Hi Sheri,

Thanks so much for joining the Tripawds community. We are sorry that you are having to go through this with Leo, but hope we can be of some help to you during this time.

First of all, we aren't vets, so we can only share our experiences and non-professional personal opinions. 

Leo is a lucky boy for you to have caught the cancer so early. What led you to suspect he was ill? Your vet is right, usually dogs aren't diagnosed until they are limping and not using the affected leg. 

We all know that dogs hide pain really, really well. Back when they were wild, non-domesticated animals, they would hide the pain until the couldn't stand it anymore, as a way of protecting themselves from predators. Today they still have that ability to hide the pain from their pack, until it is unbearable. 

And that's exactly what a dog that's limping, due to osteosarcoma, is doing--hiding the pain so as not to show weaknesses. When they show the pain, it is at the point when it is unbelievably, violently painful.

The weeks leading up to my diagnosis, I went on two long backpacking trips. On those trips, Mom and Dad noticed something was wrong, but they thought I was going slower because of my age.  It wasn't until several weeks later that my pain showed so much, that vets finally suspected osteosarcoma, in my front left shoulder too. At that point, the tumor was the size of a mango. Huge!

Ok now, did your vet say that amputation is inevitable? Is it only a matter of time before the amp has to be done? We assume so, right?

If so, then in my opinion, I say why wait until the pain is so terrible that it has to be done, quickly? Why not do it now that you have the luxury of being able to prepare for his Tripawd lifestyle, and psych you and your family up for the surgery? 

You're so lucky to have been given the blessing of time. Most of us find out we have cancer, and then do the amp, within a week or two of eachother. It's quite traumatic. 

Leo's a lucky boy. Eating all the right things, and part of a loving family that can take such great care of him.

We hope this helps somewhat. Please let us know what you decide to do, and how Leo is doing.

Love,

Jerry 

Hi Sheri,

Thank for sharing the story of how you found out. It is almost identical to how I showed my osteosarcoma too, at first.

Inbetween the time of my last backpacking trip, to the time the vets suspected OS, my pawrents did take me to the vet's office at least three times. The first time, as soon as I got to the vet I stopped limping, which lasted a while. Bingo! I was all better. The second time, I was limping off and on (but not badly), on different legs, and nobody could tell which leg was hurt, not even the vet. I was put on all sorts of arthritis meds which helped me feel like a new dog, but they messed up my belly. When Mom and Dad took me off the meds, the pain came back. So they took me to a new vet who was bright enough to suspect OS. Leo's vet sounds really sharp too!

Glad to hear you're going to schedule the appointment. Good idea to wait till things are calmer around the house.

I'm pretty sure that Leo will do just fine even though he's a one-eyed dog. We adapt so well to challenges like this, you'll be amazed. And boy he's going to be a superstar afterward, people will just fall all over him because he will be so amazing, like no other dog they've ever seen!

Have a great family visit, and let us know if there's anything we can do to help with the preparation.

Best wishes,

Jerry