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.

Sorry to hear about your pup.
One of my dogs, Sophie has "sun cancer" she has had two surgeries in the same spot to remove masses. we are not going to do that again. Mrs Crusty and I agree to forego any Chemo. when Sophie tells us her short ( 3.5 years old ) time here is near we will do the right thing and not prolong her agony for our benefit.
Thinking of Bodi and your family.

Sending good thoughts your way.

I have no experience with chemo, but it breaks my heart that your buddy is so sick. Been there. It’s not right. It’s not fair.
Prayers for both of you.

Oh so sorry bro. I'd pass on the chemo. The ultimate act of love is to let your beloved pass as comfortably as possible. I held my buddy as she was euthanized and man it hurt, but it was a genuine mercy for her.

I have some experience with canine chemo. Last Fall our 12 yr old lab mix was acting poorly. Lethargic, shedding, losing appetite, drinking lotsa water. Blood work revealed Leukemia. His white count had skyrocketed & red count plummeted.. No cure, but Chemo would add some time & make him more comfortable for the time being. The Oncologist was forthcoming. This dose will make him feel better for now, but will help you as well because he'll bounce back & give you some more time to get ready for the inevitable. Along with massive doses of Prednizone he perked up & was almost normal for about 2 weeks. We were warned "he will let you know when it's time", and he did. He lasted 4 more weeks. We were glad we gave him a "last chance". RIP Arlo.

Thank you for your thoughts and kind words. Though I've only met a few Pelicans I feel that though we're distant, we're all good friends here. Like many of those here I cherish the camaraderie that is PPOT even though I don't post often.

Well he's back to his usual playful and just too darned handsome self! ;) We just had his staples removed and now the cone is off which he greatly appreciates I'm sure! The incision has healed uneventfully.

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I've been doing some research on chemo and it appears that the newer meds seem to have fewer side effects for dogs with many people claiming that their pets have '"come along very well" during and after treatment with "very good" recovery rates....but this is pure internet research and not from anyone I know first hand.

I hear you all with your recommendations to forego chemo BUT you have to understand that even though I'm undecided, both my wife and son VERY MUCH want to proceed, no ifs and or buts about it....they want the possible extended time with him without question AND at all costs!

Speaking of which thankfully I decided to purchase "gold paw" pet insurance about 2 1/2 years ago. At that time my buddy's 9 month old puppy had to have emergency surgery to remove a vinyl disposable glove (left on his patio by his landscaper) removed from his stomach after he swallowed it. He had just purchased insurance himself as well. The final tab? $5000!

Knowing my wife I thought if something were ever to happen to Bodi she would want to spare NO EXPENSE on him so I decided to bite the bullet and get the premium plan (C$85 per month) which reimburses 80%. So far our tab? C$10,000....just passing this on FYI.

Thank you all again and fingers crossed!

Alex:

We went through this earlier this week with my cat, who was diagnosed with gastrointestinal lymphoma. My daughter and I decided not to do steroids and chemo, and had him euthanized Tuesday night. One friend told us that she considered it to be a final gift to her former pet.

After other experiences with chemo (on dogs), I would not do it again.

Sorry about your dog, and best wishes to you and your family.

Alex - Sorry to hear about Bodi. We lost our little Nugget just before Christmas last year. She was a rescue that we picked up in February of 2018 after she was found abandoned on the streets. They think she was already fourteen or so when we got her, and she had a large mass on her thigh. We had a suspicion we knew what we were getting in to. The vet removed the mass, but the biopsy produced the anticipated bad news. She, too, was given the option of chemo and they told us similar times to what you were told.

We started her on the chemo and steroids, but quickly found they would upset her stomach and lower her energy. Consequently we decided to stop treatment after a few weeks as we wanted her to have a decent quality of life, even if that meant less of it, rather than many months of drawn-out discomfort.

Well, she basically made it ten months, but it was, we hope, the best ten months of her life. She would come to work with me where she was a total Rockstar. Everyone loved her, and she was treated like royalty. She loved eating rice, and my wife would buy rotisserie chickens, put all the meat into 'treat bags', then cook rice in the chicken stock. I swear Nugget had better lunches than me! She'd follow me around the office, and come to meetings where she usually had her own chair. Towards the end she'd be wearing pink pajamas, not for looks, but to stop her from licking her dressings off.

Inevitably we got to the point where she just wasn't herself any more. The masses were back and getting worse, and she was very lethargic. She used to really enjoy her walks but even that had become a chore, and we couldn't go ten paces without stopping to rest. We had the vet visit the house, curled her up in her favorite basket, and fed her chicken while we sat with her. Despite having time to prepare, it was still difficult, but we felt it would have been selfish to let her struggle further. Probably the hardest part for me was going back to work and having to tell my co-workers that Nugget wasn't going to be in the office again.

If we were to do it all over again I don't think we'd change a thing, and those ten months really allowed her to shine. She was treated to walks on the beach, and the best snacks ever, while we got to spend time with one of the sweetest little personalities you're ever likely to witness. Everyone we know still talks about Nugget with a huge smile on their face.

Anyway, you should probably try the chemo and see how it goes. You can then make a decision as to whether to continue, but don't expect it to be plain sailing. In the meantime, Bodi, I'm sure, will be spoiled rotten. Make every day Bodi's 'best day ever' and pack as much in as you can. When the time comes you want to be able to look back on those days with a smile. Hopefully this helps, even if it's just to let you know you're not alone.
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Alex, having just lost my lovely Daisy, you and your entire Family have my warmest wishes during a difficult time.

A long time ago, when my Springer Spaniel, Spock, developed a deadly disease I asked my Vet what to do. I was afraid to not do the right thing. My Vet at the time, Dr. Novy, told me that Spock would let me know when it is time to go. Spock was with me another 3 years.

Dr. Novy was/is right and it was hard when the time came. Both Spock and Daisy let me know.

I cry for all the ghost dogs in my life. Tears of joy for having been the human blessed with their care.

The loss of a loved one is damned tough...treat every day with them as the gift it is..

Let's keep it simple..people don't do well with Chemo. To put a dog through that is criminal.

As hard as it is there comes a time when you have to be a responsible shepard and bite the bullet by saying goodbye. It is heart wrenching if not guy wrenching to give the go ahead.

So sorry about your pup. In my Veterinary career, I diagnosed probably 10 hemangiosarcomas. All presented as weakness and anemia due to the spleen bleeding into the belly. Removing the spleen stopped the bleed, and the dogs improved dramatically for a few weeks.

But all relapsed due to the metastasis to the liver. Chemo has probably progressed since then, but it was not very effective then.

There is no right or wrong decision on the chemo. It's yours to make and nobody elses.

^^^^ Perfect...

You have the bond....your dog trusts you....that's what they do.

Best to you and your pup.....

Sounds to me that the wife and son have made the decision for you. If you have the funds to absorb the cost you had better listen to them...

This



and, thanks for my tears at before 7 am on a Sunday.


Remember, these are tears of your joy and memories.



Just a thought, get another dog now,

for Bodi to have a new friend to play with, and he's teaching your "new" transition dog proper manners and whether on or off the Couch, toilet is not a water bowl, and my person REALLY LIKE TO RUB TUMMIES AND SCRATCH YOUR EARS, oh yeah, right thereeeeeee don't stop........


Keep happiness in you thoughts. this too shall pass.




SmileWavy

My old girl has been gone for a couple of years now but you guys are killin' me with these sentiments. I sure do miss her.

Misty has been gone for 12 years and I still think of her...

Then there is the practicality...how much time do you really buy to.be with your beloved pet? Usually it isn't very long. How is your friend feeling during that time? And importantly what is that extra time going to cost. Let's just say that time is not going to come cheap.

I've said this before and I will say it again: I notice my fellow Pelicanheads suffer greatly when they lose a dog and now I know why. Consistently, throughout the entirety of their lives, they outperform everybody, including and especially our human friends.

Yes, that is exactly the case here....I lose either way...