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Prayers please


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Tyra is doing well. My number one criteria to rate her quality of life is "is she begging for more food?" She lives to eat. And despite significant swelling on the left side of her face all she wants to do is eat! So life is good.

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The report came back this morning. It is malignant melanoma, just as I had thought. Highly aggressive. Surgery did not get good margins, as we knew because of its location. They gave me a referral to a cancer center. I will call them. But at this point I'm not drawn to heroic measures.

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Well, heck. So sorry.

Feel free to PM me (I've never figured out how to do it here.....) if you want my experience.

But I agree - keep her comfy and enjoy what time is left.

 

For you and anyone else reading this and having similar experience: expect some nausea, and days when eating isn't #1 priority. My dog was also a chow hound, and I found this much more unsettling than he did!

If that comes up, ask about either appetite stimulants and/or anti-nausea meds, including over the counter stuff like Pepcid.

 

Also, you'll get amazing at trying different foods...over and over. Today might be scrambled eggs with cheese, tomorrow might be absolutely no way eggs and cheese. There's a long list of things to try, including the dog's fav, liverwurst/braunschweiger which is especially good for hiding pills. The routine would be: a dab of plain LW (my abbrev for liverwurst!), LW, LW, pill with LW, LW, LW. Sometimes this actually works!

 

Another thing: whatever container you're used to feeding in may become "contaminated" in the dog's mind. Today, it's a metal bowl and dog feels nauseous, so tomorrow metal bowl is bad juju. Try ceramic, glass, different metal, even paper.

 

Best wishes.

 

diane

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I'm so sorry. Enjoy what time you have left together. You may want to ask the oncologist and/or check with your nearest Veterinary School to see if they are doing any studies on Melanoma. I know there is a vaccine but they need to go through a round of Chemo. There may be something new they are trying that wouldn't be invasive or painful.

My first Border died from Hemangiosarcoma, I did some homeopathic things which may (or may not) have helped but I felt better trying something. Now University of PA is doing a study on hemangio and I really wished we could have been involved in it. He liked to travel and enjoyed people so it wouldn't have been an issue.

I'm not saying turn your dog into a guinea pig but that perhaps, like me, you'd feel a little bit better adding to knowledge of the disease and perhaps giving her more good times.

She's had a great long life, take comfort in that.

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One of my clients just told me yesterday that her dog had cancer and was treated successfully with chemo. Apparently they do it differently for dogs and it did not even make her sick the way it does for people, and she did not lose her fur. The dog is fine now and that was three years ago.......

Perhaps what Tyra has is not treatable the same way, but I just thought I would mention that.

I feel so lucky that I will still have my beloved dog Digger, but I would feel a lot happier still if something would change the course for you and Tyra.

How is she doing?

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We have an appointment in a few hours with the oncologist. But frankly I'm almost regretting even setting it up. They require her to be fasted for the appointment in case they want to do any procedures. Her absolute number one reason to live is to eat. Eating defines her quality of life! And so technically by even going to the appointment I am compromising her quality of life. I know, it seems silly. Its just one meal. BUT.......

 

She clearly is not feeling great. But she still wants to EAT!!!! Any further treatment that will affect her ability/will to eat is just not worth pursuing.

 

I'm lining up a doctor for in home euthanasia so when the time comes we are all set for that. I absolutely will not have her last moments be some place she hates. And I plan to scatter her cremains in my flower gardens when the time comes. After a lifetime of getting scolded for being in my flower beds she can have the last laugh!

 

I will post about our vet visit though.

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I forgot to add that I am on vacation this week. I am so thankful to go through the initial shock of all this (although at 15 and half I guess it is not technically a shock) with lots of time at home with her.

 

Tyra has always been an odd bird. She is not put together right physically and mentally. While not outright aggressive she has never been a loving dog. She does not endear those that meet her. She mostly does not even care to be touched. And her body has always held her back. She has acted like an old dog since she was three. She has been on and off incontinent since then (she was spayed at 9 weeks due to shelter policy). She has had plenty of health problems. She has been on thyroid meds for years. About three years ago she was diagnosed with a pronounced heart murmur. At the time I was not even going to pursue treatment for that. But a good friend set me straight. Then she got a tumor in her eye. She suffered for months with horrible pain. And I didn't even know that was what was causing her odd behavior. Even after my regular vet diagnosed the tumor I was slow to get her to the eye doctor. I was forever treating her like an old decrepit dog that was about to die at any moment. But after she had her eye removed she had a new lease on life. She was no longer incontinent, even without PPA! Things were good for quite a while. Then she started not wanting to eat. We tried all kinds of things. I didn't think she could go under anesthesia due to age and heart condition. But my vet dentist was not concerned at all. Last October she had her mouth all cleaned up and WOW was she a NEW dog!!! She went back to eating like the chow hound she was. I had her on coconut oil and fish oil and she started moving like a much younger dog! She was so happy. I FINALLY reached a point where I thought, "Ok! This dog is going to live forever!" The past four months have been the best she has had in years. And just when I finally stopped treating her like she is dying she goes and gets aggressive cancer! LOL!

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I plan to scatter her cremains in my flower gardens when the time comes. After a lifetime of getting scolded for being in my flower beds she can have the last laugh!

 

That's one of the best things I've ever heard! Absolutely perfect and fitting for the old gal.

 

I want my ashes dug into someone's vegetable garden. ;)

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