Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Hello everyone.

I am new to this site. I've read SO MANY, SO SO MANY, of your posts. Thank you all for contributing your stories and experiences etc. I'm grateful and sorry and inspired and saddened by them all. I'm hoping to find an answer or some sort of direction as to my next step. However, as GREAT as THIS site is, and "google" in general, and all the vets I've seen over the last few months, and all the research I've done, it leaves me more confused and uncertain of what to do next. Do I do something or nothing?...either way I feel like I'm doing it wrong.

Here is our story, not so different from most others. I'll try and be brief.

My name is Lynette. My baby is Harley. She is a 13 year old Black and Tan Coon-hound/Foxhound mix. She was diagnosed in September 2008 with Osteosarcoma in her front left leg in the ulna bone, between the elbow and the knee, but closer to the knee. Lungs were of course "clear" at dx. I was living in Southern California at the time, and after the initial dx, we began with an Oncologist. After a month or more of a lot of research and deliberation and agonizing soul searching, I opted not to amputate at that time. I never had any intent for chemo and radiation. I considered the palliative radiation and even the Pamidronate pain reliever I.V., but ultimately opted to just care for her with proper nutrition, some vitamins and supplements, and oral pain medication. And just love her for as long as she will let me. And of course, like all of us, to just keep her happy and comfortable with quality of life.

We have since moved to Austin, Texas and Harley was doing GREAT! For 3 months, she was on a low dosage of pain meds, totally acted the same as always and no limping or any other signs of cancer, however, I could see the tumor was growing. In December she began to limp again. Her new vet (NOT an oncologist) and I increased her pain meds. Again, the meds worked and she was no longer limping. A month later, in January 2009, tumor is bigger and she began limping again. After long discussions with the vet, and frankly, me still not knowing what to do, we added another medication to her pain management .  It has helped, and she was doing okay, but her limping has not completely subsided this time as the past few times. As of today, still just on oral pain medication, 3 different meds.

So, during one of my conversations with the vet, he suggested to remove the pain...remove the leg. I completely understand that this is not a means to a cure, and while I have no issues with amputation, I am just not sure if it's the right thing for Harley at this point, seeing as I didn't do this before. Which is why I am posting this here, today.

Because I thought it wouldn't be the right thing, to amputate at this point; it's been over 4 months since first dx, I just assumed the cancer has spread to her lungs. But because she is still totally the same senior dog that she has always been, she has certainly given me more than a difficult time with this decision. She is still present and engaged in her life. She eats, hasn't lost one ounce, still hovers around 68-70 pounds. She still wants to eat, drinks, pees, poops, etc. She still wants to walk, even though I have become more hesitant and do not really take her too far. She still has that same ol' puppy dog face when she might get a treat. Still pays attention to other people and animals and wags her tail and does her usual....'someone new around' talk and dance.  SO....because she is still present, the only way I figured I could consider amputation, is to check her lungs, to see how the cancer has spread, and run all her blood work. Two weeks ago we did just that and here are the results. NO VISIBLE cancer in her lungs, and her blood panel is almost perfect. The vet and I, looking at 4 different views...NO cancer in her lungs. According to her blood work, liver, kidney, etc...all functioning very well. He commented that her lung function actually looks really good. Listening to her heart and lungs...all good. She has Hypo-Thyroid, for the last few years, but that seems to be OK, on meds, under control. One of her liver enzymes is slightly elevated, but it's been that way for a long time, even before cancer dx. The docs attribute that to her thyroid issue and her age. And, she doesn't really appear to have much arthritis. Only some minor arthritis in her back right leg/hip. So all in all he says, even though there are risks, as with any surgery, she is a good candidate for a surgery. Great! Great????

I cannot come to a decision to determine if I should put her thru such a major surgery. Here is my dilemma; given that the cancer hasn't spread to the lungs, the vet commented that we do not even know for sure that it is osteosarcoma. And that perhaps she could live a whole lot longer without being in the pain that is in her tumorous leg. (I never had a biopsy taken, but did rule out the fungal bone infection possibility.) She is 13 years old, all be it, in "good" health. She is 70#'s. She has hypo-thyroidism. She recently started showing more of a "gimp" to her walk, in her back right leg, hopefully just the arthritis and compensating for her front left leg. And one more thing, that she has always had, which is one of the reasons that I "saved" her from the pet store 13 years ago back in Chicago. She has had, periodically over the years, "weak" wrists in the front paws. It's the best way I can describe it. When she walks, her wrists weaken and she doesn't stand fully just on her feet/pads. Like I said, this is sporadic, but it's been more often lately than not, in her front right paw. Perhaps again, just compensating for the painful left leg.

And my biggest uncertainty. The vet, whom I love; they are good, kind, caring, is not an oncologist. Everyone in this city respects and trusts him. (I am new to Austin/Texas) He said that he would amputate between the shoulder and the elbow. When I asked why, he merely stated, just that is the way they do it there/here, in Austin Texas. Everything I've read/researched, shows they take off the entire leg, remove the entire shoulder, etc. SO....is this better or worse or really inconsequential????

I'm lost, confused and just do not want my girl to be in pain. I also cannot justify putting down an otherwise viable, present, engaged happy dog. Help. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I just have no idea if I should put Harley thru this, or keep her on pain medication, until she can no longer bear it. Also, one more thing. She NEVER acts or shows any pain or discomfort in any capacity. I know dogs are stoic, have a high pain tolerance, etc. But is it AT ALL possible, that she really IS NOT in such severe pain, as severe as this kind of cancer dictates?????

Thank you all, for anything and everything. Like everyone else, she is, Harley is, the love of my life......

Respectfully yours,

Lynette aka Harleymama