Osteosarcoma

[BuckshotSableMolly]

We just recently found out that our soon to be seven year old Rotti has OS. I have searching frantically for more information and opinions. I know that the long term prognosis is very grim, and I want to make the most out of the time we have left with her. Please, I you have any information on the ups and downs of amputation, holistic medicines and any other information, PLEASE let me know.

[RottiMomCT]

Where was the cancer diagnosed?? Front leg, rear leg, shoulder? Somewhere else? Damn I hate this disease!!!

We had a 9-11 year old female who was diagnosed May 1, 2003 (we were unsure of her age - she was a rescue adoptee). The affected limb was amputated a week later - the right front leg/shoulder. She was home 3 days post surgery, doing well. The surgical site was horrid to look at, staples, bruising, some swelling. After a day she had learned to negotiate the stairs to get outside, and she really seemed to be a much happier dog now that the painful limb was removed - she PLAYED with Ben...something she rarely did before the surgery...

Five months post diagnosis, a lump began to grow at the amputation site, and her lungs were x-rayed, which confirmed what we already suspected - the cancer had pspread to her lungs.

Two weeks later, Thelda lay in my arms as she crossed the bridge.

We did amputation and pain management - got 5 1/2 months more with her - she had her dignity. I think, in our case, we did the right thing in amputating.

My brother in laws female, who just turned 9 last weekend was diagnosed with cancer in the same spot as our Thelda was. She had been limping for a few days before they decided to take her in. They are opting for pain management without amputation, and will let her go while she still has her dignity and quality of life - they have already made a list of her favorite things - going for a ride being the top one on the list - when she no longer shows and enthusiasm for that, then they will know it is time.

I wish you strength during this painful time...you are NOT alone in this. Sadly, too many of us have lost dogs to cancer.

[kaitlyn]

:( i'm so sorry to hear this. We just 3 weeks ago, had to put down my best friend in the world because of osteosarcoma. It breaks my heart to hear this. I'll keep her and your family in my prayers. :'(

[BuckshotSableMolly]

Thanks for your input.

The vet told us Tuesday of this week. About 3 weeks ago she began limping a little bit here and there. She was favoring her back left leg. I spoke with her previous owner (we rescued her in March) to see if there were any previous injuries. We were told that periodically she would favor the leg but not often, almost as if she had artheritis. July 30, she had her first doctor's appt regarding her limping. They gave her any anti-inflamatory and told me to bring her back the week of August 8. Aug. 8, she was still limping, so they kept her to perform the x-rays...Now we all know what they had to say, grimly enough...The x-ray of her knee is awful to look at.

Now, my options of course (1)Amputate her leg to ease the pain or (2)Leave her be and just make everything as comfortable as possible...What great decisions I am left with! Esp. knowing the time is limited.

[RottiMomCT]

Originally Posted by BuckshotSableMolly

Now, my options of course (1)Amputate her leg to ease the pain or (2)Leave her be and just make everything as comfortable as possible...What great decisions I am left with! Esp. knowing the time is limited.

What has the vet said about the options?? How advanced is the cancer??

Either way, I would ask for meds to help alleviate the pain....

[BuckshotSableMolly]

Well, he didn't really state how far along the cancer was. He did say that IF we were to want to amputate the leg, they would do the lung x-ray at that time to see what the nodules looked like at that point. He didn't seem to enthused about the amputation though, stating that 8/10 by the time the dog shows lameness, the cancer is already in the lungs.

We definitely have the pain medicine and he said he would regulate it according to her actions and the eventually he would have to change it over to a narcotic.

One of my main questions, with the amputation, how long does it typically take them to recover from that pain... I know the walking adjustment is fairly easy for them...

[Judi W]

You are correct in your thinking. when calculating the amount of time that a life might have been extended by amputation, you must take into consideration recovery and quality of that life. Recovery and quality should not be measured simply by whether the dog can get itself around or not.

[MomofSweetPotatoes]

Sending many thoughts to you!

Was this confirmed via x-ray or blood test? The reason I ask is that Valley Fever can mimic Osteo on X-rays.
There is a really good website that outlines how one family coped with osteo in their greyhounds (which are a breed prone to the disease)
Here is the site:
http://community-2.webtv.net/SAStefa...ndex.html#home
read Josie's story. There is a lot of info that can be gleaned from it.
I wish you well. You and your pup are in my thoughts

[Judi W]

Valley Fever is not endemic to VA.

[RottiMomCT]

Originally Posted by BuckshotSableMolly

One of my main questions, with the amputation, how long does it typically take them to recover from that pain... I know the walking adjustment is fairly easy for them...

Thelda was sleeping on her right side (amputation side), on a wood floor, within a week of surgery. It was sore, of course, but we took the necessary precautions and were careful not to bump her, and it seemed she also did her best to keep that side out of peoples way...

I think what bugged her most was the hair growing back...seemed to be VERY itchy. She loved when I would sit next to her out in the yard and gently scratch the shaved area...she practically fell asleep.

Post surgery she was given a few days of a very strong pain reliever (I forget the name) and then sent home with a pain patch which she had on for a week....after that she got...oh phooey...I forget...begins with a "C" I think...

[moondog]

Originally Posted by BuckshotSableMolly

Well, he didn't really state how far along the cancer was. He did say that IF we were to want to amputate the leg, they would do the lung x-ray at that time to see what the nodules looked like at that point. He didn't seem to enthused about the amputation though, stating that 8/10 by the time the dog shows lameness, the cancer is already in the lungs.

I'm sorry you're facing this, I went through it last December. For my dog, amputation was not an option because the cancer was in her spine, but I would not have put her through an amputation even if I could have made that choice. For what she would have had to go through, without any understanding of why she was going through it, and for the short period of time it would give her when all was said and done, it made no sense to me to do that to her. If an amputation is needed due to injury, that I would consider, but not for a bone cancer. What the vet told me, is that by the time the cancer is diagnosed, in almost all cases it has spread microscopically throughout the body. This means that it is too small to show up in diagnostics but once it has traveled, even at a microscopic level, it will before long.

I wish you the best in whatever decision you make for your dog.

[bigdogweilerx2]

I am so sorry to hear of your beloved dog's cancer. We too lost our girl to an OS in her back left knee. We noticed a limp, followed by a very small lump. We took her to our vet in Jan.(he thought it was a ruptured knee ligament), took her to a specialist the next day and was diagnosed. We choose to treat Kahlua's cancer with love and medication,(we were concerned with the amount of recovery time from an amputation and how that too would effect her quality of life) until we decided that her life wasn't what it used to be, no matter how much we didn't want to admit it. We let our sweet girl go in May. Our thoughts are with you as you go through this difficult time.

[pazzo]

buckshot,
so sorry to hear you are dealing wih this horrific disease. There is a web-site I like alot, a ton of info, Caninesincrisis.com, please keep us posted and I am sending good thoughts your way.

[moondog]

pazzo, Do you mean http://www.caninesincrisis.org/ ? That's a very informative site with lots of links to other information.

[pazzo]

OH MY GOD, I feel soooo bad, it IS .org!!!! I have it on my favorites and just assumed....Thanks Moondog for correcting my MISTAKE! It is a web-site that I tell everyone about.....the wrong address, but ....