My dog has bone cancer - anyone else been through this?

[Booboos]

Tell that to the dogs who are so horrendously ill after weekly treatments, can hardly move, off their food usually until the day before the next treatment and so on and this is from a vet who has been watching this treatment develop. He can't understand how owners are so willing to put their dogs through that especially when the results are so negative and short lasting, the success rate is very poor but at what cost to the dog? Sorry OP.

I am not too sure why you are being so combative. I am not forcing the OP to do anything, nor suggesting that I can predict the experience of all dogs that might undergo chemo! I am merely passing on information I found when looking at the disease which might be helpful to her. Of course it may not apply to her dog and she needs to be guided by her vet to make a reasonable estimate of the benefits and risks of all options, but it would be odd to not pass on information that might be useful to her.

 

[ecrozier]

My Rottie was diagnosed a month or so ago. He was suddenly quite lame, then improved after a day or two on metacam so assumed a tweaked muscle, but then two weeks later was VERY lame and in a lot of pain. Straight to vets, diagnosed via X-ray, vets did say could be an infection but their gut feel was Osteosarcoma. They discussed three options with us, PTS straight away, amputate, or leave and biopsy. I couldn't leave him in pain so we opted to amputate. They did biopsy the amputated limb, and it was cancer, but he's now 3 weeks post op, recovering brilliantly, all stitches out, he's walking fine, going out twice a day for 10-15 mins. Many will argue I should have had him PTS on the spot, BUT, that was his weakest leg anyway (cruciate op a few years ago), a hind leg (believed easier than foreleg to manage without), they scanned his lungs and found no evidence yet of tumours there, he's well in himself otherwise, and on the selfish front I couldn't face the idea his last night with us he was in pain and unhappy. Fortunately he has always been a fairly lazy creature and is currently loving the extra walk (used to be a one a day routine), extra cuddles and special expensive 'treat' dog food. I am fully away that he may go downhill at any point, and when the decision needs to be made, it will be made and quickly, and he won't be having chemo under any circumstances. However we have already had an extra 3 weeks with him and he's back to his normal chirpy self (every time the fridge door opens he's there, as normal!) so I don't regret the decision one bit.