cancer

karas mum · #1 31-07-09, 08:39 PM

hi there i have been a member for a while but has never posted a question.
my 8 1/2 year old gsd has been not right for a few months and has had a sore back leg. while trying to find out why, yesterday she was diagnosed with cancer and given 3-6 months to live!
my question is has anyone else gone through this and what do i do next?
my head is all over the place and i really dont want to loose a faithful friend after 7 years with her.

thanx for any advice sonya

Beki · #2 31-07-09, 08:41 PM

OMG!!!!! I hope someone can shed some light for you and your poor baby,

We are all here to support you !

x x x x x

super D · #3 31-07-09, 08:42 PM

Aw Sonya, i am so sorry sweetie, my heart goes out to you,
Hopefully someone will be along to advise you soon
, here if you need us

sarah x

#4 31-07-09, 08:43 PM

I'm sorry I can't give you any advice I haven't experienced this before. I just wanted to say I am sorry you have received this diagnosis take one day at a time, try to treasure every day you have together, try to take plenty of pictures as you will be able to look at them in time.

Thinking of you at this difficult time and we are all here if you need to talk.

karas mum · #5 31-07-09, 08:48 PM

thanx for the kind wishes. we are gonna spoil her rotten and treasure the time we have. i have never experienced this before and not sure what to do when the time comes x

zaclucy · #6 31-07-09, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karas mum

hi there i have been a member for a while but has never posted a question.
my 8 1/2 year old gsd has been not right for a few months and has had a sore back leg. while trying to find out why, yesterday she was diagnosed with cancer and given 3-6 months to live!
my question is has anyone else gone through this and what do i do next?
my head is all over the place and i really dont want to loose a faithful friend after 7 years with her.

thanx for any advice sonya

Hi Sonya

Welcome to the forum, I am so sorry it is under these circumstances.

I lost my boy 9 weeks after he was diagnosed. It is slightly different, as we were not 100% certain we were going to loose him.

First and foremost, you have to remember that Kara doesn't know that she has a terminal illness. She is going about her daily business, without a care in the world. However, if you are upset around her all the time, she will soon pick up on your feelings. As hard as it is (and I really know how hard it is), you have to carry on as normal. The main thing is, to enjoy every second you have left with her, cherish every moment.

You will know when it is time to let her go, and you will know what to do.

My heart goes out to you all, but just enjoy your girl while you can, and we are all here to help and support you.

xx

maxandskye · #7 31-07-09, 09:12 PM

Hi Sonya.

I am so sorry to hear about your girl, you must be absolutley devastated, & my heart goes out to you sweetheart.

My last girl Skye died from a type of Cancer in her brain. She was very unwell for about 10 months, initially the Vet said that we should consider pts, but it was never an option for me as Skye was never in any pain. After 10 happy months I knew the time had come for my special girl, I phoned the vet at 8pm, & had her pts.

Enjoy every precious moment with her.

Take care.

Heather · #8 31-07-09, 09:44 PM

So sorry to hear about your poor Kara- I think the others have given you some very sound advice. Thinking of you.

gsdlover4ever · #9 31-07-09, 09:55 PM

i know a GSD called Max - my GSD's grand dad to be precis also had a soar leg - owner took him to the vets - sadly he was to far gone.

the cancer had spread thoughout his body - a few days before he went to the vets he was running about the fields with me!

it was such a shock, i wasn't able to say good bye properly as we all thought he would be comeing back - the vet and his owner decided it was best to allow him to sleep and be free of any pain!

kita · #10 31-07-09, 10:10 PM

Do you mean bone cancer?

If so then I lost a bitch aged just 6 years to it. She had it in her hind leg.

I lost her a week after diagnosis. That was about 12 years ago. Sadly the progression and spread of bone cancer is usually fast.

The one thing you do have to be careful of (if it is bone cancer) is that they don't break the leg. The cancer eats away at the bone and eventually makes it like paper so the slightest stumble can break the bone. Obviously there is only one way things can go then.

There is the option of amputation of the leg, but even when that is done the dogs mostly don't survive past a year and it is a massive operation to put an animal through.

Have you ever lost a dog before?

If not then this is how things go:

You can take the dog to the vets surgery or have the vet come to your house. You can choose to be present (I do) and hold the dog or you can leave it to the vet.

The vet will inject the dog and they will mostly just go to sleep (die), often before the injection is over. Sometimes they move or yawn immediately after death and it can appear that they are still alive, but they are not it is just the muscles contracting. They often empty their bladder and sometimes their bowels immediately after death.

I have always found it peaceful and comforting to me to be with them at the end - my other half always goes out as he cannot stand to be there and I totally respect that, everyone is different.

You can get them cremated and get their ashes back in a casket, if this is what you want, then I would try and write it down or arrange it with the vet before hand (you will probably be too upset at the time). You can also bury them in your garden.

Most of all enjoy the time you have left together. It is difficult and this will probably be one of the most difficult things you will ever experience.

Sadly it is something we all have to go through when we share our lives with our beloved dogs. It will feel like your whole world is ending for a while but hold onto the good memories and they in time will take over totally and you will come through all of this.

Take care

Sue