Our girl has cancer

[iloveeverykindofcat]

Bloody bad luck this is. 😔Her recurrent UTIs could have been for many reasons and yeah, its the bad one. She has a tumor in her bladder. We're waiting on final confirmation from the vet after some tests results, but to be honest, there's almost no chance that its benign. 6 year old spayed bitch who had several litters before we had her (backyard breeder).

Right now, its small. She's not unwell, she's living cheerful, cheeky, great appetite, running, though I'd say her stamina on walks is less. Its not a very treatable cancer and in any case I don't really believe in things like chemo for dogs - maybe in some very exceptional circumstances, but certainly not as a matter of course. So its just a matter of giving her whatever she needs to keep her happy and having fun for however long she has I guess. We won't let her suffer. She's always been a greedy thing - I guess it doesn't matter if she gets fat now!

Bloody bad luck. She's a cracking little dog, so good with our rescue. He'll be devastated when she goes. Just wondering if anyone else has been down this road, and how it panned out?

I'm so sorry. We lost out dog to cancer 9 years ago. It was stomach cancer no symptoms (more tired maybe but he was also 10) the tumour wasn't visible except when he stretched on his back. Took him several times to the vets and they said it was nothing. Until it got bigger. Tbh like you we wouldn't have gone down the treatment route anyway. He got more lethargic and generally unwell overtime (probably a few months after they spotted it and maybe 9 months after the first time I saw it.) once his quality of life had started to suffer we arranged for him to be put to sleep.

We had the same, but on palliative care there was another 6 months of fun, happy life, maybe not as energetic as before, but certainly worth while. Then she started to look miserable, and we PTS

Its is heart breaking 💐

Thanks. I think, based on what I've read, we're looking at about 6 months. Its just averages of course. We will give her any palliative meds she needs, of course. Funnily enough I have a friend who is an oncologist and an animal lover and agrees with me that chemo for animals usually comes under the heading of 'just because we can doesn't mean we should'. Though to be honest its not a cancer that would respond well in any case. The tumour is at the top of the bladder, not the urethra, so its not going to block her urinating. Hopefully that gives her a bit longer.

I agree about not giving chemo to animals, having been through it myself I can't imagine how horrendous it would be if you had no idea why it was happening. It would destroy all trust the animal has in you, and for no reason, especially when outcomes are not good, anyway.

So sorry for your news OP.

Our dog actually did go through chemo a few years ago and was absolutely fine. He suffered no side affects and was his usual happy self throughout. The specialist told us that pets are not given anywhere near the same strength of dose that humans are for the very reasons you've said, because it's not fair to make them feel so ill when they cannot understand. So it tends to be to maintain rather than to cure. Luckily for us ours was actually more preventative as the vets had removed a growth which turned out to be cancerous and the chemo was just in case to sort of clean up. So very different to your case but wanted to reassure about the option of chemo perhaps for others.

I hope you get some lovely quality time with your dog before she goes. Its so unfair at only 6, you must be devastated

Thank you. We are pretty gutted. She really is a lovely dog, even the vets were commenting on how well-behaved and calm she is. They didn't even sedate her for the ultrasound, just shaved her belly and did it no problem. I suppose we just have to remember that animals live in the moment.

Her favourite treat is chicken. She'll be getting all the chicken she wants now.

I think it's important to note that chemo for dogs isn't the same as chemo for humans. The effects are nowhere near as bad and many dogs go on to live happy lives, free from cancer.

Obviously it's a personal decision but it's not the equivalent of the same treatment in people.

Well, in our case its pretty much moot anyway. From what the vet has said (still awaiting final confirmation) they wouldn't be reccommending anything other than palliative due to the nature of this cancer.

Absolutely - it was more of a general comment about chemo in dogs as lots of people assume it's the same as in humans when the reality is quite different.

I'm so sorry about your lovely girl

Well everyone - you're not going to believe this: we might just have a miracle on our hands.

About 98% of bladder tumors in dogs are cancerous. But here's the thing: bladder cancer is aggressive and fast. Without treatment, life expectancy is months. It is now two months since the tumor was discovered. And Gweni is still well. In fact, she's extremely well, feisty, cheeking and thriving under all this spoiling. She's getting fat from too many treats.

We took her to get a second scan and the tumour has grown 0.1 of a cm. Two months ago it was 1cm and now it is 1.1cm. This is not how bladder cancer behaves.

Is it possible? Could Gweni be in that 2% of benign growths? She's such a fantastic little dog. She has the patience of a saint with our rescue boy.

@iloveeverykindofcat I hope you do have your miracle. Fingers tightly crossed for you and Gweni

Thank you! At first I was totally resigned to the prognosis, and I'm trying to be realistic and not get too excited, but....if it were cancer, the tumor would be growing rapidly. Someone's got to be in that 2%, otherwise it would be 0%.

In any case, we're taking her back again for scans in another 2 months, provided she stays well in the meantime.

It will be very difficult not to be excited. I lost a dog very young, just gone 4 years, to cancer. The vet said he would have possibly another 6 months with chemo and he lasted 4 without it. He went down hill really quickly. I have no regrets not doing chemo.

I am delighted for you and hope the scans are just as positive in two months - it is very very tough being a dog owner sometimes.

What a lovely update, I have just finished a gruelling night shift, and felt really down when I got in. Just made my “decompression cuppa” and read this. She’s such a beautiful dog, you’ve made my day.

Thank you @FiveShelties so sorry you lost your boy. We lost a gorgeous, brilliant young dog last year to something called haemolytic immune mediated anaemia - basically his own immune system destroyed all his white blood cells at a rapid rate. He was a super expensive pedigree tricolour corgi (not my personal buying choice to go with that kind of breeder but it wasn't my money) and the vet said we must tell the breeder not to pair his parents again. @Icepinkeskimo she's a little gem. We rehomed her off a 'business breeder': she wasn't abused or anything, she was fed, walked and gotten veterinary attention, nothing you could report to the RSPCA. But it was 100% a business venture: two different high-value breeds on the go, bitches bred at regular intervals as soon as they were old enough, not much in the way of love and affection. Nonetheless she is a very happy, cheeky, funny character with a strong maternal side. She treats our rescue like a big puppy though he is twice her size.

Well, its the end of December and....

Gweni is still completely healthy.

We honestly thought we'd be losing her right about now.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the universe smiles on us.

I'm not even a Christmas person, but what can I say, I'm feeling emotional. Merry Christmas everyone.

Oh my goodness @iloveeverykindofcat

Your girl is absolutely beautiful! I missed this when you first posted but what a wonderful update. She looks positively regal in that photo, a lovely ray of sunshine on this dark gloomy morning.
I hope she goes from strength to strength!
If I’m remembering right, you also have a rescue boy who had a foxy name/resembles a fox 🦊, or have I got it wrong?!

Either way, my (also point with roast chicken) girl and I wish you a very merry Christmas, and many more to come!

Great update - I hope you all have a lovely Christmas together

Spoilt! Not ‘point’ 😄*

@CandidFruit thank you! we do have a rescue boy, whom Gweni has taught to be a proper dog. She's such a great little dog. I know everyone thinks their dog is the best, but even the vet has remarked what a lovely temperament she has.

@iloveeverykindofcat Well your vet is right of course. She is Glorious Gweni (love her name too)
How’s your rescue boy doing?

Beautiful update and a beautiful picture of a very happy dog. Have a lovely Christmas x.

He's well and happy! Possibly not the brightest dog we've ever had, but a lovely boy. He's basically like a very large, strong, athletic puppy. He's a big dog now, he's a Cardigan corgi and he's grown a lot bigger than the Pembrokes.

So glad to hear your dog is doing so well and confounding the original diagnosis. Our 11 year old jrt had a lump removed in October which proved to be a malignant tumour. The vet said it would grow back and there wouldn't realistically be anything we could do about it. Like you, in your first post, we decided we would make sure she didn't suffer in any way and give her the best life in the meantime. She is still full of life, enjoying her food and long walks and so far no new lumps are visible so long may it continue.

Well done Gweni ! Da iawn!
Have a lovely Christmas and lots of 🍗🍗🍗