Hi all- TIA for those who read this and follow.
My 85 lb 12.5 year old dog had cancer 6 years ago and has been a healthy survivor since (soft tissue sarcoma). Surgeon did an awful job removing and he needed several procedures to close the site plus radiation. This summer, he got his annual scan and there was signs of necrosis at the radiation site (or maybe cancer). We didn’t want to put him through a biopsy bc if it was cancer, we’d just do pain management bc bone cancer is aggressive and the only treatment option would be amputation which 3 vets didn’t think would be best for him with his past trauma (the surgeon basically butchered him when removing the tumor!), age, weight etc for a short life expectancy anyway. Wait and see seemed better for him— he was managing the pain with meds and we were all hopeful it would just remain stable. Risk didn’t outweigh benefit.
The last few weeks he’s been limping much more,
Hardly using his leg so we got a scan again. It showed progression and clearly he’s in pain. Vet is now saying amputation may be worth it because his bone could fracture and that would be traumatic to him and us. Feels like our risk vs benefit shifted now that he’s at risk of severe injury that would lead to euthanasia.
Mentally he wants to play, follows us, eats etc. no other real issues except those that come with age.
We could:
- amputate but he may not be a good candidate, but it would help his pain, but worried he won’t recover well bc of LS age and weight
2
- euthanize bc amputation may not work for him and prevent the possibility of fracture/trauma that way.
3
- wait and see and hope for no fractures.
I know this is a group that supports amputation but curious if anyone has had a dog with LS (basically spine deterioration from age), 85 lb, and older. I know I need to get a 2nd opinion and some more answers but would you still amputate and roll the dice if you were us? We feel awful putting him through another surgery. So hard bc otherwise hes overall healthy. But the surgeon really hasn’t recommended it this summer. Not sure he will now, I’ll see
Also note: can’t do a biopsy due to trauma at the site which is annoying bc if it was cancer we’d prob just do comfort care.
So sorry you’re going through this. If he’s otherwise healthy, I’d do the amputation. It’s more traumatic for you than them. Our girly only got about 2.5 months from amputation to the end, and I’d do it again because she was fine after a week or so. Also, fractures suck so much, so, agree with your vet that you want to avoid that experience if you can.
That said, you mentioned your dog had trouble healing after the last surgery. Some dogs with thinner skin (ie greyhounds or whippets) have a difficult time healing even with a great surgeon, just because there’s not much tissue protecting the wound and helping it heal. Not sure what breed you have, but just a thought. I think if you had setbacks last time, you should be prepared for a setback this time also… if he’s otherwise healthy, that’s not a dealbreaker IMO - just something to steel yourself for.
Hope he feels better and gets lots more time with you!
If you amputate, have you thought about pet mobility aids like Eddie’s Wheels? We had a 75 lb girl with neurodegenerative issues who loved being able to run and play in her cart. Whatever your decision, I hope for the best for you and your baby.
I'm sorry you're going through this OP. All of these decisions will be perfectly valid. There are risks for seniors undergoing anesthesia and amputation is not a short surgery.
If it was me I would not choose the option to prolong suffering/take a chance that there is no pathological fracture. Personally the risk it happens at a bad time (we're out running errands, and he's in extreme pain for hours) is not worth it. But it is a way to extend your time with him and avoid risks of surgery.
Amputation can also be a challenging recovery for dogs with healthy joints and muscle mass. Idk if your dog has good mass or if like many seniors he's started to lose muscle, and how much hind end muscle loss has already happened from LS. Also, i may have missed it in your post but a front leg amp is usually more difficult to adapt to especially for larger dogs vs hind leg amp. In your case, losing a hind leg is also not ideal due to the LS causing hind limb weakness.
You have an amazing dog who has had a long natural life, and is still feeling ok overall with pain management. Unfortunately he's fighting 2 progressive and painful diseases. Neither of which will get better, they will only get worse. Today is a good day, yesterday was better than today, and tomorrow will be harder, whether you choose to amputate or not. Sending hugs 💚 I'm so sorry for this impossible decision.
Not sure why the formatting for the numbers isn’t working- hopefully my 3 options are clear
Thanks for your responses everyone- it looks like this may also include a hemipelvectomy which is more complicated than just an amputation. We will see what the vet says when they call. For now we aren’t leaving him for hours, if at all. In case he experiences anything. Obviously that’s not sustainable but for now it’s what we can do.