My dog has nose cancer. Advice please.

MaLarkin

The title says most of what I want to ask. My poor old girl has cancer of the nose. She is at least 13 years old, probably more.

I am now considering what is best for her and any advice on managing the end of her life would be welcome.

She will not be having any treatment, she hates the vets and has to be carried in panting, shaking and wetting herself. I won't put her through that and when the time comes the vet will come here and put her to sleep on her own bed with people she trusts around her.

What I would really welcome advice on is when to make that decision. My primary concern is that she does not suffer. At the moment her symptoms are restricted breathing (the tumor is partly blocking one nostril) and she is a bit thirstier than she used to be, presumably because she breathes through her mouth a bit more. Food and chasing squirrels in that order have always been her main pleasures. She can't do much of the latter now but while we always had to keep an eye on her food intake she now gets pretty much what she wants as I'm sure you can understand. Her appetite is still excellent.

So how do I know when the time has come? This cancer as it advances can cause seizures I don't want it to get to that point but nor do I want to deprive her of any days she can enjoy. She had a poor life before she came to us and she loves her home and family. I don't want that to end prematurely.

Any advice and guidance anyone can give would be welcome.

Thanks

puppypants

I had a beautiful Labrador cross called Ben. He was a rescue dog and was diagnosed with nasal cancer at around 13 years. He started by having the odd nose bleed, then had a more or less constant 'snotty' nose, which I would have to chase round after him with a tissue. He was such a character and did not seem to be suffering at all. His appetite was good, he was enjoying life, so it was a matter of "You will know when the time is right".

He used to sleep on the end of my bed, and this particular morning as he and I woke up, he turned round to me and one of his eyes was bulging. The tumour had shifted into his eye socket. I knew that this was THE day. I spoke to the vet and he said to bring him in. Poor Ben thought he was going for a ride in the car, which he loved, and took very seriously!

P.S. The vet said that Ben was at least 14 but maybe much older, so he had a great innings, bless him. xx

The vet gave him a sedative injection first and we sat in the waiting room for a few minutes, until he was happily dozy then the vet carried him through to the treatment room and gave him the final injection. He gently slipped away with me cuddling him and talking to him. The decision to let him go was taken out of my hands really by the shift in the position of the tumour.

This was at least 6 years ago, and has still made my eyes fill with tears whilst typing. He was such a gentleman.

I hope you go on ok with your dog. They are very good at letting you know when the time is right.

Best wishes. xx

MaLarkin

Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me despite it being painful to recall. I really appreciate it.

sheramber

It is never an easy decision but it is the last great gift we can give our pets- to go with love and no pain or distress.

Does she still enjoy life? She may not be able to do all the things she did when young but is she happy?

Do her eyes sparkle or are they dull?

Does she have bad days? Do the bad days outnumber the good?

Unfortunately, the chances are if she has a seizure it will have happen without warning.

Remember, she has no conception of being deprived of days.

Better a week too early than an hour too late.

krlyr

I would suggest joining the Facebook group "Turmeric User Group". I know that turmeric has shown help for some kinds of cancers - but even if it can't help this particular cancer, it's a potent natural anti-inflammatory, and may help minimise any inflammation in the respiratory system and help reduce symptoms.

*Robin*

I would heartily second Krlyr's suggestion. Here is the website of Doug English, the vet who started TUG:

http://turmericlife.com.au/

..Loads of useful info to help you get started there.

My Dear Old Dog is on Golden Paste to control arthritis (she's been successfully off vet's meds for nearly two years now).
In addition, last summer she was diagnosed with either kidney or bladder cancer. Due to her age I decided to treat her just with an increased dose of GP. A couple of months later she was tested again - all negative. She also had a small benign tumour on one eyelid - it fell off and has not recurred.
Dog is fifteen and a half now; still very much enjoying life despite being completely blind.

teddysmum

I too had a dog called Benji, who was a collie cross and diagnosed as having a cancer on his forehead at the top of his nose. It consisted of a huge, fast growing, inoperable lump and he was only 7 years old.


His only symptom was nasal bleeding overnight ,but not during the day and, to his last hour , he remained a bouncy happy dog.


He was given steroids, which were supposed to slow the growth and he had a good seven months, during which the vet assured me that he was neither in pain nor distress. However,the steroids caused huge weight gain, but not increase in appetite in Benji's case,turning a dainty little dog into one the size and build of a small sheep.

The time to let go was when the size of the tumour began to lift his right eyelid slightly, as the vet said it would mean that his eye would not close and so would cause at least discomfort.


The last day we had a lovely walk in the woods and he was allowed to chew a small branch (not allowed previously) and afterwards, I cried partly with happiness, as I knew he would not have to suffer at all. The chewed stick, left in the wood was a poignant sight for some time, though.

MaLarkin

Thank you all for your replies and I will certainly check out the sites you mention.

To answer Sheramber - She has been slowing down for some time now. She can't manage much of walk but can still put in a run if there is anything worth a chase.
My main fear is that in my wish to give her as many days as I can I wait too long and she suffers. You are absolutely right that a week too soon is better than a day late. I intend to take her on some shortened versions of her favourite walks and see how she reacts. In the past she would become alert and trot ahead to find something to chase, if she still does that then the enjoyment of life is still there.
I think that my biggest red flag would be a loss of appetite because she does love her food. She does now have to take a couple of goes at her dinner not because she doesn't want it but because her usual method is head down and eat as if it may snatched away from her. The tumour now means she has to pause to breathe and she takes a break for a while then goes back to it.
She's a sweet old girl and I want the best for her That's why i value all your help and good advice so much.

jrtfan

My heart goes out to you because this was me at the beginning of last year. My dog's cancer was at the very back of his tongue, on the underside. He had just under 9 glorious weeks of good-quality life between diagnosis and when I took him to be pts.

Much like yourself, I felt confused about when to call time and everyone told me that I would know, when that day arrived. They were quite right, too, although at the time I couldn't envisage how on earth I was going to judge the timing appropriately.

I think you will know your dog better than anybody else could ever hope to do. For me, it was an accumulation of many little changes of behaviours - or the way my dog looked at me, even - which, taken together, told me when he'd had enough. My advice would be to go with your instincts and trust yourself.

My dog was having Roast Chicken Chinese Style every night for his tea towards the very end. He had the chicken and the gravy, I had the bean sprouts. I don't blame you at all for spoiling your friend too.

teddysmum

As has been said before, looking into your dog's eyes usually tells you when it's time .
This didn't apply with Benji,though, as he wasn't suffering, but the signs, that he soon would, were there and I took the vet's advice.

sheramber

I have seen that look in two of my dogs.

It is not a conscious thing. More a glance that somehow tells you "I am tired".

It didn't last long just long enough for me to see it.

The first was as I was sitting on the floor beside her , petting her. Two days later she collapsed.

The second was as I handed him a biscuit and he looked up at me. The next day 2 hours after a walk on the beach and then a vet check he suffered bloat and torsion and xrays revealed multiple tumours in his lungs.