an abnormal growth

question:

HELP!

My Dog Sandy has had a growth on her leg for the past month. I took her to the doctor thinking it was just another fatty tumor but after a biopsy, the doctor informed me it was a fibrosarcoma. He said that the tumor hasn’t spread and if they amputate the leg Sandy can live a normal life. But how can that be… she will only have three legs? I’m confused and don’t know if I should release her from this life to save her from the pain of loosing a leg and then having to figure out now at 3 years old, a new way to walk. I feel like I would be keeping her alive for me not for her. And wouldn’t there be a higher chance of her getting another tumor and going through this same situation again? I know I seem to be leaning toward putting her down, but that truly isn’t the case. I love her dearly and want to be sure I make the right decision for her.

Cindy M. Ebie
Okalahoma

answer:

Cindy -

Fibrosarcomas are very invasive tumors locally, but they often tend to spread to other parts of the body late in the disease, so catching it early could have saved her life. I know amputation sounds very drastic, but dogs and cats do very well with 3 legs. An amputation is a much more drastic procedure in a person, who walks with two legs, but our four legged friends learn very quickly how to balance on the other three. The first amputation I did years ago was on an Old English Sheepdog - very big dog - and he was up and walking on his own the next day! His tumor was large and very painful, so he felt much better after the surgery. A colleague of mine who works with me in the office also has a three legged dog who has no idea he's missing anything. Make sure Sandy is appropriately treated with pain medications during the peri-operative period, I like to use a combination of opiods (morphine like drugs) and NSAIDs (aspirin like drugs). As to whether it will recur again - your vet should 'stage' the tumor to make sure it has not spread to the lymph nodes or other organs . Chest xrays look to the lungs, abdominal ultrasound can check the liver, spleen and other organs, and finally, when surgery is performed, make sure a lymph node is submitted to a pathologist to check for tumor cells. If all of that comes back tumor free, you should expect a good result and a happy life for Sandy!

One last thing, although I think Sandy (as a young dog) will be fine with three legs, in some situations, a veterinary surgeon can perform a limb-sparing procedure to save the leg and still remove as much tumor as possible. This is reserved for very special circumstances only, usually an animal that we belive would have difficulty walking because of other problems, such as hip dysplasia or nerve damage. A limb-sparing surgery is usually reserved for board certified veterinary surgeons (those who have received expensive training and specialize in surgery only). And don't forget, there are also veteriary oncologists available for consultation. Ask your veterinarian where the closest referral hoospital is!

Ann O'Brien, DVM
Goleta , CA