one of my coworkers has a pup, who was only about 2 at the time, and was diagnosed with some form of cancer. they spent a fair amount of money to put her through surgeries and treatments, i think it was about $10-15k, and in the end she is cancer free. they monitor her very closely, i believe that she has a shortened life span, but they make the most of the time they have with her. i hope for a good outcome with your baby girl.
Dandi - I''m sorry to hear about your furbaby. They are like family, so it is so so hard. I am continuing to send good vibes your way and hope for the best
I am so sorry to hear about your little terrier -- that is awful news! It is comforting somewhat to hear that at least she is still comfortable and happy. I wish you guys the best in the coming days as you learn more and decide what to do. Our animals (even the cats) are sending big hugs and positive vibes.
Thankyou so much for your wishes everyone, it means so much to me (and Bubbles!). I''ve been lapsing between sobbing hysterically, and then and being excited knowing Bubbs is still here, and we plan to keep it that way for as long as possible. I see it as a challenge! Then I bawl again
I have an appointment with a canine oncologist on Monday to discuss treatment options. The vet said that lymphosarcoma is very responsive to chemo, and I''ve already altered the girl''s diet to include more fats and protein, and less carbs, which is thought to boost immunity and keep weight on. The vet is unsure of the chemo protocol exactly, but Bubby will probably have an injection once a week, and tablets at home. More importantly, dogs very rarely get sick on chemo. At the first sign of nasty side effects, I think we''d have to call it a day and cease treatment. I couldn''t stand her to be unhappy and sick. I''d then feel selfish, like I''m keeping her alive for my own sake and not hers, you know?
At best, we can expect a healthy, happy girl for about a year, which would be wonderful, before the cancer reappears. The likelihood of another remission is low, so at that stage we would consider having her put down, once her tiny organs start to fail.
Just typing that last bit rips at my heart. I''m angry that we''ve been robbed of years with this dog. She''s so precious. She and her sister are going to be VERY spoilt from here on in! Not that they aren''t already
Thanks again everyone, I know so many people here understand xxx
Ugh, here come the tears again! Time for another cuddle from my girls
Here''s the patient just after getting home from the vet. She looks very miserable here, but within 5 minutes was chasing her sister around the loungeroom
Oh, honey, that is so hard! Hopefully the treatments will work wonders and you won''t have to think those awful thoughts about what hopefully won''t happen. She looks like the sweetest thing, and it''s wonderful that shortly after you took that picture, she was up and having fun again. Maybe that''s a good sign!!
Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your support. Not everyone ''gets it'' when it comes to the pain of losing pets, and figure they can just be replaced. Bubbles has her first round of chemo tomorrow. There is no cure for this horrible cancer, but we hope in can be managed well for her, for the next many months, and hopefully years, before it will inevitably claim her. She has definitely lost her spark and isn''t the character she was, but is still a garbage guts and eating like she always has, so I hope that will keep up!
I''ll keep you posted!
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