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My Dog is Dying - Lymphoma

Posted on 08/13/2016 10:40:43 AM PDT by SamAdams76

A couple weeks ago, I noticed my dog (border collie mix) was losing her appetite and acting quite lethargic around the house. Noticed a big bulge in the neck and took her to the vet. After a blood test, was told last Saturday that she had Lymphoma, which is basically a blood cancer and was given 1-2 months to live.

She's been a good dog to me. Rescued her from a creek in Alabama on my parent's land back in the summer of 2006. Just a puppy then, covered in ticks and obviously abandoned. But I took her back to Massachusetts and turned into quite a good dog. We've taken hundreds of hikes through woods together and been a constant companion. Moved with me down to Connecticut a couple years ago and we've been exploring the woods down here.

So in terms of dog years, 10 years is a pretty good life. But I'd love to extend it a year or two if possible.

I have an appointment with an oncologist on Tuesday. I already know that the recommendation will be chemotherapy, which normally puts the dog in remission and extends life 12-18 months. Eventually the cancer will develop tolerance to the chemotherapy and will still kill my dog in the end. Will cost me around $10,000 total from what I've researched. Maybe $5,000 on the low end.

Money is not the object. Quality of life is. So I'm hoping to get some advice from other Freepers on this. Is the chemotherapy worth the extra 12-18 months of life?

A week ago, I looked into holistic therapy for this type of cancer. I've been feeding my dog semi-raw beef and raw vegetables (carrots, celery, brussels sprouts) along with some rotisserie chicken for the past six days and there is a noticeable change. I've discarded the dry dog food she's been eating for years. My dog already has more energy and had been taking longer walks. The swelling in the neck seems to have gone down. She seems happier and more lively.

I know this sounds all touch-feely and "new age" but just wondering if anybody has had experience with the holistic method for cancer treatment. I know that on Tuesday, the oncologist will recommend the chemotherapy and will pooh-pooh the holistic method.

So looking for advice on this.

If I need to put my dog down, I will. She's had a happy life and I don't want to put her through any kind of suffering just to delay the inevitable.



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To: SamAdams76

I will also add that after a cancer surgery (at univ vet teaching hospital) the docs said they couldn’t get it all as it was next to her esophagus. (This was when chemo was suggested) ...well..A couple years later she had another growing lump needing removal...same hosp...they decided to check the previous surgery site as they were scanning the new one...amazingly they told us there was NOTHING there!

Good luck with your search for her health...lots of great suggestions here...you might look into Glycine too...we give our Abby about a Tbsp a day with food/liquid.


141 posted on 08/13/2016 8:53:16 PM PDT by goodnesswins (Alinsky.....it's what's for dinner: with Cloward Piven for Dessert)
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To: over3Owithabrain
I want to thank everybody for their posts today. I'm overwhelmed that I got so many responses (and private replies as well). After posting this, the rest of the day was spent at the Trump rally in Fairfield, CT.

When I got home tonight, Dixie was bouncing off the walls and very happy to see us. Tomorrow I will spend the entire day with her and will take some time to read and reply to as many of these posts that I can.

142 posted on 08/13/2016 8:53:16 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (It is a wise man who rules by the polls but it is a fool who is ruled by them)
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To: SamAdams76

Sam I am so very sorry to hear this, I can’t tell you what to do in this situation, however our beloved pets CAN’T tell us what they are experiencing with these treatments we don’t know if they are suffering!! I had an 18 year old cat that had lymphoma, I decided against the treatment route for this reason and put him to sleep, hardest thing I EVER had to do in my life but I just could not be sure if the extension on his life was just better for ME or him!!! I am so sorry Sam our furry family members are just like children VERY hard to go through this God Bless Sam!!!!


143 posted on 08/13/2016 8:57:16 PM PDT by Trump Girl Kit Cat (Yosemite Sam raising hell)
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To: SamAdams76

I went thru chemo treatment with the goal of healing from the cancer eight years ago. Don’t know if I would do it to live a short time more.

Sorry your pup is sick. Sounds like the treatment you are doing is making life better for her for the time she has remaining.

I believe in miracles. I’m praying for that for you.


144 posted on 08/13/2016 9:18:39 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: SamAdams76
I still can't read threads like this one. We lost Scooby, a merle Ozzy-Lab mix in March. His life expectancy was 10 and he was almost 15. He moved slower the last year and rejected walks the final few months, but mercifully his end was kind and painless for us humans.

Normal in the morning, had a sudden stroke right after his evening outside duties, and off to the crematorium by 7:45 p.m... He will not be replaced, as much as I would like to.
I would rather not have any pet outlive me.
We still have a chihuahua and two cats... all rescues.

145 posted on 08/13/2016 9:42:05 PM PDT by publius911 (IMPEACH HIM NOW evil, stupid, insane ignorant or just clueless, doesn't matter!)
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To: SamAdams76
I am so very sorry to hear of your dog's illness. As many FReepers know, I lost my beloved cat Kefira March 9 to bone marrow cancer. My vet recommended a prednisone shot to give her some quality time, but I was not going to opt for chemo because I felt it would put my poor baby through a lot of travel, poking, and possible side effects just to buy some more time. As it was, G-d stepped in and took her in a painless way the very next day after the vet visit.

What would the treatments entail, as far as putting your dog through needle punctures, trips to the vet, discomfort? How much time is the vet saying the treatment would buy? Will that give your dog a longer time of quality life?

146 posted on 08/13/2016 9:45:31 PM PDT by EinNYC
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To: SamAdams76
sorry to hear your companion and friend has cancer...ask vet if she is in pain, if so seriously think about putting her down...My last dog I personally had to put down, I put her in the back seat and had the vet come to the car and do his job.....they wouldn't let me out of the parking lot until I stopped sobbing, but I have seen people carrying their dead dogs out of the the vets office, that is something I would never do....I ask the vet to come to the car and she was OK with it. I had her head in my lap and she just put her head down and went to sleep, she is buried in the back yard. She had been sick for quite a while, I already had the grave dug, being in Michigan and would not be able to dig a grave in winter, the hole was dug and a bale of hay put in the hold and covered with a tarp. Just a thought....bless you and your dog...
147 posted on 08/13/2016 10:03:42 PM PDT by goat granny
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To: SamAdams76

If she’s not in pain, you don’t need to put her down yet. Try not to wait too long, though.

When my youngest daughter was born, her mama had been paralyzed on the left side from the waist down during the last six months of the pregnancy, and was walking with a cane as the daughter started walking. One day, going out to the car to take the older kids to school, she was menaced by a large and aggressive chow dog. A stray mutt that my wife (not, BTW, a dog lover) had been feeding attacked and drove off the chow. Wife called me at work and told me she had adopted a dog. Left me dumbfounded until she explained why.

We called the dog Shannon. She was a blue heeler mix, about 35lbs, and grossly pregnant. We had her spayed, and a good thing. The pups were much too large, and she would have died giving birth. Shannon stayed in the back yard most of the time, the kids loved her, and played with her, and she loved them. I tried not to get attached, and failed miserably, even though I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to keep her. Some years passed, and my wife wound up in a power wheel chair. Shannon still lived in the back yard. One day my wife came home from a “walk” with a little mutt in her arms, and said “It followed me home, can I keep it?” Flat nose, obviously from chasing parked cars. Coarse brown hair, with wirelike black hairs sprinkled all over, and a very fine white crest. Either a Belgian Griffin, or a mutt cross that approximated them. We called her Tupey, from “stupidest, ugliest little dog you ever saw.” We also called her the Velcro Dog, as she spent a lot of time stuck to my wife’s chest. Wife wanted to just let Tupey out in the back to do her business, and keep Shannon out there. I told her Shannon would get jealous and kill Tupey if we did it that way. So Shannon got to live in the house with us after that. She was so happy, just being near us. Any one of us would do, but I was her special favorite. Tupey was happy too, and my wife became a dog person. She’d always been a cat person, and I’d always been a dog AND cat person. IMHO, you need both to have a well-rounded house. A few years later, Shannon went deaf. Some time later, she went blind, as well, and was suddenly terrified when things moved around her. The girls and I took her to the vet and had her put down because her life was so scary and obviously unhappy, but we all held and hugged and loved here as she went. Told her she was a good dog, and we’d see her at the Rainbow Bridge. A couple of years later, Tupey got sick, and started puking blood. Took her to the vet, hoping to save her, but the next day the vet said “the little dog didn’t make it.” Probably arsenic poisoning. My wife as devastated, as were the rest of us. Our house was dogless. and unhappy. We’d had a lot of other problems by then, and money was tight, so no more dogs.

One day, a few years later, and after things had improved a bit, I was working again, and she was back to walking better, she decided she HAD to have another dog. She knew no one could replace her Tupey dog, but thought she’d be at least a little less lonely, and had found a pure-breed Border Collie puppy that she thought was just beautiful, and could be trained as an aide dog. We got him, and he was beautiful, and friendly, and sweet, and everyone fell in love at once. Only he turned out not to be pure-bred. Half at best, and the other half turned out to be Great Pyrenees. Dog that was supposed to be 45lbs max is upwards of 90lbs, Did not get the Border Collie brain, either. Makes Tupey look smart. But he’s still a sweetie, and we all love him still. He’s about 5 years old, now. I know someday my heart is going to be broken again, but for now I love him, too. And if there is no Rainbow Bridge, I’m not going.

Old Student


148 posted on 08/14/2016 3:30:45 AM PDT by Old Student (Do NOT make me get out the torches and pitchforks...)
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To: LTC.Ret
“However, as far as the raw diet goes and the suggestion that commercial dog foods are “bad” -— the very reason our pets are living long enough now to get cancer in their old age is at least in part the quality of nutrition provided by the commercial diets that have been available to them. NO, I am not a dog food company.”

You might want to google some of the problems with commercial dog foods. I will never buy Purina again, for good reason. I will also point out that there is nothing much “natural” about dried pet foods. I think you'll find that like with us humans, medical care is the thing.

Though you make a good point about letting the pet (or person) eat whatever they want. When my mom was dying of ovarian cancer, I was her only caretaker for a couple of weeks. If I could get her what she wanted soon enough, she could eat it. If not, she couldn't. She had fought off the cancer twice, through diet in addition to the surgery and chemo. The third time she didn't feel like fighting it. We got in some good talking, and when she passed, I was relieved, but sad. Still miss her, too.

OS
WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)

149 posted on 08/14/2016 3:43:36 AM PDT by Old Student (Do NOT make me get out the torches and pitchforks...)
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To: tet68
If you have to put her down, get the vet to do it outside under the open sky.

When the time comes, I will ask if that is possible. I live in an urban area so not sure if this is normally done in these parts but I do think I'd prefer it that way.

150 posted on 08/14/2016 9:10:26 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (It is a wise man who rules by the polls but it is a fool who is ruled by them)
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To: SamAdams76

I would continue with the new diet since she has shown such improvement, and probably cancel the appointment with the oncologist.


151 posted on 08/14/2016 9:16:59 AM PDT by CarolinaGOP ("Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face." - Ronald Reagan)
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To: LostInBayport
There is a lot of “stuff” in mass-produced pet foods, and I don’t think it helps. That's what I'm thinking. Same applies to humans and I've always felt better and healthier when I stick to natural foods and avoid processed foods. I've been in great health when eating this way. So I don't think it can be much different for canines (or felines).

A few days ago I convinced my wife to put away the dog food and we've been feeding her meat and vegetables from our own table. Our dog eats much more heartily and already seems to have more energy and vitality. This afternoon, I'm grilling some steak tips and will make hers extra, extra rare because I believe dogs get more vitamins out of raw meat. Still I want to cook it a little to make sure there is no bacteria.

Seeing the oncologist on Tuesday and I know I'll get some frowns when I tell them my approach.

152 posted on 08/14/2016 9:22:20 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (It is a wise man who rules by the polls but it is a fool who is ruled by them)
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To: kaila
Interesting. When I first read your post, I tried to picture my dog smoking it!

But if it comes in biscuit form and it's effective, it's worth a look.

153 posted on 08/14/2016 9:39:48 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (It is a wise man who rules by the polls but it is a fool who is ruled by them)
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To: 3D-JOY
Spend your money on raw ground beef from a neighborhood market. Nothing added and always fresh!

Do you cook the ground beef at all or just serve it raw?

154 posted on 08/14/2016 12:02:17 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (It is a wise man who rules by the polls but it is a fool who is ruled by them)
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To: AnAmericanMother; Titan Magroyne; Badeye; SandRat; arbooz; potlatch; afraidfortherepublic; ...
WOOOF!

Computer Hope

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

155 posted on 08/14/2016 3:46:00 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: SamAdams76

Beautiful girl dog! Best wishes to you in regards to her medical care.


156 posted on 08/14/2016 3:54:21 PM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: SamAdams76

I read this post yesterday and found myself thinking of Dixie today. She is a beautiful dog. Hoping she stays with you a long while.


157 posted on 08/14/2016 3:57:05 PM PDT by glenduh
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To: SamAdams76

Sorry to be slow...just getting on line now.

I buy it from butcher who grinds his own meat daily...sometimes it is twice ground, others like for tacos just once, and it much larger pieces...I throw in other leftover veggies, rice, etc. and make tiny “meatballs” ( about the size of my melon scoop) I freeze all but the next days food and thaw 4 or 5 overnight for morning food and again at lunch time for late dinner.

I do put it on top of some commercial dry food and he does eat a few pieces of that too...often goes back after a few minutes and finishes it. I started with 3 pieces and he seemed to be begging every time I went into the kitchen...

He is a very large boned shih tsu, not fat but 25-7 pounds.
Maybe not purebred as stated? Vet said some are just bigger. He was largest of the litter and initially called HUGO. Face and markings are perfect!

Good luck!


158 posted on 08/14/2016 3:59:01 PM PDT by 3D-JOY (Monthly donors needed...! Will YOU be next?)
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To: SamAdams76

Not sure I made it clear...raw!


159 posted on 08/14/2016 4:00:49 PM PDT by 3D-JOY (Monthly donors needed...! Will YOU be next?)
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To: The Sons of Liberty

NO, NOW we VACCINE them to death! We kill their immune system


160 posted on 08/14/2016 5:02:06 PM PDT by chicagolady (Mexican Elite say: EXPORT Poverty and Let the the Stupid AmericanTaxpayer foot the bill !)
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