Difficult decision

I have just returned with my 10 year old Labrador Retriever from the vet. Four weeks ago he underwent x-rays as he was not putting his hind right leg down. The x-rays were fine and showed that his knee and hip joints were good. Now, four weeks later and with the problem
My vet after examination thought another x-ray was needed. I have now been told that my beloved Storm has a very aggressive tumour in his hip joint and it can be clearly seen in the x-rays as is joint which looked so good four weeks ago has now being eaten away quite dramatically. I now have to decide whether to get his leg amputated hopefully getting rid of the tumour or have him put to sleep. I would be grateful for any advice that could help me come to a decision that would be in my beloved Storm's best interest. Has an older dog of this size coped with having his leg amputated, and went on to have a good quality of life? Would it be kinder to let him go? I would be very grateful for any feedback . My only thought is to do what is right for my beloved Storm.
Thanking you in anticipation of a speedy reply as time is of the essence.

Dear Ian

I hope you don’t mind but I have put this question up on the Think Tank so others can share their experiences. It is very difficult to decide whether it is better to treat or to just make comfortable and there is no right or wrong answer, you have to go with your instinct.

There are many dogs who cope well with amputation – in fact we formed a special three legged dog agility team a few years ago and were vastly oversubscribed! I think it is worth asking the vet how good your dog’s other hip is, how heavy he his and how strong his front legs are – if he has a strong other leg then he will probably cope very well. But you have to look at how invasive the treatment will be after amputation and if the time it buys you is worth the upset. Is managing the symptoms with strong pain relief a possibility? I’d ask lots of questions about prognosis and actual duration of treatment with the amputation option so you can make an educated choice. Dogs generally cope very well on three legs – so if that is your only concern I have known dogs bigger than Labs cope with losing a leg. Generally a front leg is much more difficult for heavy dogs to lose.

You have a difficult time ahead, I am sure others who have been through the same thing will give their input, too

Best wishes
Beverley

Thank you for your quick response to my e-mail of 26th Oct. After talking to my vet and reading different blogs i made the decision to have Storms leg amputated. I don't know if this will save him but i felt i owed him the chance. The agreement was that the vet would x-ray his chest and if this was clear he would proceed with the op. Thankfully his x-ray was clear and the amputation was done on Wed 28th. He came home on Thurs 29th and has adapted very well to having his leg removed. I was very interested to read that you had used a vet John Carter and his alternative treatment for cancer and feel that would be a good way to treat my beloved Storm . I know that sadly John Carter has died but that the treatment has since been licenced . I would be most grateful if you could give me some advice/pointers that would help me in this quest. I know diet plays a big part but have no idea what i should be feeding Storm. Once again thank you for your help and advice. I look forward to your reply.

Many thanks, Ian

Hi Ian and anyone else interested in John Carter's amazing work, we have a separate blog on this very subject. Click here to be taken to a round-up of all the info. Good luck Ian and delighted to hear that the op went well and Storm has coped with the amputation so well, dogs really are remarkable.
Perhaps you can tell Storm's continuing story via the CV247 blog? Hope it works out for you. It is a very gentle method that either works or doesn't with no nasty side effects. It's also something you can try without sending your dog away for invasive or distressing treatment. I have to say that diet is key to success and those that do well tend to follow it to the letter. There's lots of wonderful people out there who have followed the regime and can pass on tips.
Best wishes
Beverley