Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Last friday our vet called me after looking at our 7 year old english bulldog, telling me he thinks Caesar, has a tumor. They took a sample to be tested to see what type and will find out later this week. He thinks its a soft tissue sarcoma and based on where it is – near the knee of his hind left leg, amputation may be the only treatment.
This news has been devastating for me and my wife. He is our pride and joy, and we are having a tough time coming to grips with what the outcomes may be.
If it is what our vet thinks and amputation is the only treatment, i think i would do it, but it just makes me so sad to think about it and to think about his life after. I should also mention he has luxating patellas. The leg that has the tumor was repaired 2 years ago. The leg that would be left has not been repaired and my fear is it will be too stressed to handle life after an amputation.
I am concerned that the remaining un repaired leg will become an issue.
Any thoughts on what the expectancy could be without amputation?
It totally depends on what tumor type you are talking about. Bullies can get osteosarcoma but are much more prone to mast cell tumors. Spindle cell tumors are also a possibility, and even though the only way to cure these is with amputation, many of them grow slow enough that it is reasonable to debulk the tumor surgically every year or so.
I would have your vet do a biopsy so you know what type of tumor you are dealing with. If the results say "undifferentiated soft tissue tumor" then special stains can be done to find the cell of origin.
Even if your dog does have OSA it is still possible that he could handle amputation even with a luxating patella in the "good" leg. Dogs also do better without a rear leg than a front leg so that is also a plus.
Pam
Great advice as always, thanks so much Doc!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Ryan;
I'm sorry that you have been given news that made you look up information about cancer in dogs. However, you have certainly come to the right place. This is a group of people who have been through anything and everything – and will support you through every step.
My dog, Sophie, a 12 year old golden retriever, was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma in April of 2009. It was on her front left leg under her armpit. At that time we were not in a position to consider amputation, radiation, chemo or anything else, and we decided to keep her comfortable and make her last days as good as they could be.
However, on February 25th, 2010, Sophie became a Tripawd. It was heartbreaking for me – it was an adjustment in balance for her. It took me a long time to adjust to her new form, her new gait, and all the attention that she attracted everywhere we went. It took her about 3 days to get her balance figured out, and about a week to start going up and down the stairs at our house (with help).
I blogged about Sophie's journey. There's a video there of her riding in her Chariot so that she could still go for long "walks" with her dog-walking group. My blog is called "Not Sophie's Choice" if you want to go and check it out.
In the end, we found multiple masses in Sophie's abdomen about a week ago – and we helped her to the Rainbow Bridge this past Thursday, July 22nd – as she was in tremendous pain. It was the first time she had shown ANY pain throughout this entire experience.
Her life after the amputation was different than before. It is a new "normal" that you become accustomed to quickly.
I hope that Ceasar's results come back with some GOOD news for all of you.
Tana (Angel Sophie's mom)
Sophie (1998 – 2010)
"Going Dog" def: living every day in the moment
"It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are."
–Unknown
thanks for the information. the vet has taken a biopsy and we should hear this week as to the results. the vet is a board certified orthopedic surgeon, who performed the luxating patella surgery 2 years ago. He has had successful amputations of bulldogs, so i think caesar is in good hands.
none of the three options (as i see now) are very comforting
- inoperable and we make him comfortable till the time comes
- operable and the unknown of life after a amputation
- further along than thought and are only left with one option
i am hoping for some sort of miracle and that he beats the odds and everything is ok, but reality says its unlikely.
thanks again for helping me through an tough time
Ryan said:
thanks again for helping me through a tough time
That's what we're all here for. Bookmark Jerry's Required Reading List for lots more canine cancer / amputation advice and recovery tips.
We're sorry to hear about Caesar's diagnosis, but glad you found us. Thanks for joining!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I have a question that i am hoping to get an opinion on...
About 2-3 month ago Caesar had a growth in his mouth right behind his canine tooth. The growth extended a little past the bottom of the canine tooth and was a little wider than the tooth. The growth and one tooth was removed and tested and found to be a non-cancerous growth (cant remember the technical name).
When we learned of the growth on his leg (about the size of a golf ball and located on the inside of his right hind leg at his knee level or a little lower), the vet used the same description of the mouth growth as did the surgeon used to describe the growth on his leg - boney, fiberous growth. The growth is "hard" but you are able to press it and it goes in a little.
Small part of me is hoping the one on his leg is the same type of non-cancerous growth as what was removed from his mouth - although I am not sure the treatment would be the same, or if they are even related.
I should also note that the reason we brought him in originally was he hit his leg on one of the wooden steps going into our home and 2 days later the bump appreared. Out vet treated it as an injury / contusion - antibiotics and ice/heat. That treatment would reduce the size of the growth, but not to the point it would go away. At that time our vet referred us to the orthopedic surgeon who did the luxating patella repair on Caesar about 2 years ago.
Any thoughts on this would be welcome.
Ryan
Ryan,
I'm not sure how much truth there is to what I'm about to say but I have read (my own dog is one of them) that the lameness arises after some sort of injury. Now, is it the cancer was brewing and the injury brought it out OR did the injury create the cancer/tumor? Not sure if I'm saying this right...but it's been a question of my own for quite some time.
My dog was jumping up at a ball..later in that day, she cried out (and she's NOT wimpy) when I tried to lift her rear legs to boost her up in the Jeep.
From that moment on, is when things headed downhill....
Just be SURE what you're dealing with before amputation is my opinion I guess! Cause there's no turning back obviously afterwards...
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
If the mass in the mouth was a fibromatous epulis then it is unlikely related to the leg since 99% of these are benign.
Pam
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