If your pet is diagnosed with cancer, the first thing you will do is find the best treatment options for your best friend. For many, the best option is a clinical trial. Clinical trials provide access to new, cutting-edge treatments that will offer your pet a fighting chance. They also give cancer researchers important insights into how others can beat this disease in the future.
When Fang was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, his family decided a clinical trial at the Flint Animal Cancer Center would give him the best chance. Fang was enrolled in the The Evaluation of Adaptation Time in Dogs Undergoing Limb Amputation study. This clinical trial is designed to determine the course of adaptation following limb amputation in dogs using an activity monitor.
Fang’s owner, Teri, documented the journey from diagnosis through the clinical trial. Read her journal –
October 23
Fang is a twelve-year-old, 165 lb. Dane-Mastiff mix and was having a tough time with his front, left leg. At first, we thought he simply sprained his leg or pulled a muscle as that has happened previously…he’s quite a goofball. However, a little over a week passed and he didn’t appear to be improving, so we scheduled time to have him checked-out by our veterinarian. Our vet didn’t see any specific issues yet acknowledged his sensitivity and suggested we do an x-ray to obtain additional information for review.
They were able to take x-rays right away and the results were available in minutes. Unfortunately, the x-rays showed a mass they believe to be osteosarcoma (cancer). The news was unexpected and although challenging, our immediate thought was to ensure Fang’s comfort. Our veterinarian shared potential treatments and included an overview of studies being conducted out of CSU. She also advised one of the biggest concerns over time was the brittleness of the leg and that helping keep him from running or putting excessive pressure on the leg was important. We took the literature as we knew we needed time to consider the available options. It’s important to note, one of the options provided was the amputation of Fang’s leg. With Fang being a 165 lb. dog with a very large chest, we immediately made the decision not to amputate his leg. We were concerned the weight from his chest would be to much for him to carry on just one front leg. Our focus was on pain management to help make him more comfortable over time.
November 6
After the recommendation from our vet and reviewing information online, we made an appointment to meet with the CSU team. Fang attended the appointment, and the team helped validate the suspicion of osteosarcoma. We signed up to explore the pain management study, yet in meeting with the CSU team, they were able to educate us on the various studies and options in more detail.
The concern with pain management was the strong possibility that our goofy guy would not realize the pain in his leg and would continue to use it, thus significantly increasing the possibility of a fracture in the leg. Amputation was another option they explored, and they shared examples of older, large-breed dogs that did well following the procedure. They addressed our concerns regarding his large chest and the weight on the front leg. Ultimately, they provided us with the information we needed and allowed us to make the best decision for our family.
November 7
Although we had not made a final decision about the direction to go, his condition was rapidly deteriorating. Then on Thursday morning, he jumped off our bed and we heard a cracking sound. We immediately took him to the vet for further review, and although he was ok, just with bandages as a precaution, it was a turning point in our decision-making process. We simply didn’t believe we could keep him contained or expect him to stay off the leg to avoid breakage and felt the pain management would simply add to that challenge.
That afternoon we scheduled an appointment with CSU to proceed with the unexpected decision of amputation. We felt it was the best choice to help extend his time with the quality of life we so badly wanted for him.
November 8-13
This was not an easy decision for us to come to, yet the week between the scheduling of the surgery and the onsite appointment felt like a lifetime. Each day he continued to get a little worse and within days he wasn’t using his left leg at all. This gave us some comfort as he was able to manage his weight on a single front leg.
November 14
We dropped Fang off for surgery and headed home for the day. The team kept us apprised of the activity taking place throughout the day. They also provided us with the welcome call that the surgery was completed, recovery pictures, and that Fang was doing as well as could be expected in recovery.
November 15
We desperately wanted to pick Fang up on Friday, but knew it may not be possible depending upon his progress. We took a gamble and drove up to the facility (it’s about 1.5 hours from our home) and once we received the call, we were only minutes away from CSU to pick him up.
As expected, the team was very supportive, and it was a tremendous relief to see Fang in person. He was happy to see us as well. Once we were discharged, the vet tech helped us get him into our SUV (we purchased a harness that was recommended by CSU to support him, which was very helpful in the loading/unloading process).
First Month Following Surgery
The first month was hard both physically and mentally. Fang was getting accustomed to a new normal and struggled to get comfortable, and even lying down was a challenge. He had a host of stitches and was on pain meds for the entire first month to help him manage through the days. He wasn’t able to take walks, his behavior was somber, and he was restless at night. There were many times when we questioned if it was the right decision but reflected that we didn’t believe we had a choice. That’s honestly one of the things that helped us through that first month.
Even during a Thanksgiving meal at our house, our family commented how he wasn’t the same goofy guy and they voiced their concern.
Month Two Following Surgery
For Fang, this was when we started to see genuine progress. His stitches came out, his hair was beginning to grow back, and he was starting to find more comfortable positions throughout the day. He was able to learn how to successfully lay down and get back up without struggling and his proficiency in hopping around was gaining momentum.
We gradually took him off his meds and this helped him be more aware and engaged throughout the day and, most importantly, he started to be joyful and goofy once again.
Month Three Following Surgery
Although things will never be the way they were, Fang is happy, healthy, and loving life. We have rugs all through the main floor to allow him to move around seamlessly, which can be a challenge when it snows, and our wood floors become a little slippery – so problem solved. He has unsuccessfully attempted the stairs (they are relatively small and steep), so we now have those gated off; however, we spend most of our time on the first floor where he has direct access to us and us to him. We also don’t take long walks like we did before the surgery. He’s doing well at getting around and goes on shorter walks, which he absolutely adores, yet the days of mile walks are no more.
Beyond those adjustments, life with Fang is doing well. He’s no longer in pain, has regained a strong appetite and regularly howls at us when we don’t prep it fast enough, and he gets genuinely excited when we prep for walks to a point where you would think it’s his first time.
Summary
Amputation was not an option we originally considered and although the first month was quite challenging for us all, this option has provided us with the gift of time with our goofy guy. And most importantly, he has a quality of life he simply would not have been able to enjoy with other treatments. Each day with this big lug is a gift and we’re grateful for this additional time to make his life special…and ours, too.
In addition to financial benefits, there are many reasons to join a clinical trial. They help contribute to research that discovers better treatments for pets and people with cancer; provide an alternative when standard treatment options are no longer effective; and explore new therapies to treat disease that is unlikely to have a significant response to standard treatment.
If your pet has been diagnosed with cancer, a clinical trial might be the best treatment option for your family. Click here to learn more about clinical trials at the Flint Animal Cancer Center. See all available clinical trials here.