Advice needed

[Lisacoblet]

Hello. First Post so it's a little scary. I need advice and opinions and experiences. I have a 10-11year old German shepherd girl. Didn't have her from a pup but from about 8 - 12 months old.i found a lump on her belly last week near back legs on her belly near last nipple. Nipple was also swollen a bit but no discharge.. Made an appointment and today I got confirmation of what I knew already she has mammary gland cancer. In just 5 days it changed shape and nipple swelled up so much and started leaking bloddy discharge. Talked to vet and told her I won't be doing the op even before she told me about the risks involved. She nodded and was fine with it. I had to wait outside for loxicom for her arthritis she struggles to get up and is now very stiff behind. When the vet brought it outside she once again started talking about the operation and costs and what's involved. I felt uncomfortable as well as trying to hold it together. I told my vet ill think about it and she started saying I'm sorry I'm sorry and looked as if she was going to cry and then turned around and left me standing in the car park. I then started to have doubts about my desicion. Am I being a terrible owner, should I try?im scared she will End her last days like her best friend at the vets and not at home and won't come back home At all.she has little sores all over her belly and everywhere else now too. They're not hot spots so obviously related to cancer. Not sure whether letting her go is the right thing to do... Sorry for such a long text xx

 

[bonny]

Welcome to the forum and the only advice I can give you is I had a collie with the same problem years ago and I believe it’s fairly common in older bitches. I had mine operated on, it’s not a big operation and she was fine afterwards. Are you scared about the operation ? I’ve had much older dogs operated on and they were all fine so I wouldn’t worry about her age x

 

[Lisacoblet]

Thank you so much for a reply. I am worried about it but I also just watched her get up with great difficulty and go to her bed and her back legs are so weak. I love her so so much and I always fight for them. I have a 3 year old inoperable Cross breed with liver shunts and he's still alive and well. I will have to read more and try to educate myself more and try to make a decision. Just don't want it to be a selfish decision xx

 

[bonny]

Maybe have a good think about things and when you are feeling calmer go back and talk to your vet again about the pros and cons ?

 

[Lisacoblet]

I've decided to book her in for an x ray and go from there. Thank you so much. Knowing that older dog survived and did well after the operation has helped me so much. Thank you so so much. Our lovely animals are such heartbreakersxx

 

[brighteyes]

Factor in her arthritis and overall quality of life. My brother spent well in excess of £3K - it gained him 3 weeks of intensive caring and delayed grief when his GSD had a different cancer. Another chat with the vet about prognosis and time.

Every last one of them breaks your heart eventually. Nobody will judge you putting pragmatism and welfare on the list of considerations.

 

[Lisacoblet]

Thank you. Its not about the cost for me but quality and length of life. I always read this forum and always get vet opinions first and then try to work things out. My little liver shunt boy should've been put to sleep over a year ago but he defeated all the odds and like my vet said today he's a miracle dog. I'm also worried that if I let her go too soon I'll be blaming myself for giving up too soon. I made my mind up today to leg her go with dignity in tact but got a bit rattled by second chat with my vet. She's had the most amazing life with me and my other 3 dogs and never wanted for nothing. So so difficult as her hips are really painful sometimes. Once again thank you i will ring tomorrow and have a chat with my vets

 

[Lisacoblet]

 

[Lisacoblet]

 

[Clodagh]

She’s a beautiful girl. Try to picture her quality of life without factoring in the cancer? Struggling to stand would be a pts for me so the tumour would be irrelevant.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I would be more concerned about the fact she is struggling to stand, does the painkiller help her ? If not it may be DM rather than arthritis, which unfortunately there is no treatment for. I have had GSDS aged 10 operated on for mammary tumours with great success, but you do have to look at the overall picture.

 

[AmyMay]

A client’s 12 year old Westie had the surgery and it was transformative- she was not a dog at the end of life and had no other health issues.

Providing my ‘older’ dog was fit and healthy then I wouldn’t hesitate to have the surgery. However if there were other issues that suggested that surgery would only be a temporary panacea then I’d let her go. ??

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I had an elderly Lab with a mammary tumour operated on and she lived several more years until she was 15 - can't remember exactly how old she was when she had the op - 11?. However if yours is struggling to stand, I wouldn't put her through any more treatment but ensure that she has a dignified end before the pain from the tumour gets too bad. I'm so sorry.

 

[brighteyes]

I agree with all the above and the surgery would be the least of my worries over her mobility and comfort. She is a most beautiful example of her breed.

Only you know the difficulty level she faces and likely a very uncertain appreciation of the discomfort she is in because we can't ever know that.

The regret thing is another matter and one I can identify with. I am waiting for my cat to die. Had I gone with Dr. Google and the forum's usual 'better a month too soon...' mantra, I'd have left her at the vet's that day. The vet said I am not going to run a whole load of tests, she is old. Take her away and spoil her and bring her back when she looks to be less happy than she is now (purring and attention-seeking on the vet-table). That was Easter. She is now back to her absolute normal, free-ranging, stable-choring, fencing-assisting,vole-catching self and being very spoilt for as long as she has left. I might regret this in a few years' time when I am broke and living off crackers.
Also my JRT has had a bilateral enucleation (not simultaneously) and again vet and I debated the second procedure which thankfully appears to have been a fair call. I am still torn over that, though, despite how brilliantly she has adapted. No pain now, though.

You have to take the vet's advice on it and be prepared for a mercy-dash.

 

[skinnydipper]

I had to wait outside for loxicom for her arthritis she struggles to get up and is now very stiff behind.

If your dog is experiencing pain and stiffness on Loxicom alone, you need to discuss this with your vet. NSAIDS are just one tool in the toolbox. There are drugs for different pain pathways which can be given together to achieve good pain relief.

Along with effective pain relief, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy (treadmill) and laser therapy can also help improve mobility and function.

 

[Equi]

As said the mammary tumour isn’t the main concern here. Many bitches have these removed with no issues. Gsd are particularly prone to hind end issues and once they go they go - I watched my neighbour spend a week carrying his beloved gsd out to the garden on a towel to lie in the grass for a few hours and it broke my heart, the dog couldn’t move once he was placed wherever it was. He should have been let go weeks prior.
My last dog was pts because his hind end was just getting too much, he had fell twice and although he could still get up he also had a heart issue that was getting worse daily and we had to make the call. It’s tough and we never got another dog after him.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Once an older, large breed dog goes off their legs, that's it for me personally, I know someone who uses yoga bands to move their elderly dog around and I find it very upsetting to watch.
She's your dog and you know her best though, so it's ultimately up to you. Thinking of you, whatever you decide.

 

[Bellasophia]

I believe in the cycle of life..the initial joy is indescribable.

The endings are never easy ,nor happy,but inevitable.

You can make the choice to ease her pain,knowing she’s completed her cycle and had a wonderful life with you....but you can also decide when,and perhaps have a few more weeks to spoil her and come to terms with the inevitable.
From your picture I can see you and your dog in harmony,she’s had a happy ,lovely life.

The hips won’t improve,she‘s a large breed and elderly.
It’s never easy ,but given her age and the diagnosis I also would say it’s her time.Never easy .

 

[Parrotperson]

I've decided to book her in for an x ray and go from there. Thank you so much. Knowing that older dog survived and did well after the operation has helped me so much. Thank you so so much. Our lovely animals are such heartbreakersxx

I'd only add that you know your dog. You say she has arthritis too. That would be a consideration for me are after op recovery.

Having said that my JRT had three ops for cancer in her lifetime the last when she was 12 and she lived till she was 16. She also had a heart murmur so when the cancer came back at 16 I decided that was it. I knew my dog. Trust your instincts too

Good luck.And let us know the outcome.

 

[misst]

Your love shines through your post so in the end I'm sure you will do what you feel is right. It is no one elses decision but you won't find any judgement on here if you chose sooner rather than later nor if you decide to go ahead with surgery if that is in her best interests.
She is very beautiful - I'm sorry you are having to go through this.

 

[Dopeydapple]

I'd definitely be more concerned about the back end mobility issues at this point, maybe see if a change in drug regime for the arthritis makes a difference and if it does re think the op but if you can't manage the arthritis or the vet thinks that the prognosis is poor then I would say PTS before things get worse. Good luck, thinking of you both x

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

The struggling to stand was what made our decision for a dog a couple of years ago. It just wasn’t fair and he’d growl if we tried to help. I’m assuming he was in pain. Re the cancer, speak to your vet re recovery time.

Our dog was pts a couple of weeks ago, the recovery for breaking open his sternum to remove the cancer was not 100% and far too long a time to have him crated. Again, I’d be looking at the back end mobility more than the cancer.