Could vet have been wrong?

My Springer,13, was diagnosed last September by the vet as having lung cancer.
He had a cough for a few months, they did an x-ray, then scan, saw a mass in his lung and took a biopsy. Couple of weeks later they told me it was cancer.
We decided he was too old for an operation, and I didn't want to give him chemo. So, I was devastated and expecting him to die everyday since then!

But, he's grand, still coughs but is well able for his walks and doesn't have any breathing problems. Is it possible the vet was wrong? How could be still be so well?
It's great, but weird. They said he probably had a few months...

Title should say vet!
Mod note: fixed

cocker5

bubblypop wrote: »

My Springer,13, was diagnosed last September by the vet as having lung cancer.
He had a cough for a few months, they did an x-ray, then scan, saw a mass in his lung and took a biopsy. Couple of weeks later they told me it was cancer.
We decided he was too old for an operation, and I didn't want to give him chemo. So, I was devastated and expecting him to die everyday since then!

But, he's grand, still coughs but is well able for his walks and doesn't have any breathing problems. Is it possible the vet was wrong? How could be still be so well?
It's great, but weird. They said he probably had a few months...

Title should say vet!

When you say scan - do you mean CT scan?

All dogs react differently to cancers .. so hopefully if it is cancer he’s not suffering too badly at this stage.

My guy was diagnosed via CT that he had nodular liver cancer (July 2019) .. vet said a few months, that he wouldn’t see Christmas - 2 weeks later unfortunately it was his time to go .. so no where near what we were advised ..

Have you googled the type of cancer the suspect he has? Some cancers spread quicker than others or depending on part off he body they can deteriorate quicker than others ..

Hopefully they are wrong .. depends how much tests were carried out when diagnosing

It was an ultra sound scan if I rem correctly. Tbh, I didn't even ask what type of cancer, just presumed with a mass in his lung it was lung cancer! I don't know much about cancer at all. When he told me, I was just trying to hold it together tbh.
He just seems in grand form, same as ever!
I'm really starting to think they were wrong or they got the tests mixed up. I suppose that could happen!
I'm sorry your about your guy

corks finest

bubblypop wrote: »

It was an ultra sound scan if I rem correctly. Tbh, I didn't even ask what type of cancer, just presumed with a mass in his lung it was lung cancer! I don't know much about cancer at all. When he told me, I was just trying to hold it together tbh.
He just seems in grand form, same as ever!
I'm really starting to think they were wrong or they got the tests mixed up. I suppose that could happen!
I'm sorry your about your guy

TBH my Westie was more sick than I thought or wanted to believe, and looking back I should have done the kinder thing 6 months earlier ( 16+ years
) I kept him alive for my son and myself, my twopence worth is go to another vet to get another opinion, another option is buy a puppy who as has been proven to work gives your fella an extra reason to hang on a bit longer, but the strange vet will tell all then it’s up to you to sort

omicron

While it's possible they could have misdiagnosed another mass as cancerous on a scan, the biopsy should be fairly definitive assuming it was sent to a pathology lab.
However "cancer" covers a huge range of possibilities from rapidly spreading metastatic cancers to a slow growing single mass that may never actually kill the dog, so it's entirely possible it may be a less aggressive form.

I've also seen dogs diagnosed with cancer spontaneously regress temporarily for no reason or just with steroids alone and no chemo.

tk123

Not cancer but Lucy seemed perfectly healthy when she was diagnosed and the vet warned me that it wasn’t normal and she could get very sick very quickly which she did after 5 months. So while your dog seems ok now and long may it continue... have a plan in case things drastically change. With Lucy she was running around one evening and just deteriorated overnight

cocker5

bubblypop wrote: »

It was an ultra sound scan if I rem correctly. Tbh, I didn't even ask what type of cancer, just presumed with a mass in his lung it was lung cancer! I don't know much about cancer at all. When he told me, I was just trying to hold it together tbh.
He just seems in grand form, same as ever!
I'm really starting to think they were wrong or they got the tests mixed up. I suppose that could happen!
I'm sorry your about your guy

Ok well an ultrasound will show masses or shadows but won’t diagnose cancer only and CT will do that .. have you considered requesting a CT?

He may have a slow growing cancer (hopefully) .. what about calling the vet for a chat and ask exactly what the suspect he has?

cocker5

cocker5 wrote: »

Ok well an ultrasound will show masses or shadows but won’t diagnose cancer only and CT will do that .. have you considered requesting a CT?

He may have a slow growing cancer (hopefully) .. what about calling the vet for a chat and ask exactly what the suspect he has?

Yeah, he is due to go back soon for a check up, I'm going to have a better chat with him then. I couldnt talk about it for ages, my voice kept going and tears would start!!
The biopsy said there was cancer, but I didn't ask any questions at all. I will next time

tk123

bubblypop wrote: »

Yeah, he is due to go back soon for a check up, I'm going to have a better chat with him then. I couldnt talk about it for ages, my voice kept going and tears would start!!
The biopsy said there was cancer, but I didn't ask any questions at all. I will next time

The vet will understand 100%. Make a list on your phone and you can add questions as you think of them and then go through them with the vet.
You have a diagnosis - for me that would be enough - I wouldn’t bother with CT scans or anything invasive/requiring sedation that’s going to confirm what you already know - it’s not going to make any difference and is just going to waste time and money. This was my approach with Lucy and my vets approach too.
For me it was harder to accept because she seemed fine - if she was sick then it would have been easier to accept it?

So, last week the doggo stopped wanting to go for a walk, extremely unusual, bit off his food also. Trip to the vet says the tumour has grown to the extent that it is pushing on his heart and oesophagus.
Vet says being him home for a few days, best thing now is to put him to sleep.
Devastated. But he seems in ok spirits, how do you know the right time?
I don't want him to suffer. But he still seems happy.......

cocker5

bubblypop wrote: »

So, last week the doggo stopped wanting to go for a walk, extremely unusual, bit off his food also. Trip to the vet says the tumour has grown to the extent that it is pushing on his heart and oesophagus.
Vet says being him home for a few days, best thing now is to put him to sleep.
Devastated. But he seems in ok spirits, how do you know the right time?
I don't want him to suffer. But he still seems happy.......

Ahh I’m so so sorry to hear that it’s absolutely heartbreaking for you

From my experience take it day by day .. if he’s off his food offer him super tasty food like scrambled egg , grilled white fish - mushed up, grilled chicken cut up into tiny pieces .. mushed up tinned mackerel / sardines .. so if there is a narrowing these food can get by with ease .. and also taste and smell nice for him

If he’s still happy enough in himself just keep a close eye on toileting, many not wanting to get up out of bed, possibly weeing while sleeping .. not now but maybe in a few weeks / month time..

What I would say OP is based on what you’ve said he seems happy at the mo in himself .. so cherish each day .. watch for for signs he’s deteriorating.. then you’ll know in your heart .. then book him in.. if possibly get your vet to come to your home .. this may be difficult with covid but it would be easier on all of you .. including your dog.

Things to watch out for ..

Loosing a lot of weight
Not eating at all
Breathing difficulties
Toileting issues
Reluctance to get out of bed
Loss of interest in family in general

When you start seeing these as a regular occurrence (not just over one / two days you’ll know x sorry if this is upsetting

My advice OP also don’t leave it too late .. once you know he’s suffering fo the right thing .. there are lots of people who leave it too late and in the end it’s distressing and painful for the dog .. better to have 1-2 days less with your dog .. than the dog suffering. Very hard I know

Cherish each day, spend time with him, cuddle him xx

Wishing you all he very best .. and for him a peaceful passing when it’s time x

aonb

bubblypop wrote: »

So, last week the doggo stopped wanting to go for a walk, extremely unusual, bit off his food also. Trip to the vet says the tumour has grown to the extent that it is pushing on his heart and oesophagus.
Vet says being him home for a few days, best thing now is to put him to sleep.
Devastated. But he seems in ok spirits, how do you know the right time?
I don't want him to suffer. But he still seems happy.......

You'll know. When the quality of life starts to deteriorate, when he is loosing weight, and cant eat/drink, and hasnt got any inclination to get out of his bed, then you need to act quickly. Its a horrible time, watching and waiting. Youve been lucky to have had so much extra time with him in good form. So many people think they cant bear it, and just one more day - and they wait, and their dog gets into trouble, and its even more upsetting, and you feel worse that you prolonged it. You know your dog, you have to think of him only now, and let him go when he is in pain. Sending you virtual hugs and best wishes.

AndrewJRenko

Sorry to hear your news. Again, I'd agree that you'll know, when there's no pleasure left in life, no interest in food, no ability to pee or poop normally.

One practical suggestion - see if you can get the vet to make a house call, or even a garden call when the end comes. They might not do it with Covid etc, but it makes a very difficult situation slightly more bearable if you can do it in your own surroundings and avoid the stress of travelling with the dog.

Ashbx

Im so sorry to hear what your going through. I lost my collie two years ago under very similar circumstances. She had a tumor in her nose that was slowly blocking her air supply. She was such a happy dog during the day. Had no issues walking, playing eating etc. But anytime she relaxed and tried to sleep, she really struggled to breath properly. Although she seemed ok a lot of the time, I knew when it was her time to go.

As others have said above, don't leave it too late. I truly believe when its time, you really just know. There is no easy way to say it - it will be one of the hardest decisions you will have to make but at the same time you know deep down its the final best thing you can for your dog after the wonderful life you have provided.

Until then, enjoy your time together. Do all the things you love to do!

Realtine

So sorry to hear about your little friend.

There is a saying when it comes to making a decision like this "better a day too early than a week too late".

I myself lost my 16 year old Cavalier King Charles only last Friday. 6 years ago he had surgery to remove a tumour from his anal glands, I didn't expect him to last much longer after that, but he did, despite the tumour growing back. Over the past few years he was failing, that's for sure, and it was selfish on my part to keep him as long as I did, but as long as he was with me, as far as i was concerned he was happy, but looking back his back legs could barely keep him up, plus other issues, he surely struggled anyhow the decision was taken from me last week as after a few days he just went downhill massively and that was that.

If your little pal is now starting to struggle then I think you know the answer is in yourself. X

Graces7

So very very sorry and thoughts and prayers.

So, very quickly, my query was answered.

He didn't want to go for a walk, started to go off his food. Both unbelievably not like him, trip to the vet showed the tumour has grown so big it was pressing on his heart and oesophogus.

We had a lot more time then I thought We would last September.

We had a few more days and he had one last walk in the beach, he loved the water. Hardest thing I ever did in my life was bringing him to the vet that day. I didn't want to wait till he was not able to do anything.

It's so hard now, the house is so empty.

They just don't live long enough............

I'm so sorry. A friend sent me this after my dog died, and it broke my heart but somehow also made me feel better. 😢

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117644256#Comment_117644256

Oh that's a heartbreaker!

I hope my Alfie thought like that.....

Thank you xx.

Realtine

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117644256#Comment_117644256

I'm bawling 😭

Realtine

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117643761#Comment_117643761

So sorry, heartbreaking.

fits

im so sorry bubbly pop. It’s awfully hard 😟.

tk123

😭 sorry for your loss OP it’s just horrible but you were very brave and made the best decision.

mary 2021

When a dogs dies they leave a space for another dog to get loved you will heal in time but its always very painful. i find my dog dying affects me worse than a human dying..... sad but true! he was loved and he was lucky rejoice in that .