It's my turn and I'm truly heartbroken...losing my BFF...prayers for my Bodi please..
 

I've observed over the years many of you losing your precious pets, always thinking to myself...please, please I don't ever want to experience the heartbreak that you have gone through. Well, here I am (in tears yet again).



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My soon to be 9 year old (his birthday is March 9) vizsla Bodi has been diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma which is NOT good. He underwent a spleenectomy and subsequent tumour removal which confirmed the diagnosis upon biopsy.

This all happened so suddenly last Tuesday. He was JUST FINE Monday evening. Tuesday morning my son, who's off from university classes for "reading week" (thankfully), noticed that he just wasn't himself...wouldn't get out of bed..wouldn't eat, drink. Soon he started panting as was extremely lethargic. My son immediately took him to our vet. The vet found a mass in his abdomen upon imaging. Off he went to an emergency pet hospital for surgery that probably saved his life as we suspected internal bleeding from the tumour.

So now he's back home and very much himself...WE ARE ABSOLUTELY ELATED!!! :) BUT... we know it won't last. :(

We've been told 5 to 9 months with chemotherapy, 2-3 without....

I'm reaching out to you guys here...what has been your experience with chemotherapy? (...really, really hoping for something positive here...)

(and yet again more tears....)

Alex

No experience with chemotherapy for dogs - just my mom and dad.

Miserable stuff, to the point where my dad said enough, the delay in dying wasn't worth the chemo experience.

My personal opinion, and I love my dogs and other animals with all my heart, would be to not have your beautiful Bodi go through a series of chemo events he will not understand or be able to provide feedback on how he is feeling.

Again, my heart goes out to you - there is no right answer.

I'm sorry that you and Bodi are going through this. I am not sure how well I would do at making the call, but from my point of view (animal loving), I think I believe it is best to not put the pups through that sort of thing. Again, no judgement on anyone that has or would or is, I completely understand. Making the call from a detached external point of view is very different from making the call when you're the one that is attached.

Damn. Just damn.

I would pass on the chemo but I can understand if you decide otherwise

Tough choice to make.

Had the chance to do chemo with my German Shepard (bladder cancer). She loved to go for walks and rides. Chemo was expensive and would extend her life by 6-9 months. But she would have to wear a diaper and could only be exposed to sunlight 30-45 minutes per day.

The quality of life just wouldn't have been possible so she lived to the end diaper free and enjoying our walks.

I'm sorry for your situation, it's not an easy decision.

This is the sort of stuff that makes this place a community...and I hate reading about it because 'it is a fearful thing to love what death can touch.'

First off I am sorry you and your pup are going through this . In my opinion the chemo is not worth it , not something he needs to go through just to extend poor quality of life . As a responsible owner and buddy you need to love and spoil him for the next few months . And when there are signs of consistent suffering you have to put him down . It's horrible but we all go through it . Good luck on this painful pet ownership journey .

Very sorry to hear about Bodi's illness. This stuff sucks, and its a very personal decision how to proceed. Two of my fur kids have been ended by cancer. In both cases we opted against aggressive measures as the dogs were in their early teens by then.

Our 12yo Rottie mix has a mass on his spleen. We learned of it over 6 months ago after having an ultrasound because he was having recurrent digestion issues for several months prior. Vet offered surgical biopsy to determine the nature of the mass, be we said nope. Not wanting to put him through surgery at 12, and if the mass is malignant, not prepared to treat aggressively at his age. The old boy Nigel continues to enjoy life and we consider each day with him a gift.

Please give Bodi a hug from his friends in PPOT

I love my dogs too much to put them through chemo. Good luck with the most difficult part of your journey together.

very sorry to hear this Alex. Hugs to your Bodi.....

I’m so sorry.


Hang in there.

Sorry to hear but the only thing wrong w dogs is that they don't live as long as us. That’s it, the only thing. :(

I have experience of having to part w a very beloved dog who developed a terminal condition. The advice I'm about to give you may sound harsh but it's the only good advice, IMO. Do not let this animal suffer. If you love it as much as you say, (and I don't doubt it), you do the suffering, not him. Put the animal down BEFORE you need to, not after you need to. The later is cruel and selfish. Putting an animal down humanely is not cruel at all, he doesn't know that it happened. The pain is 100% on you.

I had a GF for years who had two beautiful and spoiled Collie dogs. When it came to the end of the road for both of them, she could not bear to put them down and the poor animals had to suffer horribly because of her selfishness and immaturity. I actually had to handle both of them and I resent her to this day for the way it went down. She cared more about her own feelings and the companionship the dogs gave her than what they were going through. Don't be that guy.

Once again, very sorry but we all go through it if we love dogs.

Very sorry for you and Bodi.

Good advice Denis.
Although IMO it is hard to fault people for whatever choice they make in such hard times, I understand and agree with your POV.

What Speeder says:

Not dogs, but cats for me. I had a Burmese that lived to 18. He developed kidney failure and the vet suggested subcutaneous fluids to help flush his system. Every day I would inject saline solution under his skin. Yes, it did help the cat to flush his system, but in reality, it only helped me and my selfist feelings to keep the cat alive even if only for another 6 months. The cat's kidneys failed to function and his quality of life failed to function too. When I finally put him down and it was like I lost my mother. I grieved for weeks.

Do not let your pup suffer. Even if you think it will help and it might, but will it cure the cancer or only prolong the inevitable? Is the prognosis good? If not, then you must let him go. It will be hard, but not as hard as if you try to save his life only to lose it a few months later.

So sorry.
I have had Vizslas for the last 20 years. I did Chemo for one with mast cell cancer. Yes it bought some time, the side effects and other meds were not good, but in the end I still had to euthanize him. That whole time we knew what was going to happen, those were some very sad times.
This was some time ago maybe the Chemo treatment has improved.
Dogs don't process the why's of the treatment. If I could do it again I would not do the chemo.
That said do what your heart tells you, and give him lots of Love.

I will love and spoil my dogs, but will not change their lives after a good long run. They will let me know, and they will not suffer....sometimes they let me know abruptly...then I carry them to the bridge immediately....it sucks...but WE are ready...they let you know....with the tail still wagging....dayum :(....tears...

I hate these threads....best to you...

Yep, Denis is spot on. We had to put down a 5 year old English mastiff shortly before her 6th b-day. She had bone cancer and, althought it was beyond heartbreaking, we didnt wait until the pain was overwhelming or even worse, a bone break. Amputation was an option we didn’t want her to endure.

A tough road ahead of you but use the time you have to spoil her silly. Make memories and know you’re doing the right thing, whatever you choose.

I agree with all of the above . . . especially in my sympathies to you.