# Greyhounds and Bone Cancer...Help!



## fredthoroughbred (23 July 2009)

Hi,

I took my adorable greyhound for a vet appointment because he had a lump on his leg.  Very unexpected but it turns out he has bone cancer with the tumor in his right leg.  The vet said with him being such a large dog he doesn't know how easy it will be for him to walk after amputation and also the next point for the cancer to reach would be his lungs but he doesn't know if that has happened yet.  

I have booked him into a specialist but I just wondered if anyone else has had a greyhound with bone cancer and if they could give me any advice on how long it takes for them to start showing serious symptoms or if you know of any three legged greyhounds???

Thanks in advance : )


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## FestiveSpirit (23 July 2009)

I'm so sorry to hear this  
	
	
		
		
	


	













I havent had a greyhound with bone cancer personally but I have had a tripod greyhound - and I would say DEFINITELY go for it  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  I do appreciate that every dog will be different, but one of mine had her back right leg amputated a few years ago following a horrible localised bacterial infection.  I was hugely apprehensive as I had never had an amputee dog of any kind before, but I was amazed by how well she coped  
	
	
		
		
	


	









She was home the day after the operation, and was dashing around almost immediately including running up and down the steps into the back garden - much to our horror  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  I would confidently say that she was as happy and active after the amputation as she was before it, and she loved racing around the garden with the others playing  
	
	
		
		
	


	





We put her on tablets straight away to help with her mobility (aaargh cant remember what they were called! Glucosamine and chondrotin ones) and had to avoid long walks on the lead which she did find tiring.  But other than that she was fine  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I've known of lots of other tripod greyhounds through the rescue organisation where I get mine, which have lost front and back legs (well, not on the same dog obviously..) and they have all coped really really well.  I am surprised at your vet saying your greyhound might find it difficult to cope TBH, but as I say I think it will be fine - do keep us updated


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## fredthoroughbred (23 July 2009)

Thanks Splotchy,

That's good to know!!  But I think the vet was trying to say (although it is a bit blurry) that if it has spread to his lungs, he will have to have chemo and an amputated leg and if this is the case, do we put him through that??  He also said that even after chemo and amputation because it is so aggressive it may spread elsewhere anyway...so confusing!!  I feel completely heartbroken


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## Oneofthepack (23 July 2009)

I feel for you and know what the dilemma is like as I had the same thing with my lovely lurcher Charlie. He had a granular lump on his back ankle joint and an xray showed his whole leg bone was full of holes instead of dense. The vet said it was either bone cancer or osteomylitis but either way the leg would have to come off. If it was bone cancer he said it had almost certainly already spread and additional treatment would make recovery from the op hard if not impossible and I would put him through an awful lot for possibly 6 months of a not very comfortable life.

He was going to do a bone biopsy to find out which it was and sent him home doped up on morphine because of the pain but it didin't seem to touch it. I think the way they move them about during the xray made it even more painful and after 2 days I couldn't bear to see him suffer any more and had him pts. It was awful and I'd rather have had some more options but in the end it was selfish to keep him alive.

I do hope there is some way of saving your dog but I think most people would agree that it's quality not quantity that counts. I have a 3 legged, one eyed cat so I'm not against the idea of removing bits to prolong life but there are other considerations in this case


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## chevs (23 July 2009)

So sorry to hear about your dog.  My friends rottie was diagnosed with bone cancer in her front leg last year.  Vets amputated the leg, she battled with a couple of infections and within 2 months it had spread to her lungs and she died.

My friend was so upset at having put her through all of this, for her to only gain a couple of miserable months.

She died on christmas eve at home.  She was a fab dog and loved by all.

Dont want to sound like Mrs doom and gloom but this is the reality of the horrible bone cancer.

Good luck whatever you decide.


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## CorvusCorax (23 July 2009)

Sorry to hear this - where I used to live, I used to see three different tripod greys/lurchers near my house, one of whom used to jog with his owner, who also pushed her baby in a pram.
I think lightweight dogs are very well disposed to coping without a leg.

I have had to think about this recently and I don't think I would put a dog through intensive chemo. Just my opinion though.


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## CAYLA (23 July 2009)

As suggested alot of dogs cope well with hind leg amputation  and I would not hesitate with a hind leg amputation if the prognosis of the cancer was good after amputation, I would however never amputate a front leg on a large breed dog, but thats just me.
A few thing would obs sway my decision mainly age and the aggressiveness of the spread, the precense of bone cancer can make for subtle bones and they can crumble/break more easily so extra care should be taken to avoid injury.
I would go for further tests to determine the spread and decide where to go from there.
I had a rescue racing whippet whippet that I took on at the age of 2, at the age of 10 when I returned from the shop she was limping around the house with a hugely swollen leg, I took her into work for a simple fracture repair, although it did worry me how this happened in the house, but she was a bench surfer 
	
	
		
		
	


	





Anyway she was x-rayed and her bones where all mottled (bone concer) and it had spread to her chest, very clear on x-ray, it was a front leg and although she was a little dog and could have coped, she had previously smashed her other front leg and had it fixated twice, so basically it would have crippled her to use that leg, and she would only have gone on about 6 months before the cancer took her...so I let her go 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 and it was the hardest thing I ever did.

She did not show nay sign of illness or any symptoms b4 this incident.


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## FestiveSpirit (23 July 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Splotchy,

That's good to know!!  But I think the vet was trying to say (although it is a bit blurry) that if it has spread to his lungs, he will have to have chemo and an amputated leg and if this is the case, do we put him through that??  He also said that even after chemo and amputation because it is so aggressive it may spread elsewhere anyway...so confusing!!  I feel completely heartbroken  
	
	
		
		
	


	





[/ QUOTE ]

Ah now I understand - sorry, I was reading in a hurry at work  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  I think that puts a whole different perspective on things... I know what I would do (maintain quality of life for as long as possible without amputation then PTS) but obviously the decision is entirely yours, and I am certainly not someone to judge if you decide on a different course of action  
	
	
		
		
	


	





You poor thing, I'm looking at my two tonight rather nervously, I really do feel for you


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## fredthoroughbred (23 July 2009)

Thanks everyone...I will take him to the specialist as soon as they give me an appointment and I will decide from there.  I think I know that I won't be going down the amputation and chemo route, he is a very sensitive dog and I don't think he would appreciate all the horridness that would come with it.  I hope we have as long as possible with him (another seven years would be ideal) and I also hope my other wee greyhound will be ok without him


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## CorvusCorax (23 July 2009)

Hugs for you and your boy FT xxx


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## FinnishLapphund (23 July 2009)

{{{Hugs}}} and sympathy. 

And who knows, as I understand your posts/replies, you don't know yet if it has spread or not, so maybe there still is some hope.


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## MurphysMinder (24 July 2009)

Hugs to you and your lad.  I really hope that the vet is being overly cautious and the specialists finds the cancer hasn't spread.  If that is the case, like other posters, I have seen several tripod geyhounds who seem to cope fine.  However, if it has spread I don't think I would want to put a dog through chemo, so would just enjoy him as long as his quality of life was good and then make the final brave decision for him.  Thinking of you. x


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## Sambo11 (9 August 2009)

My greyhound, Sammy, is 11 years old and was diagnosed about the same time.  We've opted not to amputate because of his age and his back end is weak.  We have had palliative radiation done on his right front leg and is being treated with pamidronate.  There has been at least one greyhound that survived for 12 months in my area.  

I wish you the best!  There is a magazine called 'Celebrating Greyhounds' that has had several good articles about bone cancer and what to do when the end is near.  

One day they will hopefully find a cure!!!


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## Sambo11 (10 August 2009)

Here's another resource:  Excellant facility with greyhound info

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/GHWP.htm

Cancer consultations available by email - also  

I found them very helpul.  Best wishes to your 'grey'.


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