Hello everyone!

Late October 2017 our 12 1/2 year yound ACD mix Nila jumped off the blanket chest from taking a nap (she loves to nap there and look out the window) and started limping. After checking her over, we noticed there was some "hard swelling" on the inside of her left, front elbow. She is an energetic girl and we thought it might be trauma, but just didn't seem right. We called our vet and he agreed to try some anti-inflammatory and pain meds. So, we did. Well, the limping subsided, but the area of "hard swelling" had not improved. As soon as we stopped the meds, the limping returned. So, we took her to see the vet on November 6th. Just by visually looking at it he was thinking possibly Fibrosarcoma or Neurofibroma. We scheduled surgery to have it removed on November 13th and send out for histopath. Upon seeing the mass, he wasn't sure what to think. She recovered really well and was pretty much back to normal (with a slight limp since the leg was all wrapped up) that evening.  Well, when that came back it was Hemangiosarcoma. We were all shocked. So, amputation was a consideration. All of her xrays were clean, bloodwork was really good and heart and lungs sounded good. We started her on some supplements at this point. Well, it came back in the same location. So, we decided to de-bulk it on December 18th. The surgery went well and she was pretty much back to normal (with a slight limp since the leg was all wrapped up) that evening. We did notice a hard "mass" behind the right, rear knee and a soft mass behind her right armpit area. January 17, 2018 she started limping on her right rear leg due to some pitting edema. By January 21st the point of origin was growing again, but not causing too many problems. On February 10th, the point of origin ruptured. We scheduled surgery for February 12th to de-bulk again. When our vet did the surgery, he said he didn't think we could de-bulk again with any success due to the cancer starting to invade the tissue in the area. He also noticed her mobility in that elbow was compromised by about 50%. She once again recovered well. The next day, the suture line ruptured and our vet didn't think he could re-suture it with any success. So, we started cleaned it daily, applied Vetericyn and re-wrapped with a surgical dressing and Co-flex. She was doing better and within 2 weeks it was pretty much healed. About the same time that healed she once again had pitting edema in the right, rear leg. So, we kept a compression bandage on it and it started to resolve. During this bout, she started to knuckle on her right, rear foot. By March 11th, the point of origin was once again getting larger. On March 14th it started to rupture and on the 19th she got her bandage off and we had a mess! There is lots of necrotic tissue and we don't want to have complications with gangrene or infection. She is on antibiotics along with Tramadol and her supplements. She also had pitting edema in the front leg (this has been off and on, as well as 2 times in the right, rear leg). So, we kept a compression bandage on it which helped. She is still in great spirits, eating and drinking, smiling, wants to get around on her own (but let's us help her) and still wanting to live a quality life! We recently did the pinch test on her back foot and there isn't a lot of feeling there. We're not sure if she pinched a nerve or what happened, but she does still use it, just 60% of the time it's knuckled. We've looked at the "Walkin' Bootie Splint to help with that. At this point we need to make a decision about amputation.  Our concern is more issues with the back leg could reappear. We've also consider the possibility of needing a quad cart for her. So, I'm just looking to this group for some thoughts and input. Nila just isn't ready to take her journey across Rainbow Bridge. We will not selflessly keep her around just for quantity of time without quality! Thanks in advance! Bev and Nila

P.S. We already have a 12 1/2 year young Pibble that had his left, rear leg amputated at about 4 months of age and have also had other tripawd foster dogs in the past