts it. Roody again preyed on Art's affections when it came time for us to take Kacy. He became broken hearted over Kacy's departure...cried...wouldn't eat...waited at the back door...so, 6 days later we went back to bring Roody to his forever home.
Roody competed in 46 races from 1/1/99 to 10/10/99 with 2 Win, 8 Place and 5 Show finishes.

DEBI with ROODY & KACY

Debi (Hi Country Deb - 04/01/98, White Ticked Brindle)
Debi is a sweet little soon to be 4 year old female. Sharon finally got her girl.
Deb was a rescue from Pet Pals, Inc. A Pet Hotel and Grooming Salon in Michigan City, Indiana. She had spent a long time there waiting for someone to adopt her. Her last owners had her on a trial basis for about a month and she didn't fit in there. Previous to that she was in another home for 9 months when her owner got transfered out of state and her new residence wouldn't allow pets.
Please visit Debi's own web page celebrating her finally finding a forever home. Meet Hi Country Deb