@SalveMater : You’re allowed your waterworks. Some things are very sad.
Sorry that your dog got cancer. We had an 11 year old lab who had a large growth on her side that bothered her when it became large. We decided to have it removed since she otherwise was it good health. It was a type of localized cancer. Radiation was offered and we declined. I thought the dog would suffer from that. She had a number of good years after that, and it improved her quality of life and did not recur. She lived to 16, but the last couple of months were not good, she couldn’t walk, and had no bowel control. She still loved to eat. She had what we called “doggieheimers” in that her mind was not the same as it had been. We had hoped she would pass on her own, but it was not happening. We actually left her at the vet to board when we went on vacation, and he suggested putting her down and that we had waited too long since she was suffering. I felt awful both at putting her down and that she had been suffering too much.
I personally would not amputate a toe on an animal in the condition that you describe. I would think she would suffer, and the dog is old and sick anyway. If you do not do surgery, she may have some time before she gets ill from spreading cancer.
I love animals and hate to lose one, but I do think that in certain instances the treatment is worse than the disease. I think that is true for some human illnesses too, but that is a story for another day.
Best to you OP, and to others here who obviously love animals.
@cgpm59 , we’ve treated dogs for cancer to the tune of thousands of dollars when it seemed that if the treatment were successful they could have more years of good life–goldens, aged 8 and 9–but with a dog like yours, the age and the others problems, I would opt for palliative care only. It seems to me that amputation would only make whatever time the dog has left miserable. Hugs to you. It’s so hard.