Also - We would like to take our dog to a specialist who is familiar with this type of cancer for treatment. I would appreciate any guidance or referrals you could give me in finding a specialist in my area. As you might imagine, seeing as though he is nothing less than the heart of our family, state lines are not obstacles. While we prefer to stay in this region of the country, we are willing to consider almost anything in our attempts to save our dog's leg and perhaps his life. Thank you very much for your time.
Amputation offers the best chance for a cure because the tumor is then removed with wide margins.
A second option is to combine surgery with radiation therapy . There is a good chance that there is a radiation therapy facility within driving distance. Check your phone directory for a large teaching veterinary hospital. Surgery combined with radiation offer a fair to good prognosis of tumor control and is the next best option after amputation. In an otherwise healthy dog, and a well-equipped hospital with good monitoring equipment, a second anesthetic procedure should be no problem even within 24 hours.