Seems to be the common story, my 9-year old rescue Collie-Shepard, Ginger, had been limping a little around the house for a few weeks, but would run like the wind to chase a squirrel. She never limped outside when she was running, so I thought she was just wanting extra attention. She's been known to be a 75-lb baby. Never felt any lumps, swelling, sores, cuts- nothing.  Took her to the vet just in case, kept thinking maybe a torn ACL. 

Happily went went into exam room, fill-in vet looked at her & said well looks like it might be a torn ACL, let's get an x-ray (knowing what I know now, that's probably not what she was really thinking). I was thinking, oh, crap, that's going to be expensive. 

She came back to the room & asked if I wanted to see the x-ray - sure, they always take me back to look at them. I saw the fracture femur - but the vet said it was the spider web area in the lower tibia was consistent with bone cancer. I just looked her & felt the floor drop out below me. She said amputation was necessary to confirm.  I must have just looked at her. She just said there is no wrong or right thing to do. I asked how long would she have if I didn't amputate- maybe 2-3 weeks. She said she couldn't set the leg because it would never heal. She asked if I wanted another x-ray to see if the cancer has metastasized to lungs & heart. She said they would bring my Ginger back to the room when finished. When they did bring her back, her leg was dangling. Her leg had broken when they had done the x-rays. She said the x-ray looked clear of lungs & heart. She asked what I wanted to do - I asked when they would amputate - she said they would clear the schedule for tomorrow morning.  That was last Monday, Tuesday I dropped her off, Wednesday afternoon I picked her up. I tried to focus on how happy I was to see her and not even think about the missing leg, huge incision, & all the bruising.

Started reading about the various type of bone cancer & waited on pins & needles for the results. Took several days off work to stay with her- slept on the floor at night by her day bed so I would know if she tried to get up in the night. I hired a vet tech to stay with her if I had to go to work meetings or teach. I knew when the vet called last night & asked if I was driving, it was bad news. She said, I am sorry, it's osteosarcoma. She said prognosis with amputation was 3-5 months, amputation with chem would be 5 months - year.  She said cancer is all about %'s .  She asked what I thought about chemo. I said I just didn't know. She said the side- effects on dogs are different than with humans.

She said she would find out about the appropraite protocols with costs and schedules. I heard 4 rounds of two different chemicals 21-days apart. Now looking for information to decide what to do.

Ginger had been a trooper - she hopped right out of the vet's office and hasn't looked back- she seems to really enjoy the extra attention. Her two younger "brother" border collies are slightly jealous, but seem to know Ginger needs it right now. 

I might be keeping her on the tramadol & porprophen longer than she may need, but don't want her to be in any pain.

She he has been navigating to snow pretty well when we go out in the backyard. I keep her on a leash & i hope it doesn't make her sad to not be off racing with Bandit & Henry, jumping in each other.

That's where we are now. Well, not exactly, Ginger is asleep on her day bed & the boys are on the rug around her.

what to do next?? What will be best for Ginger? That's what I face now & am so glad to have found this website.