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How to Choose a Veterinarian for Amputation Surgery

Posted by jerry on Tuesday, July 13th 2010

For many of us, the decision to amputate is our first introduction to the world of vet specialists and high tech medicine.

Oftentimes, the learning curve is steep and stressful, but knowing what to look for in a qualified practice will help put your mind at ease just a bit.

Finding a Quality Veterinarian for Your Dog’s Amputation

Even if you already have a veterinarian you trust, there are important things to look for in the practice that can mean the difference between life and death. We suggest asking your vet:

How often do you perform amputations?

If the vet you are considering for surgery isn’t certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, it’s important to find out how often the vet performs amputation surgeries. Many Tripawds have had great experiences with family vets doing the amputation, and saved a lot of money as a result. However, a vet who isn’t board certified but performs amputations on a regular basis should have the equipment and staff that can ensure that all risk is kept to a minimum. But, how do you know that risk is minimized?

The video interview below, with Kelly Cronin, Head Technician for the Santa Fe Animal Emergency Clinic, a part of the Veterinary Emergency Specialty Center of Santa Fe (VESC), will tell you what to look for. We also recommend picking up a copy of: “Vet Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Protecting Your Pet’s Health” by Louise Murray, DVM. This book should be on every pet pawrent’s bookshelf. It will teach you how to find the highest level of care by asking questions such as:

How is Overnight Care Handled?

Did you know that not all vets provide overnight care? When dogs need overnight hospitalization, having trained nighttime staff can mean the difference between a smooth recovery and serious complications that go undetected for hours. Many Tripawd pawrents have called the vet’s office the morning after a successful surgery, only to find out that their beloved dog died sometime during the night.

Even the smallest practice should have at least one technician stopping by at night to check on patients, or partner with a 24-hour emergency clinic to provide care. Avoid facilities that do not have after-hours monitoring.

What are Your Pain Management Protocols for Amputation Surgery?

Tripawds’ resident vet, Dr. Pam Wiltzius of Puyallup, Washington, recommends asking about pain control. “It used to be that pain was dealt with post-op, but a lot of pain can be prevented now by administering the drug Gabapentin pre-op, using an MLK (morphine) drip during and after surgery, and performing nerve blocks intra-op.”

She adds that some dogs only get Rimadyl when they go home after surgery, which isn’t the gold standard. There is a huge difference in pain protocols among vets. Be sure you know where your vet stands on pain management.

What kind of Anesthesia Techniques Are Used?

Dr. Murray, author of Vet Confidential, recommends choosing a vet practice based on the following lifesaving equipment (you would be surprised how many practices don’t have these essentials):

Blood pressure monitor (blood pressure often falls dangerously low while patients are under anesthesia)
PVC centrifuge to monitor red blood cell levels
Pulse oximeter to measure a patient’s oxygen level

And she also advises that anesthesia procedures should always consist of:

An IV catheter, which can deliver lifesaving drugs during surgery
Intubation, which can prevent saliva, blood or vomit from entering the trachea and lungs, and deliver lifesaving oxygen and/or assist with breathing during surgery.
A surgical team consisting of at least one vet/surgeon and at least one technician. It’s too difficult to perform surgery while monitoring the patient’s vital signs. Avoid any practice who doesn’t have at least one qualified technician whose single job is to monitor the patient.

Head technician Kelly Cronin agrees. In the following video shares her tips for finding a qualified veterinary practice for your dog’s amputation, as well as demonstrates the type of equipment that should be used during surgery.

Many thanks to the good people at the Santa Fe Animal Emergency Clinic, the Veterinary Cancer Care, and Veterinary Emergency Specialty Center of Santa Fe for sharing this information with us. Catch our other interviews with this pawesome group of veterinary professionals:

“Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Centers of Santa Fe is a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital that provides emergency care for injured and sick dogs and cats as well as specialty medical and surgical treatment by skilled doctors on a referral basis. “

Please be aware that we are not veterinarians. The information presented here is not meant to be construed as medical advice or guidance, nor should it be substituted for professional veterinary assistance. Always discuss any remedies and treatments you wish to pursue with your veterinarian.

category: Treatment

tags: advice, amputation, bone cancer, dog, help, surgery, three-legged, vcc, veterinarian

Bisphosphonates: When Amputation isn’t an Option

Posted by jerry on Tuesday, June 29th 2010

What does a pawrent do when their dog, who has just been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, isn’t a good candidate for amputation?

The most common advice given by veterinary professionals would be to explore pain management options, such as Fentanyl combined with a non-steroidal such as Deramaxx. The downside is these types of drugs can leave dogs in a fog, and rarely do they provide permanent pain relief from bone cancer. Plus, the side effects of long-term heavy use, such as gastrointestinal damage, may reduce quality of life.

Another option for some is radiation therapy, a pain management technique that aims intense beams of radiation at tumors to help shrink them and reduce pain. Unfortunately, this is only available in a few select clinics.

More recently, there is a promising new option for non-amputation candidates: bisphosphonates. You’ve probably heard of them: Fosamax and Boniva are two. This class of drugs is used in human patients with osteoperosis, or those with prostate or breast cancer that has metastasized to bone.

Now, many veterinary oncologists are using bisphosphonates for canine patients, to build and stabilize bone, and effectively manage pain. In some cases, bisphosphonates can also be used for dogs with osteosarcoma metastasis to bony areas such as the spine or skull.

Typically, non-amputee dogs being treated for osteosarcoma are given the bisphosphonate drug Pamidronate. This drug is given as a two hour IV injection every four weeks. Pamidronate may also be given in conjunction with radiation therapy for pain control.

At the Veterinary Cancer Center (VCC), dogs have the most powerful bisphosphonate available; Zoleddronate. For the last year, the VCC team has conducted a Zoledronate clinical trial on dogs with bone cancer, and so far, the results are promising.

Zoledronate Bisphosphonate Trial in New Mexico

Zoledronate is one of the most promising bisphosphonate drugs available in veterinary medicine. Zoledronate is administered as a quick 15 minute IV drip, and can provide long-lasting pain control within 24 hours of the injection. The effects can last up to one month, and can even increase bone production to help form new bone. Dogs can stay on this treatment indefinitely. Several studies indicate that Zoledronate can also kill cancer cells locally and possibly prevent metastasis to other areas.

At over $1,000 per dose, Zoledronate is also one of the most expensive bisphosphonates. Which is why Dr. Kelly is so excited that her clinic is able to provide this drug at no charge to qualified canine candidates. After a year of studying its effects on patients, she says that so far the results have been “beautiful”:

The Veterinary Cancer Care center looks forward to helping as many bone cancer dogs as they can while funds are available for this trial. If you know a dog with osteosarcoma who is not a candidate for amputation, be sure to contact the VCC and ask them about the Zoledronate trial.

For further reading, please see:

Many thanks to the good people at the Veterinary Cancer Care for sharing this information with us. Catch our other interviews with the VCC:

“Veterinary Cancer Care P.C. is committed to providing compassionate, high quality treatment to all pets with cancer. Using state of the art therapies, nutrition and kind care, we treat the whole patient, not just the cancer. To alleviate the hardships of cancer, our staff provides a positive family atmosphere, filled with love and hope. We hold a great respect for the human-animal bond, and will always honor your relationship with your pet above all.”

category: Treatment

tags: bisphosphonates, bone cancer, Dogs, help, lung metastasis, metastasis, oncology, spinal mets, Treatment, tripawd, vcc, video

Tripawd Max Does Swimmingly Well, Even After Hip Replacements

Posted by jerry on Tuesday, June 22nd 2010

Many pawrents come to Tripawds looking for reassurance that their dog can live a hoppy life on three legs, especially if they’ve had hip or leg issues, like Chuy, who underwent a FHO surgery after becoming a Tripawd. While nobody can guarantee how surgery will affect a dog’s remaining limbs, with activity regulation and physical therapy, most Tripawds will do fine.

Take for example Max, an eight year old Rottie who had bilateral hip replacements prior to becoming a Tripawd.

We met Max during our visit to Santa Fe Veterinary Cancer Care and Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Centers of Santa Fe (VESC).

Max was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in February of this year. After sailing through chemo, he entered physical therapy to help him improve his gait and learn better balance.

During Max’s hydrotherapy sessions, the buoyancy helps take pressure off his joints for up to 20 minutes at a time. The warm water also helps relax his muscles and provide pain relief too.

Watch how well Max does in swim therapy, and hear what his people have to say:

Dr. Laura Hady, a veterinarian certified in canine physical therapy who sees patients at VESC, says that she begins to see most Tripawds about two weeks after amputation surgery. She advises new Tripawd pawrents:

“the first two weeks are rough. It’s like bringing a baby home from the hospital. You have to be prepared for all sorts of things, like watching how they urinate, how they defecate, or if they need more pain meds.”

After building trust with her Tripawd patients, Dr. Hady will play games that teach them how to re-learn where their center of gravity is, and work on gait and coordination issues. In swim therapy, his cardiovascular system will get a workout, without stressing his joints.

She encourages potential Tripawd pawrents who have a dog with mobility issues to remain hopeful for a good life on three legs. While amputation surgery recovery is rough, she says the pain from osteosarcoma is far worse than the pain from something like arthritis.

Dogs with arthritic limbs learn to manage their pain over time, while dogs who have osteosarcoma are dealing with acute, severe pain. By removing the diseased limb, regular physical therapy by a board certified practitioner like Dr. Hady can get a Tripawd feeling good again.

Many thanks to the good people at the Veterinary Cancer Care and Veterinary Emergency Specialty Center of Santa Fe for sharing this information with us. Catch our other VCC and VESC interviews:

category: Treatment

tags: amputation, bone cancer, mobility, physical therapy, rehabilitation, three-legged, tripawd, vcc, video

Dr. Hady Demystifies MRIs and CT Scans

Posted by jerry on Wednesday, June 9th 2010

To dog pawrents, there are few words scarier than “cancer” and “oncology.”

Seventeen months after my amputation, I got lung mets. The news was bad, but we regained hope when we discovered the Veterinary Cancer Care center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Once we stepped into the VCC’s warm, friendly clinic and found out how they could help me, our fears disappeared. After all, how could cancer be so scary when I had a crew of friendly experts doting over me?

The Southwest’s Best Specialty Care

Since 2004, the Veterinary Cancer Care clinic has provided the most compassionate, modern cancer care in the Southwest. Founded by Dr. Jeanette Kelly, a board-certified oncologist and graduate of Colorado State University’s vet school, the VCC team helped me successfully battle cancer while making my quality of life the number one priority. Thanks to their advanced treatment with Metronomic Therapy and their K9 Immunity clinical trial I participated in, I fought cancer longer than anyone ever thought pawsible.

In April, my pawrents returned to the VCC to see what they’ve been up to since our last visit in 2008. The clinic has grown tremendously, especially after relocating to a campus which also houses the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Centers of New Mexico (VESC), a 24-hour animal emergency and specialty center.

The VESC is a one-stop-medical center where animals can receive the most modern specialty care available for surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, physical therapy, dentistry, animal behavior, and acupuncture.

X-Rays, CAT Scans and MRIs: What’s the Difference?

In this first video interview at VESC, Dr. Laura Hady, a veterinarian certified in canine physical therapy, explains the difference between digital radiographs, MRI and CT scans. The VESC has the only veterinary Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in New Mexico, and computed axial tomography (CT) scan equipment in their Albuquerque facility.

Dr. Hady will also discuss which technologies are best at diagnosing things like lung metastasis, cancerous growths and fractures. She also explains how fast osteosarcoma can grow in a dog’s leg and lungs, as she shows us chest and leg X-rays of a bone cancer dog who wasn’t a candidate for amputation.

If you’re the patient of a dog cancer patient and wondering what technologies will provide the best look at your dog’s cancer, remember these differences:

Computerized Tomography (aka “CAT Scan” or “CT Scan)

While digital X-rays are better than film X-rays, Dr. Hady says that lesions less than 3 millimeters large won’t always show up on any X-rays, and it may be hard to distinguish between a lung met and an alveoil. With X-rays, a tumor can only be seen from a few angles, but with a CT scan, the surgeon knows exactly where the tumor begins and ends.

A CT Scan uses X-ray images taken from many different angles around the animal, which are then processed as a computer to show cross-sectional slices of the body. Dr. Louise Murray, DVM, author of “Vet Confidential,” says that CT scans are best at detecting small abnormalities, such as metastatic cancer in the lungs. CT Scans require general anesthesia and sometimes contrasting agents must be injected into the body to enhance the images.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aka “MRI”)

Unlike an X-ray or CT scan, MRIs do not use radiation to process images. Dr. Murray explains that MRIs use strong magnetic fields and pulsed radio frequency waves that cause hudrogen protons in the body to wobble, and then relax. As this happens, the proton s emit signals, which are then processed by a computer to form images.”

MRIs give exceptional detail of soft tissues, such as the shoulder, brain and spinal cord. MRIs can be used to diagnose tumors, strokes and herniated spinal disks as well as neurological issues. MRIs require general anesthesia.

Stay tuned for more great canine cancer information and tips we learned from the good people at the VESC and the Santa Fe Veterinary Cancer Care center.

Many thanks to the good people at the Veterinary Cancer Care and Veterinary Emergency Specialty Center for spending the day with us! Catch our other VCC / VESC interviews:

category: Treatment

tags: bone cancer, canine, Dogs, oncology, three-legged, Treatment, tripod, vcc, video

First Tripawds Required Reading List

Posted by jerry on Tuesday, June 1st 2010

We love how whenever a new user joins Tripawds, community members will often point them to various places throughout this site that can help answer their questions!

But over the past few years, tripawds.com has grown to include a wealth of helpful information that often goes overlooked. So in our continuing efforts to provide the best advice and support for those facing amputation for their dogs, we have developed the following Tripawds Required Reading List.

This compilation of links provides answers to many of the most commonly asked questions about canine cancer and amputation for dogs.

Now, whenever a new pawrent is looking for advice, you can just point them here!

Believe it or not, this extensive list is just a small sampling of informative posts from the Tripawds Featured Blogs. Much more advice can be found by searching the discussion forums.

Bookmark this post now for easy reference! And please reply with links to other Tripawds blog posts and forum topics you have found helpful. Thank you for helping us help others.

NOTE: Posts identified with an exclamation mark may be especially helpful to new members and guests seeking answers.

Massage and Rehab Therapy Tips for Tripawds, Part II

Posted by jerry on Saturday, April 24th 2010

Here’s our second and final interview with animal rehabilitation therapist Leslie Gallagher McMahon, CCMT, CCRT of Two Hands Four Paws Canine Massage and Rehabilitation.

Rear Leggers versus Front Leggers

Leslie feels that rear leg amputees have it a little bit easier than front leg Tripawds. Although rear leg amputees also have pain resulting from living on three legs, rear leggers seem to recover from surgery a bit faster because it’s easier for them to get their balance. Also, because dogs carry sixty percent of their weight on their front legs, they can still use their bodies almost exactly as nature intended them to.

Pain Relief Tips

Many pawrents don’t know when to use heat and when to use cold on their Tripawd. Here’s some tips:

Use cold within 48 hours to 3 days after the injury or surgery. Ice reduces swelling and inflammation.
When an injury is no longer acute, switch back and forth between ice and heat.
Apply ice for five minutes, heat for 5 minutes, then ice for 5 minutes. Always end with ice.
Keep a towel between the ice pack and fur
Test heat before application

We recommend getting two Bella’s Pain Relief Packs, which can be used either cold or hot, to allow you to easily rotate between ice and heat.

Big Dog Therapy Tips

For giant breeds, try swimming sessions starting at five minutes each, gradually working up to ten minutes. While ideally water should be at 85 degrees, for some dogs like Labs and Golden Retrievers who naturally love to swim, she feels it’s fine to allow them to get into a lake or river and do some swimming. Just remember:

Always use a float coat, like the Ruff Wear Big Eddy or Portage.
Monitor their heart rate and respiration. Make sure they’re not overdoing it.

Read part one of our 2 Hands 4 Paws dog interview now!

category: Treatment

tags: amputation, coping, dog, help, mobility, physical therapy, rear leg amputee, three-legged

Dr. Rosenberg’s Thoughts on Metronomics and Supplements

Posted by jerry on Saturday, April 10th 2010

Pawrents who are unfamiliar with veterinary oncology practices are sometimes under the assumption that oncology care is intent on curing cancer at any cost. But this misconception couldn’t be further from the truth. Preserving quality of life is always the number one priority of veterinary oncology practitioners, like Dr. Mona Rosenberg’s team at the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California.

The Veterinary Cancer Group’s doctors and staff work with clients to determine the most effective treatments that can ensure the highest quality of life for every patient. If one method fails to sustain a good quality of life, other options can always be explored to ensure as happy and healthy life as possible.

One of these options is known as the Metronomic Protocol, or low-dose continuous chemotherapy (LDC). This therapy works by preventing blood-vessel proliferation by the tumor, starving it of nutrients that enable it to grow and spread.

(Read about Tripawd Founder Jerry’s Metronomic Protocol experience here).

In the last of our three part interview series with Dr. Mona Rosenberg (founder of the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California) she discusses the Metronomic Protocol. She also presents her approach for using nutritional supplements while undergoing cancer care treatments, and the importance of living with cancer, instead of living in fear of it.

Tripawds sincerely thanks Dr. Rosenberg and her staff at the Veterinary Cancer Group for allowing us to bring this important information to you.

Since 1992, the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California has been committed to taking the fear out of cancer and providing in-depth information and access to the latest treatments.

The Veterinary Cancer Group is the largest, most comprehensive and sophisticated veterinary oncology practice in the world, staffed by leading board-certified medical and radiation oncologists, oncology residents, technicians, assistants and client care specialists. Learn more about the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California by visiting their website at vetcancergroup.com

Catch the other two parts of our Veterinary Cancer Group series:

Chemotherapy Session for Daisee Dog

Canine Bone Cancer News with Dr. Mona Rosenberg

category: Cancer Awareness, Treatment

tags: amputation, bone cancer, California, canine, carboplatin protocol, dog, help, immune booster, metronomic, metronomics, oncology, osteosarcoma, rear leg amputee, supplements, three-legged, Treatment, tripawd, tripod, vcg, video

Canine Bone Cancer Treatment News with Dr. Mona Rosenberg

Posted by jerry on Tuesday, April 6th 2010

Veterinary oncology is a relatively new field in animal medicine, and there less than 500 board-certified oncologists in the entire U.S. Recently, Tripawds was lucky enough to spend time with one of the first and most knowledgeable veterinary oncologists, Dr. Mona Rosenberg.

Dr. Rosenberg spoke to us about a recently published study which has changed the recommended standard of care for treating canine osteosarcoma. This study was presented at the October 2009 Veterinary Cancer Society conference and was conducted by UC Davis’ Dr. Katherine Skorupski. The study’s abstract states:

“Results: 36 dogs received carboplatin alone, 18 were randomized to receive carboplatin AND doxorubicin. Carboplatin alone is 535 days compared to 200 days for dogs receiving Carboplatin and Doxorubicin (p=0.013). The median survival for dogs receiving Carboplatin alone is 572 days compared to 229 days in dogs receiving Carboplatin and Doxorubicin (p=0.007).

Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that 6 doses of Carboplatin may be superior to 6 total doses of Carboplatin and Doxorubicin as adjuvant chemotherapy for appendicular OSA. Continued enrollment and data maturation is necessary to confirm these findings.”

In this video, Dr. Rosenberg briefly shares the history of her groundbreaking practice, the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California, and she also discusses the new recommendation for treating canine osteosarcoma.

Dr. Rosenberg’s practice is the largest private practice veterinary oncology group in the U.S. Step inside of a Veterinary Cancer Group office, and you’ll see how their welcoming staff and bright, sunny decor can help take the fear out of cancer care.

Every staff member takes an interest in the animals who walk through the door, showing compassion and love from the time the patient arrives until they go home. In our previous Tripawds News post about VCG, you can watch Dr. Rosenberg’s staff in action as Daisee gets her first chemotherapy treatment.

Patients like Daisee who are treated at VCG clinics have their own personal team of specialists to help them fight cancer.

Each morning, doctors, residents and technicians at all three clinics hold conference calls to discuss individual patients, and provide valuable feedback and support to each other.

This ensures that every patient receives the most comprehensive, cohesive and effective care possible.

With three different locations throughout Southern California, Dr. Rosenberg’s practice has staff, technology and resources that are unrivaled in most of the country. They are also only one of a handful of oncology centers with a private practice American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Accredited Oncology Residency Program, which attracts only the best and brightest veterinarians.

Stay tuned for another conversation with Dr. Rosenberg about the Metronomic Protocol for treating canine cancer, as well as her thoughts about immune boosting supplements after a cancer diagnosis is made.

Tripawds sincerely thanks Dr. Rosenberg and her staff at the Veterinary Cancer Group for allowing us to bring this important information to you.

Since 1992, the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California has been committed to taking the fear out of cancer and providing in-depth information and access to the latest treatments.

Catch the other two parts of our visit to the Veterinary Cancer Group:

Chemotherapy Session for Daisee Dog

Dr. Rosenberg’s Thoughts on Metronomics and Supplements

category: Cancer Awareness, Treatment

tags: amputation, bone cancer, California, canine, carboplatin protocol, dog, help, oncology, osteosarcoma, rear leg amputee, three-legged, Treatment, tripawd, tripod, vcg

Chemotherapy Session for Daisee Dog

Posted by jerry on Thursday, April 1st 2010

For most of us, the thought of putting our dog through cancer therapy is a scary proposition. If we don’t have previous experience with human or animal oncology, words like “radiation” and “chemotherapy” might conjure up images of day-glow dogs and a traumatic day-long visit at the vet’s office.

In November 2006, when Jerry was first diagnosed and the surgeon mentioned chemotherapy, this is exactly what we pictured. Later, we were reassured to learn that dogs usually suffer fewer side effects than humans and quickly bounce back. Still, we didn’t pursue IV chemotherapy for Jerry (he would later undergo the Metronomic Protocol, an at-home oral form of chemo).

As a result, we have never had firsthand experience with a veterinary chemotherapy session. But recently, we were lucky enough to meet the good people at the Veterinary Cancer Group in Southern California and a recent Tripawd named Daisee, who was about to have her first chemotherapy treatment. Daisee’s mom Michelle Fountain graciously allowed us to film their appointment, and the VCG staff allowed us to witness all of the steps involved in measuring and administering the carboplatin dose Daisee would receive.

According to Daisee’s Mom, as of April 2010, Daisee has handled her chemotherapy treatments well and other than a slight 24-hour fever, has not experienced any side effects. Although she can’t run as fast as her brothers, she is adapting well to life on three legs, and her family remains hopeful that she will be around a long time.

Just as we were relieved to discover that there was nothing to fear at Jerry’s first oncology appointment, nearly three years later we were comforted to see that a chemotherapy session is comfortable, painless and quick. The compassionate and highly skilled staff at VCG gave Daisee all sorts of love and treats, and the session was over before we knew it.

Many thanks to Daisee, her Mom Michelle and the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California for allowing us to bring this important information to you.

Since 1992, the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California has been committed to taking the fear out of cancer and providing in-depth information and access to the latest treatments.

They are the largest, most comprehensive and sophisticated veterinary oncology practice in the world, staffed by leading board-certified medical and radiation oncologists, oncology residents, technicians, assistants and client care specialists.

Learn more about the Veterinary Cancer Group of Southern California by visiting their website at vetcancergroup.com

Catch our other two video interviews with Veterinary Cancer Group’s founder, Dr. Mona Rosenberg, DVM DACVIM (Oncology):

Canine Bone Cancer Treatment News with Dr. Mona Rosenberg

Dr. Rosenberg’s Thoughts on Metronomics and Supplements

category: Treatment

tags: amputation, bone cancer, canine, carboplatin, dog, oncology, osteosarcoma, three-legged, Treatment, tripod, vcg, video

Does Amputation Speed Cancer Metastasis?

Posted by admin on Friday, March 19th 2010

Last November we had a live chat with board-certified veterinary oncologist Dr. Michael Lucroy. During the chat, a member asked him about a canine cancer study which concluded that removing the primary cancer site will actually make cancer metastasize faster.

The member wondered if we do amputate, aren’t we still in a no-win situation?

At the time, Dr. Lucroy didn’t have the study on hand, so we followed up with him recently and here’s what he said:

“I think your member is thinking about a study done several years ago (Pirie-Shepherd SR, Coffman KT, Resnick D, et al. The role of angiostatin in the spontaneous bone and prostate cancers of pet dogs. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2002 292(4):886-91.) as a collaboration between researchers in Boston and Purdue University.

The researchers were studying angiostatin, which is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels). Because cancer requires nutrition to grow, it must recruit the growth of new blood vessels in order to grow beyond a handful of cells. The researchers discovered that the urine of dogs with osteosarcoma contained angiostatin fragments. Once the primary tumor was completely removed (by amputation) the angiostatin fragments were no longer detectable.

The theory is the primary tumor keeps the metastases in check. Clinically, we observe that very few dogs have metastasis visible on chest x-rays at the time of diagnosis, but if we we examine lung tissue there are osteosarcoma cells detectable under the microscope. After amputation, if nothing else is done, these micrometastases start to develop quickly. The results of this study provide the biological mechanism to explain our clinical observations.

But it is important to note that although we cannot see them with chest x-rays, microscopically the metastatic event has already occurred. So removing the primary tumor does not cause the cancer to metastasize faster, but simply allows the metastatic sites already present to start to grow.

Occasionally we have dog owners who are aware of this research and suggest we simply leave the bone tumor in place. Ethically, however, we cannot do this if we want to relieve suffering. Bone cancer is very painful, and we cannot easily control chronic pain.Therefore we are obligated to either amputate the affected leg or treat the tumor with radiation therapy and pamidronate to relieve the pain.

We now know that by doing this, we are removing the source of angiostatin – which inhibit the growth of the micrometastases. So, enter chemotherapy to slow the growth of these metastatic sites.”

Many thanks to Dr. Lucroy for taking the time to answer this valid question.

category: Treatment

tags: amputation, bone cancer, Dogs, metastasis, micro-metastasis, oncology, tripawd, tripod

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Tripawds Blogs

Archives for Treatment

How to Choose a Veterinarian for Amputation Surgery

Bisphosphonates: When Amputation isn’t an Option

Tripawd Max Does Swimmingly Well, Even After Hip Replacements

Dr. Hady Demystifies MRIs and CT Scans

First Tripawds Required Reading List

Tripawds News Blog

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Tripawds Nutrition Blog

Tripawds Downloads Blog

Tripawds Amazon Selections Blog

The Tripawds Story

Coping With Loss

Fun Stuff

Massage and Rehab Therapy Tips for Tripawds, Part II

Dr. Rosenberg’s Thoughts on Metronomics and Supplements

Canine Bone Cancer Treatment News with Dr. Mona Rosenberg

Chemotherapy Session for Daisee Dog

Canine Bone Cancer Treatment News with Dr. Mona Rosenberg

Dr. Rosenberg’s Thoughts on Metronomics and Supplements

Does Amputation Speed Cancer Metastasis?

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Best Gear for Tripawds

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