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Prognosis after successful amputation
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Member Since:
12 December 2015
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26 August 2017 - 11:31 pm
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Hi there,

Our Shiloh, a 10.5 year old Tibertan Spaniel, is now almost 2 years post amputation. She had osteosarcoma and the front left leg was removed. After surgery, we were told her margins were great,  it was successful and she was cancer free and would live a normal life.

Fast forward one year and nine months later, and I have found a lump the size of a dime on her back right leg. I have made a vet appointment of course, but then I was being silly and started Googling the expected life expectancy of dogs with osteosarcoma. I was surprised to see that most sites state not many dogs make it past the one-year mark. Is this true? Even with a successful amputation like Shiloh's? We were never told this by the vet so now I am worried and wondering, and looking for any sort of insight before our vet appointment on Monday.  Thank you in advance 🙂 



Member Since:
27 July 2014
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27 August 2017 - 9:50 am
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Good going Shiloh, just about two years as a tripawd is great! It's true that the statistics for osteosarcoma aren't great but those are just statistics, not all dogs are the same. Here's one who had surgery 9 years ago: https://source......nade-life/

The most important thing right now is that you are taking immediate action on finding a lump. Enjoy your day with Shiloh and let any worrying thoughts go. You'll find out more tomorrow. Please let us know and add a photo of Shiloh!

There will be others with similar experiences to yours who will chime in.

Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona (38 months post-amp, beating the stats but then she doesn't Google)

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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27 August 2017 - 11:30 am
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Hello and welcome to you and Shiloh!

Congratulations on almost 2 years post op!

One of the reasons that osteosarcoma generally has such a short prognosis is that most often by the time the cancer is diagnosed there are already micro-mets in the body.  I don't often hear the term 'clean margins' when talking about OSA, I guess because of the micro-mets. Usually as OSA progresses it goes to the lungs, but occasionally it will show up in the form of tumors in other parts of the body. I don't mean to scare you, but I haven't heard of a vet telling someone that OSA has been cured right after an amputation.

There are other types of bone cancers and I do think some of them have a high cure rate with amputation, maybe that's what Shiloh was diagnosed with?

That being said, I do know of several dogs who have far outlived the normal prognosis for OSA, and I mean by years.  My friend Cemil lost a front leg to OSA in January 2009 and is still hopping today!

Definitely get that lump checked out, and I would ask to see the original pathology report for the original tumor.

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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27 August 2017 - 11:46 am
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Oh I'm so glad others found your post. I approved it late last night and have been trying to get back all morning long to share my thoughts. Your future posts won't need to wait for approval so post away.

First, get the lump checked out. It could be anything at all, hopefully nothing serious and something easy like a fatty tumor. This is most often the case. Osteosarcoma rarely comes back that way. It can happen, but not often.

Regarding osteosarcoma's prognosis....yes you are correct, the prognosis is up to one year even with chemo. So if that is what Shiloh had, I'm super thrilled that she's been kicking butt for so long!

However, Karen is correct....using terms like "cured" and "clean margins" is not typical with osteosarcoma. Are you positive this cancer is what the lab report indicated? Just wondering if maybe it was another type of sarcoma.

Try not to panic. Shiloh sounds like a strong doggie so hopefully a fine needle aspirate will indicate this is not a serious issue.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
6 August 2017
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27 August 2017 - 10:47 pm
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I am so happy that I found this post.  Fingers crossed that all goes well tomorrow.

I do not have much to add regarding prognosis, as Wendel only had his amputation 3 weeks ago.  He was diagnosed with OSA last week, as the biopsy was done following the amputation.  The pathology report also states that the margins of the provided sample were good.  Staging was recommended and we are now waiting to hear back from the oncologist tomorrow.  So it is definitely possible to be diagnosed with OSA and have good margins...that being said our vet is considering having another pathologist look at the slides, as he has not seen a case like this result in the diagnosis of OSA. 

Member Since:
6 August 2017
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27 August 2017 - 11:00 pm
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Here is the part of the pathology report that discusses the margins. 

IMG_3351.jpgImage Enlarger

On The Road


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28 August 2017 - 10:27 am
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wendel17 said
Here is the part of the pathology report that discusses the margins. 
  

Ahhh! Thank you for sharing that. That's why pathologists do what they do. I had no idea they would use "good margins" in reference to osteosarcoma. But it makes sense, since our Jerry's OSA tumor was on his scapula, and before his surgery, the oncos feared that it had spread onto his torso (it didn't). My assumption was always that as long as that leg is gone, good margins are a given. Although I don't have a copy of Jerry's report, but I'm guessing it may have used the same terminology.

Maybe one of these days we need a pathologist on Tripawd Talk Radio .

Thanks for sharing!

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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28 August 2017 - 12:26 pm
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Now that I think about it these are probably discussions that Shiloh's and Wendel's packs need to have with their oncologists.

But please let us know what you find out!

I know clean margins are very important to obtain when removing soft tissue type tumors like mast cell cancer.  When clean margins are not achieved there is a high likelihood of tumor recurrence in the same location. I don't know if that is true in osteosarcoma. 

As hard as it is to hear the stats say that 90% of dogs with osteosarcoma have metastasis at the time of surgery so I wonder what clean margins means as far as staging the cancer.

We don't listen to stats around here for the most part, every dog is different, and we have seen many pups beat the stats.  My pug Maggie was given 6 to 9 months after her amputation due to mast cell cancer, she lived almost 4 years. 

But I have never heard of a vet telling someone that their dog was cancer free after an amputation for osteosarcoma.

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Member Since:
6 August 2017
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28 August 2017 - 2:20 pm
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I hope Shiloh received some good news today!

I know we have to have a lymph node resection, abdominal ultrasound and chest x-rays for staging.  

This is such a confusing and frustrating disease. 

Livermore, CA




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18 October 2009
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28 August 2017 - 2:40 pm
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This is such a confusing and frustrating disease.

We can all agree on that for sure! 

I don't mean to be a downer on the stats and such, but I think it is important for people to have all the information available to make the best decision possible.

I hope Shiloh got the best possible news today too!

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

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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29 August 2017 - 9:36 am
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Just catching up on everything!  Well Shiloh, you certainly initiated some  some interesting conversations!!

And ya' know, as far as being free of that piece of crap disease, heck yeah!!!   Maybe from the perspective of your Vet, since  Shiloh had no other indication that the disease spread anywhere else in all the preliminary tests, then that may be why he said what he did!  Based on all the preliminary work up, Shiloh was not showing any signs of the disease anywhere else.

Shiloh has already show she's beaten all the odds that you saw in Dr Google, so there is every reason to thinknshe will continue to do so!! 🙂   SHILOH IS NOT A STATISTIC!!   She does NOT have a timeframe stamped anywhere in her butt!!

Update us when you can, okay!  

Lots of hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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29 August 2017 - 9:44 am
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http://tripawds.....s/#p197154

BE SURE AND CHECK THIS OUT!!!! 🙂      

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!

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