Good evening. This is my first post, and I am writing this tonight with a very heavy heart.
I was wondering if anyone here has been through something similar or has any advice...
This is my baby, Snowby, who is nine and a half.
At the end of November, we noticed two large lumps inside his mouth on his gums (near his canines).
The next morning, we rushed him to the emergency vet.
She told us she suspected it was a tumour but that we needed a biopsy to find out if it was malignant or benign.
So we left our baby there. We called back that evening to see if we could pick him up, but she said he'd have to stay the night as she was running behind schedule. We went back the next morning to fetch our baby, and she told us the biopsy had been done and that she'd also operated to remove those two large lumps... but that there were other smaller ones further back in his mouth that she couldn't remove!
We then had to wait two weeks for the biopsy results. (It took Snowby four days to recover from the anaesthetic). During those two weeks, a new lump started growing, but this time on the outside, on his jowl... The results came back... and we were so disappointed as they couldn't even name the type of tumour or say if it was malignant or benign... I went back to the vet as my baby is in pain, I can see it in his eyes. She examined him and told me the tumour has spread even further and there is nothing they can do; they would have to remove 90% of his jaw. We can only give him palliative care now... so she put him on steroids.
Two weeks later, back to the vet. Snowby’s muzzle is swollen, and his nose and eyes are runny... the tumour is still spreading... Snowby is now on morphine as well as the steroids. Now my baby is struggling to breathe; she warned me it would likely spread to his lungs given how advanced it already was in his mouth and throat... he is losing teeth too... the vet says it’s time to put him to sleep, but I don't know what to do...
He spends his days lying on his tummy, not moving. He’s still eating and drinking, and he still asks for his evening walk, though it’s getting shorter and shorter because he starts choking and I think he's struggling to walk... I wonder if I'm just being selfish trying to save him—well, I know I can't make all this go away, but I'm trying to reduce his medication because I keep thinking maybe that's why he's lying down all day.
Sorry for the long post, I’m just finding it so hard to cope with all this. Snowby is our baby, our child. I really need some advice to help me make the right decision. I've attached a current photo of his face.
Translated from French
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Hi, thanks for the comment. I know deep down it’s the end. Last night was quite difficult; he was struggling to breathe at times and his breathing was heavy and wheezy. His nose bled slightly, just a few drops. Since this morning he’s been better and he's breathing normally, so that’s what’s making me go back and forth, I’m not really sure what to do anymore. I don’t see the suffering in his eyes as much now, it’s more the fact that he can’t do what he wants anymore that makes me sad, seeing him so defeated like that... how did it go for you and your baby with the nasal tumour? What’s the next step? I’m going back to the vet this afternoon to see what can be done.
For our dog, the tumour was inoperable—well, there was one possible surgery, but they would have had to remove half his nose... It was such a rare tumour that the vets were even willing to operate for free. No thank you, our dog isn't a guinea pig!
The thing is, animals don't show their pain. By the time they actually show they’re hurting, it’s reached an unbearable stage.
Ours was living normally, we couldn’t tell he was suffering, but in reality, he was in a lot of pain. He’d bite us as soon as we touched his nose.
But because he was still doing okay, we didn't consider euthanasia. In the end, ours deteriorated very quickly; he was fine one evening, and by the next morning, he was in incredible pain. The slightest little movement made him howl in pain.
The fact is, because he went downhill so fast, we couldn't anticipate it. But honestly, if he had deteriorated more slowly, we wouldn't have waited until the very last moment.
I suppose we had more time to get used to the idea, as we’d known about the tumour for a while. We were prepared for it. For you, it's all happening so suddenly, which is much harder to accept.
But I think the best solution is not to wait until the very last second, so you can do things as best as possible. And above all, try to find a vet who can come and do it at home. It’s obviously a lot to take in at the time, but it’ll help you later on, knowing you did what was best for him.
Hi there, this is a really tough situation to be in and I’m so sorry for you and little Snowby.
The only thing I can suggest is not to cut back on his treatment. Those meds are there to help him manage the tumours as best as possible, and reducing them could make things much worse.
Beyond your very understandable wish to keep Snowby with you for as long as you can, you’ll need to keep his quality of life in mind. If he starts having trouble drinking, eating, or even just getting up, it’ll be very difficult for him.
Whatever happens, please don’t be hard on yourself. He’s already had over nine years with a loving owner, and not every dog is that lucky.
Hi there, I’m going to agree with @Mel1 – you need to let him go. He’s got nosebleeds and his breathing is laboured; you really have to think about his quality of life and put him before yourselves.
Sadly, the end is near. He’s given you his all, so please don’t wait until the very last minute.
I went through this with my parents’ dog. She had widespread cancer, but they didn’t want to let her go (she was just on treatment to keep her comfortable). I’ll never forget that morning for the rest of my life; I was heading downstairs for school and found Nala dragging herself towards me. Her back legs had completely given out and there was blood dripping from her nose and mouth, even though she’d seemed “okay” the night before.
I’m going to be blunt—perhaps even harsh—but I want to be honest. As the vet told you, this is the end. Your dog is definitely suffering; he wouldn’t be on such heavy medication otherwise. I think you need to put him first and let him go in the best way possible, which means at home. But you mustn't wait until the very last minute, because then it’ll be an emergency and it won’t be handled the right way. Find a vet who is willing to do home visits and book an appointment soon. Actually, I’m shocked you’re struggling to find a vet who’ll do it; we couldn't for the last dog we lost (who also had a nasal tumour), but that was only because it was an emergency right as the surgery was opening. With a pre-booked appointment, the vet would have come to the house. I know I sound cold, and I don’t mean to be mean, it’s just that there’s no easy way to say it. I know what it’s like to lose a dog—my previous one died in my arms. These moments are incredibly hard, but they are inevitable.
Hi, thanks for your comment. I know deep down it’s the end. Last night was quite difficult; he was struggling to breathe at times and his breathing was loud and wheezy. He had a bit of a nosebleed, just a few drops. Since this morning he’s been doing better and breathing normally, so that’s what makes me keep changing my mind—I’m just not sure what to do anymore. I don’t see the pain in his eyes as much now; it’s more the fact that he can’t do what he wants anymore that makes me sad, seeing him so defeated like this... how did things go for you with the nasal tumour and your baby? What is the next stage? I’m going back to the vet this afternoon to see what else might be possible.
I’m going to be blunt—probably very blunt—but I’m being honest. Like the vet said, this is the end. Your dog is definitely suffering, otherwise he wouldn’t be on such heavy medication. I think you need to put him first and let him go in the best possible way, which means at home. You shouldn't wait until the very last minute, because then it will be an emergency and it won’t be the peaceful goodbye it should be.
Find a vet who does home visits and book an appointment as soon as possible. Actually, it shocks me that you’re struggling to find a vet who’ll come out; we couldn't for the last dog we lost (who also had a tumour in his nose), but that was only because it was an emergency right as the surgery opened. If we'd had an appointment, the vet would have come to us.
I know I’m sounding cold and I don’t mean to be unkind, I just don’t know how else to say it. I know what it’s like to lose a dog; my previous one died in my arms. It’s a heartbreaking time, but it’s inevitable.
The steroids and morphine, even if they make him a bit lethargic, are what’s keeping the pain away.
I’m so sorry for you and your boy. Make the most of the time you have left to give him everything he loves—meat, treats, letting him sleep with you... basically, anything you want to do to spoil him.
In these situations, we all replay everything in our heads, looking for what we could have done, what we might have missed, or what could save him... unfortunately, life is unfair and illness doesn’t discriminate between the good and the bad.
Thinking of you, and give your boy a big cuddle from me.
What a face... He’s absolutely stunning! And those eyes...! +1 @Alfredw, it’s really up to you to decide when he’s in too much pain... The best way is definitely having him put to sleep at home. Your other dog will understand what happened to his mate; he’ll be sad, of course, but if you take him to the vet and come back without him, he might be sad and spend ages waiting for him, not understanding why he hasn't come home... Animals process information too, when we give them the chance. It's a very difficult ordeal ahead of you, and I hope Snowby enjoys being with you for as long as possible. Try to make his final moments happy ones... by hiding your grief a little and staying upbeat so that he feels happy rather than worried about you. Dogs are such softies; if we cry for them, they just feel sad for us.
Thank you, it’s true that he’s still gorgeous in my eyes. It’s my choice too for him to pass away at home; he more than deserves it. And I want his brother to understand when the day comes. It’s hard for us, well, mostly for me, not to show my sadness. I love him so much, it breaks my heart to see him like this, to see the illness taking over him and feeling so helpless. I feel like I’m not able to do everything possible. A lot of people will say “that’s just life”, but I can’t bring myself to accept it... thank you for your comment.
