Oh my.  What a terrible, terrible thing to happen.  So young.  It's the young ones that especially break my heart.

First off, you are not terrible for not considering amputation.  Your circumstances are much different than most of ours.   And second, you set out to give this little one a great home and were prepared to love it and care for it long term.  That makes you a great person - no matter what.  Your heart was in the right place but your new baby has a terminal illness that has progressed.  And considering the insurance won't cover it - well, it really sucks!

I can only relate my story from a long time ago which applies a little.  When I rescued a deformed 3-legged dog, I immediately took her to the vet and had her xrayed from head to toe because she looked so deformed.  Deformed leg and shoulder blade, crooked hips, too many toes and a severe underbite. I was prepared to let her go or get her fixed - whatever the vet told me to do.  She was fine physically but the vet suggested getting the deformed leg off (and the extra toes).  So, I was hopeful and scheduled the amp.  But then she got sick with kennel cough and it progressed to pneumonia with a collapsed lung.  I kept going back to the vet and each time I considered that maybe it was too much on her and ..........MAYBE she was going to die and I was hoping against hope and shouldn't keep her here.  Each day that I had her was another day I got more emotionally attached.  After weeks and weeks - the vet finally found an anti-biotic that she responded to. And she got well!  At that point, I said, "screw it, I'm not going to get her leg amputated because she has been through too much already.".

I was lucky because we had a great life of 12 years together!  But my point is, had she been terminal and couldn't have had a normal life, I - too would have let go. 

I know your heart is broken and I feel for you.  Some things just aren't meant to be like we plan.  And for that, I am very, very sorry.

Just keep in mind, one thing to consider if you decide to not amputate - the leg isn't going to withstand much pressure and may break.  Please prepare yourself that it may not be the cancer that makes you have to make a heart breaking decision, it may be the pain from a broken leg.  

Please keep us udated.  Again, I'm very sorry.  

My God, this is horrible news for you and your newest family member!  I am so sorry that you and your little pup who traveled so far to be with you are facing this.

I think you have to do what is right for you and your family financially.  If you can afford it, I would say do the amputation, if the cancer hasn't advanced too far in his lungs.  If it is just one or two mets, you should read several stories around here about the dogs living for a year or two with lung mets, and having a great life.

Whatever you do, don't emotionally give up on him.  What is his name?  He is sick but he doesn't know it, and he will be able to feel you pulling away, it would be confusing and hurtful.  I agree with Rio's mom, you are family now.  You really do have to think about finances too, but if you can afford the amputation, don't let a time schedule stop you.  My boy lived 17 wonderful months after his amputation for bone cancer.  It made us incredibly close and I cherished every moment.  I would give so much to be able to hug him again.  You don't have to do chemo, nothing is set in stone.  I would encourage you to read as many stories (blogs) of the dogs here as you can.  You can find them at the bottom of peoples posts.  It helped me to decide what to do. 

I will be praying for him and you.

Elizabeth, Sammys mom

I think you'd have to know how many lung mets, their location and their size to decide what to do next. Personally, if they were small and few, I'd probably do the amputation and chemo. I say that now because I've been here awhile and have seen how so many dogs do indeed live quality lives with lung mets. Before coming here, I thought people were nuts for considering treating bone cancer at all. But that's because I'd never met a veterinarian who had any other opinion.

You will read many success stories on this site, but there are still people here who haven't had great outcomes. Would I want to go through amputation and chemo if I had a crystal ball and saw I'd get 6 weeks or 3 months with my dog? Probably not. But that's just me and it may show that my head's not in the right place yet. Indeed quality is important to me; I'm not sure I've been able to separate quality from quantity entirely, though. Does that make sense? Humans see quantity as an aspect of quality. That's where I am. So it's a good thing we don't have crystal balls.

Elizabeth makes a tremendously important point when she says not to withdraw from your dog emotionally. You didn't adopt him thinking you'd be a hospice instead of a family; however, if you find yourself in that position, please make his remaining time the best it can be. Take the chance and give him your whole heart. Where did he come from? Do you know what his previous situation was like? If he came from neglect or abuse, he will worship you simply because you saved him. That's priceless right there.

Keep us posted, but please also let us know about the lung mets (size, location, number).

Shari

This is really good! Funny how we can say "geez, it's only cancer in the leg." Sometimes we get a huge perspective shift.

If it is cancer, there are lots of flavors. Osteosarcoma is not our friend, but it's not the only cancer out there. My dog had a soft-tissue sarcoma and theoretically should live his natural lifespan, since it's not known for spreading. So even if they think Drake has cancer in the limb, it may not be OSA. And now that you've determined his lungs are clear, you may find yourself saying "well it's only cancer!" 

Shari