Very new to this community. It's incredibly heartening to know it exists.

My girl is a 8Y coonhound mix who had a low grade mast cell tumor removed from her hind paw. Margins achieved were poor, however her aspirates to her liver, spleen, and lungs showed no metastasis. Local lymph node was also found to be "clean." 

Her incision site is having a horrible time healing. Wound dehiscence and strikethrough bleeding. She's about 2.5 weeks post-op and still needing regular bandage changes (2x/week). Her oncologist recommended radiation to the right hind leg. However, this couldn't begin for at least 4 weeks (and a punch graft procedure) to allow her wound to begin to really heal. 

Because her wound is taking so much time to heal, I'm very concerned that the cancerous tissue surrounding the incision site will allow the tumor to re-grow (is this possible, or am I making this up? - there's been a steep learning curve for me lately). Also concerned with just the amount of time it's taking. All I think is with every passing second, there is a chance the cancer is spreading. So, waiting over a month to even begin radiation is not great. The other option is amputation. When my mom had breast cancer, she scheduled her surgery to have her breast lopped off the next week. No second guessing. And I'm so glad for it because it's given her 20 years cancer free. I'm so grateful she didn't hesitate because her life has been a huge, unbeatable gift. Definitely worth losing a breast over. This is my thinking with my dog. I shouldn't wait, right?

Initially, I was fully on board with hind leg amputation. I have the surgery scheduled in a couple of days. But, now, I am wondering if I am taking too drastic of an action. What if I find a new tumor on her other hind leg in a few months? I won't have the option to amputate like I do here (or the option is at least not so simple). What if radiation is all she would really need? The oncologist said radiation eliminates all of the cancer in its target (in my girl's case, her hind leg) in 95% of patients. She estimated radiation would be $6k - $8k while amputation is estimated at $5k.

My dog is active and slim. I know she will adjust to becoming a three-legged gal. I know I can easily "what if" myself to death here. But, am I making the right decision? Hopefully all of these concerns haven't already been addressed. Still making my way through the forum! Any words of advice or calm would be so appreciated.

In short: 

PROs of amputation: Can begin healing immediately. Erases 100% of cancer in leg (because the leg is gone!). ~3k cheaper than radiation. Doesn't put my dog through the continued pain of this slow, slow wound healing process and the multiple sedations needed for grafting and radiation.

CONs: Complicates potential future cancer findings. Recovery needed for losing a leg