Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

Thank you to everyone for the support, I have been heartbroken and so confused. I really want to thank Sally for speaking with me, she is an angel. I’ll tell you a little about Finley. 

Finley turned 8 years old on March 4. She is a 110lb American Labrador Retriever. She is a big girl! She has been with me through some really difficult times in my life she’s my best friend and my soul dog. I live in a condo that has only one entryway with stairs. My mother has Finley’s younger sister from a separate litter with a different father named River. My mom has a huge fenced in yard. I started a new job in March and Finley has been staying at my mom’s house so she isn’t alone all day and can go outside. 

In March Finley started limping suddenly, her left front leg was bothering her. I brought her to the vet and they couldn’t determine the cause. They gave me carprofen and suggested rest. They wanted me to return in a week if there was no improvement for X-ray. The limp improved right away so I didn’t bring her back in.

About 2 weeks ago, we noticed a mass on her left shoulder. We brought her to the vet where they did X-rays and a needle aspirate for cytology. They told me it was likely osteosarcoma. That vet said they did not think Finley was a candidate for amputation. They said she has weeks - months left. They referred me to oncology.

The first oncologist explained that osteosarcoma is difficult to diagnose without a good sample. They did blood work and chest X-rays to check for metastasis. The blood work and X-rays came back within normal limits. The oncologist felt that Finley would be a candidate for amputation. They wanted to do repeat sedated X-rays and ultrasound guided aspirate to get a better sample. I wasn’t very comfortable with this vet and set up an appointment with a separate oncologist. 

The second oncologist said that they aren’t sure it is osteosarcoma. They said that it is likely cancer, but isn’t presenting as clearly as osteosarcoma typically does. They said it may be a soft tissue tumor. This vet also believes Finley would be a candidate for amputation. They want to do a CT scan to see exactly where it is and a biopsy to see exactly what it is. I was planning on scheduling Monday. 

Until this past weekend Finley has been normal aside from a slight limp. Eating, playing, happy. I have been giving her Carprofen 100mg twice a day and she’s been doing great. Saturday it must have hit her all at once. She was restless and uncomfortable, it absolutely broke my heart to see. I couldn’t believe how quickly things changed. I did not think she was going to have much longer because I will not watch her suffer. I called the vet and got Gabapentin and thank god it worked. She appears much more comfortable. However the lump has gotten noticeably larger, and her limp has gotten much worse. 

I am at a loss with how to proceed. I want her to be comfortable. I want her to have quality of life. I am so afraid that she won’t do well with amputation because of her size and body structure. I don’t want her to be immobile and mad at me for cutting off her leg. The way she looked on Saturday I wasn’t sure putting her through CT scan and biopsy was even worth doing because she was so uncomfortable. I spoke with the vet again today and they said that the CT scan and biopsy would let us know if amputation is even an option. 

This is where I’m at. I don’t know if I should just make her comfortable and let her be a dog with the time she has left, or keep bringing her for tests and possibly amputate. 

I know this is a very long message but I wanted to give all the information. I really appreciate the support and advice!