Osteosarcoma-My Girl has Bone Cancer (!!!)

[Xena's Daddy]

Hello everyone, I'm a new member on this site. I wish I had known about it YEARS ago, as it seems very informative & bustling with activity & useful advice. I wish I could've had a string of positive, happy posts under my belt before today, telling you of all the funny, smart, and incredible things my dog has done. But unfortunately, my first post will be about the dreaded monster that is Osteosarcoma................

My 7-year old baby-girl Xena was officially diagnosed with this awful beast approximately 3-weeks ago, and my mind is still whirling from the news.
It started as a limp from a VERY short walk on 1/20/08. Then, a couple of days later I noticed a slight 'bulge' on her front right wrist (Distal radius), but just assumed that her arthritis must be getting worse. (She had elbow dysplasia surgery on that same leg when she was 3-years old, and has had a slight limp ever since)

I brought her back to the specialist who had originally performed the surgery, assuming the whole time that they would tell me it's her arthritis worsening & that I would find out what I can do about it. (She's already been on Derramax for nearly 5-years now) But when they saw it, they quickly invited several other doctors in to see her leg. (???) After a while, my doctor came back in to tell me what the likely diagnosis would be. I was absolutely stunned!! I couldn't believe my ears! How could my 7-year old girl POSSIBLY have a terminal illness??? She's always been a very healthy girl, never had any problems with her biology in any way!? (Other than the joint malformation, but that is structural) Never had any digestive issues, never been sick a day in her life. Hell, she's never even had any of the possible side effects they tell you about from ANY of the medications she's ever had!!? (Anethesia, anti-biotics, Derramax, Glyco-flex, you name it) So, how could this be???

This office visit ended with Xena staying the night for a chest X-ray, bloodwork, and a bone biopsy. It was very tough sitting home all night thinking about all this new information........and without Xena there!! If this was practice for what's to come, I don't want any!! Anyway........

After about a week-and-a-half, they finally got back to me with the results: Chest is clear, blood looks good.......but unfortunately, she DOES have Osteosarcoma.......

They offered the usual line of treatment for this disease; Immediate amputation, followed closely by Chemo-therapy & follow-up visits. 'Will that save her?', I asked. 'Can we beat this thing??' 'What are her chances???'
I think all of you already know the answers to these questions, as I do now.

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??

Or do I do what's best for HER, regardless of how difficult it will surely be for me?? That is to let her go comfortably, peacefully, and with every ounce of her dignity intact. No cancer growing rampant throughout her body, just a painful lump on her wrist.

The truth is, I'm not actually asking for advice on what I should do, as I know that already. Actually, I knew it almost right away. Just wanted to share my thoughts on this subject since, as far as I can tell, this disease affects LOTS of us Rottweiler 'parents'. It's rather unfortunate that we have to be faced with such decisions to make, but our pets are fortunate to have us looking out for them. Because if they were out in the wild, the cancer would have it's way with them, right until the bitter end. And that would be a shame!!

Right now Xena is on Tromodyl & doing fairly well. She will remain on it until it no longer has the desired effect. After that, she will have one last happy visit to the Vet that will be no different to her than any other time she's been there. (She absolutely LOVES going there!! Strangest thing........) I will miss her dearly & will likely be affected by her loss for quite some time, but she will be relieved of her fate and out of pain.

Well, that's my story. Hope it wasn't too long, and hope reading it can help any others that are currently being faced with these same, tough choices. The 'right' thing to do is a very individual decision, one that can only be reached after many, many hours/days/weeks of comtemplating. But regardless of ones final decision, it will surely be a tough road for many months to come.

Bye for now................
MK

[brunie's mom]

I am so sorry to hear this. It seems every second day we have a member posting here about their dog and osteo.

We've discussed this many times, and many of us feel, that even after putting the dog through amputation, chemo, treatments, and spending a lot of money...you still have a dead dog in a few months. These treatments just buy you some time, not a cure.

I would make sure that she has good pain medication, and then I would spoil and love her and make her last days enjoyable.

We discussed this on this thread:
http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/vet...bly-cancer.htm

[observer]

So many people find their way to this site only after such terrible news. I can't add much advice to what China already said.. . only that these dogs are VERY stoic about not showing the pain they are really in, so the good pain meds are a must, and keeping a very close eye on her for when she does give you signs she has had enough.

The cancer in the bone does weaken it and make it prone to fracture, so letting her run or jump on and off things (assuming she wants to) is probably not a good idea. Low carb diets are best, as the cancer feeds on carbs. There's some info on that here if you do a search.

The biopsy may actually make the cancer spread or grow faster...

[jlaack]

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??

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.

The biopsy may actually make the cancer spread or grow faster...

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.

[jonesjoyful]

very sorry to hear of your news...only you can decide what is best for your pet..unfortunately, most of us are unable to spend tens of thousands of dollars so just make certain she is as pain free as possible..best wishes

[Jaidann]

Am so sorry you are faced with this :(. My thoughts are with you and Xena during this difficult time. Many stories here about this awful disease that while heart-wrenching, may give you comfort in the fact you aren't alone in having to face this.

[Anne]

Have you taken your dog to an oncologist? My girl who has just turned 7yo also has osteosarcoma but it's not in a limb it's in her mandible. We see an oncologist and my dog is on a metronomic regime. I refused the option of sugery to remove the right side of her mandible and also refused chemotherapy.

The metronomic protocol does have one chemo drug and a few other drugs. She is on Piroxicam and Tramadol for pain relief. I would suggest you see an oncologist.
There are other options to help your dog for the time she has left. I think the metronomic therapy has allowed my dog to live pain free for as long as she has but it is expensive.

A bone biopsy was suggested which I also declined. I did have a tissue biopsy done. The osteo has caused a tumour on her gum and at that stage we had no idea what it was. The tissue biopsy together with xrays of her jaw were positive for osteosarcoma.

The first indication of a problem was in september 07. A positive diagnosis was made in december 07. My dog is still going quite well but I can see a decline as the disease progresses and her gum tumour is increasing in size. She is still happy and playful. When her pain can no longer be controlled I will with a very heavy heart put her to sleep.

There are a few of us here going through this, we know the shock and grief you are feeling.

[caseygina]

we had our 8 year old girl Riley at the vet yesterday. she started in late january with not putting pressure on her right hind leg. but she walked and ran fine, and the first xray came through clear. so we put her on rimadyl, and she's been on glyco-flex for close to 2 years now. other than that, she's absolutely, perfectly healthy. but she still wouldn't put pressure on that back leg. so we took her in yesterday for more xrays. the first xray came through where he did see a growth around her bone (which is still solid) so he did the chest xray, which was clear, and then a bone biopsy. her bones are still hard and solid. so now we play the waiting game for the results to come back. my husband and i are in complete shock, what do we do if we don't get good news. we completely know where you are coming from, the awful decisions that may have to be made. so for now, positive thoughts until we know for sure. our thoughts are with you.

[Diva Satanica]

Although I have never been through this myself, I just wanted to say to all of you that are facing this horrible disease with their companions, that I wish your dogs all the best with battling this. Thank goodness they have such wonderful "parents" to put so much thought, time, love and money into their wellbeing.

[observer]

For anyone out there reading this thread who has not yet had diagnostics done, I would have X-rays read by a specialist, radiologist or oncologist, before I would ever have a biopsy to confirm what is possibly cancer on an X ray. It is a VERY painful procedure, and if OS is present, it spreads it. I have seen the immediate and long-term consequences of biopsy (didn't understand the long-term ones until I came here) and with what I know now, I would NEVER have a biopsy done.

[caseygina]

It all happened so fast yesterday. I didn't know anything about a bone biopsy until the vet mentioned doing one. is it because the xrays were inconclusive? her bones are still completely solid.

[caseygina]

it all happened so fast. we have been taking her there for almost 8 years, and I have to have trust in them that they would only do the biospsy if they had to. we looked at the xrays and it was not what i was expecting. how could that possibly be cancer? i have seen enough of her xrays over the years and seen things that look worse. no "swiss cheese" or "moth like" anything. nothing but solid, healthy bone.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by caseygina

it all happened so fast. ... we looked at the xrays and it was not what i was expecting. how could that possibly be cancer? i have seen enough of her xrays over the years and seen things that look worse. no "swiss cheese" or "moth like" anything. nothing but solid, healthy bone.

I'm so very sorry you are faced with this. I can say that my sweet Angel Luna had an xray that simply looked "possibly" suspicious one week, that was deemed not to be OS....and two weeks later another xray showed very pronounced moth eaten bone. This disease ravages the body and is very aggressive. It IS hard to fathom, but there you have it.

Originally Posted by jlaack

I will just throw this out as the 'other' side of the coin. My dog will be 2 years out from when we began tx in April of this year. Yes the treatments cost thousands, tens of thousands is more accurate a figure, but IMO, we provided him quality and quantity of life overall.

Do you care to share with us exactly HOW MANY Tens of Thousands you are speaking of here? Most people do not have the financial means to pursue this type of treatment, even if it is feasible for their dog, and it bothers me a bit that you keep bringing it up. It's a bit like dangling a carrot that can't be reached by MOST people, and just adds to the pain and distress the owner is already going through to think "if only they had more money" they could save their precious companion. Just my thoughts on the matter.

[caseygina]

But, until we know for sure, positive thoughts, lots of prayer, and countless hugs and kisses for our little girl-but that's a given, always.

[Xena's Daddy]

Observer, Jlaak, Anne, and everybody else:

Thanks for the candid advice. I wish I knew about the biopsy issues before deciding to do it, but quite frankly, the Vet Specialist said it was the 'only way to know for sure'. So I chose to do it. (?) Then Xena spent several weeks walking on 3-legs, which she was NOT doing before the procedure! That tells me it must have REALLY hurt, considering how good they are at hiding their pain.

But she's much better now, not quite running & jumping, but not immobilized either. Ever since we started the pain meds she's been able to walk on it, but with some amount of hesitation. After getting all excited out in the yard barking back & forth with the neighborhood dogs in her proud & mighty Rottweiler stance, she holds it up slightly. But that fades quickly & she's back to herself in no-time.

I feel that the pain meds I'm giving her are a balance between fending off the pain, but not masking it completely. I think that's important so that she does not feel over-confident about her leg & cause herself a fracture. That would be a very bad ending to her story!!

As far as the carbs go, I've dramatically reduced the amount of kibble she's been getting & increased the amount of her meat-heavy wet food. She hasn't complained one bit! LOL........
I've also been giving her the leftover milk from my cereal in the morning which she LOVES!! She lays on the floor next to me waiting until I'm done, then gets very excited when I stand up because she knows it's time for the good stuff!!!

God.....I LOVE my dog!!