Dog Osteosarcoma Question

[threeboxerlover]

Hello everyone - I'm wondering if any of you have ever dealt with Osteosarcoma in a large dog? My 170 lb female Great Dane (7 1/2) was diagnosed last week. The recommended treatment is amputation of her right front leg followed by chemo. Although one of my boxers had lymphoma, he was not a candidate for chemo (cardiomyopathy) so I have zero experience with chemo for dogs. I've read dozens of posts on the Great Dane forums - and they almost cancel each other out. As many people say amputate if only for pain relief as say don't because there is no good outcome no matter what you do. I'm wondering if anyone here has dealt with it? Thanks. Bobbi

 

[Yvonne G]

ah geez. i'm real sorry to read this. i don't have any words of wisdom for you, just a sympathetic listener.

 

[threeboxerlover]

ah geez. i'm real sorry to read this. i don't have any words of wisdom for you, just a sympathetic listener.

thank you. I am taking her to an oncologist tomorrow. The vet she had her whole life retired recently and I do not have a lot of faith in the group that took over the practice. When I asked what they recommended the response was "well, she's really big....." not a lot of help.

 

[MPRC]

Osteosarcoma is nasty, in my experiences working in a vets office even after amputation animals usually come back 3-6 months later with regrowth. I do not have experience with animals doing chemo though so I don't know how well it would slow the growth.
How are your dane's hips and back legs? Does your vet think she will be able to adapt to being a tripod?

 

[Tom]

My first great dane had this in a back leg. He lived for another year and a half and almost made it to 12 years old.

We decided to not amputate and keep him comfortable. He adapted quickly and just ran around like normal without using that back leg. It just sort of dangled and the muscles atrophied over time. It didn't seem to cause him any discomfort or pain at all. We still played ball, wrestled and he still slept on my bed.

I don't have any advice specific to your situation. Just sharing my experience with it.

 

[Meganolvt]

LVT here. Osteosarcomas are usually pretty aggressive and that is why amputation and chemo is recommended. Three legged dogs do just fine, if this route is something you can afford. It can buy them years.

 

[threeboxerlover]

Osteosarcoma is nasty, in my experiences working in a vets office even after amputation animals usually come back 3-6 months later with regrowth. I do not have experience with animals doing chemo though so I don't know how well it would slow the growth.
How are your dane's hips and back legs? Does your vet think she will be able to adapt to being a tripod?

Her regular vet recently retired and the practice was taken over by VCA. The dr she saw for the leg lump gave me zero advice. When she said the xrays showed osteosarcoma, I asked what was the next step and her response was "well she's really big and it's really expensive". I pressed and she said that I would need to talk to a surgeon to get an opinion on amputation. I left with Deramaxx. I called back two days later and asked for the radiologist report and the other doctor there was a little exasperated that we only had deramaxx for pain. She had me come in and pick up Tramadol and Gabapentin (sp?). Her only advice was that she thought it had probably already spread to her lungs and that amputation, if it was even possible, would only give us a couple months. So I called a specialty center and they said amputation and chemo could buy her a year possibly. Today she's going to the Oncologist there and then next Tuesday, a surgery consult. I guess I will know more after we see the oncologist. She weighs 171 lbs, she's not obese, just a very large dane and has never had any problems with her hips or joints. SHe's very active (when she's not sleeping on the couch) but she's a bit neurotic and hates riding in the car and hates the vet!

 

[threeboxerlover]

LVT here. Osteosarcomas are usually pretty aggressive and that is why amputation and chemo is recommended. Three legged dogs do just fine, if this route is something you can afford. It can buy them years.

Thank you. That was my main concern - whether a dog her size could lose a front leg and still get around. I cannot lift her - she weighs significantly more than I do lol and it's just me and my two daughters so even the three of us together would have a hard time lifting her long term....

 

[mark1]

as mprc said , some dogs are not candidates for a leg amputation ..... i assume your vet thinks your dog is ..... lots of large and giant breed dogs have trouble getting around on 4 legs ......... dogs carry about 70% of their weight on their front legs ...... if they haven't already , the vet needs to xray the hips and elbows to be reasonably sure the dog is otherwise orthopedically sound ....... my experience with vets and surgical procedures , the easy part is the surgical procedure , the part many of them do not account for is the recovery ........

 

[threeboxerlover]

Osteosarcoma is nasty, in my experiences working in a vets office even after amputation animals usually come back 3-6 months later with regrowth. I do not have experience with animals doing chemo though so I don't know how well it would slow the growth.
How are your dane's hips and back legs? Does your vet think she will be able to adapt to being a tripod?

I took her to an oncologist yesterday and they are doing more blood and urine tests. The doctor thinks that she is a good candidate unless something pops up in these additional tests. Her other joints will be evaluated next Tuesday by the orthopedic surgeon but the oncologist said she's "well muscled and otherwise healthy" and in her experience thinks she'll do fine on three legs. There is a newer chemo agent they use for osteosarcoma and given Maddie's overall condition, the oncologist thinks it could give her another year or two of quality life. Maddie will stay in the hospital overnight and they would get her up and walking and give her a rehab session before she leaves to come home. So I guess we're going to move forward and try to treat her. I felt hopeful after talking to this doctor. If we do pain relief only and no amputation/chemo, the doctor said she thinks she'll only have a couple weeks before the pain is too much and we'll have to euthanize her. I appreciate everyone's responses - they have helped a great deal!

 

[Meganolvt]

I really hope she does well. It's great that she is a candidate for chemo and you are willing to try! I will say, front leg amputations are a little harder on them than rear legs, but most do ok on 3 legs regardless. If she has hip dysplasia or severe arthritis though, she may have more trouble. The key is good pain management, and there are lots of great options for dogs.

 

[threeboxerlover]

I really hope she does well. It's great that she is a candidate for chemo and you are willing to try! I will say, front leg amputations are a little harder on them than rear legs, but most do ok on 3 legs regardless. If she has hip dysplasia or severe arthritis though, she may have more trouble. The key is good pain management, and there are lots of great options for dogs.

Thanks! I will talk to them about pain meds post surgery. I finally feel like there is a little hope.