Hello:

My dog Max is 2 weeks post-op left front leg amp and doing great.  However, just received call from vet that grade tumor was marginally higher than thought and now recommending chemo post-op. 

Is there anyone out there whose dog had fibrosarcoma, amputation, and then chemo?  Trying to get all my ducks in a row before I meet oncologist.  Somewhat confused as information that I have read on-line suggests that the amputation alone (from veterinary sites) is suffice for this type of tumor as there is no question of margins and slow to metastasize. 

Currently have Max on artemisinin alternating with Apocaps, medicinal mushrooms, IP6, and turmeric. 

In no way do I want to transport Max back and forth to vet and cause more stress.   I'm looking at small study done where they used metronomic oral chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcomas. I believe it was through Colorado State.

Any information/experience will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

Lisa and…

Max 7 y/o Norwegian Elkhound 2 wks. post-op amp with fibrosarcoma

My Spencer had a grade 3 fibrosarcoma.  We did amputation and then 15 weeks of chemo.  At first the plan was to do 12 weeks, 4 three week cycles, with week 1 being adriamyacin and cytoxan, then weeks 2 and 3 vincrisitine, then start over.  We were doing 12 weeks because adria has been linked to cardio myopathy and dobermans are more likely to have cardio myopathy.  So that was the point when the scales would shift to the risks not being worth it.  But, at week 3, Spencer had some weakness episodes, we had a full cardio workup done and discovered that his heart wasn't functioning as well as it should be, so we took him off of the adria.  In its place we swapped to mytoxin (also dropped the cytoxan).  We also bumped him back to 15 weeks, so 5 three week cycles.  Vincristine stayed the same.

Spencer has done GREAT so far.  I worried that he would not feel well; but really, he seems to be just fine.  He has been sick to his stomach a few times; but not even once per week.  He does sleep more the day of a treatment (all are IV); but by the next day he is at full energy again.

Tomorrow is treatment number 15.  So I don't know yet if the cancer is gone.  But what I do know is that the estimate for how long he had before needing to be put to sleep if we did nothing (no amputation or chemo) was 2-4 weeks.  The estimate for amputation only before a tumor would pop up was 3 months.  We are now at the 3 month mark and so far no tumors!  I'm hoping in 8 weeks we will go in and he will still be tumor free!