Got kicked in the gut today: Dog Diagnosed with Cancer

**tenex198** · 02-06-2013, 10:40 PM

Took my trusty old lab into the vet last friday to have him checked out. His paws had really been bad, lots of discoloration in his nose, and loosing patches of hair all over his body. Vet takes a few biopsies on a couple places on his body and tells me that she will be back to me mid week. Phone rings at work today and the vet tells me to sit down because she has some bad new. On friday she said that my dog may have lupus. Today the test results showed that he actually has a form of lymphoma cancer and needs to start on Chemo immediately. She said that he could live a couple weeks longer or live for a few more years, it all depends on how he reacts to the drugs. My question to the maggot collective is there anyone who has been down this road before, and could offer any information. I have just sat with him on the couch this evening trying to figure out where the hell to go from here, I am so blow back by this I just don't know what to do to make his final days better.

**liv2ski** · 02-06-2013, 10:51 PM

I am sorry tenex. I haven't been down your road, but have traveled others and they all pretty much stink when your buddy is dying. Only you can decide what works for you and your him. I wish you both the very best. If you do put him down, pay a little extra for 2 shots. One to put him to sleep first and the 2nd to stop his heart. It will be easier on both of you if your there to say good bye at the end.

**Mazderati** · 02-06-2013, 11:01 PM

Nothing to add but empathy. Good luck to your dog.

**I Am Mr. Ed** · 02-06-2013, 11:09 PM

A couple of years ago, my GSD Cosmo was diagnosed with cancer which had spread to his lungs. It very quickly got to the point where because of fluid build up, he had difficulty sleeping and had no endurance at all. The final decision came on the last day I began to take him for a walk and he got to our front gate, stopped and looked at me. He didn't want to go. It was time, he was not enjoying life. Vet said we could maintain him for s few years, but there was a real quality of life issue. We chose not to pursue ongoing treatments and put him down. Our choice may not be yours, but that was our thoughts.

And yes, if you decide to put him down, do the two shots, and stay with him

**IVplay** · 02-06-2013, 11:44 PM

When both of my dogs were diagnosed with cancer, we decided to put them both down together (two shots each). Was a real tough week for me, only the utmost empathy here. Vibes.

**cramer** · 02-07-2013, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by tenex198

Took my trusty old lab into the vet last friday to have him checked out. His paws had really been bad, lots of discoloration in his nose, and loosing patches of hair all over his body. Vet takes a few biopsies on a couple places on his body and tells me that she will be back to me mid week. Phone rings at work today and the vet tells me to sit down because she has some bad new. On friday she said that my dog may have lupus. Today the test results showed that he actually has a form of lymphoma cancer and needs to start on Chemo immediately. She said that he could live a couple weeks longer or live for a few more years, it all depends on how he reacts to the drugs. My question to the maggot collective is there anyone who has been down this road before, and could offer any information. I have just sat with him on the couch this evening trying to figure out where the hell to go from here, I am so blow back by this I just don't know what to do to make his final days better.

Sorry to hear man! I got the same kind of news last week. My dog's got a bad ticker. I thought it was heartworm, but the vet gave us even worse news. His heart's failing. Huge decision on your hands and probably harder than mine. My dog is only like 3.5 years old, so I'm making the decision to keep him comfortable and not prolong his life with drugs. He can't be a dog anymore pretty much. No fetch, no playing the chase/play fighting game with his lifetime mate, etc. So it was kind of a no brainer for me.

doughboyshredder · 02-07-2013, 12:29 AM

My sincere condolences. Losing my GSD to cancer 7 or so months ago hurt more than I can express with words.

I didn't have a choice of treatment. It was so aggressive that from diagnoses to the time he had to go was only a few days.

I did however watch a friend pour tens of thousands of dollars in to prolonging her lab's life through a long bout with cancer. Reading her daily blog I couldn't help but think that she was being incredibly selfish, as her dog seemed to be living a life full of suffering mainly for her benefit.

Tough choice, I wish you the best in this tough time.

**boarddad** · 02-07-2013, 12:32 AM

Sorry to hear tenex - that's rough. I'll never forget the day I discovered the tumor on my lab. I was lucky and got two more quality years with her without treatment. You didn't say how old your lab was, but if he's more than 10 cancer is really common. I read somewhere more than 50% of labs and goldens die from cancer. That figure shocked me but also made it a little easier. This is just the normal route, nothing you can do about it.

Absolutely agree that you have to be there when you do eventually put him down. The clarity of seeing the suffering end is priceless.

**Chainsaw_Willie** · 02-07-2013, 01:58 AM

Sorry to read this man. I can't offer any advice as to how to proceed but it's clear that whatever you do it will be in his best interest. Rikki and Tor will be waiting on the other side of the bridge to show him around when he gets there.

**Sicks** · 02-07-2013, 07:24 AM

That really sucks. I have watched a 6 yr old very healthy pup go though chemo for lymphoma. I'm sure not all react the same, but in this case she handled it well until the final treatments. One of the last doses laid her out for a few days, then she was fine, in remission. A couple weeks later the cancer was back, and within a month she was put down. My friend said she wouldn't have done the treatment if she would have known, but at the time she made the decision it was the hope that it would work. She was told exactly what you were by her vet. Time from diagnosis (her nodes looked swollen so vet tested) to her being put down was less than 6 months, most of which she was on chemo.

Vibes. It's a tough decision.

**leroy jenkins** · 02-07-2013, 08:51 AM

Awww fuck, that sucks matt. Same dog you had when I knew you in b town? I remember him, little guy deserves to live a few decades more, but thats not the way it goes. I lost mine in august. Its fucking rough. I miss him a lot.

Only you can decide if your dog is enjoying life enough to be put through unfun medical procedures and have them be worth it for them. By the time I realized anything was wrong with my dog he was already bleeding internally from a tumor, they said 3k to fix that tumor, but then he'd need chemo. Even without money being an issue, he was blind, mostly deaf, 16, and facing a pretty low quality of life with surgeries and chemo that would probably not improve, but rather steadily decline until he died. At that point, it was a pretty obvious, but not easy, choice to put him down.

Don't know what else to say.Fuck, that sucks though.

**uppernotmaster** · 02-07-2013, 09:22 AM

Going through the same thing right now. My best friend Baxter has lymphoma. Vet gave him 1-2 months last week. Those who know me know i'd do anything for him but I decided not to go the chemo route.

I've been a mess @ times but have sort of come to terms with it. Sucks all around Tenex. Best of luck. Just trying to make him comfortable. The best dog i've ever known.

**MMP** · 02-07-2013, 09:30 AM

^^^^awwww fuck no not Bax!

that sucks Willy. Goddamnit. I'm so sorry. ugh.

edit: Rocco's look says it all

**jm2e** · 02-07-2013, 10:00 AM

I can only imagine how hard this is for you. It's tough times for sure and it probably feels like there's no "good" option.
Know that there are no wrong decisions here. You know yourself and your pup better than anyone and whatever route you decide to take will be the right one.
Best wishes.

**stfu&gbtw** · 02-07-2013, 10:07 AM

So sorry to read this... A neighbor friend just had her lab diag'd with cancer. Opted to put him down while his quality of life was still high. They caught it pretty early, but there was no hope of long term remission and my friend's experience with other dogs with cancer (she's a part time vet assistant) was that the quality of life went down hill fast and she didn't want her dog to suffer through any of that. Obviously, it's different for every dog and owner. Good luck navigating this one.

**supermodel159** · 02-07-2013, 10:53 AM

Very sorry to hear. It has always been my opinion to let nature take its course.

Enjoy the time you have left.

**strawjack** · 02-07-2013, 11:21 AM

I am in the same boat with my 6yr old Lab.

My story has been much different than expected.

Diagnosed end of Feb last year. Tumor on his snout. After pics etc., the vet determined they were unable to remove it entirely. They gave him three to four months to live. We were heartbroken.

Choices

A - remove as much as possible.

B - Remove it and then radiation.

C - Radiation

D - let it go.

We opted for D because A,B, and C had absolutely no guarantees and they suggested we'd get two more months. The wonderful thing about being a dog with cancer is that they don't know. There is no mental anguish. Putting him thru the surgeries or the side effects of radiation did not make sense...to us. Everyone is different on this one.

Well, now we bump forward to today. My dog is happy, healthy (relatively) and acting like he always has...happy go lucky.

I have spoiled him rotten to the point that I've loosened his collar twice. My wife is now thinking I'm going to kill him from overfeeding. I actually just switched his food to the diet variety.

Obviously we are just very lucky and I cherish every day with him...and I still spoil him rotten.

Best of luck.

**igBand** · 02-07-2013, 11:24 AM

M - nothing more to say than I am so sorry to hear the news. The Willie Gear hat will get worn today for sure.

Know that whatever route your heart tells you to go in terms of treatment will be the right one.

**Alaskan Rover** · 02-07-2013, 11:30 AM

Sorry to hear about your dog...that is definitely a bummer. Lymphoma's are difficult due the propensity to spread. Which is why, unlike many other cancers, chemo is usually a prolonging rather than an avenue for cure. I saw the effects that chemo had on my dad...it is nasty stuff...makes the person or dog-person in your case sick to his stomach for days at. time.

You don't say how old your dog is, but you need to ask yourself what is best for your dog. If I had to put a dog through. what I saw my dad go through for simply a couple year extension of a diminished life, I don't think I would. I would instead try and make his days as enjoyable as possible andnot fill his body with poison.

**PlayHarder** · 02-07-2013, 11:37 AM

Sorry to hear, man. We just lost one to cancer a few months ago. She was diagnosed almost two years prior, vet gave her 8-10 weeks at time and told us to take her home, spoil her and come back in when she started to show any sign of slipping. She stayed happy and playful for another 2 years, we got another season of camping and hiking together in.

Only you'll know your dog well enough to see the signs before he/she starts to suffer, so spoil the shit out of your buddy when you have the time. Good luck.

**chatton18** · 02-07-2013, 12:06 PM

My roommates dog passed a couple years back with Lymphona, he pretty much just let him go, was sad towards the end as he didn't eat much, lost a bunch of weight and energy, bladder control, etc. but was a good dog.

On the positive side, one of my coworkers dogs got cancer about 18 months ago, they opted against radiation, etc and just put him on pregnazone, he put on a bunch of weight but it went into remission even though the doc only gave him a 15% chance of living. The guy is about back to health so don't lose all hope on it.

**GeezerSteve** · 02-07-2013, 12:09 PM

Vibes to tenex and his dog

Dogs don't always let you know if they are suffering. Animals are hard wired to not manifest suffering, lest they would be showing a weakness to the rivals and/or predators.

**thommy21** · 02-07-2013, 02:49 PM

Sorry to hear this tenex. I went through the same decision process with my lab. He had prostate cancer. I was lucky that the CSU Vet School was close to where I was living at the time. They ran me through all the options I had given his condition. Sounds like the lymphoma spreads quickly similar to prostate cancer. I would suggest you consult further with your vet and also check your area if there are any vets or clinics that may specialize in cancer treatment for animals. Weigh your options and although it may sound cruel also how those decisions will effect you financially. Chemo can be quite costly, at least the course they proposed to me. It may not necessarily balance his quality of life vs. the pain of treatment. Ask about side effects for any treatment they suggest.

I opted for radiation treatment focused on his prostate to alleviate the inflamation and allowing him to enjoy lfe for another 8 months. In that time I did as much with him as possible. The last month was the toughest as he had started to lose bladder function and the radiation treatments had an effect on his bowels. By the end the cancer had spread heavily into his lungs. He didn't want to go for walks and little interest in eating. As you know labs are pretty food driven and that is when I had to make one of the toughest decisions in my life.

I agree with others here suggesting to request the 2 shot. Whatever you decide take this time to do as much as you can with him. Best of luck.