Hi all, thanks  for continuing to weigh in.  I'll be brief as I am trying to sandwich in some work between vet appts ....

__ Karen, it does sound to me like you were really thoughtful and made the right decision for Maggie.  Ajax is an 8 year old lab, otherwise in excellent health, who gets 3 hours of exercise a day (we live in NYC so off leash time is important and regularly scheduled) - so all said not a big anesthesia risk for him in particular. And from what I can see during biopsies/CT scans, he bounces back quickly from the anesthesia.  I would probably not want to put any breed with a propensity for breathing problems under all that anesthesia either, I totally get it.

__ Can't remember who said this - but yes, I have asked every single doctor "how sure are we that it is chondrosarcoma and not osteosarcoma" and they say "very sure."  I think based on both how it presents, and the chunky biopsy they took.  It was a major question for me too, but this is the one thing they all HAVE agreed on.

__ still weighing in .... fortunately the meds from the minor invasive procedure have worn off and Ajax is feelin' fine today.  A rare cool summer day in NYC so if I can finish work we'll go sit in the park under a tree ....

Thanks again - I've got another week or so to decide, so all opinions welcome!

.... and one final post b/c I can't seem to get my act together this morning:  what all of you are saying about radiation is the same thing we are hearing:  first 2 weeks of treatment probably fine, just can't get wet.  Beginning on third week, sunburn-llike wound which could get very icky short term (for about 2 weeks), clearing up by 2 weeks after treatment is completed.  So I estimate definitely a conehead for 4 weeks.  That being said, if the treatment is curative (as they hope), and because doesn't freak out with the conehead, I could live with that.  Figure amputation is a conehead for at least 2 weeks as well ...