Doggie decisions

[stgulik]

Well, my poor dog Daisy has been diagnosed with cancer. She is 13. Sonograms and x-rays revealed a tumor in (near?) the bladder, as well as nodules in the chest.

I couldn't bring myself to ask how much time they think she has left, not with her sitting right there. :-)

The vet prescribed an anti-inflammatory to help her pee more easily. I'm glad to say it appears to be working. I'm not glad to say, it's generally working up and down my hall carpet.

She doesn't seem to be in pain yet, weirdly, but we are all keeping a close eye on her (still lively and trouble-making) behavior while we go through the steps to decide whether to permit chemo or let her illness run its inevitable course.

Chemo and surgery seem so extreme for someone who would not understand why she was being made to suffer through them. And they will really only buy her some time. I don't know. If you have any thoughts, I welcome them.

Comments

[theimpossiblegl.livejournal.com]

I've been in your shoes before, and I'm so sorry you are in them now. My beloved kitty was diagnosed with a cancer at 5, but it was already widespread at that point. It was slow growing, so I chose to keep him comfy, and he lived another 7 years before it got really bad -- but even then we were limping because I couldn't bear to put him down. Whatever decision you make, it will be the right one. Just get your vet in an honest, one on one conversation about what life would look like either way.

*hugs* Thinking about you.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

It sounds like every pet's situation is different. Such a young cat, and such slow-moving cancer, meant you could afford to let her live a longer, quality life. Thank you for sharing your story.