Leg Amputation - Eperiences?

[kdf]

My whippet developed a lump on his front leg in late 2013. FNAs showed it to be a spindle cell tumour. We took the lump off and were fairly confident we had ok margins (even in a really crappy location with skinny whippet legs).

A couple of weeks ago a pea sized lump came back in the same location and of course we thought it was the tumour coming back. We did surgery again knowing that it was a difficult location and there was a chance we wouldn't be successful with getting the margins we needed. We've got the path results back and it's an incomplete excision. The report states that the tumour seems more aggressive than the last time. We simply cannot remove more tissue, there's only so much depth in a whippet leg.

The options given to me were radiation or amputation. I have no experience with either but I'm leaning towards amputation.

He's always been my problem dog (if something could go wrong then it would happen to him!!) but structurally he's very sound with no real signs of arthritis, etc. He's just turned 12 but happy and, except for the tumour, healthy. It's just such a huge decision to make.

I'm sure there are some here who have made the decision to amputate for one reason or another. Anyone willing to share their experiences with the surgery and recovery??

This is my boy :heart:

Edited February 16, 2015 by kdf

[*kirty*]

How old is he? My only experience was with an older dog. I don't know anything about this type of tumour - have they done xrays to check for mets?

[kdf]

He's 12. It's on his leg on the inside muscle area. It's a soft tissue sarcoma. We just can't go deep enough to get the margins we need, we got the width fine. He has a much better prognosis than if it were osteosarcoma.

[OSoSwift]

Firstly I am very very sorry this has happened to your boy. Its is awful and not a good decision to be made either way.

I have worked in Vet hospitals for a long time, and am now retired and have my own kennels.

If I would personally amputate would also be helped along by if it was a front or back leg.

Things that would help me make my decision.

What age is the dog?

If older, no I would not. They take a reasonable amount of time to adjust and if they are older it is harder for them, plus if they are older they will have some degree of joint issues even if it is not apparent at this time

What size is the dog?

Smaller the dog the more likely I would do it

Big or Giant dog I wouldn't.

What is the long term prognosis if I do amputate? if I do chemo/radiation?

I have seen a number of dogs have a limb amputated then go on to have the cancer show up in their chests even when chest xrays done prior to amputation are clean etc.

How much time does my breed realistically have left? If you have a 12yo dog who is of a breed where the average life span is 14 is the pain and recovery time worth it for a dog who may pass away from "old age" within 1 to 2 years???

There are many procedures I would not put my animals through due to seeing the outcomes from working in the industry. This has helped shaped how my decisions are made. Many people do not see that so they base their decisions on what information they have.

I hope I have helped you with your decision making in some way. It is a very personal decision and there is no correct answer as you will do the very best for your boy and your family. I wish you the very best of luck and good prognosis'

Edited January 3, 2015 by OSoSwift

[SchnauzerMax]

KDF

I'm sorry your whippet is going through this. My experience of spindle cell sarcoma is that you need really huge margins to have a good chance of success and yes even with no signs of infiltrates, there is a good chance of it recurring in the chest / lungs.

[persephone]

This is a hard one .... I'm sorry you need to think about it .

[kayla1]

Sorry you are having to make this decision.

I don't have any experience with amputation but just wanted to add when my dog was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma, the specialist surgeon recommended a CT scan rather than xrays to check for metastasis prior to surgery. So, if you haven't already, perhaps consider a CT scan before you make a decision. What is the grade of the STS?

You could also ask on this forum as questions are answered by a vet oncologist.

[Jumabaar]

All of the dogs I have seen have amputations have adjusted well. Back legs take much less weight generally so they tend to recover much faster.

*All the dogs that I have seen are through my work in rehab so this will have biased my view because we do so much to make their transition smoother and more comfortable and maintain as much normal function as possible*

ETA- I have seen elderly dogs who were otherwise in good health bounce back very quickly and so that has to be taken into account as well as the 'number'. Age itself is not a disease- it is just part of the picture. Also look at your own time and ability to help your dog i.e. physically able to lift them, moving around while they are recovering which is a bigger consideration when I have this discussion with owners.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Jumabaar

[Salukifan]

I can only speak for myself.

A front leg amputation on a 12 year old Whippet would be challenging for the dog.

At that age, the ability to adjust will be less than in a younger animal.

This is a quality of life vs length of life decision that only you, knowing the health status of your dog and informed by your vet's advice about the prospects of recurrence, can make.

But I'd be hesitant to put an old dog through this - it is going to be painful and learning to walk missing a front leg won't be easy for an ageing dog. If you proceed I strongly recommend regular chiro and bowen therapy to help him cater for the imbalances that will occur and will tax his remaining legs.

If you go ahead, I hope he bounces back and gets a few more years out of it. I'm just not sure I could do it. The only person I know who had a front leg taken off a sighthound (much larger breed) says if she had her time again, she's not sure she'd go through with it.

ETA: I'm sorry you find yourself having to make this decision.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Haredown Whippets

[*kirty*]

I feel the same way as Haredown. A friend took the front leg off her older dog with osteosarc and personally I felt the dog really struggled. She had chemo or radio (can't remember which) but mets took her anyway about 6 months later. Dogs support most of their weight on their front legs so it is a big strain on them to amputate one.

Its a really crappy situation for you to be in and I feel really sad for you. I think I would be asking for scans first so that you know exactly what you are dealing with. And only you know your dog, his disposition etc and how he might cope.

[Dogsfevr]

I would never amputate & even more so on an elderly dog ,

I would be enjoying my time with the dog whilst you can & i also wouldn't be doing chemo or radiation .

Quality time for me is far more important than a very poor quantity & having owned dogs with various issues over the years i have become a realist & learnt what i want & what is best for the dog is two different things

[kdf]

I've had a greyhound with osteosarcoma and didn't even contemplate amputation with her. I also had a greyhound with a MCT in an awkward spot and amputation was an given as an option which I didn't do (3 years post op and he's doing well on 4 legs). It's definitely not something I go into without taking everything into consideration.

I guess the thing making this decision so much harder is that he's so well. He's still relatively active and he's still got a zest for life which makes it hard to not do something. The only amps I've personally been involved with are cats hence me asking for first hand experiences here.

I do think he could adjust but it's a huge operation and a long recovery to put him through. And doing nothing almost seems scarier than doing the amputation.

[Dave73]

I have a GSD with a rear leg amputation 15 months ago due to Heamangiosarcoma in the muscle. She was 5 1/2 and unfortunately even with chemo it has spread to her lungs and her days are numbered. She has been fine on 3 legs it has not hindered her at all, stairs if we forget to put the gate across and she jumps on the bed when she gets up, it was a no brainer for us as we had the option of 2 to3 months or 12-24 months. But she has copped unbelievably well on 3 legs.

Also our girl has had no issues with the chemo, not 1 day off her food or diahorea. Even at this late stage she is still very happy, but her cancer is painless. But the surgeons have said she is incredible on 3 legs not all dogs do as well as her and she was only 5 1/2 and was extremely fit and strong.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Dave73

[karly101]

Has he had a chest x-ray or Ct scan? I would do that before putting him through such a big operation.

If that is clear then I think I would do amputation.. based on your assessment that he's otherwise very well.

[Dave73]

Totally agree with Karly you must check its not anywhere else, we did the CT scan and she was clear, but SASH said they wouldnt do the surgery with out checking the organs for any spread.

[zyx]

I would definitely amputate, have worked with many dogs pre and post amputation,- young and old, front and back, and they manage fine, surprisingly with a very quick transition, and if done with careful pain relief including pre and post op opioids and nerve blocks doesn't seem to be a particularly painful surgery. One way to trial is to have your vet tape the limb up so you can see how she will travel on 3 legs. Good luck with whichever decision you make.

[cavNrott]

I can only speak for myself.

A front leg amputation on a 12 year old Whippet would be challenging for the dog.

At that age, the ability to adjust will be less than in a younger animal.

This is a quality of life vs length of life decision that only you, knowing the health status of your dog and informed by your vet's advice about the prospects of recurrence, can make.

But I'd be hesitant to put an old dog through this - it is going to be painful and learning to walk missing a front leg won't be easy for an ageing dog. If you proceed I strongly recommend regular chiro and bowen therapy to help him cater for the imbalances that will occur and will tax his remaining legs.

If you go ahead, I hope he bounces back and gets a few more years out of it. I'm just not sure I could do it. The only person I know who had a front leg taken off a sighthound (much larger breed) says if she had her time again, she's not sure she'd go through with it.

ETA: I'm sorry you find yourself having to make this decision.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this but I must say I agree with Haredown Whippets. I would not amputate on a 12 year old dog and especially not a front leg.

[OSoSwift]

I would definitely amputate, have worked with many dogs pre and post amputation,- young and old, front and back, and they manage fine, surprisingly with a very quick transition, and if done with careful pain relief including pre and post op opioids and nerve blocks doesn't seem to be a particularly painful surgery. One way to trial is to have your vet tape the limb up so you can see how she will travel on 3 legs. Good luck with whichever decision you make.

I have seen many dogs pre and post and I cannot agree unfortunately. Generally younger dogs cope well, those that lose a back leg cope okay but in older dogs and a front leg, never seen one cope "well" yet.

[dancinbcs]

With a dog that age I would not amputate either. I would try Dr Ann Nevill in Melb who has an amazing track record treating cancer dogs with Traditional Chinese Medicine, especially where the main tumour has been removed but they couldn't get any clear margins. I had a dog with a MCT with a prognosis of 6 months max, who lived 3 happy healthy years until he was almost 14. I know of other dogs she has treated who have lasted 6-7 years at least. Ann treated my dog long distance by phone consults with me and my vets as well as by hair analysis. She treats many dogs around the country the same way. Her treatment isn't overly expensive and has no side effects.

Dr Ann Nevill

Edited January 9, 2015 by dancinbcs

[Airedaler]

I agree with others that say they would not amputate on a dog of this age.

I also agree with contacting Ann Nevill. Unfortunately I had a dog that was not one of Ann's success stories but she was so genuinely devastated when we agreed that my dog was not going to be cured or her condition managed well.