[jlaack]

My vet doesn't really know what to do. He said that there really is nothing to do and he said that if we wanted some oral morphine, he would supply that in Lucas' last days. God, this is like hospice care.

This is one reason why it is helpful to use an oncologist even if your not treating. They have so much more knowledge about this than regular vets that you are likely to get more accurate answers to your questions. Regarding the oral morphine, I'd highly recommend having some on hand even if you never use it and perhaps even some ace (sedative). If your dog has a nasty fracture you still need to get the dog to the vet (unless the vet is coming to your house). For this purpose make sure you are not getting the extended release morphine. For the extended release morphine if the tablet is crushed or broken and not taken whole it can cause a morphine overdose. It can be difficult to give a pill to animal in pain and it is very difficult to transport a dog in pain. We were going through the limb spare and had a complication arise. After that I insisted that I had a small supply to get my dog through a minimum of two days if needed.

limb-sparing IS removing the tumor.......in a sense. With OS, the tumor is not a growth ON the bone, but rather the bone itself changing shape, growing un-regulated in an outwardly fashion. So basically, you do not 'remove' the tumor, you 'grind' down the bone & either use a bone graph or an implant of some kind, since the remaining bone is brittle & will not support the dog at all.

The limb spare does remove the tumor but the tumor is cut out. Then either an implant (typically of bone, sometimes manmade) is placed in the space left and the entire leg is plated in addition to the ankle being fused to minimize the impact on the plate. There are many variations on accomplishing this but even for a small tumor the amount of bone removed is substantial. At this juncture this would definitely not be the route to go and I would say any vet that would consider performing this procedure at this time is inethical (ditto for amputation). While the visible tumor is growing rapidly the likelihood of what the cancer is doing on the inside that you can't see is probably more of a medical concern for your dog. I'm not trying to scare you, but it is the impact on the internal organs that often is the end for dogs with OS, not the initial tumor unless there is a fracture or pain cannot be managed.

I just saw the post for a sling. I will also recommend a harness. The dog can easily wear it 24/7 and you can use it to lift your dog too. This piece of equipment was invaluable to us (still is). It is called the WebMaster Harness, Ruff Wear Dog Boots, Dog Coats, Dog Bowls, Dog Packs, Dog Toys, Dog Beds, and other Dog Gear For Dogs On The Go..