Max's Experience:

Amputation Costs

• What city/state/country did your Tripawd have the amputation?    Fountain Valley/CA/USA
• Total cost of surgery?    $1,400 (this is surgery only, not counting his boarding or medicines)
• Date of Surgery:  November 23, 2008
• Private practice or teaching hospital?   VCA All Care Animal Referral Center

Chemotherapy Costs

• What size is your dog?   65 lbs
• Type of chemo given?   carboplatin/then metronomic protocol
• # of sessions?    6 carbo/6 months metronomics
• Total cost of treatments?  $6,000 (carbo; 6 sessions at $1000 per session)/sorry, didn't keep the receipts from metronomics pills
• Date of treatments:  carbo 12/6/08 – 3/21/09/metronomics 4/25/09 – 11/2/09
• Private practice or teaching hospital?   VCA All Care Animal Referral Center

I want to add that Max's chemo was so expensive because carboplatin has a very small percentage for side effects; at least that's the reason the hospital gave us for its higher cost than other chemo agents.  Also, most of Max's metronomics pills were not too expensive, just the actual chemo pill. 

Diane

Amputation Costs

• What city/state/country/date did your Tripawd have the amputation? Cadillac, MI, USA, 8/14/09
• Total cost of surgery? $840.00 (surgery and meds)
• Private practice or teaching hospital? Private practice – Meyer Veterinary Clinic

Chemotherapy Costs - N/A

Michelle

Amputation Costs

• What city/state/country/date did your Tripawd have the amputation? Davis, CA
• Total cost of surgery? $1800
• Private practice or teaching hospital? UCDavis Teaching Hospital

Chemotherapy Costs

• What size is your dog? 40-44 pounds
• Type of chemo given? Gemzar Study-inhalation chemo
• # of sessions? 2 times a week for 5.5 months……
• Total cost of treatments? $0. did not pay for labwork. Only paid for Xrays every other month.
• Private practice or teaching hospital? UCDavis Teaching Hospital

For Stas. October/November 2009 Very happy with total treatment. Highly recommend.

Amputation Costs

* What city/state/country/date did your Tripawd have the amputation? Milwaukee, WI
* Total cost of surgery?

1. Needle biopsy at regular vet: $300.00
2. Consult with Doggie Oncologist: $100.00
3. Biopsy of tumor and needle biopsies on 2 fatty tumors: $800.00
4. Amputation of right front leg from shoulder: $2500. No additional costs on follow ups or meds

* Private practice or teaching hospital? Private Practice. The Animal Emergency and Oncology Center

Chemotherapy Costs N/A

* What size is your dog? 65 Pounds
* Type of chemo given?
* # of sessions?
* Total cost of treatments?
* Private practice or teaching hospital?

Amputation Costs

• What city/state/country/date did your Tripawd have the amputation?  Canton, MI, US
• Total cost of surgery? Approx $2500
• Private practice or teaching hospital?  Private practice, Animal Cancer Center in Canton, MI, Dr. Joyce Obradovich was the oncologist and Dr. Richard Walshaw was the surgeon…. highly recommended!

Chemotherapy Costs

• What size is your dog? 128 at time of surgery, 148 now! (Great Dane)
• Type of chemo given? Carboplatin and metronomic chemotherapy
• # of sessions? 4 rounds of carboplatin then daily piroxicam after (cytoxan for a month but had some problems with it)
• Total cost of treatments? Approx $2500
• Private practice or teaching hospital? Private practice

Dad said that you just wanted to demonstrate that he was a little soft in the head, but we do have details. After the initial diagnosis by my local vet, Dr. Rensink of Del Valle Pet Hospital, dad interacted with a single facility which coordinated all activities of Veterinary Medical Specialists, Veterinary Surgical Associates, and Tri-Valley Animal Emergency Center. My oncologist, Dr Rankin of VMS, was dad's single point of contact and I have added the expenses of initial diagnosis and consultation.  As you can see these costs were not trivial but reflect the complete testing and diagnosis that was done, which allowed for quick diagnosis. Note: from first visit at my local vet to the surgery was only five days which included a weekend.

Initial Diagnosis & Consultation

•  What city/state/country/date did your Tripawd have this initial diagnosis & pre-treatment consulation/tests? – Livermore, CA & Dublin, CA – November 14, 2008 & November 17, 2008
• Total cost? – $1400.00
• Private practice or teaching hospital? – Private practice

Amputation Costs

• What city/state/country/date did your Tripawd have the amputation? – Dublin, California – November 19, 2008
• Total cost of surgery? – $3600.00
• Private practice or teaching hospital? – Private Practice

Chemotherapy Costs

• What size is your dog? – 43lb post amputation
• Type of chemo given? -  Carboplatin
• # of sessions? – 4 starting just hours after surgery then every three weeks
• Total cost of treatments? $6000.00 (approx $1500.00 each)
• Private practice or teaching hospital? – Private Practice

Just hope that this does not scare anyone considering options from a diagnosis of Osteosarcoma for a more senior dog. I may have turned eleven the day before surgery, and did have some slight difficulties with the chemotherapy, I had a wonderful life afterward. Thanks to all my TriPawd friends who help dad during this time.

Spirit Cherry