If you want someone to argue why you should, you came to the right place.

Cancer is scary, and really only you know what will be best for your buddy and for you. I can tell you, my Polly bounced right back after amputation. We are 6 weeks out and we are on long walks, she runs, she jumps she plays.

We chose not to do chemo and are doing Metronomics- which you can find out tons of information on this site if you choose.

There are a ton of success stories on here and this group of people is just amazing at supporting you through whatever choice you decide.

If you dog still has a lot of life left, whats 2 weeks worth of pain and suffering if you can months or even years with your best friend? The healing and amputation is harder on you than on your dog!

Good luck no matter what you choose. We have all been in that position at one time and know how hard it is.

You don't say what kind of cancer your dog has so it's hard to know what kind of time you might be expecting. And then there are your personal expectations versus what you will actually experience. Many people here expected to get a few months of iffy time but in reality they experienced months or years of really good time. Many cancers cause our dogs so much pain that we find they are truly different (happier) dogs once the leg is gone. I can't tell you how many times I've read "I had no idea he was in such pain but now he plays and runs and it's only been a couple of weeks!" Many people here are happy with 3 months of no pain but time filled with love and fun. But no one is satisfied with what they get, no matter how long. That's just us humans.

We had a Collie several years ago. She adopted us when she was 8 or 9 and we had her for 5 years. If I'd asked her at age 8 or 9 if she was planning on dying, she obviously would have said that she had another 5 years in her. I guess their life expectancy is about 13 or more. Something to consider.

Bone cancer hurts. Humans who have it use the word "excruciating" to describe it. That's with pain meds. If your dog has bone cancer and you choose not to amputate, you need an emergency plan in place that consists of what to do if you get a pathological fracture; narcotics for immediate, heavy-duty sedation in case of the fracture; emergency vet plans in case of a sudden and uncontrollable pain event. I am not kidding when I say that pain will be the reason you will have to end your dog's life. You need to be prepared if that's what you decide. Unfortunately, cancer is not easy. 

Soft tissue cancers probably don't hurt. Not till the tumor bursts and the gangrene sets in. That would have been my dog's future without amputation.

I cannot tell you that your dog will live for 3 months or 6 months or a year or 2 years if you lose the leg. I can only tell you that most of this is a leap of faith. We have faith that amputation will enable our friends to live large and love hard for whatever time it buys them. They have faith that we will do the best thing for them.

And ask anyone here and they will tell you that going through amputation and recovery builds a bond like no other. I have had several dogs, and I thought I knew the one that captured my heart the most...until I lost Dakota and realized what this journey created in us as a pair, as a family. Be prepared for that, too. It can take your breath away.

I'm sorry that you are having to deal with this difficult situation.  I know the decision to amputate can be so overwhelming.  Its the unknown that freaked me out.  I found this site right after my almost 8 year old, 95 lb, American Bulldog was diagnosed with Osteo.  Like almost everyone here, she began limping.  Took her to the vet, they did an x-ray and diagnosed her with bone cancer.  I felt like I was in the boxing ring and someone had knocked me out.  I came home, found this site, and read all the posts I could.  I also downloaded Three Legs and a Spare .  We pretty much had no doubt that we would do the amputation, but reading everyone else's experiences (good and bad) eased my mind. 

Everyone's recovery experience is different.  I can only speak from my experience.  Cadence really had no problems at all.  She was up and at it, the next day when we picked her up.  She was a little unsteady at first, but quickly adjusted.  The drugs she was on made her tired and a bit loopy, but once she was off them, there was no stopping her.  We opted for chemo and did 4 rounds of Carbo, one session every three weeks.  The only real side effect she had was she was tired a few hours after the chemo.  Other than that, she ate like a horse and wanted to be out of the house 24-7.  Her zest for life was still there.  She had no idea she was missing a leg.  Dogs will adjust.  They just live there life and move on.

We lost Cadence because the cancer showed up in her lungs.  There is not one thing I regret.  If I had to do it again, knowing what I know now, I would do it again in a heartbeat.  She lived pain free after the amp, she enjoyed her life, and because of that we got extra time with her and a lifetime of memories that will always be with me.

Good luck with your decision.  Please keep us updated and let us know if you have any questions.

I'm so sorry you had a reason to find this site, but very glad you found it. I was clutching at straws when I found it and second guessing every decision I made. These people helped me ease my mind and accept the choices. My worst fear was they would remove Shooter's leg and find out after the fact it wasn't necessary! That wasn't the case, but I'm glad I chose the amp. Although Shooter was not in the kind of pain many on here were prior to surgery (hs is not a bone cancer), when he would no longer play ball or frisbee it was obvious he was in discomfort and not happy.

He will be two months post amp and can jump and run with all the others and he is no spring chicken at 12-1/2. He will be starting a precautionary chemo protocol this week.

In the end, the decision has to feel right to you. It's obvious you love your furry kid and that's what matters the most.

I wanted to say, also, that chemo for dogs seems to be a very different experience than chemo for humans is. It doesn't seem to bother them much at all and rarely make them nauseous  There are preventive pills your dog can take. At the most, they seem to be tired and sleep more for maybe 2 days afterwards. It will make their white blood cells take a hit, but the only way you know it is by the blood work they do in advance. So the dog behaves just fine and eats and is happy and plays. They do NOT become invalids.

If you are concerned that chemo will cause the same kind of horrible problems it does in people, don't be. As Sally said, you don't have to decide about it now. If you do the amputation, you can then start a separate post topic here and ask about chemo. There is also a wealth of info here already. The deciding factor for many people seems to be the cost. It can be very expensive, although lots of people have chosen a home chemo treatment that is very affordable and has good success in many cases. It's called metronomics . You can look into that, too.

Shari