Comments on: End of Life Care in Dog Cancer

By: I Am Named After a DMB Song | BLACK DOG Social Media

I Am Named After a DMB Song | BLACK DOG Social Media — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:15:10 +0000

[...] a leg. During his remission, he went on walks, swam, and played. 3 legs and still his old self. Cancer came back and he has since passed. He taught me about enjoying each day and how even on our last day here on earth, even if we have [...]

By: patty

patty — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:52:00 +0000

today is sunday august 2nd, as i have already blogged about taz having
liver cancer. he is so much worse today. if things go as planned, we
will be taking him to our vet tomorrow august 3rd,5:30 to have him put to
sleep. i can hardly type because of all the tears. my husband and i both are loosing it but we can’t let him suffer. he just looks at us with those black eyes and you can tell he want’s help. please say a
extra prayer for us. we plan on having a proper burial for him and have a headstone made for him. some people may think we are crazy but
he has been our baby and best friend. renee thanks for your response, my heart goes out to you. life will never be the same for any of us anymore. thinking of all of you dog owners, DR D, thank you for being such a caring human being. this world needs more people like you. love and prayers to all. patty, john and our beloved TAZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Renee Harper

Renee Harper — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:51:23 +0000

My Molly is a 11 year old yellow lab. I found out she had a massive cancerous tumor in her spleen almost 4 months ago. The regular vet told me to “go home and take pictures”. I took her to an oncologist here in Portland who is wonderful and she did surgery and removed it. Otherwise she had maybe a day to live. Now 4 months later she has started having seizures. It has spread to her liver and possibly her brain. I only live hand to mouth so afford $500 a pop chemo was not an option for us. This tore me up. BUT we did get 4 more months and have just started (5 days in) a low does (MUCH cheaper) at home chemo she gets every 48 hours. This will not cure her. Just trying to slow it down and make her comfortable at this point. Today she has gotten quite weak and isn’t wanting to eat much. I’m trying to stay positive for her. She is my everything for 11 years now. I’m 31. I don’t know what my adult life would even be like without her. May sound crazy but I miss her already. I don’t know if I have days or weeks or what but I’m trying to make it as positive and happy as I can for her. This is the hardest thing I think I have ever done in my life. Thank you for this article.
PS good luck to you Patty.
I’ll pray for you guys too.
Please pray for us.
reneedeanne@gmail.com

By: patty

patty — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:46:44 +0000

DR. D
I FIND THIS ARTICLE SO HELPFUL. I HAVE A 14 YEAR OLD SHIH TZU THAT HAS
BEEN DIAGNOSDED WITH LIVER CANCER.MY HUSBAND IS HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME
DEALING WITH THIS. HE SIT’S AND CRY’S, I KNOW TAZ CAN SENSE SOMETHING IS WRONG. I WILL PASS THIS ARTICLE TO HIM AND HOPE THAT HIS SPIRITS WILL LIFT FOR TAZ’S SAKE. SAY A PRAYER FOR US AS THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR LIFE. WE HAVE BOTH LOST OUR FATHERS BUT THIS SEEM’S TO BE MUCH HARDER TO DEAL WITH. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL THAT MUST GIVE UP THEIR BEST FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Dr. Dressler

Dr. Dressler — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:59:29 +0000

You did it right!
Good work. Maybe you two will meet again…
Dr D

By: Ana

Ana — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:54:14 +0000

It is a beautiful article! I lost my lovely Africa, a 10 1/2 year old Giant Schnauzer to squamous cell carcinoma on July 16, 2009. It was a long battle, the first time she had toe cancer was six years ago,we had a great time for many years until July 2007 when she developed another tumor in her right hind leg, the toe was amputated, but happened again in the other toe in the same leg a few months later, it was also amputated, but it spread to the whole leg, and finally, it spread to her skin, the oncologist removed one tumor three weeks ago, and by thursday 16, there were many more,and the leg was in very bad shape, in spite of a long treatment. We decided to let her go,she was in pain, and she was not enjoying what she usually enjoyed, eating and playing, her favorite thing was riding in the car with all windows opened so she could bark at people or just feel the wind, on thursday, I had to help her to get in the car, and she just laid there, not interested in looking out, or poking her head between the front seats. The oncologist said she had two weeks to live, at most, the other option was amputating her hind right leg from the hip. Her life quality was going south, so we made the hardest decision ever. My heart is broken,I miss her terribly, the silence in this house is unbearable, and even knowing we made the best decision for her, we still feel awful.
I stayed with her through the process, talking to her, thanking her for being such a wonderful companion, and apologizing for the anything I might have done to her, I asked her to go in peace…
I know I will never find another dog like Africa, she was the best!

By: Barbara Wallace

Barbara Wallace — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:39:38 +0000

Thank you so much for a beautiful article. I cried when I read it as it is all too true. I lost my Bichon Demi to adenocarcinoma now alomst 3 years ago, and I adopted much of what the doctor is saying. You know, feed them what they want esentially. When there is no appretite and it is on the downside, I found special ffods like yogurt and cheese as well as some nice broiled chicken breat with broth were soothing to not only me but I know to my Demi who had little other joy in her last few weeks.
I would take her out in the car , so she could feel the wind on her face as she sat beside me and indeed I did talk to her and tell her what a beautiful and good girl she was and oh so much how I loved her and would see her again…
I believe treating our family members as we would our 4 legged ones,that they know and are at peace in their passing. Thanks all for allowing my post Barbara

By: Jean Burkhardt

Jean Burkhardt — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:52:21 +0000

This article meant so much to me. n March 18 2007 I lost my dear Dobie mix Patty to lymphoma. During the 3 months from diagnosis to her passing-I lived each day to the fullest with her. Gave her love and support and any meds or food she required. Even though it’s been over 2 years-I still miss my girl and cry for her@

By: Jewelyn

Jewelyn — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:00:36 +0000

This article is one of the most sensitive, beautiful piece of writing I have read on how to share your dog’s last days. I can identify with everything you said because I kept my GS alive for 5 months longer than the 3 weeks given when diagnosed with Lymphosarcoma, we had a ball those last months. She ruled my life, she called me when in pain, she made me laugh, she ate better than I did and the last 2 weeks of her life I slept next to her so she wouldn’t feel alone. One of the most rewarding times in my life, thank you