His family were familiar with this situation, having had a similar issue with their previous dog, who was also treated at Fitzpatrick Referrals.
Investigations and treatment
As with all such bone tumours, the reality is that metastatic spread will have happened already at a cellular level, which gives rise to a limited survival time even with subsequent chemotherapy. The median survival time for osteosarcoma is approximately eleven months.
The family opted for a radial endoprosthesis, an intricate implant system which completely replaces the affected bone and bridges the gap between the top and bottom of the leg. The implant would remove Major Tom’s pain, enable him to keep his leg and run around with a great quality of life for whatever time was given to him.
At Fitzpatrick Referrals we believe everyone is entitled to all treatment options all of the time, as long as it’s in the patient’s best interest.
Surgery
Professor Noel Fitzpatrick removed the bone affected by the tumour and replaced it with a modular endoprosthesis, which consists of various titanium parts which are uniquely kept on the shelf at Fitzpatrick Referrals and can be constructed rather like a jigsaw so that there is no time delay for cutting out the primary tumour and yet it can be a customised implant system into which the bone readily grows.
Recovery
Major Tom had his surgery last summer and has adapted well to his new bionic limb. He has completed his chemotherapy, and six months on, he is loving life.
Related conditions
Canine Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a malignant tumour of bone and it is the most common bone tumour found in dogs. It mostly affects the…
Radial endoprosthesis for bone cancer
The radial endoprosthesis is a limb sparing surgery that replaces a section of bone affected by a bone tumour to prevent the need…
