Every day, sadly, another four legged friend gets told that a leg must go.
“Ok,” we dogs say, “so when can we play again?”
Humans, on the other hand, have a harder time with this news.
There are tons of questions our pawrents have before and after surgery, and many people are doubtful about the benefits of amputation. To help you through this hard decision, we’ve come up with a list of the Top 10 questions that pawrents have asked us here at Tripawds. Here are questions 1 through 5. Questions 6 through 10 will follow soon.
Question #1: “How do we know that amputation is the right decision?”
First of all, there are no “right” decisions. Only you know your dog better than anyone else. Ask yourself, “is my dog strong/healthy/spirited enough to endure an operation like this?”
If your dog is fighting cancer, most times amputation will not make it go away. Most bone cancers do metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) eventually. But whether a dog is fighting cancer or undergoing amputation because of an accident, the greatest thing about it, is the immediate gift it gives both canines and their humans; a pain-free life, and more time together.
The biggest risk is being on the operating table, and like any surgery, you must prepare yourself for the chance that something can go wrong. But once a dog recovers, they typically go about living just as they did before.
The biggest benefit that amputation offers is that it will immediately alleviate the unbelievably horrible pain your dog is experiencing from bone cancer, or a shattered limb. And remember, you’re not getting rid of a leg; you’re getting rid of the pain! Whether amputation allows your dog a extra month, year, or longer to lead an extraordinary life, that extra time is all about quality, not quantity. After amputation, every day together is icing on the cake.
Witnessing your dog’s resiliency, and their extraordinary ability to get on with life and continue having fun, is one of the greatest lessons that humans learn after going through amputation with their beloved friend.
Question #2: “My vet says my dog isn’t a candidate for amputation. Now what?”
Everyone’s circumstances are different, and not every dog is a great candidate for amputation. Cancer severity, weight and age can sometimes be an issue (although most times, even senior dogs get through it without a hitch).
Sometimes, vets who aren’t as familiar with the extraordinary lives of Tripawds may quickly dismiss your dog as a candidate because of his age, or size. If your vet does this, please get a second opinion.
Better yet, find a specialist, or go to a teaching hospital near you. Yes, osteosarcoma is an aggressive nasty disease. And if it has already metastasized in the lungs then palliative care may be the right course of treatment, instead of amputation. But if not, you can buy precious time with your pup by proceeding with the amputation.
Find a vet who is knowledgeable and compassionate enough to understand; it’s all about quality of life, not quantity.
Question #3: “What can we expect the first few days after surgery?”
Immediately after the surgery, the horrible pain your dog was in will be gone. Any post-surgery pain will pale in comparison to that of bone cancer. But, there will be post-surgery challenges. Remember, amputation is a major surgery, and as easy as dogs can sometimes make it look, the road to recovery can be long and challenging. Some things you can expect when you pick up your dog from the hospital include:
- Your dog may or may not have a bandage, it all depends on the vet. Please get yourself and family members pschologically prepared that the wound will not be pretty. Check out our post-surgery photos to prepare yourself. When you see your dog, focus on his eyes, not his surgery site, and do your best to hold back any tears.
- You’ll notice that your dog’s walk has changed. It’s weird to see him hopping toward you, but ignore that, and try to rejoice in the fact that your dog is out of pain, incredibly resilient, and coping far better with this new lifestyle than any human ever will.
- The first couple of days after coming home, your dog will need her rest. She might be very groggy, weak, and sleepy. That’s normal. Let her rest and sleep well. Just be sure to make water available to keep her hydrated. Chicken broth or Gatorade in their water will help stimulate drinking.
- Some dogs might want to be left alone, in a quiet spot. Some might have poor appetite, nausea, constipation, affected by pain medications and antibiotics. This may be accompanied by whining or crying. Usually it lasts just a couple of days, but only a vet can tell you if there might be unusual pain involved. Some true signs of discomfort, include a change in diet or refusal to eat, incontinence, or an inability to stand.
- She will need to learn how to get into position to go potty. Don’t worry, it’ll happen naturally after a day or two. When they gotta go, they just go!
- Your dog will have a brand new, cool walk, more like a hop! And you’ll be so surprised at how fast she moves. All that stuff you taught us about heeling at your side? Forget it! Remember, it’s always easier for us to hop along quickly, than walk slowly.
After a few weeks, once we recover, we can get down to the serious business of playing and keeping our families happy.
Question #4: “What can I do to make my dog’s recovery easier?”
The biggest thing you can do is get yourself mentally prepared, and be a strong pack leader. Accept that there will likely be challenges over the next few days that may make you sad, or even regret that you went through with the surgery. That’s normal. Don’t beat yourself up, remember to be strong, and know that the recovery time is just temporary.
Don’t get discouraged if you think progress is slow, and don’t compare your dog’s recovery with others’. Remember that recovery times are all different for each dog, and progress is gradual, anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. Always remember to embrace the little steps along the way.
Some practical advice we can offer includes:
- Have his favorite foods handy, things you know your dog can’t resist. Be prepared to do some home cooking. Tempting foods will help him get his appetite back.
- Put down runners and rugs on all bare, slippery surfaces in your house. A spill right after surgery can be a real confidence killer to a new Tripawd. However, once your dog learns how to to adapt, any minor stumbles or spills while playing won’t be such a big deal to him (you, however, will need to stay calm).
- Cozy pillows in her sleeping area are great, but make sure she has a firm and supportive mattress.
- As she gets used to getting up to walk around or go potty, try wrapping a bath towel under her belly to hoist her rear end and give her a little support. Or, you can cut up canvas grocery bag, and it wrap around your dog’s chest as a sling. Many dogs will only need this kind of assistance for the first few days.
- Later, after the stitches heal, a Ruffwear Harness is extremely helpful by allowing you to assist your dog in getting around (in and out of cars, learning to use stairs on three legs, and helping her up when she lays in an awkward spot on the floor). The harness is always the most helpful when you least expect to need it, so always keep it on your dog except at night.
- For the first week or so, keep your Tripawd confined to a small area in your home, and never let her tackle stairs or going outside by herself during the first few days.
- If you have other dogs, you might want to supervise them closely when they play together, to keep your Tripawd from overdoing it or injuring the incision area.
- Don’t let your Tripawd jump up or down off the bed or couch until they are completely healed. Your Tripawd will forget that they are adapting to a new body, and can hurt themselves. It’s up to you to help them through this phase.
Remember, think positive, and be strong as a pack leader. Always, offer her lots of encouragements. She will pick up on your emotion. ”
Question #5: “It’s been 7 days after surgery, and my dog isn’t behaving like he used to. I think he’s depressed. Is this normal?”
Most times, what humans think is depression in their dog is actually just the dog’s reaction to pain meds. Heavy duty painkillers like Fentanyl patches and Tramadol can induce whining, crying and anti-social behavior. Remember, your dog isn’t used to these drugs, and they’re probably making her see pink elephants. Most often, withdrawal from pain meds is the cause of the change in behavior. Or, they could be coping with Phantom Pain.
We think the biggest reason that pawrents think their dogs are depressed is because deep down, they aren’t sure about their dogs’ ability to cope, and they are projecting those feelings onto their dogs. After all, humans know that they would have a difficult time coping with amputation if they had to go through it. Please keep in mind that dogs are SO much smarter and resilient than humans! Dogs live in the moment, and they have no regrets about losing a leg. When your dog is done healing, he will go on with life, happy and playful, because that’s all that matters.
We hope we’ve addressed some of your concerns here, but if you’re still worried about your dog, please discuss your concerns with your vet.
If you can think of any others, please add to the discussion we’ve started in the Forums. The next five questions will follow shortly . . .
This is so great that you are posting this. It should be very helpful to all pawrents of new tripawds. Warooof! Blazer, Kitty Kimber & Vicki
Today marks a week since my dog, Lola, came home from the ASPCA hospital here in NYC after having her left hind leg amputated. Nine days since the surgery itself, and I have to say that even though I’d read that I’d be “amazed” by her quick recovery, I really wasn’t prepared for how amazed I’d be. I wish I’d read this page a bit more carefully beforehand, though — esp. the bit about the Fentanyl patch. The first 12 hours or so after coming home, Lola literally cried the entire time, and I had never heard her cry once in her 10 years of life up to that point. I was worried that she was in terrible physical pain, but now I think it was one part pain, one part emotional trauma and five parts Fentanyl. She got better over her first 2-3 days, but it wasn’t until after the patch came off that she really perked up. Anyway, thanks for the info here — it’s been great to have something to read about this.
Ian, we are so glad that this helped you and Lola. We are glad to hear that she is doing so well! Keep us posted in the Forums, we’re always here for you.
My 10 yr old beast, Summer, is going in to have her hind leg amputated tomorrow morning because of bone cancer. I am so glad I found this blog. I feel better prepared to take my role in this transition. I had originally decided not to do amputation because the specialist wanted to do chemotherapy with it, and I was opposed to putting her through that. However, after a week, we went back and she was doing well except for the pain and another vet (with lots of experience) said she is an exceptional candidate for amputation. I just couldn’t stand the idea that she would suffer slowly from such a painful malady… she is otherwise healthy and full of life. I am grateful that I now feel like I can go into this with eyes wide open.
Dana, thanks for joining us here. We know how hard of a decision amputation can be, and we appreciate that you gave our website a look before saying Yes. We wish you and Summer the best of luck tomorrow, it sounds like she’ll do just great. We look forward to hearing more about you both. Keep us posted in the Forums OK? Take care.
My 12 year old black lab Toby fractured his paw jumping out of the car. We thought we would only have to keep it in a splint for a while and it would heal. We took x-rays last week and it was worse than we thought the ligaments had been damaged. The vet told me my options were a 5,000 dollar surgery that may not heal well, amputation, or putting toby to sleep. Other than Toby’s broken paw he is in great health for his age so I came to the hard decision of apmutation. He had the surgery today and I am devestated. I broke down in tears at the vets office and I am so fearful of how I am going to react when I pick him up and see him for the first time. I love him to so much and I dont care what he looks like I think it is just going to be over whelming. Does anyone else have any older dog that had a amputation? How did it go after surgery? Did they get there personality back?
Hi Laura, thanks for writing. We hope that Toby is feeling well after surgery. We know what an agonizing decision it is, but trust me, it’s harder on the human that it is on the dog, even an older dog like Toby.
There are plenty of older Tripawds here that are doing great on three legs, even fourteen year old Sami, another black Lab! That’s right, FOURTEEN! And she is coping with cancer too. We know it’s hard to be optimistic, but Toby is really lucky that he isn’t a tripawd because of cancer, so that’s a very big plus on his side!
We have a special place for Senior Tripawd issues in the Forums where you can ask others what their experiences have been too. Drop us a line there, we’d love to hear from you, and I know you’ll find lots of moral support from others who’ve been there.
Good luck. The road ahead will be a challenge for the next couple of weeks, but after that, we’re betting Toby’s going to be back to his usual self. Hang in there!
Thank you for the Support !!! The first few nights taking care of Toby was a nightmare to say the least. Unfortunately he has gotten an infection in the incision site and is now fighting for his life. Please say a prayer for Toby he needs everything he can get right now.
Hi,
My 2 yr old german short-haried was hit by a car last Tuesday and the break was to bad for pins so his left hind leg had to be amputated. He has always been a very timid dog and just as sweet as he can be. His surgery was Wednesday and today is Sunday. He still is very sleepy and weak. He refuses to eat anything and we have been having to force baby food down him. He drinks very well and we have been giving in gatorade and pedialtye along with his water. The vet says he may have had a kidney condition that we didnt know abt before the accident and the trauma may have caused kidney failure. To me this seems like a long shot in the dark. Is it normal for them to sometimes go this long with out eating after amputation. Its like he has no desire for food. he is keeping the baby food down, but im worried. He has been going outside to potty and can walk around but he seems distant like hes depressed. Maybe someone can help
Thanks for your prayers! Unfortunately, Toby’s infection was too great and caused him to have some kidney failure. He passed away on Friday. Thank you for all the support. We should remember how serious amputation surgery is and if you think they are any complications or chance for infection or anything make sure that you take your pet immediately back to the vets office. We thought we had caught his infection in time but it has done too much damage in a very short period of time.
Laura, our hearts go out to you and your family. We are so, so very sorry. Thank you for letting us know. We hope you can eventually find peace and comfort in all of the great times you shared together. Many, many hugs.
Hi whitney I am new to the tripawds site, have a few tricks to try. Rage 2 1/2 yr heeler had front leg removed MV also, first you must try to have a ‘I can do it’ attitude towards your dog’s ability to do the things they did b4 MV. they get confidence from that. The honey has natural antibiotics in I believe and found one teaspoon honey-dash milk-mix small amount warm water then add the rest to the bowl that your dog would usually drink, you can put your finger in the mix and run it under his lips, the sweet taste may encourage more drinking. He may be a little dehydrated and they wont eat if they are because no stomach acid being made I have thought when Rage would’nt eat…if he likes the honey try some in his meat mix. Rage was in shock for some time so the honey-milk-water kept his sugars up like you are doing with the gatorade (watch salt content in those energy drinks.) and I hand fed him telling him good lad all the time and when he refused no praise was given. Sounds hard but it encourages them to eat for the reward, sounds mean but praise for good eating .. If honey is too sweat or he hates it, a little raw sugar can help. Rage was hit 18 dec 08 and op was 20 dec. He had no hunger for food for over a week, I also gave him raw liver,heart and kidneys, that got his nose twitching!!! He ate that all up… LOL If he is on medication that has a lot to do with the symptons he is presenting…. sleepy dog wont be too hungry and some meds can make em queezy, keep up with praise and try to present a happy face. This I found hard when looking at Rage’s injury and found that he was reacting to my depression….so I livened myself up and found Rage livined up as well. They feel your emotions that is for sure. Sounds like you are doing a great job getting him to drink and maybe forcefeeding him could be a little unsettling for your dog….I cant say for sure as you know your dog. Please accept this as idea’s to help, Keep up the good work and I am sure he will be ok. As far as the vet regarding kidney function, well I agree with you but keep it in mind. Tests can be done if no improvement later but I believe TIME TO HEAL – mind and body…he is young dog like Rage and they bounce back real quick… Jerry has given me great advice on chat line also other members, reasurance and know you are doing your best to help him through this difficult first weeks….I have asked people the same question as you and found time worked for Rage especially when I changed my “worried look” for him….Please let me know how u are getting along………Rage is now making up for the meals he missed and nothing is safe from those hungry eyes..LOL all the best, plz stay in touch. Rage is on the forum under Rage- Australia- a new way of life if you would like to see him….( I had a little fight with my vet too! gotta be strong, gut instinct wins I reckon.)
My 9 1/2 yr old black lab/chow mix was diagnosed with bone cancer 12/22/08. He had been limping for 3+ months before and we finally figured out what was wrong. The vet says he is not a good candidate for amputation given how aggressive the cancer is. He is still eating, wagging his tail & greating us at the door. The problem is his left hind leg is very big ( vet says it’s the cancer) and obviously painful so we are carrying him up & down stairs to go out to the bathroom. I think if the leg were amputated he would get around so much better. I have him on a new diet, K9 immunity & pain pills. Am I doing all I can do? Has anyone had a similar situation.
You think right. Get a second opinion or check out all the success stories in the discussion forums about dogs who were “poor candidates” … it’s all about quality of life, not quantity.
PS: Doctors gave me three months after my amputation from osteosarcoma. I lasted nearly two years, loving life on three legs.
Hi Lisa, We have an 11 yr. old german shorthair, Sid, who had his front left leg amputated on Feb. 2nd. Back in June, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and was given just a couple of months 2 live. Prior to that, he too, seemed to have injured that leg and was limping. When it did not go away, after several weeks, we had him tested and found out that he had cancer. We were devastated. The cancer in his leg (the lower portion) kept getting bigger until he no longer could use that leg. We struggled with the decision to amputate or not. After 8 mos., we decided to have it done. The tests he had prior to surgery showed that all of his organs were clear, strong and working well. Other than the swelling, Sid seemed happy, vigorous – eating and pooping just fine.
It’s been over a month now since the surgery and everything went just beautifully. After he came home, it was only a few hours later that he wanted to go outside! His wound healed perfectly, inside and out now we are all just adjusting to life on 3 legs. Sid’s appetite has slowed somewhat but he is eating and driking just fine. He is getting 1 Zubrin in the am (antiinflamatory) and 1 Gabba Pentin in the pm (for nerve pain/phantom pain) He sometimes seems uncomfortable (highly understandable) with stiffness in his back legs but from what I’ve read, this is very normal. We give him gentle massages as often as possible and, of course, lots of love and attention.
Sid is one of 6 dogs and we love them all so dearly. The first night after surgery, we all spent the night with Sid! Although no one can make the decision for you, whatever you decide will be the right choice for you and your dog. I came across this site while searching for dog behavior after an amputation and when I read your email, it just sounded so much like our situation. I wish you all the best and hope that you and your pup have many more years together.
I know it’s hard as we, too, have a long road ahead of us but we must stay strong, optimistic and try not to let our dogs “feel” how worried and afraid we are!
Sincerely, Cheryl
Thanks for such details about Sid’s treatment Cheryl! This is exactly the type of information we like to share in the Tripawd Discussion Forums. Please consider adding a topic to share Sid’s story with our growing community of members in the same situation.
We were informed a few weeks ago that our 3 year old Great Dane, Athena had osteosarcoma in her right front humorus (between the elbow and shoulder).
We live in Ft Collins CO so are fortunate to have one of the leading veterinary teaching hospitals in the world at our fingertips. Fortunately, because she was considedred stage 1 with cancer in only one site, she qualified for a clinical trial using gene therapy. On day one of the trial a bone biopsy is done and the gene therapy drug is introduced into the tumor site. The theory is that this encourages the immune system to identify and fight any other sites where cancer cells may be hiding. A few blood tests are done about 3 days apart and then the amputation on day 10.
Athena had her amputation last Thursday May 28, 2009 and was home from the hospital the next day.
We are also working with the most amazing vet in the world. She is a pain management specialist and has worked with cancer dogs for over 20 years.
Has had a Great Dane of her own with osteosarcoma, that was successfully treated.
I am having trouble staying positive and upbeat. Athena is so big (135 lbs, but seems to do well getting around slowly and taking frequent breaks. She has developed a sore on her hind foot from something they did during the surgery, a shaved place that has become irritated. The last few days she has been very lethargic, which bothers me. I guess I was hoping for noticable improvement every day. Our vet says she is doing amazingly well, but I’m not feelin it. Watching her lay around with seemingly no energy is very difficult for me. She is eating, but doesn’t seem to want to drink, and is only peeing 1-2 times a day with great encouragement. She is pooping. We have started tappering medication, so we may just have some withdrawal.
After she has healed from surgery, she will have a couple rounds of chemo and be on a drug that inhibits tumor growth.
We look forward to her continued healing and a long happy life.
You are very fortunate indeed to be so near CSU. And, in fact, we are currently near Fort Collins too! Expect an email from us. Please consider joining the discussion in the tripawd forums. You will find much more advice and support there than we alone can provide here. Start a new topic, or post your concerns in the ask a vet forum. Also, be sure to check out posts from Tazziedog. Pam is a vet and Tazzie is a 165+ lb three legged English Mastiff who also had issues with a sore paw after surgery. Don’t miss the posts from Dane Mom either. Sue’s big girl Nova is a Great Dane who went blind shortly after amputation and is doing amazingly well. Above all, stay strong. It is still early and Athena is in great hands.
Hi!!
I am so glad to have found this site….Our 11 year old lab rottie mix has a tumor on his right front shoulder and we are struggling trying to decide what to do. He is definately not telling me it is his time and I feel he will do well with amputation. He survived bloat 2 years ago and survived emergency surgery after as well. He is a fighter…..and super healthy otherwise…..I think we are going to start with a chest x ray and if it is clear then we should go for it…..Amazingly he isn’t in pain now but it is getting bigger everyday and will eventually break his leg…..in my heart i really do not feel like it is his time yet and i think we should go for it….just looking for reassurance…..thanks…..
Sorry to hear about your pup, but we’re glad you found us. You will find much more advice and support in the discussion forums. We have had a few Rottweillers join the tripawds community lately who are doing well. Best wishes.
My 8 yrs old Rotweiller and Ridgeback dog, Happy is in the hospital now for a right rear leg amputation surgery deal to bone cancer. He has be diagnosed with bone cacner in September, and the leg got so swollen that he could bearly stand. We were scheduled to have surgery at Feburary, but the Vet told us to keep calling them everyday to see if someone cancel the appointment, so we could squeezed in. We were lucky to get in today, December, which is 2 days before our schedule. I am picking up my dog tomorrow morning. I hope everything will be fine. I will talk to the doctor to see if my dog needs Chemotherapy or any further treatment. Thank You Blue Cross Hawaii, Dr. Jane and Dr. Allison for squeezing my dog in.
Thanks for the comment Emily, and best wishes to Happy for a quick complete recovery. You will find much more help, advice and support in the Tripawd Discussion Forums. Consider starting a blog for Happy too, so everyone can follow his progress.
my dog benni has been in today for his left hind leg to be amputated.
apparently what he has is a slow spreading bone cancer.benni is five and healthy and strong i was under the impression that once the leg was gone benni would be fine. but from this site i see alot of dogs don’t have alot of time after their operation is this true for all dogs?
Andrew, thanks for finding us, we send our many wishes for a successful operation and recovery. The length of time a dog lives with bone cancer and after amputation depends on so many factors, there is no predicting it. First, it depends on what kind of cancer Benni has; some are more aggressive than others, some will metastasize to the lungs and some won’t. Amputation doesn’t guarantee a longer life, it just guarantees that Benni will be out of pain from the tumor. Longevity depends on the dog’s health before the diagnosis, and oftentimes what kind of cancer treatment is provided afterward. Some dogs who don’t have chemo, only an amp, have lived for a few years. Others, just a few months. While doctors can provide statistics, all dogs are different. You can find much, much more help and anecdotes from others in our Discussion Forums. Please register and we’ll see you there OK?
thanks for your quick and helpfull reply it’s just a confusing and scary time.as our vet hasn’t mentioned chemo he did x ray benni’s chest and scanned his abdomen and they all came back clear. i will register and join your discussion forums and let you all know how benni is getting on
thank you.
Hello,
Thanks to everyone for posting on this site. It has been very helpful to us. My 6 month old puppy, Stella, was hit by a car, and as a result, has had her left hind leg amputated. Stella had her surgery on January 27/10 and everything was successful. The whole situation was very devastating, however, i am absolutely sure, we have made the right decision to amputate. And after reading all this information and watching the videos, it has furthered us in our reassurance. Although she is not able to do much right now, and appears sad, I can see hope in a full, healthy, strong recovery. She is eating well, and is drinking plenty of water. She is able to walk a bit, however, gets tired very easily. Her walks are limited to the bathroom and back as directed by the vet, until he sutures are removed.
I am just wondering about Stella’s long term recovery and lifestyle. Stella is a Border Collie/ German Shepherd cross, and is very active. Prior to the accident, Stella spent 4 days a week at the dog park for a couple hours each time, playing with the other dogs. Stella enjoyed running up and down the stairs (chasing the cats) and jumping on the bed and couches to take a nap, or chew my blanket.
In time, will Stella be able to do these things on her own? How much support will she need long term.
Nat and Murph, we’re so glad that Stella is OK. How scary! By the way, I was a Sheppie/Border Collie mix too! We are the smartest dogs EVER! Ok, so at six months old, she should bounce right back in no time. In a few weeks she will be able to go on longer walks and play more, but please do remember to take it easy. Even for a four legged dog, “explosive play” like hours at the dog park and jumping in and out of vehicles and such can lead to injuries later on. As pawrents it’s up to you to monitor her activity carefully and make sure she doesn’t overdo it. We just met with a great Canine Rehabilitation Team in Los Angeles and they highly recommend carefully supervised play, especially for a Tripawd. Stay tuned to our News Blog because we’ll have a series of videos from them soon.
Meanwhile check out the Discussion Forums for more tips and insight from others who have been there. We have a special Beyond Cancer area for Tripawds like Stella.
Good luck! We can’t wait to hear more about your amazing girl. Keep in touch!
I need some advice.
My dog, Kona, will be 9 in March. She has a melon size tumor on her left hip area. It is a spindle cell tumor. The vet wants to amputate. Part of my problem with it is she doesn’t seem to be in pain, not yet at least. It is a little difficult for her to stand up and sit down but other then that, she seems fine.
Do I wait for her to be in pain or amputate now?
We are so sorry to hear about Kona’s tumor. It sounds like it’s very large, and could be painful even though she’s not showing any signs. Keep in mind that dogs are very stoic and will do everything they can to hide pain until it becomes unbearable. Many times once a dog has an amputation, they will show signs of relief and act much happier again. Despite the recuperation, the pain of recovering is much less than the pain of the tumor that was there. Has your vet indicated that amputation is imminent? If so, then our best advice to you is, consider what you would do if it was you who had the tumor?
You may want to talk about this with others in our Discussion Forums. Good luck to you and Kona.
Please understand that we are not vets and this is not to be taken as medical advice.