Finding Out Your Dog Has Cancer
December 4th 2008 14:25
Hearing that your vet sees something odd in your dog's leg, chest, head, etc. is probably some of the worst news that your vet could ever tell you... Well, trust me, it's a shock. My 18 month old APBT was taken to my local vet about 4 weeks ago for a slight limp and a swollen area on her lower leg. After x-rays, my vet said "it's time for a rush visit to Auburn, becuase I have no idea what this is. It's one of two things, and I'm going to lean to bone cyst, but I don't know for sure."
We took the dog to the vet, she had the piece of bone removed, and a biopsy was performed on the bone. Three weeks later, my results say that its a bone tumor. Now, this is the scariest thing that you can hear when you have a puppy. I mean, the canine hasn't had time to live its life fully. It's just not fair. It reminds me of the young child that gets leukemia. :-/
In my case, I'm really hoping that we were able to find the signs of cancer in my American Pit Bull Terrier early, as it's usually the best thing to do. Although, bone cancer in dogs is one of the worst and the top types of cancer that your dog can get, according to the oncologist at Auburn Univesity Vet Clinic.
Well, the question is what do you do?
Many people decide not to do anything, as in most cases the cancer is noticed in an older dog, but what would YOU do?
Most of the time your options are going to include:
* Do nothing and let the dog live, giving the dog pain meds and other meds as needed.
* Amputate the limb (if the cancer is in an extremity)
* Amputate the limb and chemo
* Chemotherapy (only chemo if the cancer is in an inoperable area)
* Surgery to remove the cancer (if it's in an area that is operable)
* Radiation to shrink the tumor for surgery
* Radiation to deaden the cancer and hopefully put it in remission
* Alternative medicines
There are other dog cancer treatment options that you can consider, but depending on the cancer- what kind and the extent- your vet may have an opinion as to what you do.
Just remember that with just about any of the options, it's going to be pricey.
Dog Cancer Guide - Signs, Treatment, Alternative Medicine, & Diet
What would you do?
We took the dog to the vet, she had the piece of bone removed, and a biopsy was performed on the bone. Three weeks later, my results say that its a bone tumor. Now, this is the scariest thing that you can hear when you have a puppy. I mean, the canine hasn't had time to live its life fully. It's just not fair. It reminds me of the young child that gets leukemia. :-/
In my case, I'm really hoping that we were able to find the signs of cancer in my American Pit Bull Terrier early, as it's usually the best thing to do. Although, bone cancer in dogs is one of the worst and the top types of cancer that your dog can get, according to the oncologist at Auburn Univesity Vet Clinic.
Well, the question is what do you do?
Many people decide not to do anything, as in most cases the cancer is noticed in an older dog, but what would YOU do?
Most of the time your options are going to include:
* Do nothing and let the dog live, giving the dog pain meds and other meds as needed.
* Amputate the limb (if the cancer is in an extremity)
* Amputate the limb and chemo
* Chemotherapy (only chemo if the cancer is in an inoperable area)
* Surgery to remove the cancer (if it's in an area that is operable)
* Radiation to shrink the tumor for surgery
* Radiation to deaden the cancer and hopefully put it in remission
* Alternative medicines
There are other dog cancer treatment options that you can consider, but depending on the cancer- what kind and the extent- your vet may have an opinion as to what you do.
Just remember that with just about any of the options, it's going to be pricey.
Dog Cancer Guide - Signs, Treatment, Alternative Medicine, & Diet
What would you do?
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I really don't know what I would do if it were my little angel.
Comment by Whitney
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It's a hard decision to make.
Comment by Queenie
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Comment by Nomad
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I'm not sure what I would do in your situation. keep one thing in mind though the dog is young and would adapt well to having three legs, I know thats fairly extreme...
good luck with everything
nomad
Comment by Neems
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Truth Whisperer
I'm so sorry to hear this. My beautiful dog had cancer and passed away two years ago. He was with us for 15 years.
He developed one of the most violently agressive tumour's the very had ever seen- and within days of diagnosis, there was nothing we could do.
It's such a tough decision to make- for us, we tried everything we could and spent a small fortune, but in the end, even though he didn't make it, we were happy we tried.
I guess, you chosoe the option that has the best chance at saving her? At the same time, make sure she's in the least amount of pain if possible.
It must be so hard knowing she's still a baby. I really hope it all works okay for your little pup!
Neems
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Artist Quirk
we had a ginger cat that had a facial cancer and spent the remainder of its life with a plastic funnel/bucket on its head so she wouldnt scratch it . . . eventually youve just got to say "enough is enough" and put them out of their misery
very upsetting, very sad
Comment by Mountain Fog
I've just been through the wars with pugsy, who just turned 15 on the 3rd of this month, she is battling on, and hopefully it wasn't what they first though, she seems better now.
Anyway, maybe we shoudl lobby ofr Dr.Holt's Wave Therapy clinic to be set up here, (there is one in Perth) for our pets?
Holt's therapy has cured a lot of cancer in humans, but the "big pharm,a" and its dogs, the AMA and Fed Gov, have refused to look a it more officially with proper funding for long term study/testing.
However, it works! 300 odd people came out publicly supporting it, saying it saved their lives!
Cancer cells have a particular wave length that is different ot healthy cells, so the machine can zone in on the cancer cells leaving the rest alone. Non invasive, and no major side effects, like chemo has.
I should do a post on it, as I just recommended it to a friend.
cheers
fog
Comment by James Rickard
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Check this out...
Comment by Whitney
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I have opted for chemo without amputation because amputation is only to take away the pain, and she's not having any pain. Plus, amputation will enhance the spores into metastising, and the surgery that she had to remove the bone may have already caused that. We started on chemo, and she will finish her treatment in 12 weeks. If/when she starts to show signs of pain in the leg bc of the other area that they aren't 100% sure of whether it's cancer or not, we will then go back to the oncologist and ask for options then. At that point, depending on the pain, we will probably amputate and do chemo again.
There's really no reason to amputate right now as amputation is to relieve the pain, and she's not having it.
It's a hard decision to make, but the dog's well being will always be the determining factor in our decisions. Being selfish as to what I want is not the concern bc of course I want her to grow old with me, but even as a healthy dog, I would still outlive her unless something random and unfortunate happens to me. And, that is not for hte best of the dog.
Comment by Anonymous
This is the 3rd Malamute we have had, and all 3 have had cancer, and the previous two were also not treated with anything other than pain relief. The first dog had a very agressive melanoma on the lip that a year after removal, reappeared as a lump under under his chin. By the time we discovered the new lump it had spread to his lungs. He was put on steriods to slow down the growth and reduce swelling and no other treatment.
Our second dog, the daughter of the other 2, had a large tumour in the back of her throat, and again we didnt discover it until she collapsed one evening, again too late to do anything about than make her life comfortable. She was also on steriods. This was about the most difficult time in my life, as I loved her very much.
Its a very very hard decision to make, what to do about treatment, when you weigh up whether to prolong an old dog's life for another 1-2 years, the majority of that spent in uncomfortable or painful therapy or surgery, or to appreciate what they have left in their life, make them comfortable, and show them how much you love them, and not to prolong their suffering to suit your own needs. I know if I was in their shoes what I would prefer. Thank goodness euthanasia for pets is not illegal.
Comment by Whitney
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Metastasis is a major concern with amputation, but it doesn't ALWAYS occur. But most of the time. The spores are already there, but when the main tumor is removed metastasis occurs.
The second probably developed a genetic cancer bc you bred a dog that ended up with cancer.
Dogs do not suffer with three legs. You'll quickly find that rimadyl is not going to help the pain long. It lasted about ta month or so before the pain was too much for the medicine to help.
You are right that it is a very tough decision to make, but I'd like you to ask my APBT if she's suffering after having her leg amputated and having gone through 6 chemo treatments. She wasn't affected by the chemo or the amputation, and is still a very hyper (not even 2 year old) dog.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Whitney
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If we couldn't have afforded it, we would not have taken out a loan either. You always have to keep your family in mind first above the dog. You can't go bankrupt because of chemo treatments; although I have spoken to a woman who sold her house to get treatment for her dog. That's just not something I could do no matter how important my dogs are to me.