Dog with nasal tumour

Rainbow Kitty

Hi All, My staffie has a nasal tumour and there's nothing the vet can do so I'm having to make a decision that I really don't want to make. He started sneezing about 6 months ago and we put it down to his sinus but it just kept getting worse and then he started sneezing blood, then a lump came up between his eyes. I don't have the money for operations and ct scans etc and the vet even said that it would most likely come back anyway. So at the moment he's finding it hard to breathe through his nose. He is still eating fine and running around but at the same time he's becoming more subdued and down. So I know I have to make the fateful decision soon and I don't want him to suffer at all if possible but I'm dreading making that final journey to the vet, I know i'll be in bits. Has anyone gone through this before and how did you handle it? He's a big softie really and loves attention and he's a huge part of the family who will be sorely missed when he's gone. He's 13 years old. I suppose I'm just looking for advice on making that final decision.

JustAThought

I'm very very sorry to read this - its a terrible position to be in & the fact that you can see you poor dog has changed & is acting subdued & differently at least gives you some comfort in knowing that when you do it, it will have been for the dogs comfort & that it was not a decision you could keep putting off . Its a terrible situation to be in & I really feel terrible for you all. 13 years of love and happiness is a great gift.

pilly

I had a similar decision to make just before Christmas and in hindsight it was absolutely the right decision to make because my baby was suffering terribly bumping into walls and in pain.

The one thing I will say is I did it too quick cause I was afraid I wouldn't go through with it. I'm sorry now that I didn't bring him to the beach first.

So do his favourite thing and then take comfort in the fact that he had 13 happy years with you.

Sorry you're going through this OP.

pilly

I should add that my chap had started to go through convulsions cause it went to his brain and you don't want to see that happen. Very distressing.

aonb

You are so lucky to have had him for 13 years. Staffies are the best.
Now its your time to return all the love you have had and make sure that your dog doesnt suffer for a minute. The thoughts of having him put to sleep are just horrendous. The actual fact is a couple of seconds and then he is out of pain. If he is still eating and active, you have a little while to reconcile yourself to what you have to do. The minute he starts to fail you need to take your courage in hand, forget how hard it is for you, and take the poor boy to the vet. Its a horrible horrible time, but the last loving thing you can do for your beloved dog.

Irish Stones

Rainbow Kitty wrote: »

Hi All, My staffie has a nasal tumour and there's nothing the vet can do so I'm having to make a decision that I really don't want to make. He started sneezing about 6 months ago and we put it down to his sinus but it just kept getting worse and then he started sneezing blood, then a lump came up between his eyes. I don't have the money for operations and ct scans etc and the vet even said that it would most likely come back anyway. So at the moment he's finding it hard to breathe through his nose. He is still eating fine and running around but at the same time he's becoming more subdued and down. So I know I have to make the fateful decision soon and I don't want him to suffer at all if possible but I'm dreading making that final journey to the vet, I know i'll be in bits. Has anyone gone through this before and how did you handle it? He's a big softie really and loves attention and he's a huge part of the family who will be sorely missed when he's gone. He's 13 years old. I suppose I'm just looking for advice on making that final decision.

I'm so sorry to read that, Rainbow Kitty, I feel it for you because I've been in the same situation before.
 
My cat had a nasal tumour in 2011. She started sneezing in July, the vet thought it was just a cold, but as the weeks went by and the sneezing was even more frequent and some blood was sprayed out, we decided to have a deeper look at the problem and it turned out to be a mass in her left nostril, halfway along it.
The vet run an examination called rhinoscopy, where a kind of tiny probe is inserted into the nostrils to explore them inside. During this examination a tiny portion of the tissue was taken and sent for a histological test which told us it was a carcinoma.
The cat was then sent for a CT scan to determine the exact position and dimension of the tumour and finally she was sent to a special clinic for a one-month cycle of radiation therapy.
They told me that she wouldn't have survived more than a year afterwards, but she still here with me, though several other problems, unrelated to the first tumour, have appeared lately. My cat is nearly 17 yo, she was 11 when she underwent the therapy. Since the diagnosis we had finished after two months.
I cannot deny that all the process was very expensive and put my family under a lot of pressure for some months and I don't feel ashamed to say that I had to ask a friend to lend me some of the money needed, but I think it was worth it.
I wish the best of luck for your dog.