Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My 9-year-old Labradoodle, Spirit, was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma on his front left leg.
In December 2013, Spirit received surgery on his left hind leg for a CCL tear. In May, of this year, Spirit was diagnosed with erilichia (a tick disease). In June, he seemed to be having difficulty walking in his left rear so we took him to the orthopedic surgeon to see if he had injured his CCL again. As we had been inconsistent with the antibiotics, he had us give them for one full month. In late July, I noticed a slight and intermittent limp. But, I wasn't quite sure where it was (front or rear). As we were in the process of relocating from Virginia to Louisiana, I was unable to take him to the vet until we settled into our new home. That was August 12th. Although she originally believed it to be arthritis related, when I asked her about the limp in his front left leg she did x-rays. Those x-rays showed that he had either bone cancer or a fungal infection. We opted for a biopsy and cytology on August 14th. Both the biopsy (last week) and cytology (this week) came back as inconclusive. And yet, the vet still suspected bone cancer. So, she had another vet, a radiologist, and an oncologist also look at his x-rays and they agreed it was bone cancer. Earlier this week (August 25), she sent us to LSU to meet with the oncologist. His evaluation states, "A mass was palpated over the left proximal humerus, but Spirit was not extremely painful over the site. He did not exhibit lameness on brief orthopedic exam." The oncologist explained that the intermittent limp is due to the location of the tumor. And yet, Spirit seems fairly normal. So, today I called the initial vet and asked, "how confident are you of the diagnosis?" She replied, "I am 99% confident." That being said, I made the appointment for the surgery at LSU.
But, I cannot seem to get it out of my head that they might be wrong. He seems almost completely normal. I say, "almost," because he does limp occasionally. But, he has not limped since earlier this week. Then again, he was put on "couch potato" status, so he hasn't done much exercise. However, he does maintain a desire to play ball and play with his Siberian Husky brother. I've allowed it occasionally and when he plays he plays without limping.
On the other hand, I suddenly lost my last Siberian Husky to cancer 9 years ago and I never knew what hit me. Yeah, she had slowed down on her walks, but nothing else. Then, one day she stumbled coming down the stairs. The vet diagnosed her with "old dog vestibular disease" and said she should recover in a few days. She died that night sleeping alongside me. I had a necropsy done and was told her lungs were covered with nodules ... cancer.
So, here I am 9 years later with the "mixed-breed" dog I got so that I might never go through that again (the Husky I have now was *supposed* to be a foster, but he's been with me 5 years and it's clear he's staying). And, it's like a bad replay. Except that, this time I can do something about it. And yet, I hesitate. I continue to doubt the diagnosis. Is this normal? Is there something I should be doing that I'm not. I'm willing to amputate, but what if they're wrong and thereby what if I'm wrong. I'm so torn. My head aches, my stomach is nauseous, and I am having nightmares.
Please help ...
Welcome to Tripawds, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.
Did any of the vets tell you what the bone looks like? It seems that often OSA is pretty conclusive on x-rays, which is probably why the vets are saying they are 99% sure although the biopsy was inconclusive. If there is significant damage to the bone would the leg have to come off no matter what the cause?
Is Spirit on any pain meds or an anti inflammatory?
You know dogs are really good at hiding their pain, how did he act after the biopsy? Bone biopsies are supposed to be very painful. I dealt with mast cell cancer in my pug Maggie. She was not in much or any pain, the mast cell was more of a soft tissue type tumor. But there was no path forward for us but amputation. It was really hard to make the decision though when she was not limping at all, ever.
It is not unusual for you to question your decision- this is a big deal! What would happen if you postponed surgery for a week? Do you think that much time would help you come to a decision and feel better about it? You do still have the weekend, and you have found a wonderful resource here of people who have been where you are now. Hopefully our members' experiences will help you come to a decision.
Karen and The Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
You are not alone, okay?? We are right here by your side! DEEP BREATHS.....B R E A T H E......B R E A T H E......
We certainly understand the self doubting and second guessing and letting this scenario of what to do drive us whacko!
So sorry you find yourself in this nightmare of a predicament. And I also want to extend my condolences to you on the loss of your beloved Husky. The shock must have been unbelievably devastating p, but the fact that she crossed over without any real suffering and was at home by the human she loved had ro bring comfort.
Okay, grab some chocolate a d let's see if we can help sort this out together, okay?
Karen made a good point about delaying it a few days IF you feel that delay would make you feel more confident in your decision. Besides, they'll want to do xrays of the lungs anyway. The next question, if you opt for a delay...what would it take for you to feel more confident that this is the right course? Is there ANYTHING that could be done at this point...perhaps another opinion to look at the xrays? I know the vet has shown the xrays to a couple of people, but one more opinion...with you in the room as they are evaluating the xrays may be helpful. Having a specialist explain to you what they are seeing...and pointing everything out to you, could help you feel more confident.
As far as my journey with Happy Hannah, she had no biopsy...only xrays and the opinion of the surgeon and radiologist. Her limp was getting noticeably worse pretty fast. I was insane with indecision and fear. I went ahead and scheduled the surgery...only to cancel the first appointment! I rescheduled the following week.
My Hap p y Hannah limped off and on at first too. Initially the vet treated it as a sprain and she seemed to get better. If I recall, when it came back I think he treated it as a bit of arthritis. Then the limp came back and got bad fairly wuickly.
Take some DEEP BREATHS.....B R E A T H E....do not hesitate to talk to the specialists again...or another one...if that's what it takes to help you move forward. And, again, have them go over the xrays with you in person and explain what it is they are seeing.
Spirit is ADORABLE in his avatar picture! Cannot wait to see more pics.
Sending you best wishes for clarity and peace..
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Hi Karen,
Thank you for taking the time to reply.
In response to your questions, the vet didn't tell me what it looked like. She showed me. She verbally described it as a "starburst" and I believe that is an apt description. While I could be wrong, I didn't get the impression that there was significant damage to the bone. Rather, the bone is growing (but not breaking down as it typically should do). Also, I was told that I had caught this early. Because of this, I feel like I have been blessed with an opportunity to slow down the progression and fear my hesitation may harm Spirit in the long run.
With regards to pain meds ... while I have them, I have not given them since the day after the biopsy. He doesn't seem to be exhibiting any pain, although the vet has repeatedly told me this is because of the location of the tumor and Spirit's "stoic" temperament. But, Spirit did exhibit a fair amount of pain following the biopsy. Compared to his CCL surgery, his biopsy was significantly more painful.
Finally, if I postponed for a week (which I could), I'm afraid I'd be playing Russian Roulette with his life. Meanwhile, I'm not sure if it would give me a sense of peace. However, it does provide some semblance to comfort to hear that Maggie had little to no pain. Thank you for sharing!
Katrina
P.S. My teenage son *loves* Pugs!
Hi Katrina and Spirit....I had a very similar situation last summer. Would you like to call me and we could talk about it? It would be an awfully lot to type, but I will if that's what you prefer. Get back to me on this, maybe I can be of some help.
paula and nitro
Nitro 11 1/2 yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms. Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"
"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior
Hello Katrina (And Spirit),
Our Charlie is a recent addition to the tripawd family (Just under 24 hours at the time of this writing). Charlie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma 2 weeks ago because of a limp. A limp that only appeared after a rough play session with a dog, and quickly disappeared on its own. Luckily our vet was very thorough and did X-rays on our pup, and that's how we found the cancer. Since a day after his diagnosis Charlie hadn't limped or shown any signs of pain or discomfort. It made it really hard for us to 'believe' that this is true. My wife and I know the difficulty of this decision when your dog appears fine. You have to know that no matter what decision you make, its going to be the write decision for you and Spirit. There are way to many variables outside the realm of earthly control with these scenarios, and everyone here will support you no matter what.
Yesterday when we went in for Charlies surgery, the surgeon told us something that really put us at ease. Regardless of weather or not its cancer, the X-ray shows a weakening bone. Amputation is the best procedure for any of the possible causes of what we were seeing on the X-ray.
Hang in there and reachout to the forums as much as you can. These members here all know what its like to go through this, and that alone can make you feel so much better. Good luck to you and Spirit, he looks like an amazing pup!
Hi Sally,
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
I'm not sure if a delay would help alleviate any of my concerns. Likewise, I'm afraid that my delay gives the cancer an opportunity to spread (his lungs were x-rayed during the biopsy and they came up clear, though I know that they cannot see everything and the chance that it's already there is a good possibility). So, this is where Meg's loss plays prominently in my though process. I never knew I needed to help her. But, this time I have a chance and I do not want to waste the opportunity I've been given.
So, all in all, I am feeling more resolute today than yesterday. Nevertheless, I do continue to have moments of doubt. But, they seem fleeting.
Finally, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you sharing Hannah's story. For some reason I feel as if I read it on the boards previously. Then again, I have *read* a lot more than I have written. Perhaps at some point my story might be able to help others as yours has helped me.
As for those pictures ... I'll see what I can get up later today. But first, I'd like to reply to all who commented to my post. Yesterday was such a draining day. So, I'm playing catch up today.
Katrina and Spirit
Hi Katrina and the adorable Spirit! Just checking in on our new family members. We're here...not going anywhere!
Sending love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
LS..That was very kind ofnyou to acknowledge Happy Hannah. To know she is still javing a positive impact is very heartwarming. Thank you.
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Our boy had his amputation 10 days ago
He was not really looking as if anything was wrong apart from limping and not really weight bearing in the last couple of,weeks before the op and even then you wouldn't had said pain, now he has lost the leg he is very very happy so we can only conclude that his pain was extraordinary
With regard to the biopsy results, ours were inconclusive and we are still waiting for something from the labs to tell us what we are dealing with
The only thing we know for sure is that the bone was very damaged and could have broken at anytime, this way he is out of pain and we didn't have to deal with an emergency, which would have been a nightmare
It is a huge decision to have to make, particularly if you aren't getting a definitive answer BUT if the X Rays are showing a damaged bone then really your choices are limited for your boy
Welcome and howdy!!
Just wanted to jump in here with the rest to tell you that you're doing wonderful by Spirit. You're crossing all your "t's" and dotting all your "i's". Whatever decision you make will be the right one.
And remember, cancer is nothing but a bio-terrorist. All it wants to do is make you miserable and scared. It will run you through the gambit of emotions. It will try to give you false hope, only to let you down just when you start to lower your guard. It's vicious. What you can do is show cancer that it's not going to steal your hopes and dreams for Spirit. Use a shield of hate to deflect its brutality. Kill cancer with the love you have for Spirit.
xoxo
pam
Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.
"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."
- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey
This sounds very much like what we've been going through. Following initial x-rays (nearly 8 weeks ago now), Levi had a biopsy that came back as normal bone, abdominal ultrasound and chest x-rays that were clean. Yet, based on the x-rays, many doctors (our main vet, an internist, a radiologist, the histopathologist, and a veterinarian friend of mine from college) say that the bone lesion is very suspicious and should be removed.
Levi definitely seems like himself, and he's never limped like he did that first day that he fell, which prompted his trip to the vet.
After all that testing and not having an answer, we are having his (left rear) leg amputated a week from tomorrow. We would have done it sooner, but schedules didn't work out this week, then the holiday, etc...
Now, like you, I fear that we may have waited too long. I hope that we didn't, and that his chest x-rays remain clean. We didn't want to do this "to" him without a definitive answer, and here we are two months later with no definitive answer and still in the amputation boat. It's been very rough, and we can absolutely sympathize with what you are going through.
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.
Levi was diagnosed w/likely osteosarcoma at 7.5 years old in 7/2015 and became a Tripawd on 9/11/15. Loved life until he broke one of his front legs on 2/12/17. As x-rays showed clean bone, we decided to repair the leg. He recovered well, but in June of 2017, started to limp on the same leg. X-Rays showed return of OSA in the front leg. Levi crossed the rainbow bridge on 7/20/17, after over 22 months as a happy Tripawd.
Hello to all. OSA diagnosis is not that easy. All the stories in this thread remind me a lot of what I went through with Johnnie. The bone biopsy didn't confirm the x-ray diagnosis, but the vet insisted and we pursued a CT-Scan with aspirate that showed cells "compatible with" osteosarcoma but didn't rule out chondrosarcoma. We could have gone ahead with the amputation several months before. Fortunately we were blessed with a good condition for chemo and all is going well. We celebrated Johnnie's 16 month ampuversary Sept 20th.
Daniela & Johnnie
Our awesome Golden Boy was diagnosed for OSA in April 2014 in the proximal humerus, front-leg amp on 05/20/2014. Finished chemo (Carbo6) on 07/10/2014. Ongoing treatment: acupuncture + K-9 Immunity Plus ( 3chews) and home-cooked no-grain diet. Stopped Apocaps because of liver issues. Liver issues: controlling altered enzymes with SAM-e and Milk Thistle. October 17: started having seizures. Taking fenobarbital for seizures. April 18: started prednisone.
Katrina and Spirit,
So sorry you are going through this. My 5 yr old dog started limping one day and after waiting a short time I took her in for an xray. The vet also said it was either a fungal infection or OSA. She did show me the xrays but I do have the advantage of being an xray tech and what I saw was a moth eaten bone. I did make an appointment for a biopsy but honestly after reading on here all the false negative results on biopsies I decided to just go straight ahead with the amp. I really trust my vet and later I asked her if she thought all along it was OSA and she did but she wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt and not shock me. But like Jackdog said that bone could break at anytime and I hated the thought of that so I quickly changed the biopsy appt for amp surgery. The reality is hard to face but if you trust your vet you have to go forward with no looking back. Good luck, it's not an easy journey. Spirit is adorable.
Penny and her Gang
Hi Katrina and Spirit,
Sorry to hear that you are going through this, I feel like I know exactly where you are coming from. Last September I lost Meeka to lung cancer, like you I hadn't seen any signs of it except for an occasional cough that was treated as kennel cough at first. After two weeks of treatment had no effect she was x-rayed and her lungs found to be full of tumours that were bleeding into her lungs - she never came home 
Fast forward to 31 July and her brother Storm was diagnosed with OSA (after 2 sets of x-rays that were clear, I just had a niggling thought and kept pushing for another set) in his front right leg, lung x-rays at this time were clear. We too felt like we had been given a chance to help this time although my husband was adverse to amputation at first but it was the only option if we were to give him a chance. His amputation was on 6 August 2015 and he has coped extremely well, his third chemo session is 1 October with the dreaded chest x-ray on 23 October before his fourth treatment.
He loves life and although I worry about every little thing, panting, his other legs, the occasional huff, he is enjoying every day. He still loves his walks and chases his ball. It's a difficult decision and one that only you can make but there is loads of support on here to help you through this difficult time.
My sincerest apologies for the delay in responding. September proved to be a challenging month.
On 8/31, we met with the surgical team and opted for additional x-rays. I received the reassurance I needed and opted to go ahead with the surgery. On 9/1 Spirit's leg was amputated. All went well. He would remain in the hospital for two days recovering. However, the evening of Spirit's surgery my life began to unravel. My 16-year-old diabetic cat, Charity, lost the use of his legs. Three days, two vet appointments, and one steroid shot later I was forced to put Charity to sleep. Not only could he no longer walk, but his skin had also begun to die, leaving his spine exposed. Meanwhile, my fall terms classes had begun, my husband was out of town for the month, and my household goods had arrived (right before Spirit's diagnosis we had relocated from VA to LA).
Altogether, it was too much for me to bear. I remained an emotional mess.
But, with a new month comes a new start. Yesterday, Spirit celebrated his one month ampuversary. And while I am still awaiting the results of his biopsy so that we can begin chemo, I have finally begun to accept our new life. Although we've had a few bumps here and there, overall, he is doing quite well. While I continue to worry about the little things––change in behavior, groans when he lays down, and eating habits––he hasn't a care in the world. He just wants to be with me and with others. So, I shouldn't have been so surprised when he resumed his full pre-amp walk yesterday. Like a bolt of lightning he goes ... and goes ... and goes. His recovery simply amazes me!
If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't hesitate one bit. But, I couldn't have done it without the support of the people on this board and website. While I may not have engaged, I did continue to read the comments here and elsewhere. So, to each one of you who took the time to comment on this thread, I thank you. It really did help! But, I would also like to give a special thanks to Paula (Dobemom) who provided some much needed telephone and text support. You have no idea how many times your story echoed throughout my mind. Without your words ringing in my mind, I imagine I'd still be contemplating what to do. Thank you so very much for sharing your story and giving of your time. It matters!
Katrina & Spirit
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