March 26, 2020

The surgeon that I saw for Akeela’s surgery sent her limb off to a specialist to be tested (a little gruesome, if you ask me). They do this so that we know exactly what type of disease Akeela has, so that we know what kind of treatment to move forward with. This process typically takes 2-3 weeks, however, we were given the results after only one week! It was confirmed that Akeela has Osteosarcoma, which is a common bone cancer in dogs.

The surgery did not remove all the cancer, but will prevent pathologic fracture and pain from the affected humerus. Her vet recommended that we move forward with chemotherapy, which will help slow the growth of the cancer that is still within her body. I found a clinic that specializes in both rehabilitative care and orthopedic treatment (chemo). She has an intro consultation the day after she gets her stitches out!

From what I have read and heard so far, chemotherapy is much less aggressive for dogs than it is in humans. This is because the primary goal for dogs is to ensure quality of life for their last years on earth. Most dogs do not show side effects from treatment. If they do, it is very minimal and typically go away after a few days.

More to follow after her initial consultation! 🙂