Hi sorry to hear about Skippy's situation. You are dealing with two big blows. Cancer in and of itself can be a hard road for owner and dog, and the question of amputation. My two cents is, see the best oncologist you can find. Specifically, a canine oncologist. No matter how much you love your regular vet or the neighbor loves their canine dermatologist or orthopedist or whatever, you need to address the fact that this is cancer. Amputation may not be the answer. I had one dog who had a very aggressive cancer, amputation was suggested to buy time, but when I pressed for more information I learned that we'd only be buying about 4-6 weeks of poor quality life and major surgery. I declined and loved the dog til the end, without suffering. But that's just one example. The answer might be amputation for you and Skippy. I have a 1 year old Jack Russell corgi mix. He lost his back leg at 8 weeks old and he did great because he was so young. But as he has grown into his long body and short legs, there is more pressure and I do worry about the lifelong effects and orthopedic problems. So I do the best I can. He swims (the best therapy), he has a Ruffwear harness that has a handle on top so I can help him up, and he went through extensive physical rehab to learn to balance his own body (much like a human would do on a balance board or ball to strengthen their core). It's clear that you love Skippy and there is no right or wrong answer, only the one that works for you.