Hi Everyone.
Osteosarcoma is a common cancer in the dog. Most of the time it occurs on the long bones of the legs in large breed dogs. And most of the time a veterinarian or veterinary oncologist will recommend amputation of the affected leg.
You will likely have some strong feelings about it, as one who loves a living, breathing being facing the removal of a limb.
This is a heavy duty question. Since it has a lot of emotional charge for those interested in preventing pain and suffering, it can be a hard choice. The choice warrants careful contemplation to make sure you are able to cope with the situation.
At least two factors should be considered. The first is life quantity, which is also life expectancy. The second is life quality, which of course is how good life is.
Let’s look at life quantity first, or life expectancy.
First, get an idea of the average life expectancy of your dog. Be careful with this. These numbers are just averages, just like they are for people. There is an excellent review of dog life expectancy here.
Once you have ascertained what a dog’s potential life expectancy is, you need to weigh how much more time are we looking at for your dog. Your vet can help with this by discussing the impact of your pet’s individual health problems.
We want to see whether, at the time of diagnosis, your dog has already reached the expected life length for most dogs like yours.
If your dog is close to what one would expect for average life length, the motivation or payoff for the surgery should be considered carefully. If your dog is not yet there, one might consider going ahead with the surgery.
It should be noted that most dogs with this kind of cancer do not survive beyond a year, with amputation alone (read more here).
However, this does not mean that your dog will pass away within a year, as you have access to continued treatment from your vet, oncologist, and the information contained here. There will be more in upcoming publications being edited right now.
For the time being, I will point out that some clients have had benefit with modification of diet, lifestyle, life quality boosting and addition of supplements or comfort care medications. Common examples of these can be found in The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, but I feel that the supplement I use has helped some dogs under my care (of course I am biased in this since I was the one that put Apocaps together).
One last intangible is your particular dog’s personality. Some dogs just have this will to live, and sometimes one can perceive this pretty clearly. They just want to keep going. They are driven. This will to live, a tenacity, boosts lifespans. Remember to consider this factor too.
That’s life quantity.
This is the first step. Next we look at life quality on three legs. We will look a little at the surgery itself, some issues that affect life quality on three legs, and more.
I will post more on this issue in the next entry.
Regards,
Dr Dressler
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Deborah,
I am very pleased to hear that Major is doing so well! Great news.
Best,
Dr D
Well, Tuesday will be 4 weeks post-op for Eagle. I was really nervous when we first brought him home- he’s a big boy at over 100#. First day home he slipped coming in house & I was so worried. But, it seemed like after that first day he quickly “understood” to go slowly going in/out door and on certain surfaces. I did go buy some large area rugs for our non-carpeted areas, which seemed to help him with traction and give him confidence. He was up to speed in no time. The biggest difference I noticed was when the stitches finally came out 2 weeks later- I think he was healing very well and it also probably felt better not to have stitches “pulling.” He seemed very frisky & much like his old self. We haven’t taken him on walks- just letting him out in our fenced yard. But today, we were taking our other dog for a walk & when Eagle saw us getting the leash out, he came hopping over, tail wagging, begging to go. It was like the old Eagle. I could barely keep up & was a nervous wreck. We intentionally took him on a deserted path where we knew we would not encounter other dogs/people/cars- he was literally galloping on 3 legs. It did my heart good to see him so full of vigor. We kept it very short, much to his protest, as we didn’t want him to overdo. But he was very happy and I’m so glad he gets some of these moments. We did do round 1 of chemo 2 weeks ago- he did amazingly well. Never sick, never once acted like it bothered him in any way whatsoever. I think we will continue the treatments as long as it stays that way. If he ever gets sick or seems to experience ill effects, we will stop. I do not want him in agony anymore. So, for now, that’s the plan. His appetite is voracious and he seems very happy & healthy right now. I have no regrets about the amputation whatsoever- it has given him the opportunity to be pain-free and have some good days. We are ready to stop all of this, however, at the point it seems to be doing him more harm than good. Right now, it’s been good.
Dear Angela,
This is great news. Keep up the good work!
Best,
Dr D
Angela,
That is so great to hear!!! They are amazing creatures!
Brandi
My vet has recommended artemisinin for a osteosarcoma treatment for my 86 lb. labrador retriever.
Is artimisia annua the same herb?
My 11 yr old retriever/husky mix is facing amputation in 2 days . She has chondrosarcoma in her rt rear upper leg, very close to her pelvis. They can’t tell my 100% that there is no osteosarcoma from the biopsy. I am so afraid If i am making the right decision. I know alot of dogs get by well on 3 legs, but I dont want to put her through this and have her die in a few months. Her xrays of her lung and heart look good and all of her blood work. She is a very active dog otherwise but clearly is not feeling well lately. They said without surgery we are looking at only a few months. I even have her on vitamins and herbs to help her immune system. Amy comments or suggestions please let me know. JNLMCGILL@GMAIL>COm
Dear Luanne,
One of the aspects of medicine is that you are contracting (paying) a veterinary professional to help guide your decisions. Implicit in this agreement is a leap of faith that has to be made on your part that you are being given good advice. If you have any doubts, before you accept a recommendation, get a second opinion. This is one of the first steps I write about in the Dog Cancer Survival Guide. There is very little harm that is done in getting two opinions which is my best advice to you.
Good luck
Dr D
Dear Dr.Dressler,
I am awaiting biopsy results for my dear dog Ida Mae, whose doctor believes she has Osteosarcoma in her front right leg. I have had a difficult weekend, needless to say, but have done as much research as possible to educate myself in preparation of receiving bad news. One of the things that I have read said that younger dogs (those younger than 7) usually have a shorter survival time than older dogs. I found this information to be alarming and frightening, since my Ida is about to turn 4. I also spoke with her doctor tonight to go over some questions that I had about the disease and what exactly I may be facing in terms of treatment and it was an overwhelming discussion to say the least… she tells me that in the ‘best case scenario’ Ida would live 1 to 2 years post amputation, but more than likely it would be 4 to 10 months. I am writing to hear your take, as I saw your video in which you stated that canine cancer was not a death sentence. I will do anything in my power to help my sweet Ida live as long and as comfortably as possible. Chemotherapy was recommended as a first step after surgery. Then what? My hope is that this tumor is benign, but in the case of cancer, I hope that the tumor has not spread to the lungs and that it can be caught. Can you tell me how fast these tumors grow and what I should look for in my dog to indicate possible spread?
Thank you for all that you do,
Martina
Martina,
I know it must be hard for you right now. I posted a message back in October about my 10 year old mastiff with osteosarcoma. I did a lot of research as well, it was mentally exhausting because you just want to do the right thing. I believe that every case is different when considering osteosarcoma. I found many many success stories through my research. My husband and I were given so many conflicting opinions that we just didn’t know what to do. We had 2nd and 3rd opinions. One of the vets said why would you even consider doing surgery on a 10 year old dog, and that we were basically hospice. Needless to say, just that attitude pushed my husband and I to the point of sobbing. Angel, our beautiful English Mastiff, was 130 pounds, so we were concerned with amputation and chemo. We spoke with people that had 90 pound dogs that had the surgery and did very well. I think every case is different and finding a vet that you trust is a huge help in this situation. Every dog takes chemo differently and adapts to amputation differently. So try not to get caught up in the negative portrayl of osteosarcoma (if that is what it is). The best thing you can do is to take all the information presented to you, and do what you think is best for Ida Mae. The best news will be that it is not osteosarcoma!! Good Luck
Glad to have found this site. My heart goes out to all of you who have dogs diagnosed with cancer. Our Benny (about 10, a 35 lb. unknown mix) was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his upper left front leg in October, 2009. We’re lucky to live within commuting distance of Colorado State University, one of the few places in the US that has stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as an available treatment. We opted to go with it, and Benny was determined to be a good candidate. Within 1 week of the SRS, his limp had diminished substantially, and soon afterwards, went away altogether. He’s also receiving chemo every 3 weeks (Carboplatin), and we are doing some supplements per Dr. Dressler’s book. Benny’s back to being a happy, active dog (the chemo treatments cause him to be a bit under the weather for a few days), and we are very, very glad we went with the SRS. It’s not indicated for all osteosarcomas, it’s expensive, and it’s available in only a few areas, but I would urge you to explore it as an alternative to amputation.
Tami,
That is so great! So with SRS there is no surgery?? I did not come across that when I was looking at treatments for our dog with osteosarcoma. We live near Cornell University, they specialize in cancer treatments for dogs, but the only thing suggested was amputation and chemo. That is such a great story to share. It gives people hope at a time when they could really use it
Maureen
Thanks, Maureen! We don’t know his long term prognosis(we may have a better idea of his progress next week, when they’re planning to do another bone scan or CAT scan, not sure which). But we’re certainly delighted with the results so far. SRS involves a very strong and focused beam of radiation, so you’re right – no cutting. The only side effect was that a small patch of fur fell out at the entry point. I was describing SRS to a friend who recently had the “Cyberknife” procedure for his prostate cancer, and he said his procedure sounded very similar to SRS.
I think the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, NY is another place where SRS is available, and someplace in Florida may be another. CSU helps with accommodations for those coming in from long distances for treatment.
From what I can tell in terms of criteria, the dog needs to be otherwise healthy (several aspects of the treatment require general anesthesia), no biopsy or other treatment methods should have been done, and there must be no spread of the cancer to other areas. The configuration of the cancer within the bone is also important, because the limb is forever weakened following treatment. They’re able to assess from the configuration whether the dog will be at high risk of limb fracture afterwards. The survival rate of SRS + chemo seems to be equivalent to amputation + chemo.
I haven’t really figured out whether our choice to go with SRS was motivated purely by concerns about Benny, or whether our own feelings about amputation colored our decision. I do feel now, from reading the stories posted here and elsewhere, that most dogs will do just fine with 3 limbs. If Benny hadn’t qualified for the SRS, we absolutely would have gone with amputation + chemo.
Maureen, best wishes to you and to every person/everydoggie going through this.
Maureen,
Thank you for replying. I am really having a horrible time with this. My vet’s colleague, a surgeon at our animal hospital, called me on Tuesday evening to discuss the results of the biopsy. It actually came back clear, but she was still suspicious and trying to rule out any trauma or fungal infection that may have looked like a tumor on the x-rays. I felt relieved at first, but the doctor continued saying that she was very suspicious and would have to give the x-rays and the biopsy results to a oncology specialist at a special clinic about an hour away from us. Last night I finally heard back and the news was grim. My vet said that I had one of two choices – go ahead and amputate now or do a second biopsy. I don’t know what to do yet, although I am leaning towards the amputation surgery since I know that the longer I wait the more aggressive the tumor will become.
With all of the research I am doing, I am seeing most dogs 8-11 years of age when diagnosed with cancer. My dog is about to turn 4. She is also a mix breed dog – pitbull and something else – and I never in the time that I’ve had her (since she was about 2 weeks old) have had a medical problem. Needless to say, I am devastated by the possibility of my dog having cancer and all that my doctors are telling me — that with amputation I will buy her some time and with chemotherapy and radiation (which I have NO idea how I’ll ever be able to afford) her ”best case scenario” is only 1 to 2 years. Is this always true? Is there no such thing as a cure, or taking all of the cancer out with the amputation?
I am so completely overwhelmed with everything right now and to make matters worse I need to decide what to do this morning. We will most likely do a second x-ray, but as it stands 4 doctors have said it is osteosarcoma. I think I will go ahead and amputate and hope for the best…
I want to hold onto some hope that my dog will be okay. I certainly need more time with her. Several months is not enough and it is not something that I am prepared to hear ever. My dear, sweet Ida Mae means so much to me and it just breaks my heart to think of what I am going to put her through, but at the same time she LOVES life and is such a strong, spirited dog. It has been difficult for myself and our doctors to diagnose her even because she never cries, but the limp she showed last week was clear. Now the limp is gone and she seems fine, but it makes me worry… what if the cancer has already spread? What if this is the first of ”intermittent limping” episodes? What if we don’t catch the cancer soon enough and I lose her within months of the surgery? It’s too much to bare…
I have so many questions and so many concerns. I want to do what is best for Ida Mae, of course, and I am glad that I found this site to help educate myself and make decisions.
Martina,
I know, it is so absolutely overwhelming. I had the exact same questions and worries. There is so much to consider, and you just want to do the right thing. I just ached for my mastiff. I have to say, it is confusing how Ida Mae’s biospy was clear and yet those vets are saying osteosarcoma. Our vet had mentioned the fungal thing, but we did not live in an area where it was possible. He had mentioned that they are so close in characteristics, that it was hard to be sure without the biopsy. I kept praying that it was that, just antibiotics, what a dream!!!! I would think the biopsy is a plus. I know it is hard right now, and I am so sorry. There are dogs that do well with amputation and chemo if that is what yiu decide. Has Ida Mae had a chest x-ray? With osteosarcoma, it likes to go to the lungs. Our vet did that first and it was clear, so that was good. Not a sure thing, but good that it had not spread. How about blood work? Our vet knew right away that it was osteosarcoma, without a biopsy because of the change in the x-ray after one week. Have you come across the arthritis that mimics osteosarcoma as well? Do they have her on the heavy hitters for pain? Once my dog started limping, they gave her pain medicines and pills for swelling. Is Ida Mae on meds? Hang in there, and don’t make yourself crazy. I know how you feel with wanting to amputate and try to get it before it goes any farther, if it is osteosarcoma. I have my fingers crossed for you- take care
Looking for advice. My 9 year old Rottie has been limping for a month now. When we first noticed the limp, we took her to the vet, and they figured it was an ACL tear. They had us keep her restrained, and put her on some pain meds. We have been doing that for 1 month now, and took her back last night for a second set of X-rays, and complete (sedated) exam of the knee. The vet (and several other Dr’s at the practice) seem to think now that it is Osteosarcoma. They sent her x-rays off to a radiologist for confirmation. The vet talked with us for a long time about the next steps, and the options…
It sounds like the next step is a very invasive procedure to take a bone sample for testing? Is that the only way to truly diagnose this? So it sounds like we are putting her through this now, and then possibly an amputation too? This is horrible! We lost our 15 year old Lab mix exactly 2 months ago, and were just now begining to get over that, and now this. I have done a lot of crying in the past 24 hours.
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Robin, I too just got the bad news that my 9 yr old Rottie has got Osteosarcoma in her back leg, I thought she had pulled a muscle as she had been not putting a lot of pressure when standing still on her back leg. only 3 weeks earlier I had had blood tests done to make sure I caught anything early as I know the average age for Rotties is around 10 yrs old. she was not even limping at that time. Well bone cancer does not show up on blood test! I now have her on pain killers, the vet said there is only a 40% chance that if we take her leg the cancer is not already in another part of her body, chemo is not pleasent for humans or dogs, as she is 9 yrs old and I don’t have $1800 as some people have stated the cost would be for surgrey, chemo, meds, I have made the choice to just keep her comfortable and on the first sign of true discomfort I will let her go, I would not want to go thru it, the amputation does not concern me as I already have a 3 legged dog, it the afterwards that concerns me, so I will not make her do it, just so I can be loved for a couple of months longer. She has had a great life. Doggie heaven is great and she will be there when I leave this world too. I will cry for weeks, but keeping her alive because I can’t stand the thought of being with out her is just selfish. I am a dog trainer so dogs mean more to me than most humans. Think of the dog and not you when you make your choice . All the best, Della
Dear Della,
you have done a very good job of thorough treatment plan analysis. Thank you for your help,
Dr D
This is all so overwhelming and heartbreaking! My 9 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback Ryker was in to get his teeth cleaned Monday, and they found a lump on his front leg. It showed up about a month ago, but I thought he just bumped his wrist on something. They did a needle aspiration of it because of where it was, and how hard it was. The vet is 90% sure that it is Ostesarcoma, but can’t be 100% without putting him under anesthesia again and doing a biopsy. He gave us two days to decide to do the biopsy because he said it was so fast growing. After my research, and a very heartbreaking talk with my husband, we have decided to not put our poor baby through anymore. He gets lumps often, and has had all but one come back as fatty tissue. He had that one “golf ball sized” tumor removed last June. The recovery was horrible, and it is starting to grow back already. My research has determined that amputation, chemo, and radiation only prolongs their life by a few months, so we have made the choice (and it wasn’t easy) to watch him closely for any signs of pain. Our vet agrees that we have made the right decision for him, and will prescribe pain meds to keep Ryker as comfortable as possible. He has been the most amazing dog and friend! He rings a bell to go potty, and shakes a mans hands and brings a lady’s hand to his lips and kisses it. I just can’t imagine our lives without him. We have no children, so for 9 years, he has been our child. Currently, he is not lame and seems so healthy. Anyone that’s made the same “no amputation”, “no chemo or radiation” decision…please tell me the tell-tale signs that he is in pain that you may have noticed in your own dog. I know dogs naturally hide illnesses in fear of being pushed from the pack, so I need to know the signs to look for. He trusts us to do what’s right for him, and we NEVER want him to suffer. One thing Ryker does with us is “all for one, one for all” where I’ll put my hand down, my husband puts his hand on top of mine, and then Ryker puts his paw on ours…yes, we are in this together my friend.
Reina,
Thinking good thoughts for you!
Our 9 year old mastiff also had osteosarcoma. When she began to feel bad we knew immediately. She began to limp, a very hard limp. We chose to put her on pain meds which helped her for a while, and even elimanted her limp. Unfortunately, something irrated her stomach, so the meds were stopped. Our vet (and myhusband and I) did not feel as though she could handle the chemo and amputation. I think you will just know when she is in pain, with our dog her personality really just changed. She remained stoic for a while (big strong mastiff), but there came a time when she just wasn’t herself. Ryker sounds like an amazing dog-they are really humans with fur
Hi All
This past Tuesday I elected to have my Golden Retriever’s R front leg amputated due to bone cancer
He is 11.6 years old
I choose to have the surgery because of his high energy spirit !!!!! He still thinks he is a puppy
+ the x-rays showed that it has not gone to his longs YET
& the blood marker for bone cancer was normal
I am a cancer survivor 7 years, two stage III simultaneous tumors colon & rectal & my dear friend is an
amputee so these two factors played into my decision
Against him is his weight 110lbs & age
but I took the gamble I know I can get his weight down
He is a extremely athletic dog who up until Thanksgiving of 09 was running & playing hard everyday @ the dog park
Today he made it up two stairs without help, it was a small victory that had my soul smiling
Thanks for allowing me to discuss my thought process
Mike
Our 10 year old chocolate lab was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma back in December. We decided not to amputate. I have told our story on my blog so that other dog owners would see what we went through. http://samakabigbrown.blogspot.com/
He has passed on now but we had a good couple of months with him. We miss him dearly everyday but regardless of whether we amputated or not, Osteosarcoma is so agressive it would have taken him from us anyways.
Thanks for the useful link for others Nichole,
Best,
Dr D
Dear Mike,
So glad to hear your Golden is up and about!
Best
Dr D
Maureen,
Thanks so much for responding to my post about Ryker and sharing your story about your Mastiff. A Mastiff is my second favorite breed…my first being my Rhodesian Ridgeback of course
Everyday, I worry that we have made the right decision, so I really appreciate being able to read others experiences, and talking with people like yourself about my concerns. Everyday I search in his eyes, and watch him like a mother-hen for any signs of pain . I’m also watching for any signs of limping. He does act restless/uncomfortable while he is sleeping, but while awake, he’s so happy and playful. He’s 100 lbs, and runs what seems like 40 miles an hour around our 2 1/2 acres, and to try and stop him from doing that would not only be impossible, but since he’s always done it…mean. I am really concerned the hard running will weaken the bone around the tumor even further though. All we can do is allow him to be a dog, happy, and loved by so many. I agree with you that we will know when he’s acting different because we spend so much time with him. Thanks again Maureen for making me believe we will just know when it’s time. Our fear was obviously that he would be in pain, and the other that we would medicate or euthanize too soon. Yes, I absolutely agree…humans with fur.
We just found out today that our 6yo Great Dane, Zoey, has osteosarcoma in her right front (upper) leg. It has been a 2-month-long process in coming to a diagnosis of her pain, as her initial x-rays were normal. The vet re-did x-rays today which showed the beginnings of the tumor; No obvious metastasis to the lungs yet. She has been in obvious pain/discomfort, even when on pain meds, and has not been using the limb at all for the last 2 weeks. As with many of the posts we have read online, we are beside ourselves with the decision in front of us. We don’t want to give up on our girl, who still seems to be herself & has the energy for walks/etc. And the vet & others have explained that the surgery takes the pain of the tumor away & the benefits to the dog ‘outweigh’ the trauma of the surgery (she has already been walking on only 3 limbs anyway!); But we also know there is no way to know how she would fare after the surgery/chemo. I just don’t want her to be in pain & she deserves to have some ‘normal/happy’ days left… I love Zoey, as she was my first ‘baby’ (we now also have a 1yo son), but I can’t say that the financial aspect is also not part of my decision (of course coupled with the prognosis) – my repsonsibility lies first with my child (even if my heart can’t make that distinction). Zoey is in otherwise very good health for her age, which makes this decision even harder. And it will be unbearable to see her lose her battle with this disease – whether sooner or later. I am still torn, but I value everyone sharing their stories. Either way, my heart will ache when we lose our girl and I am even sad that my son won’t really get to know her as he grows – they would be best buds, I’m sure of it!
Dear Kristy,
I am so sorry to hear this. It is heartbreaking. See my reply to your other post too for some specifics.
Best,
Dr D
PLEASE HELP — front leg amputation???
I found out last week that my 7 year old Rottie has OSA. We took him to a specialist and he gave us our options. The only two I am considering, are amputation plus chemo, or keeping him comfortable and have him live out his life. He has a bone tumor in his front left leg, and the leg would need to be amputated just under the shoulder blade. I’ve read a lot of comments on here, and most of the amputations are of back legs. He is very tall for a Rott and he weighs about 130 pounds. He limps pretty bad, and once in a while I will see him do a little hop and not even use that bad leg. This dog seriously means everything to me. At first I wanted to do the amputation, but then I spoke with some family members and they all thought his quality of life would be poor because he wouldn’t be able to get around that well on one front leg. So in the past couple of days I thought I had made my decision to not amputate. Now that I am reading everyone’s comments, I am even more lost.
Almost 2 years ago I lost my 48 year old mother to non hodgkins lymphoma. She was given 12-18 months to live or to try a bone marrow transplant. Well basically we went for the transplant, and it was a slow and painful 6 months until she died. I don’t want to go for the amputation and have him be miserable and it be unsuccessful. THe oncologist said by the looks of the x-ray, his bad leg will probably break within a month, and at that point we will need to put him down. Other than a little bit of grumpiness due to the pain, he is still himself! I can’t imagine putting him down like that.
Two factors I must consider (besides how incredibly expensive this will all be) is that last summer he had a toe amputated because of carcinoma. The vet said his OSA is unrelated. I don’t want to go through all of this for him to only get a 3rd cancer in a couple of months. Also, he hates going to the vet’s office. He gets anxious and nervous, and he basically hates being away from home, so I can only imagine how stressful being in the hospital and then the chemo visits will be for him.
Basically I need some advice on how his quality of life will be with 1 front leg. I need to make my final decision pretty soon!
My husband and I adopted Savage, a Rottweiler/German Shepphard mix in 1999 and yesterday had to put him down because of Bone Cancer. Savage was our baby, the first puppy we ever owned together. He was the smartest dog I ever met as well. In January of 2010, he started limping out of nowhere and upon taking him to the vet, he was diagnosed. The doctors/specialists said we could amputate but with Savage being 138lbs and us living on a second floor, we thought it would cruel to say the least. Our vet gave him 4-6 months and prescribed Deramaxx for pain. He was doing excellent and then on Good Friday started limping heavily again and wouldn’t eat. By Easter Sunday, he couldn’t walk and had heavy amounts of fluid pooling by his elbow. Turns out the tumor got so big it started cutting off circulation to the leg, causing ademia. The cancer had also spread to his lungs.
This was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do! We lost our other dog, Bear, a chow, 3 years to the day from Lyphoma. I wish there was a way to stop this cancer in dogs!!! I just lost my bestfriend of 12 years! My house will never be the same.
Maria, So Sorry to hear your news. As you may have seen in the post just before yours, we are newly dealing with the same thing in our 6yo Dane’s right humerus. If any additional thought processes will help you (although I know from personal experience that it almost makes things more overwhelming), I was also initially considering the amp (with or without chemo) just for her pain, as she hasn’t been using the limb for nearly 2 mos – even before the OSA was detectable. But our family situation (we have a 1yo son & would like to start thinking about expanding our human family; additionally we both work full time & live in an area where the general cost of living is a bit high), as well as some other factors shared with me by the oncologist & a few others has swayed me into just going with palliative treatments (possibly radiation, but otherwise just pain meds) & letting her go when the time comes – likely sooner than later. Some of these ‘other’ factors included: a) I guess it is fairly common, even when followed by chemo (& even if bone/CT scans, x-rays & blood tests come back ‘clean’ before the amp), that the growth of micrometastatic tumors (lungs, other bones, etc.) can/will be accelerated – meaning that even tha amp with chemo may not prolong the dog’s life beyond that of palliative treatments; b) front limb amps are harder for the dog to adapt to as they carry more weight in the front, so it is possible, that even with the pain gone, the dog may not adapt well to functioning well on 3 legs – many of the stories online seem positive in this aspect, but there is still a chance; c) the ultimate prognosis is not changed by any treatment – just maybe extended slightly (if at all). Good luck with the decisions ahead; Every case is different, but I wanted to share some additional insight that I didn’t find much of online… Sorry to hear your sad news…
My black lab mix has bone cancer which started in his front leg. I made the decision not to amputate because he is 12 yrs old. He was diagnosed 4 mo ago now his leg is extremely swollen. Xrays showed that the cancer has destroyed one of his leg bones. The cancer has not spread to hs lungs. He still alert, hungry and strong but is in horrible pain. Amputation and chemo ranges between $5,000 to $10,000. It does not buy the dog that much time. Should I put an old dog through this? What a tough decision.
Since he is in pain and I have him on morphine,. We have to come to the hard reality that it is time to say goodbye.
Dear Maria
I believe you are saying that your dog has a bone tumor of the left forelimb and you are wondering about life quality on three limbs?
Assuming there are no serious issues with the other three limbs, most dogs who are not overweight can get around pretty well. You should get a thorough orthopedic assessment done to make sure the rest of the bones, tendons and ligaments can take the extra load.
Here is an example of a best outcome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXfcOBU58ko
As to the question of yet another cancer developing, nobody sadly can say if this will happen or not.
Hope this helps
Dr D
Zeus, my five-year old Rottie was recently diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. I thought I was going to the vet to get a sprain or break diagnosis, but I was not prepared to hear that he had cancer. I rescued him when he was approximately two years old, so I don’t know any of his family history. Other than his limp when he walks, he’s full of energy and appears to be very healthy. He still runs and wants to play tug-of-war with me constantly. I guess he just ignores the pain when he’s having fun. I only notice the limp when he’s walking. A chest x-ray indicated that it has not spread into is lungs. Our family has been devastated by this news. He is such a kind, gentle dog and brings so much happiness to our family. He’s scheduled to have his leg amputated next Tuesday , but I just want to make him comfortable for as long as possible. Do you have any words of advice for me? I want to explore every option available. Thank you.
Our 9 l/2 year irish setter has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the front leg. We are looking at radiation plus chemo as a way to reduce pain. Leg amputation is not an option with remaining legs weak from other causes. Has anyone gone thru radiation and chemo to reduce pain? Any advice. We live in oregon and it appears that we have to travel to Seattle for the radiation.
My golden/mastiff (?) mix (approx. 9 years old) was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma two days ago. I know that this is a very common type of cancer in larger breeds, but she is very puppy like and playful. She was sent home from the vet with pain meds to control her pain; a chest x-ray indicated that it has not spread into her lungs. I am devastated by this diagnosis and have cried for two days. She is such a happy, loving dog that I want to give her quality of life…not just quantity. I made a vow after my previous “baby” went through surgeries and pain (liver cancer) that I would not prolong and let my pet linger just because I was not ready to let go. I would opt for the amputation and chemo, but my Aspen has had previous hip surgery for a torn ACL ligament, she also has arthritis and hip dysplasia. I fear her back legs do not have the strength to hold her for the length of time that would provide a quality of life for her. She is a large, semi-active dog that I do not want unable to get her up or walk due to her other legs unable to sustain her. Am I correct with this assumption? I am investigating diets that may prolong her time with me and would not be as invasive as surgery. Do you have any words of advice for me? I want to explore every option available. Thank you
Dear Deborah,
there are many questions buried in your post. I know you are devastated. If you have not taken the time to read the Guide, it would be a really wise investment. It would also be wise for you to work with your vet to see if you can create a sling to support the leg with the cancer. This is not to address the cancer, but to see if your dog can hop around on three legs or not. You need to give your dog enough time to get used to the sling before making a decision that she cannot withstand the weight load on the other three limbs.
I hope this helps.
Best,
Dr D
we just found out about a month ago that my 3 year old, 65 Ib., Australian Shepard has osteosarcoma. the moment you meet him he just pulls on your heart strings! he loves to play, run and just smile at you! we have taken him to several different vets and finally ended up taking him to VRCC were we finally had a biopsy done and found out he actually did have cancer!so we took him to a homeopathic doctor were she tried acupuncture and gave him several different vitamins. we dont want to amputate in fear that it will spread quicker. what im concerned about right now is after we had the biopsy done he will not walk on his leg anymore and it is now really swollen. is there anything i can do that would help bring the swelling down?
Hi my name is Jason. My 11.9 year old blonde Lab named Ally was limping and had arthritis in her elbow and right leg. We took her to the Vet and we did the Adequan injections and her leg was much better. About 2- weeks ago her shoulder started puffing out really big and she was limping a little bit. We thought it was from her arthritis then this past weekend her foot was so swollen it looks like a Lions paw. She could not walk and put any pressure on it. On Tuesday morning we took her to the Vet and he did two xrays and also bloodwork on her. She had lost 4 pounds in a month and she was eating very good. We were told that she had a very aggressive and bad case of Osteosarcoma in her shoulder and that she had a pathological fracture and the fracture is what caused her swelling. We were told our options about amputation and possible radiation at U of Tennessee’s vet school but our other option was to put her to sleep. It was the hardest decision that we have ever made but we put her to sleep on May 25, 2010. We took her home to spend time with our other dog, get a great meal, snacks, lay out in the sun and relax on her bed. She seemed so full of life but you could tell she was in so much pain. It was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make and she will be truly missed. It is so much harder after letting one go and knowing how much they impact your life. Our other dog is so lost and so lonely without her and it breaks my heart to no end seeing her things in the house and seeing our other dog so lost and heart broken also. If your dog is diagnosed with this please look at all treatment options and weigh their age and quality of life. We were told that even with amputation and radiation that her survival rate would have been very slim and that it had probably spread to alot of other places in her body. Our house seems so empty without her and it is so quiet. Just wanted to post this and let other dog owners be aware of this aggressive and deadly cancer!
My 7 year old Rottweiler Willie has only been limping around for about a week now and has been to the vet twice. His X-Rays are with the radiologist and we are supposed to get his opinion tomorrow. After talking the vet, it seems the likely diagnosis will be Osteosarcoma of his front leg. Willie’s problem is that he already has a deformed front paw, that he’s had since birth and already hops around on 3 legs. He often walks on his deformed paw, but would rather hop if he can.
Is Willie a candidate for amputation? I can’t seem to find any information on this or other similar cases.
A question for you. I have 1 9/12 greyhound that had an injury and limped on the front leg there were 2 incidents close together. After the 2nd i noticed the swelling at the wrist and more limping. I caled for a vet appt., gave her rimydl and iced it. She was better in the am except swelling there. Vet took xrays and said there was a very small concerning spot possible osteosarcoma but could not be sure. He said that even doing a biopsy at this time more than likely would not give answer. He gave me more pain meds said to come back after our vacation and he would check again. I dont know if I should wait 3rd day there is still swellilng but no limping. She eats very well weight and all are good. I have been keeping her quite. Do you think I can wait the 2 weeks. If it is cancer I cant afford the chemo/radiation treatments so dont know if I should amputate. Any suggestions
Hello,
My dog Jazzmine is approx. 14 years old, she has some issues with arthritis. My dilemma is she has a tumor on her back paw that has burst and is open. It bleeds, my veternarian said he would not put her to sleep but I am starting to think he don’t want me to put her to sleep because everytime I take her to the vet it costs me $200.00 or more. She has been taking steriods, antifungals, pain killers, and antibiotics for almost a year now. I am just stumped as to what to do, Jazzmine was my mom’s dog and I inherited her when my mom passed away back in 2003. My vet says she don’t seem to be suffering, but I think she may be. He said she couldn’t stand amputation because of her arthritis. Please let me know what you would do. I don’t want her to suffer and it is a full time job keeping her foot from bleeding everywhere. I have been putting baby socks on the wound and that keeps her from licking it so much, she figured out how to take the socks off, so I started using vet wrap to keep Jazzie from pulling the socks off. Now she is licking through the socks, needless to say the open wound never heals because it can’t scab up. I am at a loss as to what to do at this point. I hope you can give me some good advice. thanks!
Dear Tammy,
This sounds hard. Do you have a diagnosis? It sounds a bit like it is not clear what the growth is. Infection? Cancer? The product of scar tissue from licking? I cannot say of course.
Step 1: get a diagnosis. The stage in problem solving is to know the problem.
Step 2: if you cannot get a diagnosis, get a second opinion.
Sep 3: deal with the issue.
You need to define what you are talking about. If it turns out to be cancer, you might consider Apocaps and topical Neoplasene with veterinary supervision.
Best,
Dr D
Dear Marlene,
this is no fun. I would not wait. Get the radiographs to a board certified radiologist as quickly as possible for an official radiologist report. This is not the type of thing to sit on if it is indeed bone cancer. You need more information as soon as possible as a first step. Meanwhile, if this were my patient, I would start Apocaps now.
Stay in touch,
Best,
Dr D
Dear Jeff,
this is going to be a difficult choice, but it sounds like the honest and brutal truth is that you will likely need him to use his bad paw to support weight and remove the affected leg.
Keep him as lean as possible, consider a sling from Tripawds, supplement him with Apocaps, Cosequin/Adequan, SAM-e/Denamarin/Denosyl, and make sure his pain is controlled. Work with your vet on all of these things. Try to keep him on soft surfaces if you can.
For more information on life quality analysis, you may want to get the Guide.
I hope this helps,
Dr D
Hello, my 12 year old boarder collie mix just had front shoulder and leg amputation and everything looked good no spots on her lungs. I have been researching options on how to feed her to give her the best chance at beating this. I am confused about all the info out there…is a barf or raw food diet the best?
Dear Sherri,
Yes, these questions can be a bit overwhelming!! So much to consider. Not only is diet important, but also supplementation, stress reduction, appropriate exercise, physical therapies like massage, boosting natural levels of melatonin by providing a good night’s sleep in complete darkness, immune stimulation, and steps to slow cancer spread.
As you can see, this is a very big topic!
All of this is discussed very clearly and systematically in The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.
Here is an answer to your diet question, and more here, and here too.
Finally, the place to start with the supplements is Apocaps.
Best to you and your border collie and stay in touch!
Dr D
Hello. I read your entire book last weekend and it’s been a wonderful resource. I cannot thank you enough for writing it. My 11 1/2 year old flat-coated retriever was diagnosed with osteosarcoma on June 1st. Her left leg was amputated on June 7th and we started chemo with Carboplatin on June 16th. I purchased K9 Immunity & Transfer Factor, Apocaps, Fish Oil, a multi-vitamin and dietary enzymes for her. My vet has prescribed another product called Veterinary Immune Tabs. We felt that there was duplication between the Veterinary Immune Tabs and K9 Immunity and Transfer Factor and the multi-vitamin and perhaps even the fish oil because the Veterinary Immune Tabs seems to have all of those things. We want to make sure we don’t over-supplement her. My vet called the manufacturer of the Immune Tabs and he said that his product has all of things and there’s no need for anything else. Are you familar with this product? I can’t seem to find much information on it outside of the manufacturer’s information. So, I’m a little nervous about how it compares. I want her to have the very best. What about the Apocaps? I’m not sure if she can have the Apocaps along with the Veterinary Immune Tabs either. My vet forget to ask him about that and will need to call him back. But, I have a feeling that he’ll say his product is all she needs. From what I can tell, there is at least some overlap. Both have curcumin. But, I think the overlap ends there. I would like to start her on the Apocaps as soon as her stitches come out as long as I have some assurance that it’s okay for her to have both. if it’s not okay for her to have both, then I’m not sure which to choose. Can one product really do it all? I look forward to your response. Thanks so much for your help!
Dr Dressler, What is your rerommendation on dosing Apocaps with anti-inflammatories and painkillers. Our dog, recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma, is on gabapentin, tramadol, amantadine and aspirin. We are already using K-9 Immunity and Transfer Factors. Apocaps are on the way. Thanks for your help.
Our almost 14 year old lab had an amputation of his left hind, on March 23rd due to osteosarcoma ( he has had radiation therapy in this same leg aome years ago due to mast cell tumor) , and the x-rays showed some nodules in his lungs.
We started to give him organic asparagus and parsley juice before breakfast and at night, bed time ( fresh made in a juicer)
On June he presented pnemonia. He was hospitalized, IV liquids, Baytril Inj 100 mg/mo for 3 days, Nebulization with Mucomyst, Famotidine, Amipicilin Injection 200 mg/ml and Previcox.
After a week, the FU x-rays didn’t show the nodules.
An August x-ray didnt show the nodules either.
We are very happy.
I hope this information could be usuful for other dogs.
Marcela
I have a 9 yr old greyhound Gail with osteosarcoma. I was told that it had spread to her lungs and she was not a good candidate for amputation. She had 5 treatments of radiation and 3 of pamidronate and on pain meds. I could not afford to continue the pamidronate treatments but she remains on pain meds. I dont want her to suffer. She is limping and get more tired. She isnt eating as much but she still has her active times and she is the old Gail. When do you know when to say good bye. I surely dont want to but i do not want to be selfish and I also dont want to give up on her is she wants to continue. The UW vet hospital has precribed all the pain meds available for her. I just cant afford anymore radiation or pamidronate. Is there any thing eles I can do?
I have a 9-10 yr old golden retriever. We rescued him 5 yrs ago. He had been limping for some time and we thought it was arthritis. Took him to the vet and he has been diagnosed with bone cancer. His lump is in his shoulder and he also has a few spots in his lungs. We have not had his other organs xrayed. He is on Metacam in the morning & Tramadol (
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