Wow!  That is wonderful news!  I'm so happy for you, your family and beautiful Miss Bacca!  Fingers crossed nothing fungal shows up and she is cured!  Big smile here!

hugs,

Linda, Riley & Spirits Mighty Max & Ollie

Hi J!

I wanted to share my similar experience. My 8 yr old female Dobe, Kali, had a left REAR amp 10 days ago. We are still awaiting pathology, but Kali's history has similarities to your adorable Bacca's.

We live on a ranch in Central Texas. 14 months ago, Kali was intermittently lame on her right FRONT leg, which quickly started thickening and swelling. The radiographs were ominous with a large area of lytic bone in the radius bone. I was told 95% of the time this presentation is osteosarcoma.

Bone biopsy was sent in and came back as "normal bone", no cancer & no growth on bacterial or fungal cultures. Well the bone was obviously NOT normal, so another biopsy was taken with the same results from the lab. Next we did a CT scan and used stereotaxonomy to guide the bone biopsy samples.

EUREKA! This time the lab actually SAW the pathogen which they identified as a Dematiaceous Fungus causing Phaeohyphomycosis of the bone. These organisms are everywhere, but most don't get infections from them. We were advised that the recommended  treatment was amputation to rid the body of the fungal nidus (nest). However, The radiographs showed that the organism was also affecting her lungs. We decided the fungus was already disseminated, so why not at least try to save the leg - I'm so glad we did!

She was placed on 300mg of an anti fungal called Itraconazole (Sporonax) while we heard our breath and prayed she didn't break her leg at the lesion. We were warned there would be no coming back from a fracture at the lesion site and it would mean an amputation. Kali tolerated the Itraconazole very poorly, becoming anorexic and lethargic. After 6 weeks, we switched to Fluconazole in the hopes that she would tolerate it better, but no luck. We took several breaks from treatment so she could regain her strength and appetite. 

Her blood chemistry was monitored to make sure her liver enzymes were not elevating. During this time, she started drinking insane amounts of water, getting up more than 15 times at night to drink. At about 3 months after treatment initiation, we came home and found her in what I call a "standing coma". Unresponsive, motionless, but somehow still on her feet. We raced her to the after hours Vet clinic. Liver enzymes mildly elevated, but no other significant findings. She was given sub-q fluids, pain meds and sent home. 

We decided that we could not continue treatment, and luckily new radiographs showed that her lungs were clear and the radius bone was healing. She had laid down 1-2mm of new bone in the lytic area. SUCCESS!! We were told to be careful, but the fracture risk was over. 

Exactly one month ago today, Kali ran ahead of me down a hallway, rounded the corner into the dining room out of my sight, and began screaming like I have never heard her before. I ran to her and hugged her around her middle looking for the problem and noticed she was holding up her left rear leg. Mind you, she was never once lame on that back leg. Radiographs the next day showed she had another lytic bone lesion in her left tibia with a stable, hairline fracture running thru it.

Again, we were told that amputation was the recommended treatment. We decided to start Itraconazole again and somehow keep her alive on it. We splinted the leg - which was a nightmare because of the skin ulcers caused by the wrapping and splint. But we were devoted and cleaned and doctored all her boo-boos and re-wrapped the leg every 2-3 days, each time customizing the splint to be more tolerable. We contacted OrthoVet the the University of Colorado and sent her radiographs and CT scans to see if a custom splint could be designed - they said they could not.

After 3 weeks when the new round of Itraconazole failed to show any effect, the tibia lesion was bigger and the fracture unchanged, we realized the battle was lost. We asked OrthoVet if they could design a prosthetic for use post amp - unfortunately they said Kali didn't have enough good bone left to support a prosthetic.

So 10 days ago she had her left rear leg amputated. Her lungs are still clear and her blood work is fine. We discontinued the Itraconazole so she could have a chance at proper nutrition during her amp recovery. Although she's not eating great, I can always seem to get her to eat Science Diet a/d Urgent care, hand fed from the can.

I will keep you posted as soon as we get the pathology report - a cancer diagnosis is still a possibility, as well as another kind of opportunistic fungus. These fungal diseases are extremely challenging to properly identify and treat. Kali's Vets have consulted with many different experts and Vet schools in the past months. Their opinion is that Kali just naturally has a decreased immunity. 

All the best to you and your precious pup!

michtx