How Long Does My Dog Have?
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
Updated: January 10th, 2019
It is very important to do what we can to avoid ongoing depression when trying to cope with cancer in our dogs. Ongoing depression is exhausting, steals our reserves, and clouds judgment.
It decreases your dog’s chances of good life quality during a life with cancer. Yes, your ongoing depression.
Please do not misunderstand me. There are many legitimate reasons for guardians of dogs with cancer to be depressed.
Here are some of these reasons:
Take a look at median survival times with conventional care (chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery):
- Hemangiosarcoma of the spleen: median survival time after spleen removal without chemo is about 2 months, and with chemo is up to 6 months.
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the bladder: median survival time on piroxicam alone is about 6 months.
- Melanoma of the toes: following removal of the affected toe, this cancer will take the life of half the patients within a year, assuming there is no evidence for spread at the time of surgery.
- Lymphosarcoma: patients receiving the Wisconsin chemo protocol have a median survival of roughly 6-10 months.
(For more specific data on median survival times with different cancers and protocols, see The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.)
So there is every reason to have sadness. But….continued sadness is not helpful to you or to your dog. After experiencing the grief, it is time for an expectation analysis. Time to organize yourself and move forward.
Suppose your dog was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, and seems to be having good overall life quality 6 months later. Guess what? This is very good news! Median life expectancy with chemo being 6-10 months, about half the dogs with lympho have passed away in as little as 6 months after being diagnosed.
And that is with chemotherapy!
If you have a dog with lympho and your dog is doing well 6 months after diagnosis, you are already beating the curve, since median survival is as low as 6 months in some cases with the chemo.
Get a copy of the Dog Cancer Survival Guide for more helpful information and tools
What if your dog has lympho and is on pred only? Median survival for those dogs is roughly 2 or 3 months. So you are ahead of the game if your dog has good life quality 2 months after diagnosis.
If you were to look at some of the other statistics above, you can see that if you had a dog who underwent spleen removal 8 weeks ago, is not on chemo, and is still maintaining, you are beating the odds. This is very, very good news. This is successful treatment!
An integration of these statistics in one’s mind allows for a realistic picture of where we stand with conventional cancer care.
We really must take into account how short these survival times are in our expectations! We need to redefine success in malignant cancer management.
An understanding of these figures also tells us how we are doing with the addition of our “outside the box” treatments discussed here and in The Guide.
Once we get past the grim reality of these numbers, we can alter our expectations and begin appreciation with gratitude.
The practice of gratitude for each of these days, realizing the odds, is they key to avoiding continued sadness.
Best to all of you,
Dr D
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
To Dan –
Are YOU serious? I’d love to hear you enumerate some of your “points” regarding why Dr. Dressler is heartless. As he notes in his response, there is much that can be done and, as someone who’s pup has been diagnosed with bladder TCC, I want to hear about any and all options. Sure, I may decide that options provided may not be what I want, and I may even think that some of them are ridiculous, but I want to know about them. Anything that may give me some hope is something I want to hear about.
Most of what I’ve read in Dr. Dressler’s book regarding diet and supplements as agressive responses to fighting cancer seem as valid to me as most of the “traditional” therapies. The most successful therapy for bladder TCC is piroxicam combined with mitoxantrone chemotherapy. And the success rate for this protocol is approximately 35% – in other words, a roughly two in three chance that it WON’T have any effect which, unfortunately for my little girl, turned out to be the case. So, now, having found Dr. Dressler’s book later than I would have wished, I’m working on what it will take to get her on his diet and supplement program. Even if it doesn’t have any effect, Dan, can you tell me how his information is more, “heartless,” than traditional vets and oncologists who will only consider therapies that, even when successful, carry the risk of side effects that can make the dog’s quality of life such that the cure is as bad as, or worse than, the remedy?
On another blog entry, one of the commenters indicates in her response that her vet won’t consider alternative therapies because he doesn’t want to give her, “false hope.” One of the things I’ve learned is that ANY hope, and ANY action, that gives me the chance to fight for my little girl, is one that I’m going to try. Not only does it help me focus on something positive, it keeps my mind off of the sorrow that I will inevitably have to face, even if it’s just for a short time.
Sadly, I’m sure you won’t see this response to your comment, since you likely won’t be back to this site. And that’s fine. That’s your choice, But for me, I’m choosing to learn, to fight, and to hope, and that means searching with an open mind. No, I won’t be looking into the power of crystals, or “miracle” cures, but since these aren’t the things that Dr. Dressler is promoting, and since he also provides clear medical rationale and/or statistics around the therapies he does promote, his guidance doesn’t fall under snake oil salesmanship, but under reasoned investigation.
It sounds like you’ve choosen to give up. I’m sorry for you in that regard, but angry as well that you seem to think that the rest of us should give up as well. But if I’m wrong, and you do see this, again, please feel free to tell the rest of us why we should give up on hope for our loved ones. I suspect, though, that the only person you’ll convince to do so will be yourself.
To Dr. Dressler – sorry for the rant, and kudos to you for your response. But I actually took his criticism as a jab at all of us, not just yourself, and as I said, I’m angry about that, and wanted to let him know that.
Are you serious doctor???? Pretty heartless honestly i’ll highly do not recomm.
your site
Dear Dan,
yes, I am. On the contrary, my heart is very much in place. Cancer, on the other hand, is heartless. However, in spite of the numbers that are published for survival times, there is much that can be done to help, in many cases beating these numbers and living through this experience in a way that holds no regrets for our selves or for our loved dogs.
D
Hi Dr. Dressler,
Our 5 yr old English Bulldog Bear just got diagnosed with low grade lymphoma of the duodenum. He has lost a lot of weight (17 pds) since the first week of May. He was 59 pds and now is 42pds. He eats great for us and likes to go on walks and play with his toys still. Our vet says the weightloss is significant b/c it is a intestinal cancer and he is having malabsorption b/c of it. He has soft stools all the time. What can we do to help his stools get back to normal? I have started to cook for him giving lean beef and vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) with omega 3’s, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and a multivitamin With his situation being so young and the cancer being low grade would you do chemo treatment if it was your dog?
Dear Nick
I am concerned about a couple of things. First, the problem is not his loose stools, it is the cancer cells in his body causing the loose stools. I am worried that we have perhaps not given chemotherapy the consideration it is due? In the Guide there is an extensive discussion of treatment plan analysis…might be worth checking out for you. Here we examine normal life expectancy and gained life expectancy from treatment. Your Bear is much younger than his normal life expectancy. Depending on the classification of the lymphoma, median life expectancy with chemo might be 10, 11, or more months, depending on what papers you read, and most will respond to the chemo. This will bring him closer to his normal life expectancy. If he were past his normal life expectancy, you might be more prone to avoid chemo.
Also, I am wondering about the supplement selection. There are a host of other supplements that have a bit more merit specific for cancer that you might be checking into that have undergone extensive analysis and review. These include the apoptogens, beta glucans, modified citrus pectin, and many others. I would get an oncologist involved and also take some time to read the Guide- it will help this path you and Bear are on.
Best,
Dr D
Thank you Dr. D What great information.
CATHERINE – if your still reading this site please email me on amanda23@bigpond.net.au.
Would love to talk to you about your experience as my dog is going through the same thing.
Hello doctor
My dog has a tumor we took her to a vet they said it was just a fatty tumor, but i read on this website that most fatty tumors are soft and feels like jello. My dogs tumor feels hard and stiff and you cant move around under the skin. Is it really a fatty tumor? Or something else??
Dear Kara,
this might be a good post for you to read:
https://www.dogcancerblog.com/blog/i-found-a-lump-on-my-dog-now-what/
I hope it helps!
D
It has been a week since my girl left me but it feels like yesterday. On the day she was dying, she was still getting up drinking, wandering in the backyard and just accidentally peeing in her bed which she rarely did. I am looking at all the supplements left behind with tears, tears, and tears endlessly. We lost the battle. I know there is no cure for cancer but an end for life but we fought for it. People say my girl was so much luckier than other stray dogs and she had a long life but for me there is no comparison. She was, is , and will be my girl. I am hoping there will be a cure for HSA and all other kinds of cancer someday, in the near future.
Dear Dr. Dressler,
Thank you for the strong article “Guardian v.s. lover in dog cancer”. I agree sometimes love, hope, and pray aren’t enough if there is no solid action taken to fight the actual enemy. And I think TIME is the most critical part in the cancer fighting process. My 17 y/o dog dx’d with possible HSA in the liver just left me after 2 months and 10 days of battle. My dog had gone thru chemo with doxo and later carbo and was started with cancer diet right away and full spectrum approaches as soon as available. However her IBD caused by cancer and decreased appetite from chemo made her very picky to cancer diet and I had to make it to puree to feed her with syringes when she refused healthy food. Her cancer was too aggressive and resistant to be suppressed and eventually it took her life this past Monday even if only by local invasion in the liver without signs of metastasis per close follow up UTZs. I witnessed her dying half way rushing into ER. That was fast. I regret that I didn’t insist on surgery which was not preferred per vets due to her age. I always though my dog would die of normal aging since she was healthy until the collapse. I wish I would have read your guide earlier in my dog’s senior life to earn knowledge of cancer and to prepare for the unknown. Thank you.
Dear Catherine,
I am so sorry to hear about this. Thinking of you during this time of departures.
All my best
Dr D
Dear Dr. Dressler,
My beautiful Bison frise was diagnoised today after a sonagram of neoplasia of the spleen liver and kidneys, the vet thinks the cancer may have spread to the brain as he had a ceasure two weeks ago, last week after the xray I jumpted on your website and I have been feeding Teddy your cancer diet and started him on 4000mg of Turmeric/curcumin 1000mg fish oil and garlick oil. I am desprate to help him he is only 10years old can you suggest anything else that might extend his life? He is still active and happy and is not in any pain. I feed him three times a day as he is starving and has gone from 19lbs to 13lbs. Please help us! what else can you suggest? am I giving him the right amoumt of Turmeric fish oil etc? I am so desprate please let me know if there is more I can do.
Thank You
Christy & Teddy Steil
Dear Christy,
It seems that you are making some guesses about the supplements to use. Have you read the Guide? Are you using all of your available conventional options? No chemo? How about appetite stimulants (mirtazipine, cerenia, etc)? Are you using apoptogens? Immune support? I would not be giving garlic oil as we don’t know the amount of the actives that can cause hemolytic anemia. A little garlic is okay in the recipe as you see. You can also search this blog by using the search bar on the upper right.
I would start by focusing there-
Hope this helps
Best
D
Hi Dr. Dressler,
Thanks for your prompt reply. Yes my dog has been seen by oncologist since the collapse in May and these advices were provided by the oncologist. It’s been one week since starting Carboplatin after failing doxo. My dog’s RBC has been slowly dropping (Hct=20) and now with microcytic anemia ( it was anemia but with normocytic and normochromic) and she was given iron shot today and the oncologist may start her on some SC injection to stimulate RBC production. I am guessing that the HSA in liver is taking up too much of blood and iron. Do I have to be very careful with some blood thinning supplements and diet such as ginger, krill oil, and digestive enzymes as mentioned in your guide? As you mentioned previously to decrease Apocaps with prednisone, now she is switched to budesonide 2mg QD for her IBD which shows improvement now, does the same decreased dosage of Apocaps apply to budesonide 2mg?
And does famotidine have the same anticancr effect as cimentidine? Thanks very much!
Dear Catherine,
I would not worry all that much with the ginger and krill, but you need to check with your vet. Yes, drop the dose of Apocaps with budesonide (use together under veterinary supervision. No famotidine does not have the same effects seen in the “test tubes” as cimetidine.
Best
D
Dear Dr. Dressler,
Four months ago my beloved 8-year-old French Bulldog was diagnosed with a high-low maxillary fibrosarcoma. Even before I brought her to the vet (who in turn referred me to an oncologist), I knew something was seriously wrong. I’d been brushing my Frenchie’s teeth from the time she was a puppy and therefore familiar with her oral cavity… I noticed a gradual swelling in the right maxillary region. Right off the bat I was told that surgery was out of the question based on the tumor characteristics; the benefits of radiation, I was told, amounted to an average of 4 months progression-free survival. I explored cryoablative surgery, but assessment ruled her out as an “ideal candidate.” I explored a chemo-embolization procedure — and she was actually anesthetized in preparation for it — but the procedure was aborted based on the relevant blood vessels being too small. Cyberknife might have yielded some benefit, but I decided that if high-low’s are generally resistant to radiotherapy, that technique would not be a magic bullet. I’ve had her on a homemade high-protein/low carb diet and put her on Apocaps and recently prednisone which my vet recommended. The prednisone has been VERY helpful, but I’m afraid the tumor is starting to affect her breathing (her right nostril is virtually closed due to tumor growth). As a Frenchie she already has breathing issues… so how cruel is that! This tumor is SO frustrating, because aside from the disfigurement and asymetry in her face, she’s her happy playful self. But I know it’s only a matter of time. Now on to my question, in your experience, what, if anything can be done about a histologically low grade/biologically high grade fibrosarcoma?? Is there anything that could help her aside from what I’m we’re already doing for her? And doctor, one last thing. Is it at all possible that the weekly teeth brushing precipitated the development of this cancer? I know how illogical that sounds, but the fact that I took such good care of her teeth all those years, and then she went on to develop a tumor so uncharacteristic of her breed… it’s just a bitter irony that I’ll have to live with for the rest of my life. Why THERE? Why her? Thank you!!
Dear Andrew,
I am so sorry to hear about this. I am sure you have read the Guide? After this, I would consider adding Neoplasene topically, or inhaled injectable through a vaporizor, and oral, as well as oral artemisinin. All should be done with veterinary supervision. I would also add in some beta glucans (K-9 immunity, non-flavored formulation).
best,
Dr D