This is completely off topic - sorry.
Our two dogs had their teeth done yesterday. Both had routine blood checks too.
The big one was also there for an x-ray as she'd had intermittent limping over the past few weeks. Vet had thought this limping with the rear right leg was cruciate ligament, but the x-ray showed an obvious tumour on the femur just above the knee. Osteo Sarcoma.
It came as a
very unexpected & dreadful shock. She's 10, and should perhaps live for another 4 years. Were she another 2plus years older, the decision would be to go with option 1, or perhaps 2 together with very close observation.
Three options, none exactly great:
1/ Euthanasia
2/ Treat with pain relief until his monitoring shows it's time to call it a day-literally.
3/ Amputation
I can't bring myself to go for option 1, and option 2 doesn't seem to give any if's or chances - purely pain relief, so no therapeutic aid whatsoever. Could be within a couple of weeks, the vet decides that's the day to stop. To me it's like standing by and watching something burn rather than try putting the fire out, or at least dampen it down.
Option 3, although drastic,
perhaps could give weeks, or with luck perhaps months, and lots of luck stretching into a year ...no-one knows.
We have an appointment to see the vet on Friday afternoon (we'll leave Sophie at home I think), but he said to phone and ask him anything today (he's away on Thursday). Other x-rays don't appear to show it spreading anywhere yet.
He's already said he wouldn't even let us ask him to give her chemotherapy, as he feels it's too unpleasant for too little in return - a fact verified by a close friend earlier: some dogs cope with a few days sickness each time, others are quite ill with it.
These are median prognoses, so could go either way:
Amputation and chemotherapy – 10 to 12 months (See above)
Limb spare and chemotherapy – 10 to 12 months (Tumour too close to knee for this operation)
Radiation and chemotherapy – 8 to 10 months (Radiation can cause as many problems as it fixes).
Amputation alone – 4 to 5 months
Palliative care – 1 to 3 months (Vets last two patients only lasted days: one 4, the other 7-10days)
He's a very good vet, and we've been with him for a long time. We've always trusted him & his judgement, and he's always been right.
This time, he's given us these options and left it to us to ask questions and decide. Makes it hard.
He has said tonight that if it were his dog and it was in the same healthy condition and stage as our dog, then he'd opt for amputation because right away, the pain is gone and the tumours progress halted.
Apart from this, she's still her loopy, otherwise healthy self - and I love her so much.
Last night, we just about decided to go with amputation, now my husband is wondering if it's fair on her ...I just don't know. In the small hours, I almost decided to go with option 1 to alleviate any further discomfort or suffering - in the light of day, it seems we should try for better.
Truth is, it's all horrible no matter which way we look at it. I'm hoping to sleep better tonight, and hopefully reach a good decision by Friday.
Oh, and i also had quite a bit of success with the coiler as well 
