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We have a 13 1/2 year old lab. She has had a tumor on her front leg for about 6 months. We had our vet look at it as soon as we noticed. She suggested we not do anything. The only effective treatment would be amputation. And at her age and size (about 80 pounds), she would never be able to get around on 3 legs. I will say that the tumor doesn't seem to bother her (the dog) at all.
The tumor continues to get bigger and is now the size of a baseball, although it still doesn't seem to bother her. I took her to a different, highly recommended, vet for a second opinion. He said the same thing. Amputation is the only option, and she won't tolerate it.
Vet 2 said that eventually the tumor will rupture the skin. Most likely, it will outgrow its blood supply and basically die (the tumor, that is). It will then abscess. He said it will be very smelly (since it will be filled with dead tissue at that point) and may be very messy. At that point, we would need to put her down as there would be nothing they could do, and it would start to cause her pain.
We know it's coming. She's already pretty old considering her breed and size. But she is still doing pretty well. Doesn't seem to be in any pain and gets around pretty well. My question is, has anyone been through something similar? Will it be a gradual leak of fluids or will I come home and it will look like a crime scene? I really don't know what to expect.
I understand that amputation is the only way to get rid of any possibility of cancer, but once the tumor ruptures, I don't see why they couldn't cut the tumor out - they said it would just be dead flesh. Did they explain any of that? I'm genuinely curious. I know leg growths can be surprisingly tricky though.
I have never experienced this, but with other stuff, when it ruptures, yeah, it can get pretty "crime scene"
I understand that amputation is the only way to get rid of any possibility of cancer, but once the tumor ruptures, I don't see why they couldn't cut the tumor out - they said it would just be dead flesh. Did they explain any of that? I'm genuinely curious. I know leg growths can be surprisingly tricky though.
I have never experienced this, but with other stuff, when it ruptures, yeah, it can get pretty "crime scene"
Apparently, when it gets to that point it is necrotic and no antibiotic in the world can do anything. They can certainly clean and dress it, but that's about it. And he said it would get painful for her and only get worse.
Apparently, when it gets to that point it is necrotic and no antibiotic in the world can do anything. They can certainly clean and dress it, but that's about it. And he said it would get painful for her and only get worse.
Got it. Might want to consider a second opinion. I have gotten highly conflicting prognoses from different vets whose opinions I respected.Plus if your vet is older (even just in their 40s), there can be different standards that have arisen since they graduated vet school. Your girl is certainly on borrowed time and you are doing what you can for her, but there may be some other options your vet hasn't considered. (You know, that might not involve messy rupturing)
Got it. Might want to consider a second opinion. I have gotten highly conflicting prognoses from different vets whose opinions I respected.Plus if your vet is older (even just in their 40s), there can be different standards that have arisen since they graduated vet school. Your girl is certainly on borrowed time and you are doing what you can for her, but there may be some other options your vet hasn't considered. (You know, that might not involve messy rupturing)
That was my second opinion. Both vets said the same thing.
I've seen Great Danes (and many other breeds) do just fine on 3 legs. In fact, I taught dog obedience for 25+ years and never heard of a dog not adapting well to having only 3 legs.
Maybe you've said something to both veterinarians to make them believe you dont want to deal with a 3-legged dog. Otherwise, there's no reason that they'd recommend against amputation when the time comes.
I've seen Great Danes (and many other breeds) do just fine on 3 legs. In fact, I taught dog obedience for 25+ years and never heard of a dog not adapting well to having only 3 legs.
Maybe you've said something to both veterinarians to make them believe you dont want to deal with a 3-legged dog. Otherwise, there's no reason that they'd recommend against amputation when the time comes.
Dogs bear more of their weight on their front legs. Though I have not seen the 3-legged dogs you're referring to, the ones I have seen (that are larger dogs) are missing a hind leg. That might be part of the problem here.
Dogs bear more of their weight on their front legs. Though I have not seen the 3-legged dogs you're referring to, the ones I have seen (that are larger dogs) are missing a hind leg. That might be part of the problem here.
I've seen just as many 3-legged dogs missing a front leg and they get along just fine. Dogs dont know they're disabled and manage to adapt quite well to a missing limb.
We once stopped at an Amish vegetable stand and they had a dog whose hind leg was just a mass of tumors. Not one but probably a dozen so that it couldn't move it. I felt bad for that dog.
Yes dogs do well on 3 legs, my sister and her husband adopted a 3 legged dog years ago and she did great but now that she is older it is getting tougher for her. ( she is missing a rear leg and is about a 35 -40lb dog)
The thing I would worry about and what might be might be the reason the vets are saying what they are is the dogs age/ Most old dogs have arthritis and joint issues and getting around on 4 legs starts becoming an issue so take away a leg especially with a large dog at that age might not be wise. Your not dealing with a young lab that could no doubt do fine on 3 legs for quite a long time. I also do believe it is more difficult when it is a front leg, Yes there are 3 legged dogs that are missing a front leg but once again I think as a senior having only 1 front leg will make it tougher.
Unless there is a large blood vessel involved I do not think the tumor opening will result in looking like a crime scene there might be a lot of pus and it might stink real bad but it might be very painful to have a tumor that advanced.
I had a senior dog that was 14.5 yrs and in great health still very active but she developed a tumor in a salivary gland that caused her eye to bulge out and it ruptured the eye. The eye did self seal right away but it was still very painful so I had to make a decision right then to put my dog down or put her through a big surgery where she would have lost an eye and probably half of her face if she survived it and the recovery . She was the best dog I ever had and I loved her so much that I had to do right by her and not put her through any of that so I put her down. It was not at all about money because I could have afforded it but it was about doing right by her. Did it hurt for me? Yes very much but I know down deep in my heart that it was the right decision. We all die and to be allowed to leave this world with some dignity is the way I myself want to go so I will allow my dogs that too.
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