Sarge is my 11.5 year old Bassador (Bassett/lab mix). It's been almost ten years since I asked a volunteer at the local shelter if he had a favorite dog that everyone kept overlooking. He introduced me to Sarge and the I couldn't be more grateful! I felt especially lucky when I learned later that he was scheduled to be put down the next day 😬 He was a pretty energetic pup and got up to so much mischief with his little terrier mix sister but he and I have both slowed down and nothing beats a nap with my boy 😉

At the very end of February this year I noticed he developed a small lump on the underside of his right front "wrist" over the weekend. He had a bit of a limp but wasn't really bothered by it. When it hadn't improved over the next couple of days I took him to our vet, thinking it might be an abscess. Fine needle aspiration only showed a bit of blood so we figured it was either some inflammation from bruising it or perhaps a hematoma. We went through a course of steroids and although he rarely limped anymore the lump wasn't improving. The vet checked it again and drew a sample to check for infections while Sarge started a course of antibiotics. Unfortunately, that didn't help either. 

On April 15th I took Sarge in to have the mass surgically removed. I knew it wouldn't be good news when they called before the surgery even started to warn me that it was worse than it looked and he didn't think he'd be able to remove it all. Sure enough, that darn growth was all tangled up with his tendons, ligaments, and nerves. The vet got a couple of large pieces for histopathology but told me that it was almost certainly some type of soft tissue sarcoma and the only way to get rid of it would be amputation. I was floored. Sarge has always been a healthy dog and this thing has come on so quickly and with so few symptoms! I felt better when I started reading about how well most dogs do after amputation to remove this type of tumor and my searches on how to prepare for life with a tripawd quickly led me here. 

Unfortunately my family is notorious for surprising doctors and it seems that the same holds true for our furkids. After the excision procedure Sarge started "springing a leak" any time he bumped or stressed that joint. I got more experience than I ever wanted in applying pressure bandages 🙈 Last Friday we went in for yet another check and to discuss the pathology report. It wasn't good...

Sarge had a hemangiosarcoma, a tumor that arises from the same tissues as blood vessels. They gave him a 25% chance at best of making it to one year. I decided to go ahead with the amputation as soon as possible. The tumor was keeping his incision from closing and amputation might be an adjustment but it's something he CAN heal from. The big question was whether he had any more tumors, particulary in his organs. 

I spent the weekend cuddling him close and crying quietly outside so I wouldn't distress him. I've loved and lost furkids before but it never occurred to me that I might have so little time to prepare. 

Even after all of the vet visits of late, Sarge was so thrilled to go back for surgery on Monday that he took a shortcut off the bed and sprang yet another leak! (Bassadors are incredibly sweet but they are both stubborn and not always the brightest unless food is involved!) The vet and I had hoped to have a local board-certified ultrasound tech do the scans and x-rays to see whether any tumors were present in his chest or abdomen. Unfortunately we couldn't get scheduled soon enough so the vet did his own scans before proceeding with the amputation. He called me just before they started the surgery and dang if my boy didn't surprise us both... The vet couldn't find anything abnormal on the scans! The surgery went wonderfully and I got to bring him home that night, a little groggy and unsteady, but tumor-free!

My poor pup looks like he was on the losing end of a fight with an office stapler and he's not thrilled that he can't sleep in my bed at night yet, but he's doing amazing! The one time I give a pup permission to pee on the floor and he's so stubborn he'll hold it until he can hop halfway across the yard 🤦‍♀️ 

It's not an entirely happy outcome... Because the tumor was part of his circulatory system he's had little cancer cells traveling around his body. It's entirely possible that he'll eventually develop an internal mass that can't be treated. But the clear scans mean that there isn't anything there yet and so we've got time. The vet even recommended waiting at least 4-6 months before another scan based on these results! I don't care how many legs he has as long as we've got more time together, happy and healthy ♥️

I'm so grateful to everyone here... It's such a relief to find so much reassurance and encouragement during such a difficult time. Sarge is also very appreciative for all of the advice and recommendations that are making his transition so much easier!

Best wishes to you all,
~Monica and Sarge