Dog has cancer

OU812

I’m devastated.

Vet just called. He went in for scans today and has a very large tumorr on his spleen and probable smaller ones on other organs.

They say they can operate but don’t recommend it because of the aftercare.

I can pick him up today and bring him home for the weekend with an appointment to bring him in early next week to either operate or have him put to sleep.

It’s probably going to be the latter. He’s with us 8 years and was a rescue.

Have to break it to the kids as well.

I guess I’m looking for advice.

Graces7

OU812 wrote: »

I’m devastated.

Vet just called. He went in for scans today and has a very large tumorr on his spleen and probable smaller ones on other organs.

They say they can operate but don’t recommend it because of the aftercare.

I can pick him up today and bring him home for the weekend with an appointment to bring him in early next week to either operate or have him put to sleep.

It’s probably going to be the latter. He’s with us 8 years and was a rescue.

Have to break it to the kids as well.

I guess I’m looking for advice.

Nothing I can offer as advice, but thoughts and prayers in abundance. (((HUGS)))

tk123

:( So sorry to hear this.

My first question would be what does the aftercare entail!? Not the same situation as anything we've dealt with has involved legs and jaws but years ago we were told the same thing about my boy's ankles - the aftercare was too difficult and likely to fail and they were wrong..We went ahead with the surgery somewhere else and go through the aftercare.

For something life and death I'd want a second opinion just to be sure.

Mr.H

Ours was put to sleep monday. Had a large tumour in his throat. At the age of 14 there was nothing that could be done. We are devastated. We dont have kids but we do have another little dog who has never been without the big guy. They spend ever second of the day together and have been together for 4 years without break. I think we have to get a new dog purely as a companion for our other dog.

Im sorry to hear your story and its awful. All i know is if i could have done anything else my dog would be alive. But there was no hope. I dont even know how you could tell the kids.

mordeith

My MIL's dog had cancer and they kept him alive for longer than they should. He was vicious by the end of it. Hard to blame him. Putting him to sleep is the kindest thing if the cancer is serious.

So sorry for you all. Before the end, make sure to have funeral arrangements in place. I know it’s expensive, but if possible, have it cremated. We’ve done this and planted a tree and scattered the ashes around it. We all shed tears.

It’s your decision when to call a halt. It’s one of those things that people can be very emotive about. You know your dog best.

artanevilla

When we adopt dogs, we do so knowing it is only for a short time. We accept responsibility for their lives, and ultimatly for their deaths.

"Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love, they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs your heart is very big.” – Erica Jong

OU812

Had to excuse myself from a meeting because I’m so upset. Unfortunately have to stay for another couple of hours.

Unfortunately though the vet is of the opinion that he’s suffering and this is the best way. He hasn’t eaten in almost a week and keeps vomiting and is passing blood.

I don’t believe we’ve any other options.

I’m dreading later.

pcuser

Would it be possible to have the vet to call you your home to put him to sleep? Im sorry to hear your news.

cocker5

I’m so sorry OP that’s dreadful news

I’ve no advice ... but

I would suggest asking your vet to call out to your home when it’s his time to go .. more relaxing for them to go in their own bed in the own home.

So sorry - spend as much time together as you can x

OU812

Picked him up tonight and he was delighted to see me.

Had a long talk with the vet & she did an additional test on his liver after we talked earlier that wasn’t included in the work up earlier.

She doesn’t think it’s spread beyond his spleen and has said that if she operated next week, she could remove the sleep and find out if it’s on any other organs at the same time, if it is, she can put him to sleep (so we say our goodbyes that morning), if there’s no spread she’ll just remove the spleen & send it off for biopsy. If he’s otherwise clear and it’s benign, we can take him home, and hopefully have a few more years.

If it’s malignant he could do chemo and we’d have up to six more months.

I’m exhausted with the emotional rollercoaster today.

He’s not well though. Just listless. Not eating and vomiting occasionally which makes me think it’s spread.

boomerang

My heart goes out to you OP. Just an FYI, if this is haemangiosarcoma, the dog's time is short, even if you operate. My own dog had this cancer in her spleen. Rushed for emergency splenectomy, they found out on the table that it had spread to her liver and she couldn't be saved. I learned afterwards how short the survival time is after surgery. Knowing that now, I think I would have chosen to put her to sleep rather than going ahead with the surgery. Incidentally it was the very same for my auntie's dog. They went ahead with the splenectomy, she lived less than two months after.. I'm not a vet and every case is individual but thought you might appreciate someone else's experience.

snoman

So sorry to hear this news. I had an older rescue mastiff who had a very large tumour on her spleen and was in serious discomfort. I decided to go for the spleenoctomy and it was very successful. She lived another two years and was eventually put to sleep for an entirely different reason. I don't remember the after care being particularly difficult. I would definitely get a second opinion for your own peace of mind. At least you will be sure you have explored all options and will be making an informed decision.

Graces7

snoman wrote: »

So sorry to hear this news. I had an older rescue mastiff who had a very large tumour on her spleen and was in serious discomfort. I decided to go for the spleenoctomy and it was very successful. She lived another two years and was eventually put to sleep for an entirely different reason. I don't remember the after care being particularly difficult. I would definitely get a second opinion for your own peace of mind. At least you will be sure you have explored all options and will be making an informed decision.

Agree totally re the second opinion OP. No harm and will settle your mind.

razorblunt

Awful to read OP, so sorry for you and your family.
Is the effort and effect/affect on the dog worth the extra 6 months? Will the dog suffer for the 6 months? Are you just prolonging the inevitable with limited reward for the dog?

Very hard decision to have to go through, but take time this weekend and talk about it as a family. Sometimes it just simply comes down to what is best for them is hardest for you.

Best of luck.

Graces7

razorblunt wrote: »

Awful to read OP, so sorry for you and your family.
Is the effort and effect/affect on the dog worth the extra 6 months? Will the dog suffer for the 6 months? Are you just prolonging the inevitable with limited reward for the dog?

Very hard decision to have to go through, but take time this weekend and talk about it as a family. Sometimes it just simply comes down to what is best for them is hardest for you.

Best of luck.

Referring back to post 13... Two years of good health .

JustAThought

How devestating for you.I'm so sorry. Please God it may be just the spleen and you can have some more years or pain free months of quality love,walks,mud and laughter together. There is also the blue cross who can help.you with the vets bills if you ask them for assistance before an operation. Please God your lovely dog will have a happy outcome. You have given 8 long happy years of life and a loving family. Remember that . Heartbroken for you.

BudEliJackson

Hi, Im so sorry, please research into CBD oil before you nake any decisions, I have seen literally miracle results after dogs using it, dont give up, your doggy would never give up on you!!

sillysmiles

BudEliJackson wrote: »

Hi, Im so sorry, please research into CBD oil before you nake any decisions, I have seen literally miracle results after dogs using it, dont give up, your doggy would never give up on you!!

I know you intentions are the best but I feel that as pet owners sometimes we have to make the hard decisions to prevent further unnecessary pain and doing that should never be seen as "giving up". It is much a part of taking care of you best friend as anything else.

OU812

It’s most probably our last night with him tonight. We had a good weekend, spent a lot of time with him, he ate well for the most part (off his food) and the kids played with him.

Bringing him up in the morning. Probably won’t sleep tonight but I’ll get up at 6 as normal and bring him out for a long walk.

OU812

OU812 wrote: »

It’s most probably our last night with him tonight. We had a good weekend, spent a lot of time with him, he ate well for the most part (off his food) and the kids played with him.

Bringing him up in the morning. Probably won’t sleep tonight but I’ll get up at 6 as normal and bring him out for a long walk.

I’ll be thinking of you. Been there too often in recent years.

Catlady76

OU812 wrote: »

I’m devastated.

Vet just called. He went in for scans today and has a very large tumorr on his spleen and probable smaller ones on other organs.

They say they can operate but don’t recommend it because of the aftercare.

I can pick him up today and bring him home for the weekend with an appointment to bring him in early next week to either operate or have him put to sleep.

It’s probably going to be the latter. He’s with us 8 years and was a rescue.

Have to break it to the kids as well.

I guess I’m looking for advice.

You can get a 2nd opinion just to ease your mind that you will make the right decision, I had a retriever called Lola she had a massive growth on her side and vet said she was dying basically, we knew it was going to come down to it one day so we brought her to loads of place like the forest & beach and gave her lots of treats. We didn't want to give up on her and got a 2nd opinion but it came back the same, once we knew she was not in pain we decided to let her be until we knew that it was time to let her go. We are so glad we did because we had 6 more glorious months with her and she had a stroke at the age of 17 and we knew then we had to ask the vet to put her to sleep. It was a very peaceful process, took 5 seconds and she was gone. I took some of her coat the vet cut it off for me and we also had her cremated and she is in a box in our house with us, we plan to do a memorial for her in the garden but haven't done it yet as we are moving in 2019.
I think explain to the kids what is happening, research or google rainbow bridge on the internet its a great way to show kids where your pet will go in an animated way so they understand. You as a family could bring it to their favorite places or places of peace and quiet like the beach etc and have the kids with you...it all memories and then when the dog is gone you can ask the kids to draw pics of the memories made with the dog. Best of luck.

cocker5

Thinking of you today OP ... stay strong x

OU812

Thanks all for your concern.

He’s had his spleen removed & it was sent off for analysis. There was a tumour larger than the spleen itself but nothing visible anywhere else.

He’s being kept in tonight & tomorrow & when the results come back if benign he should have a shorter but extended life but if malignant will require additional care.

Was so hard saying goodbye to him this morning. Don’t want to go through that again.

snoman

OU812 wrote: »

Thanks all for your concern.

He’s had his spleen removed & it was sent off for analysis. There was a tumour larger than the spleen itself but nothing visible anywhere else.

He’s being kept in tonight & tomorrow & when the results come back if benign he should have a shorter but extended life but if malignant will require additional care.

Was so hard saying goodbye to him this morning. Don’t want to go through that again.

From memory the tumour taken from mine, also a Lola, was enormous too. It will be a tough wait for biopsy results, here's hoping that they are good news.