Poll of the Day > Has anyone gotten chemo for their dog before?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Ernie has a little lump on his shoulders I have to take him to the vet to check out.

I think it may just be a cyst because he's not in pain at all or acting sick and he has a cyst on his little knee already.

But if it is cancer has anyone ever gotten chemo for their dog here before? Looking for first hand experiences if possible. Even second hand.
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What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books. If anything, take the couple thousand down to a dog shelter and help many dog's lives instead of just one.

JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books. If anything, take the couple thousand down to a dog shelter and help many dog's lives instead of just one.

Who gives a shit if it's selfish? It's my dog and my money and I'll do what I want with them.
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My grandparents spent tons of money on one of their dogs a long time ago trying to save it from cancer, and after the saw what it did to the dog and that it still died, they said they would never do it again and if a future dog got too sick they would just put them down if they were suffering
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ReggieTheReckless posted...

My grandparents spent tons of money on one of their dogs a long time ago trying to save it from cancer, and after the saw what it did to the dog and that it still died, they said they would never do it again and if a future dog got too sick they would just put them down if they were suffering

Damn. I guess it'll probably depend on how far the cancer would have spread if he has it. If it's just the one lump and we got it early might be worth it. If it's already spread might just be more pain for my bubby.
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probably just a banign growth
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If the dog is in a ton of pain, they will let you know. They don't tend to cover things up like cats

Do note, the animal they tried to save was already as far as not really being able to walk, was incontinent, and was throwing up congealed blood... So he was in pretty bad shape.

If the ernster just has a lump and it doesn't bother him, he will be fine
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helIy posted...

probably just a banign growth

Banging growth *Lenny face*

Yeah hopefully. I'm just trying to think worst case scenario what I'll want to do like I always do.

@Doctor_Foxx you work with animals maybe you have insight
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helIy posted...

probably just a banign growth

Damn those banign growths!
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i have. she had lymphoma. when we first discovered it all her lymph nodes were like the size of grapes. chemo did help and she went into remission for about 6 months before it came back. ama
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Nope.

When my most recent dog started getting really weak from her bone cancer I just decided to put her down.

I miss that pupper.
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@ellington66

Did you have to put her down when it came back?

Do vets prescribe pain medication so you can give it to your dog and they can pass away at home with you their in their own beds?
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Jen0125 posted...

If it is cancer has anyone ever gotten chemo for their dog here before? Looking for first hand experiences if possible. Even second hand.

My dog had a pretty large tumor develop on her leg. I was given the option of amputating the leg for about $2000, or doing chemo/radiation treatment for $10000. I went with the chemo.

The process for her was that I had to bring her to the vet hospital a couple times for evaluation (X-raying the area and so on), then they operated to remove the majority of the mass. After a little while for the surgery wound to heal, I had to bring her in for 20 days straight (Mon-Fri) without skipping any days, where they would spend about an hour or so doping her up and applying radiation to the leg. For the first few days there was no obvious change, but eventually the skin in the area started to turn irritated, and by the end it was basically an open suppurating wound. After the treatment is done they had us come in a few more times to make sure the leg was healing right and that there were no cancerous cells left to start the whole thing over again. Ultimately, it worked - the lump never came back.

She had to have a cone on her head for most of the recovery time to prevent her from biting at the wound (dogs do that), and I'm sure she was kind of miserable for most of it (and it's kind of heartbreaking that you can't really explain to the dog why this stuff is happening), but after everything is said and done, I'm still 100% glad I did it instead of going with the alternative. She only lived for a few years after that, but she started to have joint troubles towards the end (which made it harder for her to get up and down and to walk), which only would have been worse if she only had three legs.

That might be the worst case scenario, though. Her lump was pretty big and woven fairly deep into her leg tissues, and while we were going through the whole process they did mention at one point that the treatment might not have been as severe if the problem wasn't as bad.



Jen0125 posted...

I think it may just be a cyst because he's not in pain at all or acting sick and he has a cyst on his little knee already.

My dog had multiple lumps in various places - most of them just turned out to be cysts or benign growths. It's definitely possible that your dog's lump might not be a major issue, but a vet hospital will be able to do a much better job of evaluating that then your regular check-up vet. If you're concerned, you should definitely get him checked early on, because the whole process might be easier on him (and you) if you catch it early.

Better safe than sorry - you're better off taking him in only to find that it's benign than you are putting it off and having it turn out to be malignant.


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Jen0125 posted...

@ellington66

Did you have to put her down when it came back?

Do vets prescribe pain medication so you can give it to your dog and they can pass away at home with you their in their own beds?

From my experiences with pets being put down you have two choices (one of them is more expensive, and it depends on how accommodating the vet is)

You can take them to the surgery where the vet will euthanise them (standard)
You can request the vet pay a home visit to euthanise your pet in a familiar environment. (considerably more expensive due to call out fees and what have you)

From what I know no legitimate vet would offer you the option of allowing you the option to overdose your dog at home on painkillers. If you plan on keeping your pet alive, they can/do usually prescribe some form of painkiller to assist with the animals pain (obviously).
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JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books.

Fuck those people. What have any of them ever done for me? Most of them wouldn't give a single shit if I was sick or dying or otherwise in trouble, and some of them would outright fuck me over if given the chance.

My dog's been dead for years, and yet I'd happily sacrifice the lives of half the people on PotD just to bring her back for one more year. She certainly contributed more value to the world than some of the people who post here on a regular basis.



Zangulus posted...

Why don't you donate all your food money to starving orphans and help thousands and not just yourself?

The amount of money he wasted on buying his computer/smart phone, the Internet connection, and the electricity necessary to power them just to make that post alone could have saved dozens of lives in many disadvantaged places.

Worse, considering he's posting on a video game message board, one assumes he has an interest in video games, and that's a TON of money thrown into a dark well of selfish entertainment that could be making the world a better place instead. Not to mention he could have spent the time he wastes here and on those frivolous hobbies volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter instead. So selfish!


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@Jen0125
yes we did.

and no I don't think they do that
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ParanoidObsessive posted...

My dog had multiple lumps in various places - most of them just turned out to be cysts or benign growths. It's definitely possible that your dog's lump might not be a major issue, but a vet hospital will be able to do a much better job of evaluating that then your regular check-up vet. If you're concerned, you should definitely get him checked early on, because the whole process might be easier on him (and you) if you catch it early.

Better safe than sorry - you're better off taking him in only to find that it's benign than you are putting it off and having it turn out to be malignant.

thanks for the other part of your post that i didn't quote and that insight.

the vet's office i go to is a veterinary hospital and i made an appt for him to go tomorrow after work.


Runner_style posted...

From what I know no legitimate vet would offer you the option of allowing you the option to overdose your dog at home on painkillers. If you plan on keeping your pet alive, they can/do usually prescribe some form of painkiller to assist with the animals pain (obviously).

oh i don't want to overdose him at home. i want to control his pain until he passes away naturally. kind of like you do for a person. i would never want to make him overdose.

we had put a cat to sleep once and they let me stay in the room with it but idk how common that is. i'd rather not watch Ernie throw up and convulse from the meds like that cat did but if that were my only option i'd do it.


ellington66 posted...

yes we did.

and no I don't think they do that

thanks for sharing your experience. i appreciate it.
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Zangulus posted...

JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books. If anything, take the couple thousand down to a dog shelter and help many dog's lives instead of just one.

Why don't you donate all your food money to starving orphans and help thousands and not just yourself?

I actually do help my community and give back as much as I can. To act like I have enough money to feed thousands of people is ludicrous. If I had that kind of cash, I would put it to good use.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books.

Fuck those people. What have any of them ever done for me? Most of them wouldn't give a single shit if I was sick or dying or otherwise in trouble, and some of them would outright fuck me over if given the chance.

My dog's been dead for years, and yet I'd happily sacrifice the lives of half the people on PotD just to bring her back for one more year. She certainly contributed more value to the world than some of the people who post here on a regular basis.



Zangulus posted...

Why don't you donate all your food money to starving orphans and help thousands and not just yourself?

The amount of money he wasted on buying his computer/smart phone, the Internet connection, and the electricity necessary to power them just to make that post alone could have saved dozens of lives in many disadvantaged places.

Worse, considering he's posting on a video game message board, one assumes he has an interest in video games, and that's a TON of money thrown into a dark well of selfish entertainment that could be making the world a better place instead. Not to mention he could have spent the time he wastes here and on those frivolous hobbies volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter instead. So selfish!

Really? You've never heard of social welfare or community outreach? Do you think those are staffed by magical elves? Just because you don't care about others doesn't make it the norm.

Additionally, I never told Jen to stop putting money into her dog or any personal ventures. I said that helping one sick dog is a big waste of resources that really only goes to help the person who owns the property (i.e. dog). Do you actually think it is the dog who is afraid of dying? Spoiler alert, it isn't. The poster above who spent $10,000 on a dog's medical care if a prime example. If you really cared about dogs, then why not put the money toward helping many dogs instead of just one? Selfish reasons about personal loss of property, that is why.

You people need to stop thinking dogs are equivalent to people. People take priority. Dogs are just a sidebar to people's lives. There is a reason we own them like property and deny them basic freedoms for our own pleasure.

JTekashiro posted...

You people need to stop thinking dogs are equivalent to people.

No thank you.

Please make your own topic to soapbox about how much you hate dogs and to suck your own wiener about how charitable you claim to be.

This topic is for people who love their pets like family.
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Jen0125 posted...

JTekashiro posted...

You people need to stop thinking dogs are equivalent to people.

No thank you.

Please make your own topic to soapbox about how much you hate dogs and to suck your own wiener about how charitable you claim to be.

This topic is for people who love their pets like family.

I never understood the people who treated dogs like property and not family

I guess I could understand it if they were on a farm and the dog had a job to do and that was it....

But I guess I can't imagine not loving and caring for animals like they were people
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idk. i couldn't imagine acting like ernie is a chair or a lamp or something.

ernie brings so much joy into my life and i do the best i can to take care of him and make him feel loved while he's here. he's such a special good boy and i feel really grateful that i even ever got to adopt him.
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I hope your dog will be ok

thanks man :)
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My aunt had her first dog get chemo. Apparently it's who temperament changed a bit (from excited and happy to slow and moody).

That was compounded by the fact that it had to get insulin shots every day, which was apparently exhausting for both of them. At the end, the dog managed to live a whole 5 years, generally happy. So you have time, if nothing else. How old is Ernie now?

I hate it when dogs are sick :(

I hope you'll both be okay. I know stuff like that is scary.
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PK_Spam posted...

How old is Ernie now?

he is going to be 12 this year

average lifespan for a shih tzu is 14-16 years.

PK_Spam posted...

I hope you'll both be okay. I know stuff like that is scary.

thanks :(
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My experience says most bumps and lumps can be of no concern (still get them checked out early) and that I probably wouldn't put any of my pets through chemo at the tail end of their lifespan. If they were relatively young... Removal surgery sure, even amputation as necessary. Chemo maybe. It really depends on the kind of cancer and the vet available. Chemo is not usually the first way they treat it.

Chemotherapy is generally not as hard on pets as it is in on people. Different approaches to the treatment. Humans try to kill the cancer aggressively. For cat and dog chemotherapy they are trying to slow the cancer growth and maintain high quality of life. They are not treating to kill the cancer. So it's milder but still just buying a little time.

I know shih tzus are longer lived than many breeds. Longevity is there but many health issues crop up in the end.
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Bleh. Well I'll just hope that it's just a cyst or something benign.

He is acting just as spry and energetic as usual. No lethargy or acting sick at all.
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He should be fine then. You'd notice changes in his behavior before seeing lumps like that.
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Jen0125 posted...

Bleh. Well I'll just hope that it's just a cyst or something benign.

He is acting just as spry and energetic as usual. No lethargy or acting sick at all.

Usually one lump is not a big deal but still have it checked out early
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I couldn't imagine thinking that my dog or cat was just a boring animal

they're family, and as such are treated better than you'd treat your own family, because they're your companions. they have nothing but trust in you, why ruin something as pure as an animals love and respect by treating them like they aren't worth anything
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Jen0125 posted...

Bleh. Well I'll just hope that it's just a cyst or something benign.

He is acting just as spry and energetic as usual. No lethargy or acting sick at all.

Usually one lump is not a big deal but still have it checked out early

Yep, we're going after work tomorrow.
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ReggieTheReckless posted...

My grandparents spent tons of money on one of their dogs a long time ago trying to save it from cancer, and after the saw what it did to the dog and that it still died, they said they would never do it again and if a future dog got too sick they would just put them down if they were suffering

Yep. A couple years ago my cat and one of closest friends was diagnosed with cancer and after doing research we decided its better to just have her go to sleep painlessly instead of have her suffer with no idea why and it wouldnt even guarantee her life. One of the saddest days but she was getting older anyway and it really was the best thing to do.
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Jen0125 posted...

Runner_style posted...

From what I know no legitimate vet would offer you the option of allowing you the option to overdose your dog at home on painkillers. If you plan on keeping your pet alive, they can/do usually prescribe some form of painkiller to assist with the animals pain (obviously).

oh i don't want to overdose him at home. i want to control his pain until he passes away naturally. kind of like you do for a person. i would never want to make him overdose.

we had put a cat to sleep once and they let me stay in the room with it but idk how common that is. i'd rather not watch Ernie throw up and convulse from the meds like that cat did but if that were my only option i'd do it.

That makes more sense than what I was thinking <_< I'll say going the route of giving him painkillers while waiting for him to die naturally can be traumatic for you due to seeing your pet slowly waste away, as well as not only your pet, but yourself having to cope with the pain its going through.

It's hard to do, but if you feel your pets suffering and you know he/she won't recover it's best not to prolong the animals suffering. It's something I did a few weeks back with one of my pets, (degu)
She had a stroke when I was at work which paralysed her, so she wasn't able to move, eat, or drink. it was 2am no vet was open, no emergency vet available. Rather than have her suffer until the morning so a vet could euthanise her I shot her with my air rifle (pointed pellet at the back of her neck, instant kill). I felt shitty doing it, but it stopped her suffering for longer than she should have.

Regarding vets allowing you to be there when they euthanise It's fairly common practice for them to allow the owners to be there for the final moments of their pet, this is so it remains calm, and knows there's someone familiar nearby as it passes away. The only time a vet wouldn't be able to do this is if an animal was to die during an operation.
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Runner_style posted...

Rather than have her suffer until the morning so a vet could euthanise her I shot her with my air rifle (pointed pellet at the back of her neck, instant kill). I felt shitty doing it, but it stopped her suffering for longer than she should have.

omg i could never do that. i might be able to like.. smother him with a pillow but that would be really traumatizing for me and i would probably need therapy.
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JTekashiro posted...

You people need to stop thinking dogs are equivalent to people.

I don't think dogs are equivalent to people. That would be demeaning to a lot of dogs.


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Didn't sleep very well thinking about Ernie's appointment this evening :/
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JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books. If anything, take the couple thousand down to a dog shelter and help many dog's lives instead of just one.

If your son was dying and sick would you discard him and adopt another child instead of spending thousands of dollars on yours?
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JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books. If anything, take the couple thousand down to a dog shelter and help many dog's lives instead of just one.

You sound selfish demanding someone cares more about people they will never meet than their own dog.

The fuck dude.

yutterh posted...

JTekashiro posted...

What? No. There are sick people in this world and you are going to dump thousands into a dog? That seems really selfish in my books. If anything, take the couple thousand down to a dog shelter and help many dog's lives instead of just one.

If your son was dying and sick would you discard him and adopt another child instead of spending thousands of dollars on yours?

His other point is that dogs aren't people and they aren't your children so you need to treat them like lamps.
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I know that dogs commonly get fatty little tumors on their torso

From what I've read they are usually benign and only an issue if they effect the movement of their legs. One of my dogs has one on his chest/tummy area
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Mead posted...

I know that dogs commonly get fatty little tumors on their torso

From what I've read they are usually benign and only an issue if they effect the movement of their legs. One of my dogs has one on his chest/tummy area

Hopefully that's whet it is. I hope it doesn't affect his walking if it's between his shoulder blades. But I can have it removed if possible if it caused an issue for my bubby.
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Phew doc said it's probably just an injection site reaction from his rabies he got a couple weeks ago. He said to monitor it and if it starts to grow rapidly to come back. :)
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chemo for a dog? what a giant fucking waste of money

berniepanders posted...

chemo for a dog? what a giant fucking waste of money

No one axed your opinion on it
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no one axed whether anybody axed my opinion on it

I wish someone would usermap axe berniepanders

yeah, knock out all 2 of my accounts at once! what a great plan

SkynyrdRocker posted...

I wish someone would usermap axe berniepanders

Lolol
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JTekashiro posted...

There is a reason we own them like property and deny them basic freedoms for our own pleasure.

Is it just me who is finding this part of this post disturbing?
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