Hello,

Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg. We go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread, perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

Does anyone have a similar story to share? I've read that amputation is not
that big a deal with dogs, and they adjust well to only three legs. It's all
just so upsetting.

Thanks in advance-
Erin

"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg. We
go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread, perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

........I'm so sorry. It is such a shock to face this kind of diagnosis.
The correct spelling is osteosarcoma. I'd do a search of this newsgroup for
past stories - there's quite a few postings. Go to www.google.com and click
on Groups, enter rec.pets.dogs.health and the search term osteosarcoma (be
sure to click on only in rec.pets.dogs. health first) . You might also do a
search with the word cancer.

.....Some people choose to amputate, others don't. It's really a personal
decision. I'd definitely get a chest X-ray to see if there are any mets to
the lungs. If so, amputation wouldn't slow things down much. Yes, dogs
apparently do pretty well with only 3 legs, but it really depends on how
good the other legs are. If this dog has arthritis in his hind end and has
shifted a lot of her weight to the front, it may not be feasible to
amputate. Either way, try to think like your dog. Get up every day and
look forward to breakfast, take your pleasure where you can, enjoy the sun
on your face and be thankful your pup is with you that day. You'll know
when she wants to leave this plane of existence. In the meantime, it
matters not that she has cancer, she's here, she still loves you, and she's
still your pup.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg. We
go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread, perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

........I'm so sorry. It is such a shock to face this kind of diagnosis.
The correct spelling is osteosarcoma. I'd do a search of this newsgroup for
past stories - there's quite a few postings. Go to www.google.com and click
on Groups, enter rec.pets.dogs.health and the search term osteosarcoma (be
sure to click on only in rec.pets.dogs. health first) . You might also do a
search with the word cancer.

.....Some people choose to amputate, others don't. It's really a personal
decision. I'd definitely get a chest X-ray to see if there are any mets to
the lungs. If so, amputation wouldn't slow things down much. Yes, dogs
apparently do pretty well with only 3 legs, but it really depends on how
good the other legs are. If this dog has arthritis in his hind end and has
shifted a lot of her weight to the front, it may not be feasible to
amputate. Either way, try to think like your dog. Get up every day and
look forward to breakfast, take your pleasure where you can, enjoy the sun
on your face and be thankful your pup is with you that day. You'll know
when she wants to leave this plane of existence. In the meantime, it
matters not that she has cancer, she's here, she still loves you, and she's
still your pup.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

"Steve & Erin" wrote in message news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Hello,

Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg. We go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread, perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

Does anyone have a similar story to share? I've read that amputation is not
that big a deal with dogs, and they adjust well to only three legs. It's all
just so upsetting.

Thanks in advance-
Erin

I am very sorry to hear about your situation. Osteosarcoma is so hard
to comprehend.

What I know about osteosarc is second hand....Many people think that
by the time the tumor becomes evident, it is spread further in the
body. Amputation of the affected limb is considered palliative, in
most cases.

If your dog is not symptomatic of any metastases, you could consider
doing the amputation and hoping against the odds. It is always
possible that there are no metastases, or that removing the primary
tumor will allow the body to fight off the few mets that might be
present.

There might be chemotherapy protocols for osteosarcoma in dogs, I
don't know. In human medicine, osteosarc has been resistant to
chemotherapies, historically.

Wishing you the best....
Linda H., M.D.

"Steve & Erin" wrote in message news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Hello,

Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg. We go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread, perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

Does anyone have a similar story to share? I've read that amputation is not
that big a deal with dogs, and they adjust well to only three legs. It's all
just so upsetting.

Thanks in advance-
Erin

I am very sorry to hear about your situation. Osteosarcoma is so hard
to comprehend.

What I know about osteosarc is second hand....Many people think that
by the time the tumor becomes evident, it is spread further in the
body. Amputation of the affected limb is considered palliative, in
most cases.

If your dog is not symptomatic of any metastases, you could consider
doing the amputation and hoping against the odds. It is always
possible that there are no metastases, or that removing the primary
tumor will allow the body to fight off the few mets that might be
present.

There might be chemotherapy protocols for osteosarcoma in dogs, I
don't know. In human medicine, osteosarc has been resistant to
chemotherapies, historically.

Wishing you the best....
Linda H., M.D.

Thank you for your words of encouragement. She has been a super healthy dog
since her lupus flared up 2 years ago, it just seems impossible that we'd
have to put her down. She does have mild arthritis, but she's still very
agile and strong. The hardest part of this has been trying to keep her from
running around as she still wants to play and get rowdy :-(

Please keep us in your thoughts and thanks for your response-
Erin

"buglady" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg.
We
go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread,
perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

.......I'm so sorry. It is such a shock to face this kind of diagnosis.
The correct spelling is osteosarcoma. I'd do a search of this newsgroup
for
past stories - there's quite a few postings. Go to www.google.com and
click
on Groups, enter rec.pets.dogs.health and the search term osteosarcoma (be
sure to click on only in rec.pets.dogs. health first) . You might also do
a
search with the word cancer.

....Some people choose to amputate, others don't. It's really a personal
decision. I'd definitely get a chest X-ray to see if there are any mets
to
the lungs. If so, amputation wouldn't slow things down much. Yes, dogs
apparently do pretty well with only 3 legs, but it really depends on how
good the other legs are. If this dog has arthritis in his hind end and
has
shifted a lot of her weight to the front, it may not be feasible to
amputate. Either way, try to think like your dog. Get up every day and
look forward to breakfast, take your pleasure where you can, enjoy the sun
on your face and be thankful your pup is with you that day. You'll know
when she wants to leave this plane of existence. In the meantime, it
matters not that she has cancer, she's here, she still loves you, and
she's
still your pup.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

Thank you for your words of encouragement. She has been a super healthy dog
since her lupus flared up 2 years ago, it just seems impossible that we'd
have to put her down. She does have mild arthritis, but she's still very
agile and strong. The hardest part of this has been trying to keep her from
running around as she still wants to play and get rowdy :-(

Please keep us in your thoughts and thanks for your response-
Erin

"buglady" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg.
We
go
back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread,
perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

.......I'm so sorry. It is such a shock to face this kind of diagnosis.
The correct spelling is osteosarcoma. I'd do a search of this newsgroup
for
past stories - there's quite a few postings. Go to www.google.com and
click
on Groups, enter rec.pets.dogs.health and the search term osteosarcoma (be
sure to click on only in rec.pets.dogs. health first) . You might also do
a
search with the word cancer.

....Some people choose to amputate, others don't. It's really a personal
decision. I'd definitely get a chest X-ray to see if there are any mets
to
the lungs. If so, amputation wouldn't slow things down much. Yes, dogs
apparently do pretty well with only 3 legs, but it really depends on how
good the other legs are. If this dog has arthritis in his hind end and
has
shifted a lot of her weight to the front, it may not be feasible to
amputate. Either way, try to think like your dog. Get up every day and
look forward to breakfast, take your pleasure where you can, enjoy the sun
on your face and be thankful your pup is with you that day. You'll know
when she wants to leave this plane of existence. In the meantime, it
matters not that she has cancer, she's here, she still loves you, and
she's
still your pup.

buglady
take out the dog before replying

Yes, everything I have read suggests amputation and chemo if it has spread
at all. We just don't know if we want to out her through the chemo.

Thanks for your reply-
Erin


"Tallgrass" wrote in message
om...
"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Hello,

Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg.
We go

back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread,
perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

Does anyone have a similar story to share? I've read that amputation is
not
that big a deal with dogs, and they adjust well to only three legs. It's
all
just so upsetting.

Thanks in advance-
Erin

I am very sorry to hear about your situation. Osteosarcoma is so hard
to comprehend.

What I know about osteosarc is second hand....Many people think that
by the time the tumor becomes evident, it is spread further in the
body. Amputation of the affected limb is considered palliative, in
most cases.

If your dog is not symptomatic of any metastases, you could consider
doing the amputation and hoping against the odds. It is always
possible that there are no metastases, or that removing the primary
tumor will allow the body to fight off the few mets that might be
present.

There might be chemotherapy protocols for osteosarcoma in dogs, I
don't know. In human medicine, osteosarc has been resistant to
chemotherapies, historically.

Wishing you the best....
Linda H., M.D.

Yes, everything I have read suggests amputation and chemo if it has spread
at all. We just don't know if we want to out her through the chemo.

Thanks for your reply-
Erin


"Tallgrass" wrote in message
om...
"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:HUYAb.333890$9E1.1632651@attbi_s52...
Hello,

Our 9yr. old APBT most likely has osteocarcoma in her right front leg.
We go

back fro more X-rays in 10 days for confirmation.
She also has lupus which has been under control for the last 2 years.
We are faced with amputating her leg, or if the cancer has spread,
perhaps
putting her down. We're devastated as she is our baby.

Does anyone have a similar story to share? I've read that amputation is
not
that big a deal with dogs, and they adjust well to only three legs. It's
all
just so upsetting.

Thanks in advance-
Erin

I am very sorry to hear about your situation. Osteosarcoma is so hard
to comprehend.

What I know about osteosarc is second hand....Many people think that
by the time the tumor becomes evident, it is spread further in the
body. Amputation of the affected limb is considered palliative, in
most cases.

If your dog is not symptomatic of any metastases, you could consider
doing the amputation and hoping against the odds. It is always
possible that there are no metastases, or that removing the primary
tumor will allow the body to fight off the few mets that might be
present.

There might be chemotherapy protocols for osteosarcoma in dogs, I
don't know. In human medicine, osteosarc has been resistant to
chemotherapies, historically.

Wishing you the best....
Linda H., M.D.

"Steve & Erin" wrote in message
news:9riBb.67509$_M.335294@attbi_s54...
Thank you for your words of encouragement. She has been a super healthy
dog
since her lupus flared up 2 years ago, it just seems impossible that we'd
have to put her down. She does have mild arthritis, but she's still very
agile and strong. The hardest part of this has been trying to keep her
from
running around as she still wants to play and get rowdy :-(

.......If she wants to play, let her! Dogs know how to enjoy life and
aren't scared by words. I know that right now all you can think of when you
look at her is cancer. This will pass. Whatever time she has left, months
or years, let her enjoy it and try to enjoy it with her.

buglady
take out the dog before replying