dealing with bladder cancer

[Kasey]

I am asking if anyone has dealt with bladder cancer and what the end of the fight was like. My dear sweet Killian was diagnosised in April and he has not been too bad but this week he has changed. He does not want to eat but we can give him some can food or other goodies and he will chow that down in a heartbeat. He seems to be tired and lays down outside more and we are starting to have accidents in the kennel once again. I guess what I am looking for is to know if these are normal progress of the disease or maybe just hopefully a bad week for him. If someone has dealt with bladder cancer and can give me some insight I would appreciate it. I do have a call into my vet to see what her opinion is.
Thanks

[godfreyc]

My girl had cancer that spread to all of her major organs. I will tell you that her abdomen looked fat, and at the end she had great difficulty breathing. She started drinking excessive amounts of water in the last 3 days and urinating alot. The labored breathing got increasingly worse until she couldn't get comfortable or sleep at all the last night she was with us, was only interested in really stinky food. The last day that made me take her in she had huge swelling in one of her legs and a swelling near the elbow(the vet informed me that that is the final stage) She kept wanting to go under the porch or just lay on my lap on the floor. Anyway those are the symptoms that I experienced.

[mmgy]

My experience has been that if you can still tempt them with food, you're still in the battle. PM frontierrots, as she has a dog that's had bladder cancer a long time.

It's a hard spot to be in, I wish you and Killian the best. Please keep us posted.

[godfreyc]

mmgy, I thought so too, but my girl was eating healthy meals as late as the morning I took her in and made a swipe at the cat on the way out the door. It made me think I could hold on but when I got to the vet's office he said it wouldn't be fair to make her go through anymore. My biggest suggestion, if you're having any knawing feeling take them in. I couldn't have lived with myself if I didn't do everything to make sure that she was not hurting.

[mmgy]

It probably varies by dog as well as by the type of cancer. Both of my cancer dogs had cancers that started primarily in the liver. I guess it actually was my good fortune that they made it easier for me by refusing to eat.

[frontierrots]

Angelica is 12 1/2 years and she was diagnosed with TCC (transitional cell carcinoma) of the bladder in May 2002. I was given 6 - 12 months as a life span for her. We opted not to do surgery because TCC spreads like mold spores and plus if my dog was going to be incontinent it would not be a good life quality

When she was diagnosed she could barely urinate, it would drip out, 1 drop at a time. She had a nasty UTI as well. We started her on the Piroxicam and within 24 hours she could urinate fine. She was on antibiotics 2 weeks. We also started her on Chinese herbs. She was still eating kibble. A few weeks later she became deathly ill. Vomiting blood clots and urinating blood clots and sick as ,, well, a dog. I was sure she was dying. She laid on the floor and would not move except to vomit. We stopped all meds and I fed her a bit of raw burger at a time. She seemed a bit better a couple days later but not much. The vet decided that the Piroxicam was eating her insides and prescribed Sucralfate twice a day 1 hour before eating to heal her. We then started the Piroxicam again and raw burger but no Chinese herbs. Within 4 weeks she was healthy again and she has never looked back!

Angelica is 75lbs and takes 1 gm Sucralfate 1 hour prior to her supper then takes 10 mg of Piroxicam after supper. She also takes 1 tbsp Ultraclear plus in water am before breakfast and 2 Tbsp Ultraclear plus in water before supper.

She eats 8 oz Bravo raw beef am + 3/8 can of Innova, supper is 4 oz Bravo raw beef and 1/4 can Innova

If you have any questions, just ask!

[Kasey]

Thanks for the insight, I am just trying to prepare myself. If that is possible.
I can get him to eat some can food and he had fish yesterday. When he had supper last night he ate really slow and kept laying down a lot and wanting to snuggle. He was on Piroxicam but he ran out so I will be getting more to see if that helps. I am thinking of taking him to the vet so make sure he is comfortable and there is nothing else wrong. I hope the my big guy can pull out of this one, I am not ready to say good bye just yet. He was diagnosised in April and was given three to six months but they did not know for sure, lucky me rare for of bladder cancer. It had better be longer I can't deal well with him acting like this and my HD dog going down hill too. But I have the nagging inner feeling I will be lossing at least two dogs this year. I don't know who but I keep trying to prepare myself for the loss and pain that is sure to come sooner or later. Thanks again.

[Squeaky2004]

I don't have any advice for you, I have never had to deal with this. But I am wishing you the best of luck, and so sorry to hear that you are having to deal with this at all.