Is amputation right for my older large dog with bone cancer?

Question

My dog has been diagnosed with bone cancer in his left rear leg, up in the pelvic hip joint. He is an 11yr Belgian shepherd. His personality hasn't changed and despite the leg (he won't pit any weight on it) he is a happy playful dog still. My question/concern is, being an older large breed dog, would amputation actually help him? Or will he struggle to adapt to the change? Pet's info: Dog | Belgian Shepherd | Male | neutered | 11 years and 6 months old | 38 lbs

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately only your veterinarian can answer this question. In general amputation buys a few months time and considering your dog is already very old for a Belgian Shepherd, it may be more humane to give your dog palliative care than go through with the surgery. If your dog has arthritis in his hips, having only one hind leg may put serious strain on the arthritic hip and this will cause more pain. Discuss good pain management with your veterinarian. An alternative would be to go see a veterinary oncologist who is most experienced in assessing bone cancer cases and can give you good statistics as well as has most experience with good palliative care.

Is amputation right for my older large dog with bone cancer?

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