My dog has cancer! :(?

Question

a few months ago my 10 year old medium sized cross breed dog was diagnosed with cancer. It is visisble underneath her belly and is a bit larger than two fists together. It is growing at a rapid rate. I'm wondering what will happen if it keeps growing...? will it burst the skin? hpw much longer can she go on like this? i just want to prepare myself for the worst so dont break it to me lightly if you know anything thankyou

she appears to be fine at the moment running around and playing.. although she suffers from arthritis as she is getting old. Does it work quickly in causing them pain or does it take a while?

she vomited in her bed last night! should i be concerned :o

Answer 1

depends on what type of cancer it is and where its growing as to whether or not it will affect her skin.
its not going to burst through the skin, although some types of cancer will affect the skin, making it go black and rot away - dont panic, this is unlikely to happen.

however... it will become painful for her as it affects her organs and nerves.... and it depends on how and where it spreads to as to how fast this will happen. although, youve said its growing quickly - if you can see something the size of two fists from the outside, its possible theres a lot more on the inside. if shes had surgery to have any removed etc, the vet can tell you whats happening with it on the inside.

you need to discuss with your vet how far you will let her go before you have her put down.
and it would be much more humane and less painful for her to have her put down when the time draws nearer than to let the cancer kill her by itself...
it might also be much less traumatic for you to have her put down sooner rather than later - you dont want to watch her suffer too much when she does begin suffering (if shes not already).
.

Answer 2

I'm sorry for you and your dog.

Depending on exactly where and what the cancer is, it could cause
any number of other organs to fail.

For instance, it can cause the chest cavitity to fill up making
it no longer possible to breathe, causing the dog to die
of lack of oxygen, or it can "foul the plumbing" making it
impossible for the dog to remove waste from its blood, etc.

"exploding" would actually probably not be fatal - but the resulting
infection might be.

However, the most probable cause of death is that the cancer
will metasticize - the cancer cells will break free of the mass and
go lodge somewhere else in an organ critical for the dog's survival.
This could be the brain, the lungs or even the heart.

If your vet hasn't suggested surgery, chemo-therapy or radiation, it is
probable that he thinks the prognosis after such treatment is not
very good. You could spend a lot of money with a dog in even
more pain and no healthier.

You need to decide if your dog is in pain and potentially you may
decide to euthanize him rather than watch the pain increase to
unremitting agony.

Again, I am so sorry for this - it sucks to lose a dog, no matter
how he or she goes.

Answer 3

I have had many dogs with cancer of various types. What I do depends on the type of cancer, but now I invariably put them on a homemade cancer diet with minimal carbohydrate (carbs feed cancer) adequate protein (to prevent muscle wasting) and plenty of fat (an energy source that the cancer can't use). I currently have a dog with oral melanoma. We were trying a brand new dna vaccine treatment, but unfortunately we appear to have been too late. A week ago she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We don't know if it's related to the melanoma and really it doesn't matter as there's nothing we can do about it. We're looking at just weeks now.

Answer 4

Talk to your vet first. I adopted an older dog with cancer that lived several years with the growth. She was a cross breed and the lump was about the size of a fist and a half. It never got larger and she was a member of the family that is still missed. I would go by her feelings. If she is happy and playing then be happy with her. Most dogs live by the moment and would rather be alive than otherwise even if life isn't perfect.

Answer 5

If an operation is not advisable, let her live the way she is use to. As soon as she is in pain and medication is not helping, let the vet help her over. This is if you love her enough and you don't want her to suffer. I did it to my dog. she was such a lovely and gentle animal. She had cancer and an operation would have shorten her live-span. When she got really sick, we put her to sleep. I think she was grateful that we did find the courage to do so.

Answer 6

I'm so sorry you and your dog have to go through this. I take it that cancer could not be surgically removed when diagnosed?

You need to talk to your vet. He knows about the cancer she has and how it will react over time. We could only guess and to me that would make things worse.

Sending a prayer for you and your dog.

Answer 7

OMG I'm sorry to hear that. They could be tumors have them surgically removed. But if your dog can't be treated for the cancer eventually she will die. It is also an option to put her down to stop the suffering.

Answer 8

Consider the quality of life of your friend. Is the cancer operable? Can it be reduced chemically or with radiation?
Find a good vet in your area and discuss treatment options with them. May be the best option may be euthanasia.

Answer 9

Sorry to hear that! Our cockapoo got breast cancer about that age, take her to the vet and see about surgery. It is not as expensive as you might think and after a triple mastectomy our little Noel is happy, healthy and approaching 16!

Answer 10

This is a tough situation, it is like losing a family member. You have to face the reality that this will eventually become painful to your dog, and you will have to have him put down.