Inoperable tumour found on bladder :-(

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Jsye

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My little 11 year old westie has been diagnosed this morning via a scan.
We originally thought she had a water infection or possibly cushings disease, but after urine samples, antibiotics and blood tests came back inconclusive we had her scanned this morning to find an inoperable tumour on her bladder, an aggressive one according to the vet :-(

I am heartbroken. The vet has given her weeks/months and prescribed painkillers to reduce any discomfort she may be in but nothing else can be done ..

My mum feels awful as maggie weed on the car seat on the way to the vets this morning and she shouted at her, obviously it isn't her fault if shes got a tumour

Not really sure what i'm trying to achieve by posting this .. just a bit shocked/upset at the news :(

Just hoping we can keep her comfortable now.

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Oh bless her! I am sorry to hear your news. Just enjoy the rest of the time left you have with her as much as possible. Hugs xx
 
Oh bless her. As others have said just spend as much time with her cuddling as you can and when the time comes remember all the good times you had together.

Big hugs OP xx
 
She is lovely, so sorry to hear your sad news. I've got an elderly Yorkie and I dread something like this happening to her, although of course it's just one of those awful things that happen and nothing any one has any control over.

Spoil her rotten and just try and take each day as it comes, big hugs xxx
 
I'm sorry, it's horrid news and one you have to come to terms with in your own time, but please remember how your dog feels too expecially if she has always been clean, it can't be easy for her either.
She won't be able to control her actions now and will feel very guilty if she wets in the house; she mightn't even know she's done it (which is good for her sake of course) but if she does know she will expect to be scolded for it and you can't blame her, she's had the habit of being clean (and good in her eyes) it's hard to go against the habits of a lifetime.
A tumour is horrible, you can't see it or the damage it's causing let alone the pain it can produce so it's up to you to know when to make that call. It's never easy and I do really sympathise with you all; take care of her and enjoy your time with her.
 
I really feel for you and am very sorry that this has happened.
I've had many dogs in my life and it is very rare for a dog to have a peaceful end in its sleep. As keepers of our dogs health and happiness, we often have to be the ones who decide when the end must come and it never gets any easier - it gets harder each time.
Just a plea that if the little sweetheart doesn't have long, don't keep her for your own sake, because you can't make the decision, make sure she goes before life gets too hard and distressing for her and try to have it happen at home if going to the vets distresses her.
Remember always the good times, don't let the last memories be bad, but soft and gentle.
 
So so sorry to read this. She looks adorable. My old rottie, Tommy, had a tumour on his spleen when he was 10 and it was successfully removed and we had another two great years with him until a testicular tumour took him from us.

Enjoy the time you have now with your little dog, and remember that when you make the decision to let her go, it is better to do it a day too early, than a day too late.

Hugs to you all.
 
So sorry to hear this. A friend was going thru something similar recently. I also had a bitch with a bladder tumour and lost her after about six months. Big hugs - lots of loves for her too.
 
Surely there's no one who can fail to be moved by the appeal of a Westie. I've never owned one, but I've known several and without exception, they've been a delight. Your little Maggie is no exception I'm sure.

Presumably for a tumour to be discovered, there was a reason for you taking her to a vet, and presumably, considering her approaching incontinence, and the fact that the tumour is considered to be inoperable, she is fairly well advanced.

I suppose that we all live with our own thoughts on this, and providing that direct suffering isn't permitted, then the time to let go becomes obvious, at some stage. That 'stage' will be different for all of us. My OH had an adored and young lurcher bitch who developed a degenerating eye condition called Panus, where the eye ball itself was disintegrating. We were constantly given hope, and the eventual option offered by the vet, was the removal of both eyeballs. She was totally blind and so I sent her off to heaven. Had the choice been mine, she'd have left this earth a week earlier. The decline over the last few days were rapid and difficult to witness.

Jsye, I'm sure that you will recognise when the time is right, and I hope that you take pride in your level of responsibility. It's horrible, I understand and I do genuinely feel for you.

Alec.
 
Thank you every one for the replies .. it really means a lot.

We're making sure shes going on lots of little 'doggy holidays'. My mum and her husband have gone camping for a few days and taken the dogs so i'm sure she will love that. Theyre going again soon aswell so she can go for another adventure.
It's heartbreaking but we don't want to see her in any pain so once we notice that the condition is progressing further and she is struggling even a little bit we will make that decision. She's on metacam daily now so hopefully relieving any pain she may be experiencing.

I'm worried about how my other dog will take it .. we got him from a rescue at 1yr old and although Maggie never really 'liked' him I think having her around is a great comfort to him knowing he's not on his own when we have to go out. I hate to think of replacing her but I genuinely do not think little Cody will cope living without a canine companion so we will be looking for another when Maggie leaves us.

Her symptoms started out looking like a water infection or possible cushings but after numerous urine samples, antibiotic trials and an inconclusive blood test she had the scan and that's how it was found.
Its awful to think she may have been struggling longer than we thought :-(

Here's hoping everything goes smoothly and we can make her final weeks/months very much enjoyable and pain free.

Thanks everyone

Heres a nice picture of when she actually lets the other dog cuddle up to her .. she must have been feeling nice that day

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Oh, I am so very sorry to read this. :(

Your other lovely little dog will cope. You can always look into getting another companion down the line if you want to, but for now, just try to make the most of the time you have left.

When I look at our lot, I feel sad that when they are no longer with us, I won't be able to see all the many different "faces" of them. The looks that only me and Dan get to see. The perspectives of them that are just ours. So, I have started to keep my camera to hand a lot more. I will take photo's of the different expressions that are just unique to that dog. Photo's from angles that only we get to see them from...like the underside of Stigs snow white bottom jaw when he's decided he must be so close to me he has to lie totally on top of me. I will miss that view, so I want to capture it while I can.

Capture as many moments as you can now. Just for you.

Big hugs and huge vibes being sent for a comfortable departure when the time comes. xxx
 
Unfortunately Maggie went over rainbow bridge yesterday afternoon :-(
She went peacefully in my step dad's arms

She was getting increasingly uncomfortable so we decided to let her go.. the painkillers didn't seem to be giving her much relief over the last weekend so the decision was made

RIP my little princess pea, love you always and forever xx

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Out on her last walk yesterday
 
So sorry, we had to face a similar decision with our dog (with my o/h her owner). As it turned out when we eventually got the blood results through she had kidney failure (she had really lost quality of life whilst we waited for the blood results).

Shall never forget when we got the results and O/H rang me at work to say the vets had said we had to have her pts before the weekend was out (this was on the Thursday). I raced home from work and she was lying in her basket in the sun where my O/H had placed her. When she saw me even though she was so shaky on her legs and felt so poorly she got up and staggered towards me to greet me as she always had done. My heart just broke in two.

I managed to persuade o/h whose dog is was to have her pts that day and we managed to get an appointment for 2 hours later. It really was for the best, we couldn't let her linger any more. (I'm not suggesting you are for your dog - just telling you my story)

We lost her at 4.15pm on the 13th March this year. Sad though it was she couldn't have suffered any more. I'd had the pleasure of her company for 14 years - the same time I've been with my o/h. Precious memories.

I hope your dog goes peacefully and you get some more precious memories with her before then x

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Have you managed to catch those elusive bunnies the other side of Rainbow Bridge yet Candy, I wonder? RIP darling Candydog xx
 
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have been following your thread and now seem to have something in my eye. she reminds me of our old westie who we lost to a cancerous tumour age 14...your girl was beautiful and sounds like she had a lovely life with your family...shes running free now!!!!!! hugs for you..
 
Thanks everyone :-( the house is very quiet without her random barking and tip tapping of her nails on the wooden floor.

I take comfort in the fact that we let her go before she was in more pain x
 
I'm so very sorry for your loss..... My darling JRT also has a bladder tumour which was going to be operated on but then they found it is on her lungs too so they said there is nothing to be done :( I know I will be heartbroken too but like most of us I can't live without animals in my life so have to be strong for them when needed.

So sorry..................xx
 
Jsye said:
My little 11 year old westie has been diagnosed this morning via a scan.
We originally thought she had a water infection or possibly cushings disease, but after urine samples, antibiotics and blood tests came back inconclusive we had her scanned this morning to find an inoperable tumour on her bladder, an aggressive one according to the vet :-(

I am heartbroken. The vet has given her weeks/months and prescribed painkillers to reduce any discomfort she may be in but nothing else can be done ..

My mum feels awful as maggie weed on the car seat on the way to the vets this morning and she shouted at her, obviously it isn't her fault if shes got a tumour

Not really sure what i'm trying to achieve by posting this .. just a bit shocked/upset at the news :(

Just hoping we can keep her comfortable now.

254443_213883415318505_3906966_n.jpg
Click to expand...
So sorry to hear that bless her cotton socks, you did the right thing to stop the pain,its always hard to loose loved ones.
 
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Sorry to hear that she's no longer with you, but you absolutely did the right thing for her so please take some comfort from that. RIP little Maggie xx
 
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