My Rottweiler 'Cash' Dealing with Osteaosarcoma and Amputation

Submitted by Barbara Wertz My Rottweiler 'Cash' was nearly ten when she was diagnosed with cancer of the bone (or osteaosarcoma)  in her back right leg.   Our vet felt her leg looking for sore muscles or some other cause for her limp and when he didn’t find anything, he took an x-ray of the leg that showed a definite cancer of the bone.  Cash had been limping for a bit when I took her in, but I wasn’t prepared for cancer.

Cash at 7 years before the cancer

I decided, probably because of the encouragement of the vet tech, to have Cash’s leg amputated if possible.    They took another set of x-rays --  these of her lungs --  to see if any other cancer was present.    I drove the x-rays to a radiologist for reading and later that evening the vet called to tell me that the radiologist didn’t see any other cancer.  He did caution that the radiologist felt that it was probable that there was more cancer, but that it just wasn’t showing up yet.  Regardless, I felt that that was enough encouragement to go ahead with the amputation.  I didn’t realize then how hard the next month would be.  

The surgery was scheduled for the next day.  As usual Cash couldn’t eat after six or drink after Midnight.   I drove her to the vet and left her.  The vet promised to call as soon as the surgery was over.    Everything went well and I was allowed to visit Cash that evening.   She was lying on a cushy bed in a kennel that allowed her to watch all the other dogs.  I brought her some special food from home and a few of her toys and homemade cookies.  She wasn’t too interested in eating or playing that night.  I visited her a couple of times the next day.  Each time there was some improvement.  She was able to potty with minimal help with the aid of a towel/sling.

Two days after the surgery, I was allowed to bring her home.  Friends helped to carry her from the car and the towel/sling help to get her into the house and around the house.

While she was being given pain medication, she seemed able to deal with everything, but when the medication stopped, she went through a period of several weeks where she was really hurting -- panting and crying.   Sometimes she would be laying there shaking.  The only thing I could do to calm her down was to hold her.  Several nights I put some cushions on the floor and slept next to her.

During this period I questioned my decision about the amputation. 

After two weeks we had our first post surgery vet appointment.  I used the ramp I bought and the sling I made to get her into the car on my own.   The vet didn’t remove all the stitches because he felt that the incision hadn’t healed totally.   I was certainly glad he didn’t later when I tried to get Cash back in the car; she stumbled on the ramp and hit her incision.  A gush of bloody fluid soaked the car and the ground under the ramp.   I was scared.  The vet said that this wasn’t blood but some kind of liquid that was generated by the scar tissue.  He said that loosing it might make her feel better.

We started going for short walks with the aid of the sling (which I created with soft, washable material and the sewing machine) but it became apparent that Cash didn’t really like the sling.   Our walks gradually became sling- less and longer.  Nearly a year later, Cash can pretty much take a normal walk with just one or two stops to catch her breath.   The other thing that returned to normal pretty quickly was squirrel chasing!  It is great to see her booking out the door after one of those fluffy tailed creatures.

I do take the sling when we go visiting.  It comes in handy on slippery floors --  like at the vets.  And it comes in handy when there are multiple steps to negotiate.   Of course Cash doesn’t think it’s necessary.  If I’m too slow getting to her, she’ll take the steps on her own and doesn’t seem too hurt by the experience.

Cash with friend Rocky

The sling did seem to help her.  The other thing that made everything easier for her was putting carpeting on all the non-carpeted floors.  I bought some runners and put them down through the kitchen and down all the halls.   Scatter rugs with rubber backing helped her to get around in other areas.  Before I did this she was very hesitant to walk on these areas.   After the carpet went down she was walking around the house easily.  It made a big difference in her attitude about everything.

In closing, I'd like to convey that when faced with a diagnosis of osteaosarcoma, it is critical to act quickly, and not deliberate too long.  My decision to have Cash's leg amputated was made the same day I learned of her diagnosis, and received a second opinion.

We’re just past  the one-year anniversary of the surgery.  Cash seems to be doing fine.  She loves her food and her cookies.   She loves her toys and doesn’t let her lack of leg keep her from getting a desired toy away from her brother.   Most of all she loves to go for walks.  The excited look on her face at the idea of 'walk' is more than enough compensation for the rough times.   For both of us I hope.

UPDATE ON CASH (08/20/03)

Well, I said good-bye to Cash on 06/25/03.  She missed her 12th birthday by a couple weeks.    I could only hope it was the right time.   She had not been smiling at all for several days and found it very difficult to even go out and potty.  I felt that all she had in front of her was pain and she had been through enough of that.

About a year after she had her leg amputated two years ago, she had been diagnosed with kidney problems.  The kidney problems caused her to have occasional seizures where she was unable to move (as she was almost in a daze) for a short period of time.  Due to the kidney problems, I had to switch Cash to the veterinarian I/D diet, which seemed to alleviate the occasional seizures.  In the last two months of her life, a tumor began growing in her mouth.  The tumor continued to grow making it somewhat difficult for her eat at times.   The only good thing about the tumor was the vet said not to worry about feeding her too much protein, because her time was very limited.  Cash liked her food and it was good that her last meals were pretty beefy. 

The memory of Cash that will be with me forever is the picture of a three-legged Rottweiler running for all she’s worth to catch that squirrel that had the nerve to come into her back yard.  She had real heart.