Anyone lose a dog to cancer?

[Joe Link]

The dog hasn't been eating for a few weeks now, took him in when it first began. Spent this evening in a follow up appointment, where we found out his white blood cell count is too high for them to measure. Specifically, the lymphocyte count, making it pretty clear he has canine leukemia. People talk about putting them down themselves when the time comes, but I know I won't be able to do it.

Anyone else been through this with their pup? Tough time.

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[IheartSig]

I'm really sorry Joe. Try to stay positive, as best as possible.

 

[GUNARCHER]

Had a black lab that died of anemia. wasted two weeks looking for internal bleeding and cancer.
He had quit eating and no energy.
Took him to Cascade veterinary referral center in Tigard and they diagnosed it immediately .
Fought it for two months, two blood transfusions and a lot of expensive meds---but I couldn't say no. Also the Dove Lewis emergency animal hospital is very impressive http://www.dovelewis.org/

With anemia they used steroids to deactivate his immune system because the white bloods cells start to destroy the red. Almost made it but sadly he passed as i was loading him into the van for a checkup.

Good luck, I hope it works out. very hard to go through. I got a 8 week old lab pup a month later . It helped to ease the pain.

 

[orygun]

Shortly after my wife moved in with me, she brought her dog home from her ex's. Apparently she (the dog) knew it was a safe place as she warmed up to me right away. I was the first male she'd ever been comfortable with. About six months later she developed health issues which were then described as cancer. We put her down and she's buried in our flower garden.
I've owned and loved many dogs through out my life. We have a new pup who's 5 months old. I got him as a "replacement" for the dog we had to put down in November after being hit by a car. The last dog, before that, I had to put down was a 10 month old lab...

I'm not a wuss, but if there's anyway to deal with it painlessly (for them) at the vet I'll not be the one doing the deed. It's painful enough to lose them. I don't need a graphic image in my mind of it happening.

Joe, I'm so sorry for you. This is as close to losing a family member as I know and it really hurts.

 

[IronMonster]

My brother and sister in law just lost a pug, Harley, to cancer. We have two pugs, and a border collie. We watched Harley quite often and I actually got him for them. It came on fast with him, over the course of a couple weeks he was eating less and started to look bloated. When they took him in they thought maybe he had a stomach bug or something, It turned out he was already too far gone to do much of anything for him.

They made the choice to just give him the best they could for the rest of his days, which actually did not work out so well. He made it a few more weeks and it became clear that he was suffering and in a lot of pain. They gave in and put him down. (they did not do it themselves, but took him to the vet) I think there comes a time where you love them enough the desire to see the suffering stop is greater than the pain of letting them go. Unless there was an immediate need (like if one of my dogs was hit and it was clear they would not make it) I dont think I could do it either. I mean I could, but I wouldn't. My border collie Sadie is with me 24/7. She never leaves my side. I talk to her like she is one of my kids and If she is gone for just a few hours I miss her. She was my son's dog who almost 4 years ago committed suicide, Sadie is my last link to my son, Its going to be really hard to let her go when its time.

I am sorry man, I hope you are able to spend some quality time together.

 

[Just Jim]

Joe, I could never put my own dog down so it will be the vet for me. Seems there is a warning on Purina beneful saying it had anti freeze chemicals in it. Your dog looks too young to be sick.

 

[Monica Cowles]

I can totally relate to how hard it is to say goodbye, we went through it just a few months ago.
Our little Brittany, Chewy, had been acting lethargic and having strange coughing fits that ended with him being unable to walk well. We took him in to the emergency clinic and after an xray, we were informed that the sac around his heart was filled with fluid, and that we would have to put him down. We couldn't do it ourselves either, so my oldest daughter, my son and I took him in--I consider myself a pretty stoic person about death, nobody will get off this earth alive, but let me tell you it was very hard to watch him leave us...

He was with us for 9 years. As time has gone by, it has gotten easier...we are finally to the point of getting another puppy. It will be another Brittany, in a couple of months, but it will be brown and white instead of orange....

Hang in there, Joe, you'll get through this....

 

[3MTA3]

Very sad and sorry to hear this. No shame in having the vet put him down when it's time. It's the toughest decision to make. Pick out a nice resting place. All ours go to a special area at my Dad's place where they played.

 

[U201491]

We have raised and lost far too many. Every one is like losing a child.
One of the hardest things in life.
Very sorry to hear you are having to endure this.
Just be with him all the way til its time and then have a vet come in and do it.
We have held the head of many over the years in their last day and minutes and they
deserve that you be there for them. Hard as it may be.
Again sorry to hear this Joe
It is the one thing in life God missed..... Not giving dogs a long enough lifespan
each one is as hard as the last, but we could never not have a furball in the home.

 

[Stomper]

Sorry to hear this, Joe. Your buddy doesn't look like he's that old being as he's got no grey on his nose. My Boston Terrier (Bubba) made it to about 13-14 (that's actually pretty good for a Boston Terrier). He was blind in old age, and at the end he wouldn't eat, or even sleep.

On his last night he'd try to remain standing but would plunk down, stand up then plunk down over and over, all through the night. It was one of the most unnerving, gut-wrenching nights I've experienced, and I've been through, seen, and done a LOT of unpleasantries so far in my life.

I took him to the vet in the morning... I sat there in the waiting room wearing sunglasses to cover my eyes. When the vet came out I couldn't EVEN bear go in the back room to accompany him, so I had to just hand him off to the vet to do what needed doing. I payed extra to have him privately cremated, and I still have the little urn (it's actually just a fancy tin can) with his ashes that they sent back sitting up on a shelf.

I have an AWESOME yellow lab named Dan, who's the best dog a person could hope for, but I miss the HELL out of Bubba just about everyday, and that's going on three years now. It's amazing how a dog can become so bonded to your heart and soul.

 

[Just Jim]

I am struggling here a bit but from what I have seen in life the death of some one or something close in our lives rips the heart right out of you. As the healing begins it reminds you of your own mortality and can give you direction and purpose in life. It's part of life and we all go through it and death does give meaning to life.

All you can do is tough it out.

 

[jbett98]

It's been ten years since I took my Doberman Jamaica to the Companion Pet Clinic to put her down.
She was over 16 yrs old and it was her time, but it was the one of the hardest thing I have ever done.
While I was waiting for them to get the room ready, a young couple and their four year old daughter walked in with a cute little black Cocker Spaniel puppy.
The little girl walked over to me and proudly told me that her puppy was getting it's first shots today, and she then asked me what I was here for.
I told her that my dog was here for it's last shots and I just about lost it right then and there in the waiting room.
They finally took me and what I considered the best dog ever born to a warm, quiet and darkened room to let me say goodbye. I elected to stay for the procedure.
They were very considerate and careful and she went very quickly, with no pain.
I'm sorry you have to go through this.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I lost a dog that I bought on a "layaway" deal that I struck with a breeder for the runt. It was a fawn Chinese pug, I bought him at the lowest point in my life, he was an angel to my heart.

When he started having accidents and having twitches I took him in, the vet said it would take $1,500 brain surgery and it wansn't necessarily going to improve his chances of survival. It might as well have been a million dollars, I didn't have it. My heart goes out to you brother, it's a day you know will come, but you're never prepared for it when it happens.

 

[IronMonster]

Something about runt pugs. Our little fawn pug was born with three legs, They where going to put her down (AKC registered breeder, a mutant is just seen as lost dollars ) but my wife saved her. She has no idea anything is wrong with her and is one of the happiest dogs I have ever owned.

 

[BDA.45]

This makes me very sad....I just went through a very similar thing with my 11yr old potbelly pig. (See thread Does anyone else have a pet pig) The canine leukemia is treatable I believe. It may cost some money but worth it in my eyes. All I can say is DONT WAIT. Get him in for treatment asap....Good luck and best regards......

 

[etrain16]

I feel for you Joe. Growing up we had a wonderful German shepherd that got cancer. He had to be put down as there was nothing they could do for him. It was a rough time for us. Later my wife and I had to put our last dog down in 2009. She was old but began suffering a chain reaction of medical problems that couldn't be treated.

With the first dog, my parents had to make the call. With our last dog, we had to make that decision ourselves. We struggled with it and were certain we couldn't make it, but we came to realize that as her owners we had a responsibility to act on her behalf. Once we knew her quality of life was on a steady decline, and things would only get worse, we set a line that, if she crossed it, we agreed we would have her put to sleep. The day came and we took her to the vet, whom we had already arranged this with. We sat in the room with her as they administered the drug. It was over very quickly and very gently. She simply closed her eyes and she was gone. It was very sad, but also very peaceful.

Love him and make him comfortable as much as you can. Talk with the vet and get their input, though they will only go so far in helping you make that decision. I hope they can actually treat this, that would be a great outcome.

I don't envy the decisions you'll have to make. Just remember, he can't make them for himself, which gives you the very tough, yet very important position of being his advocate. The fact that you find this hard is evidence of the love you have for him. Loss is never easy, but you will get through it. You have our prayers. Take care.

 

[U201491]

This makes me very sad....I just went through a very similar thing with my 11yr old potbelly pig. (See thread Does anyone else have a pet pig) The canine leukemia is treatable I believe. It may cost some money but worth it in my eyes. All I can say is DONT WAIT. Get him in for treatment asap....Good luck and best regards......

It is treatable but I imagine very expensive also. Some can afford it some cannot

https://www.google.com/search?num=1...100&as_qdr=all&q=leukemia+in+canine+treatment

 

[Gunwheeler]

Thinking about that day still brings a tear to my eye no matter which lost pet comes to mind.The only thing harder than having to put a pet down is living without the companionship they provide.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

Lost our Springer Spaniel to cancer. He was not eating and when we took him in the Vet did an MRI and said he was full of cancer. The wife just had him put down right then as he had been suffering. The decision on when to put a pet down should be based on the pet and its quality of life, not on how the owner feels about the matter. All too often the owner allows the pet to suffer just because they are not ready to lose a pet.

 

[IronMonster]

It is treatable but I imagine very expensive also. Some can afford it some cannot

https://www.google.com/search?num=1...100&as_qdr=all&q=leukemia+in+canine+treatment

And just because you can afford it does not mean it really is the best or right thing. I had a good friend who lost his lab Tuba to cancer. He spent close to five grand in treatment, In the end it prolonged his life about 4 months which where all miserable. I understand having to do all you can and you never know but in his case at least treatment was the wrong call.