My dog was just diagnosed with lymphoma!Update!

[AspiringCindy]

Here we go again! Some of you may remember past posts about our other boxers that we have lost due to cancer. Jan 2003, one of our females never awoke from her sleep. Then in June 2003, our male lost his battle to cancer. Now this!
Anyone out there have experience with lymphoma in dogs? Our male was diagnosed and put down within 24 hours because we never knew he was sick...but our female looks healthy as an ox! When will I know that it is time? Thanks

 

[Serena]

I'm sorry.

 

[NC Belle]

I am so sorry that you have to go through this with your dog. My first dog-the family pet--was diagnosed with sarcoma and my folks decided on surgery to give her a chance. The tumor was fast growing, but the surgery took a lot out. Several months later, the dog's cancer had went to the brain and after a week or 2 of her diagnosis--we decided it was time. Her quality of life went way down---she had lost control of bodily functions, lost of balance, constant crying, and so on. You will know in your heart that it is time. Prayers and hugs.

 

[slo]

My 5yr old German Shepherd also had lymphnoma. We had to put him to sleep under 24 hours after we were given the terrible news.

We were told he had been suffering for awhile, and we just didn't know it. I attributed his changes to getting older, never did I think he would have lymphnoma.

What made me take him to the vet was he started to not bark very much. This was odd because he was very protective of our family, and for him to not bark at somebody going by the house was not normal. He started to not eat all his food because the lymph nodes in his neck were to swollen and he couldn't swallow properly - this caused him to loose weight.

One day my DD said to me, "Sampson has spit coming out of his mouth". Sure enough he had large amounts of drool hanging down and he just looked sad. The vet said that he couldn't swallow and that is why this was happening.

At this point my vet gave Sampson 4 months to live w/o treatment and this time would not be pleasant. Treatment was an option, but he was so far gone that it would probably not work and he would have to go to a university far away. So, we made the decision to have him go to sleep right away because I wanted him to die with dignity. He was such a strong, masculine dog - I didn't want him withering to nothing. Plus, my DD was 4 at the time and I wanted her to remember him for how her was - her protector.

I loved him so much, and it has been almost 2 years since he died. I still mourn for him everyday because I feel he was taken from me to early.

I am so sorry to hear that this has happened to your dog. I hope the right decisions come easily to your family and God Bless You All.

 

[AspiringCindy]

With our male, he was jumping gates the day before. We woke up and his glands around his neck were enlarged...so we took him to the hospital. They did test and told us to take him home. The next morning, he was convulsing all over the kitchen floor, couldn't stand, walk or eat. We took him back to the hospital and put him down right away. We found out the next day, that he had a large brain mass, tumors in his lungs and lymphoma!
The female at this point just has the enlarged glands. So far, she is eating as usual, but I noticed she breathes heavy every now and then. She looks sad...as if she knows. Her son keeps checking on her! I bet ya he knows too! We have had such a bad year with our boxers! We adopted her just over a year ago to help fill the void when our female died in January!

 

[mommytotwo]

 

[Snowysmom]

I just want to say I'm sorry. It is hard when our furry members of the family get sick. Take care.

 

[grinningghost]

I'm so sorry. I don't have any experience with it, but you sure do have my sympathy. Furry creatures sure don't deserve to suffer after all the joy they bring to us.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Sorry

 

[Stepharoonie!]

 

[HappyMommy2]

This thread made me cry
I am so sorry. Our friends had a dog who was diagnosed with lymphoma; the dog seemed fine--just a little tired--for a few weeks then suddenly deteriorated very quickly and had to be put to sleep.
You will know when it is the right time. I hope your dog will have a long period of happiness and strength before then, though.

 

[DSNY FN]

One of my moms 2 dogs died from this and so did our cat or it was feline leukemia not sure which sorry to hear about this hugs and pixie dust from our family to yours.

 

[WDWHound]

We had a Basset Hound named Albert who suffered from this cancer. In fact my DIS name (WDWHound) was created as a small remembrance of him.

For most dogs suffering from lymphoma, chemo therapy can extend their lives an average of 18 months with no loss of quality of life. In fact, their quality of life usually improves to pre cancer levels. We weren't so lucky with Albert. The treatment only extended his life 4 months, but he was a happy and healthy dog for most of that time. Finally the cancer returned and it was apparent that we could not save him. The day we had him put to sleep is one of the hardest days I have ever been through.

Chemotherapy for this condition is very expensive (Albert's costs were around $2000), but it can make a huge difference in the length and quality of the life of your dog. Only you can decide if chemo is the right course for you and your pet. Whatever you decide, please know that there are people out there who have been through this and understand the pain you are going through. You will be in my prayers.

 

[Kitty 34]

So sorry

 

[AspiringCindy]

Thank you all for the s! It is now 11:00PM, and DH and the dogs just left for their usual 30 minute walk! We'll see how she does!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hi Cindy. Sad for sure. You have been through some tough times with your dogs, as have others on your thread here. Experience shows most people know when it's time. We just sort of know when the time is right to make them comfortable and say goodbyes.

We are going through it now with our son's, Vince, dog, Doc. He ia a 4 1/2 year old Rottie. Vince discovered tumors in his neck a few months back, tests and diagnosed with lymphoma. We were told, and read up, that, without treatment, maybe 4-8 weeks, with treatment, as Hound said above, maybe 18 months or so, though not curable. Vince decided to do the treatment, chemo. And, as said, it is costly, very, but Doc is doing well, enjoying life, and we hope we are helping him enjoy his too. Sad it is though.

My very best, Cindy, a , a prayer. Enjoy her for her time here, care for her for her time here.

Dan

 

[bratus913]

I just wanted to say that we had a dog with lymphnoma. She was a cocker mix and was diagnosed in 1997 when she was 13 years old (I had her ever since I was 16 years old).

It was only my DH and I at the time (no kids yet) and both of us working full time, so we decided to go forward with chemotherapy. People thought we were crazy at the time (the costs were touched upon on another post), but she was our baby.

The treatments truly did improve her quality of life (this was very important to us when we researched this option) and we got another year with our baby. The hard part was that when she did die, it was not the cancer that killed her. She was in full remission. She always had a heart murmer and in the end, it was heart failure that killed her.

As hard as it was with Cinnamon's diagnosis, the chemo worked well for us and we would have done it again in a heartbeat.

Hugs to you! I know firsthand what you are going through and I am so sorry!

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

Such sad stories about your pets. I just want to *hug* ya all.

You were wondering when you'd know it was time to put your dog down? I think you'll just know...everyone is different though. I had a difficult time seeing our pets in distress so it's possible we had ours put down while there was still life left in them but....who knows really.

You've sure had a rough time of it in the pet department though...*more hugs*

 

[AspiringCindy]

The battle has ended! Jade is in Rainbow Heaven!

 

[christineann]

I'm so sorry. I still miss my Jake, who died in January of lymphoma. He was the best.