Ok,
I know this is small fry compared to many probelms voiced here, but to me it's massive and i'd appreciate any thoughts anybody has.

About a month ago my 8 year old staffy Bruno was diagnosed with 2 tumors in his back leg. It was operated on but not all of the mass was removed.

He then had an ultrasound to see if anything had spread and it came back clear. Good.

Then the night before last we found another lump on his leg, and yesterday a biopsy said it POSSIBLY looked cancerous too.

This leaves me with 2 decisions.

Leave things alone, knowing there is a 60% chance that the cancer may recur and spread to his liver/kiddneys (limphatic system) OR Amputate his leg, knowing that it could still recurr in another paw at another time.

I just want the best for him, What would you do?

Cheers, Ross

 

well don't mean to sound harsh but put him down, realisticly how long would he live? he's already 8 years old

 

I'd leave him as he is and while he still has a quality of life, just enjoy your time with him.

One of my cats was diagnosed with cancer a month ago and it had spread all over, so we just bought her home for 2 weeks and spoiled her until it got too much for her.

Taking her down the vets for the last time, was the hardest thing I have ever done.

 

Cheers for the input,
Have been on the phone to the Vets (local and the hospital) They're of the opinion his best option would be amputation (on the basis we know things haven't spread).

Will take about 14days to heal, and a further week or two to get used to 3 legs. Should then go on to a normal and happy life.
Expected age for a staff is upto 12-16, so hope for another 4 years anyway.

Have always wanted qaulity of life over quantity, and reading about amputation, looks like they life absolutely fine afterwards. Even a 3 legged dog club.
http://people.ku.edu/~cadavis/AboutAmputation.shtml

 

ar bad news mate hope it goes ok

 

That other lump you found, why not just have that removed? then hes all good, but if another lump/cancerous problem occurs maybe THEN call it quits and leave him alone, too many ops might stress him out etc, but maybe its worth trying to remove that other lump first?
Its all about knowing whats best, and you the owner(who can see him right now) can only decide that really.

But i dissargee with panelbeater saying how long would he live if hes 8, most dogs live easily till 10+, having said that all of our dogs have lived till 12-15

 

Only you can make that decision mate, but you are definately right about 3 legged dogs still being ok, I know someone who had one and he was still happy as anything

 

^^^ This is what i'm reading, the more i read the more everything points towards a happy and normal life.

Think the decision is taken and made.

The problem with removing the 2nd lump is the first one was a mast/spindle cell and not completely taken away. This type is known to granulate and spread to other parts of him, although this hasn't happened yet.

As shocking as it sounds i think having the leg off might be fairest on the dog, with a view that IF anything else ever appeared, nature would run its course.

 

don't get me wrong i'd rather see a dog live on but in reality terms even if the dogs leg is amputated and the other lump removed there is no garantee that he wouldn't get cancer again and who's to say that you could feel another lump? it could very well be an internal organ thats affected and that could all be within a year or so. maybe its a dark way to look at things but its a possibility

 

I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone mate, but all I can say is that if I was in the same position with my pup then I'd listen to the experts and rather get any potential further problems dealt with by just going for a single operation now (which is better than putting the animal through more operations down the line) and amputating the leg.


Cheers,
Grant

 

This is what i would do

Im in the same postion with my cat, he also has cancer and is home for his last few days

Steve

 

Do what ever can be done even if it only for another year, My cat Smokey had a few problems so keep with it. Was getting very high vet bills but could not give in. So l know how you feel.

Smokey died at the vets after 1.5k but l can sleep at night knowing that we tried, some people forget its a family member.

Hope all goes well!!!

 

i would have his leg amputated, if he has still got a good few years to live. he will still live a normal and happy life

 

Am already into the vet for 2k, but money not really the issue (at least i have it now). Think it's got to come off really. Thats what i'm being told by the vets is his best shot at life.

No-one can predict the future so no point in worrying what MIGHT happen after op, where as if its left we know what WILL happen.

Cossie4i, sorry about smokey, it's not nice. I hope your last days together are happy and remebered.

Thanks for the thoughts guys, Goin out for a walk and a think.

 

Oh right well if its leave him or take his leg off for a better shot at the rest of his life then i would take it off, im sure you'd rather spend abit more cash, and help him learn how to walk on 3 legs, than to say goodbye right now

 

panelbeater get fooked mate, i spent 6k on an op for my dog early this year and she's ten. my other is eleven and has a small lump on his leg so he is off to the vet next week to have it looked at and if it means an op he will have it. and while ever they have quality of life i will spend on them to keep them going. mate it's up to you but if he is in good form i would leave him alone if the big c has spred then it's only a matter of time so don't put him through another op. if it was me i am soft as shite and would spend on whatever treatment i could get for him but you do have to draw the line somewhere. i don't envey your decision one bit pal but wish you all the best with ya dog

 

I cant offer advice here as I dont know what I would do either but I wish him the best of luck no matter what you decide to do for him. My best friend in the world at the moment is my dog and we go out for long walks every night and she just listens to all my moans and groans. We are all they have and all they want, choose well for him mate.

 

Cant imagine ever spending 1.5K on a cat!

Shows how much you thought of him I guess mate!

 

I feel for you bud i love my staff to bits an would b lost without him his my best pal suppose its like a member of the family being diagnosed!!!!!id jus come to terms with it and enjoy ur time together it already been opperated on b4 and ithat didnt sort it!!!!jus spoil it till its final day! dont put it down if its not suffering only do that when you know yourself it is feel sorry for you pal

 

i was faced with the same decison with my dog but they said you could spend all the money on him and not be a sucsess as they were not 100% sure what was wrong with him so i went for it any way and it was worth every penny (about the same as a good scs engine!)

he got an infection that took out a disc in his back

11 months on and he is almost fully recovered



from this ...




to this now..

 

Wise move andy jim's a cracking dog

 

Good to hear Jim is comin' on Andy

Rossco, felt proper sad when reading that, horrible postition to be in. Part of me says amputate, but whatever you do, just enjoy your time with the fella. Horrible feeling just reading it, can imagine you are doin your nut over it!

 

Right,

Thanks to all for the kind thoughts and the input.
Having been for a nice big walk and further speaking to the oncologist i've come to a decision.

The vets can't guarantee that everything will be fine even if he has the amputation, and likewise they don't know if the cancer will ever surface again (although this is likely at somepoint). With this in mind it looks like a gamble either way, so have decided to let him keep his leg and we'll deal with things (palliative care) if/when they happen.

I'd hate him to have the op, then have another growth appear 6months dowb the line.

Thanks again to all.

Me

 

Good luck pal

 

Good luck mate

 

Not a nice decision to make a bet but thats the route id follow especially when theres not a 100% cure happy with four than sad with three hajust enjoy ur time with him iv jus walked mine and thort of urs bless him

 

my sisters dog had testicular cancer and that was much the same,, they could remove them but no guarantee everything would be ok or may even still surface again,,

so she decided to leave as is and he got couple of fortekor tabs every day and got another good few years out him

 

I think that's the right thing to do even if 3 legged dogs are happy etc...let it lie and give him a break from ops and see what happens, as you say he could have a big op to remove his leg and weeks or months later a lump appears....

 

Goodluck with him xxxx

 

i would be worried at the stress of a amputation and a lot would depend on how well the dogs copes with vet visits in general to make that decision.
i do tend to feel that maybe the best course of action is to have the lump removed and see how he goes.
Cancer is such a worry though often just the removal of a lump is what causes it to spread hence the amputation is the best chance at actually beating the cancer.
often see a 3 legged dog when out walking mine and if you saw the way it runs around you would be assured that quality of life is not affected by losing a leg.

good luck with what you decide not a decision i would want to make either dam pooches we get so attached its crazy really, would be devastated if it was my dog in the same position.

3 legged dog club sounds a laugh though

 

my dog got cancer and i couldnt do fuck all about it,it gutted me i would have spent a fortune to sort him,all the best with what you decide pal,its hard decision.

 

id , go with the operation to amputate if you absolutely have to , dont put the dog to sleep, youl be cut up for a long time about doing it , ive been through it in the past with pets ,and its truely awful to watch them ,they're not sure whats going on looking up at you , on vets table , needle injecting them and they fading to death infront of you .

best regards
stookay

 

Thats just what he wanted to hear, im sure
Nobody has even mentioned putting him to sleep.
Idiot.

Hope he goes on alright and that you have plenty of good times together still to come.
I really feel for you being in that situation. I am soooooo soft with my dogs, love them more than people!!!

xx

 

Whatever you decide mate just make sure you enjoy your time with him. Not a nice decision at all.

 

my mates cat had it in its paws they did the same and now he has 2 wheels so he can still move ill try get a pic

 

ive got a 15 year old staffie and he has a huge lump on his chest/front leg area,he has fits and his back legs are going.the lump is not cancerous and he is on tablets for his fits.he has had the fits/lumpfor at least 3 years.
some days he is a grumpy fucker,but then on occasion he is just like a little young pup again-playfighting and chasing balls..........
he lives with my parents with my other 8 year old satffie(ive got a white bitch at home),and they love him to bits and have spent a fortune on him with vets fees/tablets etc.......

i would let your dog plod on as he is................and deal with things as they come

 

youre a prick pal.

 

i think your decision is spot on mate ,we lost one of our boxers a few years ago through the same situation .we decided to have her leg amputated and to tell you the truth if this happened again i would not put a dog through it again .it was horrendus for her and although she recovered for six months the cancer returned in one of her eyes ,so the dreaded last journey to the vets was made and although the vet wanted to send her home with painkillers i knew she,d had enough at this point,it was never about money as ive spent thousands on vets fees over the years its whats best for the dog/cat that counts.
i think if the dog /cat had a leg amputated through a accident its a different story as you are fixing the problem.
its a hard decision ,but you know whats best for your staffi,best of luck.


cheers james