When we first found the tumor and before a diagnosis was made, our doctors were working on the assumption that Jack had chondrosarcoma (tumor location and it appeared to have crossed into the neighboring bone) so all our decisions were based on this pre-diagnosis.  To me, cancer was cancer and I wanted it gone.  I didn't even consider limb-sparing surgery.  Dogs can do just as well on 3 legs as they do on 4.  We even found out just the other day that there are some things that tripawds can do that 4 legged dogs can't such as wiggle out of being restrained at the vet clinic 😛  My dog can run with the other dogs at the park, can still jump in the air, can shake, can high-five, can roll over...everything he could do beforehand and more, he's just doing it without cancer in his leg.  Ajax doesn't care if he has a few more years with 4 legs or 3 legs, just that those few more years are spent with you and the rest of his family.  Also, just because the cancer is not that likely to spread, the fact that there is a tumor in there might be pretty uncomfortable for baby dog.  I think the best decision is doing whatever you feel is the right thing to do.  Listen to the doctors, listen to us tripawders, and make a decision that you can be happy with...the worst is when you go against your gut because then you're always going to second-guess yourself.  I'm sending good decision-making mojo your way!!

<3 Laura and Jackers

Hey Kazy...I see that you left a comment on my blog about Zoe and her ongoing battle with chondrosarcoma.  I feel badly that you came across it just as we are dealing with cancer's return and you having to make a decision about amputation for Ajax.  These decisions are very difficult and I hope my blog didn't make it harder.

But I also wanted to say that it sounds like our dogs' diagnoses are actually pretty different, even though it's condro they are both dealing with.  I don't know Zoe's grade of cancer for sure, but I know that they warned us that it looked like it was a particularly aggressive/fast growing type of chondrosarcoma (maybe they said grade 3?).  Even then, they had given us a 70% chance that she'd be "cured" of cancer once she had the operation.  Looks like we were in the 30%, unfortunately. But know that our results weren't typical.

Also, Zoe is older than Ajax, and already had hip displasia and pain while walking well before cancer, so going to one rear leg was a bit harder on her mobility than it would have been if she wasn't dealing with that issue.  From your description, Ajax sounds like a much (much!) more active dog than Zoe ever was.  If you do choose amputation, my guess is that her activity and health will help her bounce back rather quickly.

Even with only one hip displasia leg, Zoe, who is sort of a lazy bum to begin with 😉 was happy to go for walks to the mailbox about a block away as soon as 1-2 weeks after surgery.  4 months later she was going on 1-2 mile walks.  She was hopping onto the bed and couch at 5 months post-op (it's harder to jump for rear amputees).

I saw elsewhere that it is a difficult decision also because Ajax is not currently in pain.  This was not Zoe's case - she was in a great deal of pain before her surgery.  I wonder if this means you caught it earlier than we did?

Just a few thoughts while you make your decision for your beloved companion.

Kristina