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Which leaves me in this current state of moral dilemma. Do I spend countless thousands of dollars to ensure that the last chapter of my happy dog's wonderful life is spent as an amputee undergoing Chemo-therapy? Only to end up dying in the relatively near future of some other kind(s) of organ cancer once this thing spreads??
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I will just throw this out as the 'other' side of the coin. When I posted here during tx of my dog with Osteo, many said that there wasn't any benefit in doing so... I understand both sides of treating and not treating. My dog will be 2 years out from when we began tx in April of this year. Considering that he was diagnosed at 8 years this represents a significant amount of his life span IMO. Yes the treatments cost thousands, tens of thousands is more accurate a figure, but IMO, we provided him quality and quantity of life overall. Sometimes the quality was lacking but it was shortlived enough to justify continuing to try and make him better. Also, there is an alternative to amputation since the cancer is low and on a foreleg, called the limb spare. The procedure removes the tumor but keeps the leg.
I understand what you are going through and you are the only one who can decide what is best for your dog. But I feel that my dog is a living statistic that tx isn't always a failure. Through tx my dog I have met others with OS whose dogs have limbs intact and make it 1, 2, 3 years past dx.
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The biopsy may actually make the cancer spread or grow faster...
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I agree with this completely. In most cases the xrays are sufficient evidence of a dx of OS. The risk of cancer spreading with a biopsy is quite great. Per my reply above having done the biopsy would probably eliminate the dog from being a candidate for the limb spare for the reason Observer stated.
You and your dog will be in my thoughts! I know how hard this is! There is a lot you can do for your dog that doesn't require surgeries and chemo. I believe that conversation was including on links to a recent post.