staffilover Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 It was diagnosed a couple of months ago after we had taken him to the vet after he suffered a mild stroke. She felt his stomach and said she could feel a mass...She explained that if they operated and it was his liver they wouldnt bring him round. Or, she said it could be his spleen, but she didnt know if he would make it through the op..In himself he is fine, alert, eating and drinking. But now he has started to lose weight, and I dont know how long it will be before we have to make that dreadful decision to let him go..I cry everyday in anticipation of it. I look at him and hold him and cant believe this has happened. I feel guilty that I havent done enough in the way of treatment. Should I risk him having the op to see if its the spleen or leave him and just make the most of the time he has left? I'm at a loss..Zack is 10 BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 (edited) I'm so so sorry to hear about Zack I lost my Milly to cancer 15 months ago. She had the tumour on her paw first, so they had to take her leg off but of course it came back shortly after that. She grew a huge tumour on her neck which I asked the vet if they could remove, but he said that if we removed that tumour, then the cancer would metastasize anyway, so there wouldn't really be much point. It would be worth asking your vet their opinion on whether the cancer would spread elsewhere even if he did have it removed (Milly's was a particularly aggressive form of cancer so it may not be the case with Zack). It's a very personal decision and each case is different, but I decided not to put Milly through any further treatment or operations, because I wanted her to have a good quality of life for that time she had left, which she did. She was still racing around up until a few days after she left me You know Zack better than anyone else, so hard as it is, only you can make that decision Edited March 26, 2011 by merledogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Sorry to hear about Zack :GroupHug: We found when it came to making the decision to let Toska go, they let you know. You can see it in their eyes that they have had enough. I would speak to your vet and see what they think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 I'm sorry to read of Zack's cancer. This site may throw up something of interest / relevance if you want to have a look http://www.animalcancertrust.org.uk/ I can sympathise / perhaps empathise a little, having lost one of my own girls to lung cancer back in 2006 after removing a mammary tumour only 4 months before but, hard as I know it is it sounds to me like you are nursing him through stroke, cancer, doing everything you can based upon what you know & truly love your boy. Is there really anything for you to feel guilty about? If in doubt I can only suggest you talk things through with your vet & try to establish in your own mind what the odds of each scenario may be, what gives you & Zack the best chance of the best outcome etc. I wish you both the best of luck in the months ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Really sorry I've no experience of cancer in that area and as Alex says each case is individual. I would discuss it with your vet. I'm guessing because Zack has had a stroke they are concerned how he will get through an op and be afterwards even if successful at removing. Cells can break up when trying to remove cancer so it depends on the type, where it is and how likely it is it will spread. Dogs do tend to carry on as though there is nothing wrong. I had no idea my JRT had cancer of the rectum until 2 weeks before he died and that was only because his stools became a weird shape. I'm guessing Zack is a Staffy and I believe they're toughies like that as well. At times like this it can be easier to reach a decision when talking to the professionals you trust. I was in a dilemma once and asked a specialist if she would put her dog through a major operation. She said she would so I went ahead. Please let us know how you get on and remember we're always here to provide support. It helps to chat to people who know how you feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 (edited) Sorry to hear about Zac Sometimes it is okay to do nothing. Edited March 26, 2011 by blackmagic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greys mum Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Sorry to read your news. I lost my Lucy through cancer. I had an ultrasound scan done to see where and how advanced it was. Perhaps that is an option? Lucy only had a light sedation for the scan rather than a GA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffilover Posted March 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Thank you all for your replies. Zacks stroke has gone now. His balance etc went back to normal..In every other way he seems healthy, alert and content..Now its just his weight loss that concerns me, if this is one of the final stages of cancer.. I will speak again to my vet.. Again, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kats n greys Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Sorry to hear about Zack. We had a similar dilemma with Onion one of our cats and choose a none operation route/ spoil him as it seemed to us his best option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houndzrus Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 :GroupHug: Thinking of you, it's such a sad time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Just to say you and Zak are in my thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddyboy Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Alice lost a lot of weight suddenly, she went in for an exploratory and was found to be riddled with cancer. I had a horrible feeling about it and had left a letter with the vet to say if it was bad to not patch her up but to let her drift away on the table as I did not want her to have to recover from an op with the associated discomfort simply for my sake when the prognosis was not good. "Luckily" the weight loss was sudden with no other signs, and she had been bouncing around as usual, so I was not in the dilemma you are. I am so sorry you are in this position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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