[kelann]

We have been going around in circles with our vet since last summer. Our then-7, now 8, year old golden started limping in July 2022. It was not sudden, but it progressed to where she was quite lame after the first month. We took her to the vet multiple times, had X-rays, were told it was a sprain or injury and to rest the limb completely. Keeping her as immobile as we could did not help. We continued to go to the vet and were next told she likely has arthritis. She was put on joint medications and started getting regular injections. Her limp did not get worse, but was not improving. We took her to a specialist and have had follow ups. She has still been able to run and does not seem to be in pain. On Sunday, she was chasing a visitor down the basement stairs due to excitement over having a stranger in the house and tripped. She yelped out in pain, and her leg has looked out of joint since then. My husband was able to get her in to the specialist today and they finally did a full work up, CT scan and needle biopsies. They observed that her shoulder is very inflamed and she has one enlarged lymph node. They are sending the samples off to a lab. We are told it could be an infection or it is cancer. It seems unlikely that an infection would be around for 6 months without the dog getting very ill or having a fever or pain of some sort? At the same time, could a dog have cancer for 6 months without deteriorating? Our golden still has an appetite, runs around the yard and does not demonstrate any discomfort when her shoulder is palpitated. She has not lost weight. I am sick with worry and am bracing myself for bad news. Could this be anything other than cancer?? I am so upset that this has gone on so long without a diagnosis. She has had a large and growing mass on the shoulder of her lame leg that they still insist is a benign lipoma. We point it out to the vet or specialist every time we take her in, and she has appointments once or twice a month. I do not see how this lump and her limp are not connected. Our poor girl is only 8 years old.

 

[kelann]

Edited to add that her lameness is originating from her left wrist/carpal joint. Since she fell the other day, she has some swelling and distention in this joint. Before Sunday, she has had lameness in this front leg for 6 months but no noticeable swelling or distention. The vet specialist did a thorough exam and did not get any indication of pain when handling that wrist. Our dog has had minor cuts or sticks stuck in the pad of her foot on occasion in the past and was quick to let us know she did not want her sore paw touched by snarling. I am certain if she felt pain when her wrist is handled she would make it known. We are very worried and confused. Also, if this is bone cancer, wouldn’t the radiologist see a tumor on the X-rays and/or CT? The only thing reported to us is significant swelling.

 

[Emmdenn]

Has she been tested for tick born diseases? That’d be one of the first things I’d do.

 

[kajewell24]

Thank you for the response. My husband says that neither the vet nor her specialist mentioned tick born disease. I do recall removing a tick from her last summer, though. She has not had a fever, lethargy or any appetite or behavior changes other than limping in the past 6 months, which is why it is hard to believe she may have been living with aggressive cancer all of this time, but that also seems to rule against tick born disease? The specialist told my husband that she may have an infection and that cancer is also a possibility. They did not mention seeing a tumor on the CT, just a lot of inflammation in the carpal/wrist area and a swollen lymph node in the area. I would think tick born disease is on their radar. We are in the Chicago suburbs. This specialist is well regarded and we have ticks in the area. I am sure they drew blood during her work up yesterday. I just asked my husband to send the receipt of all of the tests she had done yesterday. We should have answers in the next few days, I am just looking for any possible explanation other than cancer. I am so worried.

 

[Emmdenn]

I would be worried too. The limp, the inflammation, the swollen lymph nodes makes me wonder if it is a tick born diseases. Dogs can show no symptoms and be affected, show some symptoms then get better and they can linger/progress for some time. I’d definitely have her tested for the full spectrum of those diseases if nothing else to rule it out.

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

You can have results for a tick panel fairly quickly. I had lyme disease myself two years ago and I had a swollen lymph node and was tired. My white blood cell count was high and they thought I had an infection until I asked about a lyme panel. I hunt train and it's not uncommon to find ticks. I then had my dogs tested, out of caution, and one came back positive. I treated him for 30 days with doxycycline.

It's a quick easy test, and definitely worth it.

 

[kelann]

We just got the news that our sweet girl has osteosarcoma. We are devastated. We dragged our feet too long on this. I wish we had had better guidance from our vet. They kept encouraging us to give the joint medications and injections more time. We should have known better ourselves. Everything I have read is that osteosarcoma is fast and painful. We kept saying she would not be so happy and seemingly pain free if this is cancer. In August we did X-rays and they saw nothing. When I asked about cancer the vet told me believe me, if this is cancer, you will know within a few weeks. We really let her down. ☹

 

[kelann]

Next step is to see if it is in her chest, which I am sure it is as she has had symptoms for 6 months. Praying I am wrong. I would appreciate advice on amputation. It is her front left leg. She just turned 8 in August.

 

[kelann]

One more edit. She has histolytic sarcoma, not osteosarcoma.