Who's had a dog with cancer..treatment options

[Turkey Feeder]

Who's had a dog with cancer...treatment options<!-- google_ad_section_end --> <hr style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204); background-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> <!-- google_ad_section_start -->My dog Shadow..a Border Collie had an anal sac tumor removed this past Friday. Shadow is a few months shy of 13 years and the cancer tumor was just shy of being lemon size....both not a good combination.

The treatment options are surgical removable with or without radiation.

I would appreciate hearing any case histories. Hopefully Shadow will come home tomorrow and be with his mate Tiffany...and us.

Thanks,
Jim

[Deep 6]

This is not a pleasant situation for you or the dog. I had a beautiful golder Retriever that developed breast cancer. I read all about the treatment options and results of treatment. In the end I reasoned I would be making the poor dog suffer because of my desire to keep the dog. I kept her comfortable for as long as I thought she was enjoying life (about another month). Cancer in animals, just as with humans, spreads to the lymph nodes. If it is caught prior to this, theres good reason to treat.

I wish you the best.

[Bluewater Pete]

Jim , Lost my boy Bear this past Nov. Cancer was to wide spread & the Dr , told me with his age( 12 years old ) treatments might or might not help. With a heavy heart & eyes full of tears ,I knew that I couldn't put my friend through that! I ask the Dr. to help him over to the other side . We never knew he was sick untill it finally caught up with him. I'm replying to your post to let you know that I know what indeed you are going through & faceing!!!! My prayers go out to your dog , you & your familyin the hopes that it works out for the best. I know this doesn't answer your quetion , but I felt compelled to make this reply ! Hope every thing works out for you & your pet! Pete

[Albemarle24]

Is the dog fixed? I had a dog with lumps all over her breast and back, the doc told me to get her fixed before we did anything. I did and the lumps went away. Maybe this is a different situation.

I know what you are going through,I had a weiner dog that slipped a disc last year, he lost use of his legs. Against the suggestion of my vet, I had the disc repaired, but the dog never gained use of his legs or control of his bladder. I spent a year waiting on the dog hand and foot before I finally gave up. Real hard decision still, but it was a labor of love. When he started having more issues, I had to put him down. Best dog I ever had.

[fishfool44]

I'm with the rest. I have had 2 labs go the same way. Keep the dog comfortable and enjoy the last few days. It's all I know you can do. Sorry.

[racn35]

of course the dog cant talk to tell you what it is going threw.......but i can.....after my operation i had radiation every day for over 7 months.......that was 4 years ago......I still have lasting effects of radiation TODAY.......i will never go threw it again ......I WILL DIE FIRST.....this I promise you.......

My Rotty was 14 In Sept 2008......his ashes are in the living room.......

[Turkey Feeder]

My wife and I just came back from visiting Shadow. Took him and Tiffany for a walk...gave him his medicine. He's doing well after the surgery...good appetite and having bowel movements OK.

The big question for me is, is radiation treatments the best course. That's a decision to be made in next few days.

I just bought a custom 24 bay boat last November.... Young Boats, Inc. (http://www.young-boats.com) ....here's a pic.

Thanks for the replies...they mean a lot.
Jim

[jnelson]

lost my choc lab kody to bladder cancer. Had the vet do surgery and then chemo with proxicam (sp????) He did well for six months and then I began to have the talk with my wife. I have been around dogs my whole life so I was thinking dont have him in pain. My wife...forget about it. She was praying the rosary. To make a long story short. I finally made the decision to have him put down. Scheduled for Monday 8am. We stopped the chemo Sat night and I asked the doc for something to make him comfortable. He gave me a pill and said give him it at 9pm Sunday. i gave him a half and held him til midnight. Gosh darn it that great old dog did me one last favor. I went to check on him at 3am and he was upstairs with the lord chasing deer...and I know he finally caught one!

[BLUEYZWAITN]

Not an easy subject ,,,,,,,, at the age of Shadow its even harder... Just remember quaility of Life versus Saying goodbye... Itsw a real emotional issue ... Just make sure the best interest is for the Shadow .

I hope all works out and truely hope She's good to go...

[SEAPRO220]

Hope everthing go's well, I lost one to cancer six years ago.

[Slo-Pitch]

That's the heavy price we pay for enjoying the company of a really great dog. They give us everything they have, the least we can do is not let them suffer. I wish you the best.

[talley2191]

My wife and I just came back from visiting Shadow. Took him and Tiffany for a walk...gave him his medicine. He's doing well after the surgery...good appetite and having bowel movements OK.

The big question for me is, is radiation treatments the best course. That's a decision to be made in next few days.

I just bought a custom 24 bay boat last November.... Young Boats, Inc. (http://www.young-boats.com) ....here's a pic.

Thanks for the replies...they mean a lot.
Jim


That's the best looking boat I have seen in a long time. My dogs and I have just said a prayer for that beautiful dog. God bless you.

[jwd]

Our thoughts are with your family and Shadow...we had a 10 year old Alaskan Malamute named Kiska who developed anal gland carcinoma....at the time surgery was not what we chose because she would have been incontinent of stool and we knew she would not have been happy so we chose to let her live what time she had as comfortable as possible....Dr. Martinez (at CVRC on Loch Raven) said we would have her about 6 months...thru regular monthly checks and our own great local vet, we had 13 WONDERFUL months with our Kiska...she lost her battle to cancer on 10/31/06.
We still miss Kiska but we have our Kali now and she keeps us busy!
Shadow is in our thoughts and we wish him a speedy recovery and a big juicy bone to enjoy!!!!! Please keep us updated on his progress.
Regards,
Karen, Jeff, and Kali

[BottomKnocker]

Took my dog to the vet recently also to have small tumor removed from his snout. Vet said it had some cancerous cells after the biopsy.They shaved half his face and had to cut from his forehead down between the eyes and down to about an 1/2 inch from the corner of his mouth. Very frightening looking for month or so til stitches (approx 30) were removed and hair grew back. Scar hardly noticeable now, vet did an awesome job. He does have a few small tumors on his belly and they recommened chemo with no guarantees.I decided after what he had been through with the first surgery that he didn't need to go through anymore.He is acting fine eating, running, playing frisbee, etc. and seems to be happy and in no pain. Im going to let him continue on until i feel he is suffering. If this wasn't stressing enough for me and my wife the vet also notified me that when they had x-rayed him prior to the surgery they had seen two pellets in his chest that are nonoperable. We had suspected the neighbor had shot the dog previuosly and contacted animal control about this issue. Being that i did not witness the act itself they didn't want to act on it. Then it was brought to my attention that the neighbor had quoted on a facebook page that they had invited friends over to shoot the dogs with pellet guns as this is some form of entertainment for them.Yes i live near some real jerkoffs unfortuneately. They still don't want to act on this issue saying i cant prove that it was my dog they were referring to.Im still dealing with animal cotrol but have lost any trust in our judicial system.Sorry for going off on this tangant, but we wish your dog the best of luck !!!

[Graybeard]

Eminent bROTHERS,
My 22 year old daughter, the former Perching Princess, lost her cherished Welsh Corgi to cancer. The cost of the treatment was just too prohibitive to be a realistic option for us. It was a bad situation, but; with time and a new Welch Corgi puppy she was OK. Her new Welsh Corgi puppy got imto her pocketbook and ate 2 packages of suger free gum with zobititol sugur substitute, which is poisionous to dogs. The emergency room bill on that was $500.