My dog has osteosarcoma. Will amputation cure it if it hasn't spread?

She has most likely been diagnosed with osteosarcoma (in the forelimb probably head of the humerus) which is a primary bond tumor. Bone tumors are painful and typically amputation is recommend with follow up chemotherapy. In the event the cancer has metastasized (spread) or it is suspected the patient will not have a good quality of life with three legs, less invasion options such as radiation therapy are recommended but only as palliative measures. If you have not already discussed talking to a veterinary oncologist with your veterinarian, I would recommend doing so. They will be able to provide you with a detailed treatment plan and prognosis.

Unfortunately only your veterinarian can answer this question. In general amputation buys a few months time and considering your dog is already very old for a Belgian Shepherd, it may be more humane to give your dog palliative care than go through with the surgery. If your dog has arthritis in his hips, having only one hind leg may put serious strain on the arthritic hip and this will cause more pain. Discuss good pain management with your veterinarian. An alternative would be to go see a veterinary oncologist who is most experienced in assessing bone cancer cases and can give you good statistics as well as has most experience with good palliative care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Playing the odds based on Skylar's breed and the fact that she has a tumor in the leg I would assume it is potentially a primary bone tumor such as osteosarcoma though of course your veterinarian would know better. Regardless of the tumor type, if they already made the determination of amputating her leg as the next step I can tell you that most dogs tolerate being on 3 legs very well and get around just fine even if older. Only dealing with cancer patients myself I have a lot of cancer patients that are three-legged and do great. As long as she does not have another orthopedic or neurologic condition that affects her ambulation, she would likely be ok in three legs. Good luck!

I'm sorry to hear about Tuba's cancer! Luckily, most dogs do very well even on only three-legs, so if your vet is confident this will help treat the cancer, and that prognosis is good, moving forward is a good option. If there is still a lump or tumor, you vet can also help you determine if the margin of removal was good or not, the type of cancer present and its prognosis, and can help you monitor for any additional growths. If the cancer is spreading or wasn't caught, your vet may also be able to refer you to a nearby specialists or oncologist (cancer specialist) that can help with further information and a care plan for Tuba.

Osteomyelitis and osteosarcoma can look similar, but there are some distinct characteristics that can be seen on x-rays. The image you provided is very blurry, but I do see the lesion and it does look more suspicious of an osteosarcoma. This is not only because of the location (the knee is a common location for osteosarcoma), but also the fact that it is solitary and has not crossed the joint. However, a biopsy and histopathology is the only way to definitively diagnose the condition. Osteosarcoma is unfortunately a rather severe form of cancer that tends to spread quickly and cause a great deal of pain. If Ben is in good spirits though, then I would not advise euthanasia until he doesn't seem happy anymore. Considering that you are interested in more diagnostics and potentially treatment (there are treatment options for osteosarcoma), I recommend you ask your vet about this, or seek a second opinion. I hope that helps and I'm really sorry to hear about poor Ben.

Skin grafting can be tricky and there is a high risk that the graft would fail, especially when it is applied to an area where there previously was cancer. Mast cell tumors require 2 to 3cm margins and on the leg, many times, this is unachievable. Amputation is likely the best option. If you want to try and save the leg, I would discuss this further with a soft tissue surgeon and then an oncologist. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Unfortunately once cancer has spread to the lungs, there is no treatment that can prolong his survival rate. Your vet is right in the sense that spending thousands of dollars doing radiation therapy and surgery (risky now because Ceasar has lung lesions) is not the best course of treatment. Palliative care (making him comfortable) is the best treatment for him at this stage of his cancer. I am so sorry your pet has cancer and I wish you all the best in the days to come. Take care.