My dog has cancer.

Sleka
Sleka Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone, I wanted to share my story with you all.

My 8-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Slevin, started showing symptoms of bloat (GDV) on Wednesday evening before he'd even had his dinner. I rushed him to the emergency vet in Annecy straight away so he could be seen as quickly as possible. The X-rays showed that his stomach was distended but hadn't twisted yet, so the vet gave him an injection to make him sick and empty his stomach. After a few hours of observation and a follow-up X-ray, we were allowed to go home.

The next day, Slev was completely lethargic; he wasn't moving or eating, though he was drinking normally. The vet had warned me this would likely happen and told me not to worry; I just had to keep an eye on him to make sure his tummy didn't swell up any further.

By Friday, he seemed much better and was a lot less tired. He was getting around on his own, was happy to see me, and was even hopping up on the sofa... However, the swelling in his abdomen still hadn't gone down and he was still refusing to eat.

The following morning (Saturday), there was still no change, and he actually seemed worse than the day before, so I took him to our regular vet for a check-up. She was worried by his behaviour and referred me to another clinic for further tests (blood work, ultrasound, etc.) and to have him admitted.

The ultrasound results were worrying; his abdomen was actually distended because it was full of blood. The internal bleeding was caused by a tumour on his spleen which had ruptured.

Slevin had to have an emergency splenectomy (removal of the spleen) last night. The vets drained 3 litres of blood (about 5 and a quarter pints); his haemoglobin levels are down to just 2g/dL, but he survived the surgery and I've just brought him back home.

Right now, he's sleeping next to me, but he's still refusing to eat. I won't have the pathology results for about ten days, but the vet suspects it’s a haemangiosarcoma.

It looks like my poor boy only has a few weeks left to live. There’s still a small chance it could be a benign tumour since they didn't find any metastases in his abdomen or heart during the surgery or on the scan, but apparently, that diagnosis is quite unlikely. I’m trying not to get my hopes up.

I don’t even know how to put my heartbreak into words.

I’m posting my experience so that you can share yours with me too.

Some of you might have advice regarding palliative care or treatments that improved the quality of life for your four-legged friends...

At this stage, I just want to make his end as comfortable as possible; I’d love for him to see the snow and enjoy it one last time.

Translated from French
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56 answers
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    • M
    Medmedmiz Icon representing the flag French
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    Thank you everyone, I was on the forum this morning. I have one last appointment at the vets so they can explain the cause of the cancer to me in detail. Thank you for everything.

    And I’ll never forget Tania's message: "We do what’s right for our animals, not just to keep them around for our own sake. Some might drag out the ordeal with painful tests and unnecessary treatment, but we can only try to keep them comfortable when we know there’s nothing else that can be done. Stay strong."

    Thank you again for all your messages of support. It’s so hard, I loved my dog so much, he was my son – to lose him at 6 years old is just far too young!

    If anyone is able to read the results, here is the report.

    Translated from French
    Tania28
    Tania28 Icon representing the flag French
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    Yes, we’re here to listen, without any judgement.
    Translated from French
    M
    Medmedmiz Icon representing the flag French
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    I had a total breakdown while he was being put to sleep. He jumped into my arms during the procedure; I tell you, I just wanted to die with him in that moment.
    Translated from French
    Tania28
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    I was a bit clumsy when I said "what a wolfdog owner might feel"; you had an American Staffy, but that doesn't take away from your grief at all, or how much you miss your boy... There seem to be so many dogs getting cancer lately; people will tell us it was just as common "back in the day" and we just didn't hear about it as much, but the thing is, owners nowadays make their pets such an important part of their lives, and that’s a really beautiful thing.
    Translated from French
    M
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    Thank you, Tania, for this message; you're helping me so much. Throughout his whole illness, I was trying to get answers from qualified vets, but there was never any real dialogue, except when they were talking about medication or the bills for my dog. When I’d pop into the vet's without an appointment to ask if all his symptoms were normal, all I got was "don't worry, it's just the meds making him lethargic and sick; come back and see me at the end of the treatment." Meanwhile, I wasn't seeing any change. Given the state he was in, I was already picturing cancer. So we decided to do some clinical tests, and that's when she told me there was nothing left to do. I was absolutely devastated. Following the advice of the vet clinic, I had my Django put to sleep the day after the results came through. I'm in tears reading your message. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
    Translated from French
    Tania28
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    Medmedmiz, I can honestly say I know exactly how a wolfdog owner feels. The bond you have with these dogs is so incredibly strong that you never truly get over it... you find yourself feeling angry at the whole world and constantly thinking "what if". We do what’s right for our pets, rather than keeping them with us out of selfishness. Unlike some who might choose to prolong the struggle with painful tests and unnecessary over-treatment, we have to put them first and ease their pain when we know there’s nothing more that can be done. Thinking of you.
    Translated from French
    M
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    Every time we went out, I kept hoping his bladder would empty normally, but after all the treatments, I had to face the facts. I bought some puppy pads so he’d have a clean bed every time he lay down; there was just so much fluid. Django was so weak; he’d eat two or three bits of raw meat and then nothing. His spine arched over in just four days. Physically, he wasn’t there anymore, but mentally, I didn’t know what he was thinking. Maybe he would have wanted to stay a few more days with me? A part of me died that day. I’ll never get over what I did at the vet’s. I feel like I betrayed him by staying with him until the very end and holding him for the injection. I feel like such a coward. I’m sorry, I’m in a real state. My loved ones are supporting me, but nothing helps; what I did is just eating away at me.
    Translated from French
    M
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    Thanks for your support, Alfred. Here is the summary from the Idexx lab after a month of antibiotics; as prostate surgery isn't possible and metastases have developed, the report is below.

    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, we all understand your heartache. Sadly, you definitely made the right choice for your little one. Sometimes, you have to know when it’s time to say goodbye. Stay strong, time will help ease the pain.
    Translated from French
    M
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    My dog Django’s face hadn't looked the same since the cancer turned aggressive. He had a little lump forming on his head and he was sleeping with his eyes half-open. Because of the ascites, he couldn't even lie down anymore; we had it drained, but the fluid just kept building back up. These last three weeks have been such a heartbreaking ordeal. I feel so incredibly guilty and I’m questioning everything right now. I didn’t know about palliative care, otherwise I would have arranged for him to pass away at home. I have so many unanswered questions. I’ve made an appointment with my vet today to talk through it all because I’m in such a state of distress over not being there by his side at the end.
    Translated from French

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