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Osteosarcoma 2.5yr old

891 views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  JoanneF 
#1 ·
Our lab recently slipped on the stairs and went down pretty hard (on the last step). He limped and wouldn't put weight on it for a few hours. We went to the vet. They said potential ACL and gave pain meds. We went back for a checkup because he was still favoring it sometimes. He still trots around with a very minor limp, but it wasn't back to 100%. They xray and hit us with a referral to a surgery center. Potential osteosarcoma. I'm just in shock. He's perfectly healthy, no family history of this back 5 generations. After reading the prognosis for this thing I don't think I'll sleep until the next appt. Any thoughts or advice? Here is the xray.
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#5 ·
Got better imaging today, which is going to the radiologist for inspection. They took thorax xrays too in case it's already in his lungs, and also gave him better pain meds. Blood work also done today, which will be back next week. Found an oncologist that will do a biopsy next Friday unless it's already in his lungs (if that's the case we'll amputate and just shower him with love and fun for as many quality months we have left). It doesn't look good, but there's a chance it's a weird cyst or benign. Fingers crossed.

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#8 ·
Forgot to keep the update here. After getting a bone biopsy a few weeks back (asap after the xrays), the results were inconclusive. Still the vet noted the loss in muscle mass on the affected leg (meaning it has been something prolonged), and recommended, given the probabilities, amputation. Another biopsy would only add to time in pain and as always carried its own risk. Amputation was scheduled, but that morning in pre-op exams they found inflamed lymph nodes around the site. Lungs a few weeks back were clear, so we were hopeful that even with cancer we'd get 6-12 months after amputation. However, given the spread we were looking at a median survival of 59 days. They advised against consuming potentially 1/3 of that time with amputation recovery. Buster is home now with all four legs and lot of pain meds. As it would happen, my wife and kids are also all home now too with our city under shelter-in-place. We are all a wreck. The poor guy is barely 2 1/2, but for us at least, a silver lining to this virus mess is that we get to spend everyday, all day with our baby before he goes. We pulled a pillowtop mattress from the garage that will be his new bed in our bedroom, and we have a stockpile of treats to get through. Based on the 59, we're looking at 6-7 weeks. Gonna miss him, and hope to see him again eventually.
 
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