Posted on 08/13/2016 10:40:43 AM PDT by 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.
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.
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!!!!
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.
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.
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?
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
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.)
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.
I would continue with the new diet since she has shown such improvement, and probably cancel the appointment with the oncologist.
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.
But if it comes in biscuit form and it's effective, it's worth a look.
Do you cook the ground beef at all or just serve it raw?
Beautiful girl dog! Best wishes to you in regards to her medical care.
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.
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!
Not sure I made it clear...raw!
NO, NOW we VACCINE them to death! We kill their immune system
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