Thanks for the welcome...  MSU is Michigan State.  I'm a student there, which also comes into play for the costs.  If its the aggressive form osteo- then I do not think my husband will go for spending thousands to amputate the leg to give her a little bit of time   But if its chondro- then its less likely to have metastasized to other places so gives her a better chance at a longer life to remove the cancer where it currently is....  So far, we have only focused on her right front leg, but her left front leg is also a bit swollen, so I imagine the specialists will want to check that, to make sure it is "just" her previous arthritis.  From what I've been told, and read, osteo is associated with the pathologic fractures, but chondro is not.  However, chondro is more likely to involve places like the sinus cavity (which she also has thickening of).  Her cancer (no matter the type) is in an atypical spot for osteo but that does not mean it isnt osteo.  Shelties also arent 'prone' to bone cancers of any kind, but it isnt unheard of either.  The specialists will be our second opinion/consultation to go over all treatment methods, including chemo or radiation, amputation, palliative care.  Even though she is active for 13 she isnt "healthy" either with her gallbladder condition, she is on a lot of meds for that and a special diet.  She never handled anesthetic well (spay, dental cleanings), she has stopped breathing several times, seizes and takes a long time to come out from anesthetic (including propofol)   Just another consideration for her treatment options... 

My husband and I spent last night switching sleeping with her in the living room so she wasnt jumping on/off our tall bed or furniture.  We want her to have a good quality of life and it would be awesome if that also correlates with quantity and length, but I am not sure if she will be happy being cooped up and restrained, not playing with our other dogs or fetch, for fear of breaking another bone. 

Kelly and Belle

Thanks...  Tomorrow (Wed the 15th) at 9am....

Kelly

Well ...  Good news - they (oncologists) do not think it is osteosarcoma!  But they aren't sure really what it is, either.  So keeping her for a bit so the internal med and osteopath department can evaluate her.  So good news so far, unless she is like a friend's sheltie Ben with very atypical presentation, only diagnosed with biopsy.  He wasnt even sure it is a true pathologic fracture on the xray either.  But there are definitely bony changes with proliferation.

So confused right now....  With 99% certainty (per Dr Vilar), it is NOT osteosarcoma....  But after a full day at MSU and $400+ later [which is another pissy point with me, they gave her meds, Butorphanol, she has been KNOWN to have a SEVERE reaction to, without my prior authorization in the first place!] we only get a little more information...  Things mentioned in the report are: pain in right medial elbow, osteoarthritis secondary to FCP (or other elbow dysplasia).  Osteophytes along margins of carpometacarpal joint and dorsal aspect of radial carpal bone.  Large mineral opacity present on palmarodistal aspect of the accessory carpal bone.  Well defined small lucencies superimposed with later articular margin of the distal ulnar bone and lesser extent margins of the carpometacarpal joint.  Soft tissue swelling surrounds carpus.  ... [ Next another wrong part in her history, it says clindamyacin worked to resolve symptoms - umm, not really, after two weeks there is no change in swelling, if anything, its worse! ] ...  "After evaluation Belle's right forelimb does not have any major evidence of malignant neoplastic process-lesions, there is evidence of degenerative bony changes" ....  

Continuing to treat as though it is "just" arthritis (some other types might be at play here: septic arthritis or immune mediated arthritis, but not of enough concern at the moment, bc they said she isnt painful clinically), recheck with regular vet in one month.  While great to hear NO OSTEOSARCOMA, I am still wondering "whats changed" in my girl.

Thanks Alison...  Ive emailed my regular vet and a couple vet friends to get their opinions on the whole thing...  I really dont know WHAT to think.  I am not sure I can believe my regular vet was "set" that it wasnt 'just' arthritis anymore, and said she had a fracture; and they (MSU oncologist and osteopathic specialist) see no cancer, no fracture, or other cause really? 

Kelly