Well it's been a heck of a whirlwind. Note I will include costs for things, as I was stunned by them - and also, had no forewarning for what the bills would look like.  In researching, most cost estimates were from the states, and being in the greater Vancouver region of BC... which stands for Bring Cash, I learned expensive lessons. Namely: insure your pets.

Here's our update.

Upon diagnosis (Nov.17), I immediately took him off kibble and we went to a home-cooked diet - we consulted with a nutritionist vet ($240) to approve our recipes and macro breakdowns... I have a lot of experience tracking macros accurately to the gram to manipulate my own weight and shape, so it was an easy switch to do it/meal prep for him too.  He's maintaining his robust figure on 1670 cals/day, 45%protein, 45%fat, 10% carbs.  His diet consists of muscle meats (beef, venison, moose, bison), white fish (halibut, cod, lingcod), offal (beef/chicken liver/hearts/tongues), limited amounts of steel cut GF oats, and ample veg (green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, swiss chard), and cottage cheese with flaxseed oil.  His diet is also infused with extraordinary amounts of turmeric and some ginger. He is supplemented (by bodyweight) with mushroom powder (reishi, cordyceps, lions mane, turkey tail); digestive enzymes; probiotics; and IP6.  He is shiny and beautiful, and keeps getting perfect body scores.  Within 2 weeks of switching his diet, he stopped favoring his leg/had an imperceptible limp, and we had a heck of a time keeping him on rest protocol.  Also, as a side note: his poops got much, much smaller (which, at 170lbs, was a welcome change).

Boone's FNA came back conclusive for osteosarcoma (Nov. 23); we were warned that it appeared aggressive.  Science talk was had which I have promptly forgotten and decided to focus instead on his bloodwork that had 2 indicators of "good" outcomes.  We had the FNA done at Boundary Bay vets (they were amazing with Boone, who is, to be fair, kind of a dick); between the consult/procedure/bloodwork/sedation, the total bill was $980.

The surgical consult on Nov. 24th ($340) suggested that we should, given his breed size and exam, do a CT to check for spread/scan his spine prior to determining our course of action between SRT (only available in Victoria, Calgary, or Washington State) and amputation.  We went ahead with the CT at VCA on Nov. 28th ($1420), and NO SPREAD ANYWHEREEEEE.  I literally ugly sobbed, it was such excellent news.  Less excellent: Boone had degeneration in his c-spine consistent with IVDD, as well as arthritis, and we were strongly cautioned against amputation if we could afford SRT.  Ok, fine - on to SRT we went. 

We were very lucky to get all of these things lined up quickly - this is within 3 weeks of his initial diagnosis.  I stalker called VCA-Victoria (the only spot in province to get SRT), and they got us in the following week to start his treatment.  

We spent a week in Victoria, BC - Dec. 12-18th; and he had another CT (again, checking for spread - but also to stage his tumor), and 3 rounds of SRT treatment (9Gy/3).  Between sedation, drugs, and CT, that was $13,480.  He went through it like a CHAMP, and no vet-techs were eaten in the process.  I will absolutely say that the vet techs at VCA Victoria were exceptional, he made friends with them.  It gave me so, so much hope.

On Nov. 19th, we got a biphosphinate infusion to help with bone density, and hopefully stave off pathological break.  We'll be getting one every 2 months from herein ($1300).  Our first was done at VCA victoria; our next will be through Boundary Bay where he is receiving oncological follow up care.  Of note, our oncologist at VCA Victoria noted that we caught the cancer early, insofar as the destruction of the bone was less significant than the size of his tumour would have had her believe.  Welcome news 🙂 

Boone had some pretty big immune reactions to the radiation - he went back to being almost non-weight bearing, had upset tums, and a lot of swelling.  It subsided by the second week home.  

Today, he started chemotherapy (carboplatin).  He's going to do somewhere between 4-6 treatments every 3 weeks (depending on how he does with it).  The cost is a bit increased as he needs to be sedated (see above: he's a dick; also, I can't be with him when he gets injected... and for Boone, being taken out of the room away from me is an immediate F* around and find out situation).  His treatment is $2,248 per round.  Between treatments, he will have bloodwork ($240) to monitor him.  Currently, he's full of beans and chewing on his favorite kong-ball after having his regular dinner... so far, so good.

He is doing *excellent*.  We're actually weaning him off pain pills.