"Pet Mic Monday" is a new Dogvocates series based on an "open mic concept" where pet parents take over our blog to raise cancer awareness by discussing their pets diagnosis, treatment, and outcome with a worldwide community. This week, we are proud to feature Indiana Jones, the craft beer-loving Golden Retriever tripod, who lost a leg to Osteosarcoma and is still living strong nearly five years later!
Name: Indiana Jones
Breed: Golden Retriever
D.O.B: May 16th, 2007
Gender: Male
Lives In: Upstate NY since he was nine weeks old
Diagnosis: Osteosarcoma July of 2014
Nickname: Indy
One day, shortly after Indy’s seventh birthday, he started limping. We took him to his vet, who took X-rays that were inconclusive. We figured it was soft tissue damage incurred from roughhousing with his sister Penny. The vet gave us an anti-inflammatory and sent us on our way.
He got better after a couple of days, and things seemed fine. About two weeks later, the limp returned, and it was obvious that the Big Guy was in pain. We went back to the vet, and a new x-ray showed what appeared to be shading. It was obviously something more than a roughhousing injury. Insert Osteosarcoma into Indy’s life.
We consulted with his vet, Dr. Laurie Coger, and within a month we decided amputation of his right front leg was the best option. It’s amazing how quickly he adapted to having only three legs! It was only a few weeks before Indy was hopping back on the couch and playing with his fur sister again.
After the successful amputation, we decided to do more. We were referred to Dr. Impellizeri at Veterinary Oncology Services for further treatment — Carboplatin Chemotherapy — and were lucky enough to get him in an experimental electro-immunotherapy trial. We had to purchase the drug from Italy, and drive an hour and a half down to Dr. I’s office for treatment. Indy was in the trial for approximately 18 months. His treatments schedule started off at once every three weeks, then to once a month, and finally once every other month. The first couple of rounds were a little tough on Indy. During treatment we noticed a fatty cyst on his other front leg had grown, but we utilized marijuana tincture to help with pain and realized it must’ve helped with the the shrinkage of the cyst too! Indy persevered like a champ! He was one of the longest lasting dogs in the trial, and we only stopped because he had to be put under anesthesia each time for administration which was getting to be too much for him. A couple of years have passed since his last treatment and there have been zero sign of cancer.
Soon after his diagnosis, we started Facebook and Instagram pages (@indylikesbeer) for him, and has developed quite a following. I, his human dad, am a big fan of craft beer, and had always used the dogs as a backdrop for pictures of what new craft beer I was drinking on my own Facebook account. So it seemed like a natural fit to switch the focus from the beer to the dog.
Indy continues to live a life of leisure with his siblings Penelope and Cheddar in the hills of upstate New York, USA. He is an inspiration to all who meet him. He is my hero, and has taught me more about life and perseverance than anyone before him. He is my best friend forever. But in truth, I will always play second fiddle in his eyes to his Mommy, and I accept that.
Indy gets ice cream!
Indy LOVES: Craft beer, of course. His (his human dad’s) top three are (1) Lou Pepe Framboise from Brasserie Cantillion, a Rasberry Lambic (2) Green from Tree House Brewing Co. (3) Arthur, a Farmhouse Saison from Hill Farmstead Brewery.
Fun Fact: The day Indy’s stitches came out, we stopped for ice cream on the way home. He walked right up, hopped up, putting his only front leg on the counter and demanded his ice cream. It was a beautiful moment, and it brought tears to my eyes.
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