Welcome to the family, you have come to the right place. When Gus first started limping, we thought muscle, put him on rimidyl and after 2 weeks there was no change, did the x-ray, saw some abnormality in the bone, did the biopsy, that came back negative but our vet and ohio state vets felt we were dealing with cancer, so we did the amputation of his left front leg. Gus is 7, a very strong dog, a lab-rottweiller mix and I knew he wouldn't have any problems adjusting , and he hasn't. The first couple weeks after the surgery are the worst, it gets significantly better from there, but be ready for sleepless nights and a dog that will have alot of ups and downs in that 2 weeks. It will probably be harder on you than the dog, although at that age I can't say how they will handle the surgery and recovery. Gus' first x-ray was clear in the chest, we found out last week he has 3 spots in his lungs. We opted to not do chemo from the start, we are using prednisone and a product called k-9 immunity right now. Our vet is checking into a couple drugs recommended by folks here in the tripawd family. You know your dog best, talk to your vet about all options and make the decision you are most comfortable with. Quality of life for the dog should be your #1 priority, make sure if you decide to amputate, you can't undo it, and some people feel guilty during that first 2 weeks about having it done, there is alot of stress during that time, thats where making the decision you are comfortable with comes in . Good luck, don't be afraid to ask ANYTHING, experience gives the best answers. Paws up, Gus and Dan

You need to follow your heart with your dog.  You can read all our suggestions but please follow your heart.  My suggestion would be to not amputate at 13 years old...but AGAIN, this is purely my opinion.  You do what is best for YOUR dog.  It's all about quality, yes...but at 13 yrs. old and with the surgery and recovery, will your dog be able to handle it?  All questions you need to try to answer for yourself...

Sorry I'm not much help really...Good luck in your decisions for your pup!

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

Welcome, and I'm so glad you posted! Daisy turned 12 last month, and on Wednesday it will be 3 weeks since amputation of her front left leg up to the shoulder. (The average lifespan for labs is 12.) Her diagnosis of osteosarcoma came in early December. I immediately changed her diet (I now cook for her) and started her on supplements. Eventually she needed pain meds and eventually, pain meds weren't enough and it was decision time. I had earlier made the decision not to amputate--ever--but when decision time came and she seemed to be so healthy (great appetite and lungs were clear) with such a strong will to live, I reconsidered and had a conversation with Daisy about the options and what to expect if we went ahead with surgery. I found I had to get past the fear and let the "knowing" come to me. I got a very strong sense that amputation was the right thing to do. The vet felt confident that she was well enough to survive surgery (no guarantees, of course). Learning to walk/hop on three legs was easy for her, and her recovery has been quick. I do notice that she is more tired than before, but that is to be expected for awhile as she gets all the toxins out of her system. Her eyes are bright, she wags her tail a lot, and still eats very well. She seems to be happy, and no matter how much time I have with her, every day with Daisy by my side is a great day for both of us!

You'll make the decision that's best for you and your friend. Once you do, either way, have no regrets.

Best wishes with this difficult decision.

Lexi (Daisy's momma)

You've gotten a lot of great advice already from a lot of experienced folks.  I would just add that when my dog Yoda (who I had before Gerry) was finally diagnosed with osteosarcoma (after being on Rimadyl for a few months due to a misdiagnosis of tendonitis) he was on a lot of pain meds (Rimadyl, Tramadol and Tylenol with Codiene) and he was still limping.  He spirits were still good at that point, but it was scary - to me - to think about trying to manage that pain for him even if he only had a short time left.  And then there's the risk of pathological fractures from activity. 

Yoda only lived about four months after his amputation (with chemotherapy - but certainly others have done great with the same treatment).  But he had a mostly very happy, carefree four months.  He still went to dog parks and played with other dogs.  He played ball.  In fact, he became more outgoing after his amputation.  I think the pain may have been present and holding him back a long time before he started limping.  Within the last week of his life, even when he had lung mets, Yoda caught a rabbit in the yard.  Didn't get to eat it, poor boy, but he was still very pleased with himself.

It is a tough choice and there are no guarantees.  Keep in mind that first two weeks is tough with ups and downs and its best if you can be around as much as possible just to make sure he's not botherng the incision and things like that.

Definitely check out videos on this website if you're worried about his quality of life on three legs.  You probably know his physical condition best, but unless he's very overweight, or your vet is concerned about his lack of muscle, I would think he'd do just fine - so many old as well as young dogs have.  Here are links to a couple blogs for my dog Gerry that have video of him and Yoda.  Yoda's video is pretty poor quality because I didn't have a digital video camera then, but you can still get a sense of how well he did:  http://gerry.tr.....tion/ ,  http://gerry.tr...../dog-park/

Ana, I - like so many others on this site - are familiar with the wrenching feelings you have right now. A lot of great advice has been posted here and I don't have much to add. I can only reiterate what's already been said - trust your heart. There is no wrong decision. If you're worried about his mobility following amputation, I didn't believe my Golden Retriever Catie - although younger than your friend - would  be able to adjust. But she did. She amazed me, just as so many people insisted she would AND the two-week post-surgery recovery discomfort was nothing, I'm sure, compared to the awful pain from the tumour that was eating her bone. I can't even imagine how much that must have hurt. 

Our Catie continues to amaze us. It's been almost 5 months now and we never know how the journey's going to turn out but  I don't regret the decision to amputate at all. 

Good luck with making your decision, Ana. You've come to exactly the right place for support.

Carmen (Catie and Riley's mom)