Man's Best Friend

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 1:52 pm

Sorry to hear. My Dallas looks a lot like Lucy. On second glance, she looks more like Lucy's friend, but with Lucy's nose color.

Post by **Shirley** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:03 pm

Thanks. Lucy's friend is our other dog, Fuzzy (short for Fuzzy Kat).

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:17 pm

Sorry, man. Hope for the best.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:46 pm

My heart goes out to you and your family and of course to that beautiful girl.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:24 pm

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Sat Apr 22, 2017 6:53 am

How's the doge Shirley?

Post by **Shirley** » Sun Apr 23, 2017 8:27 pm

She's actually doing great so far. I've been pleasantly surprised.

A bit more backstory:

Last Saturday night, my son noticed that Lucy had a lump in her throat. It was fairly big and sort of football shaped. On Sunday, it felt like it was even bigger and harder, so I decided we couldn't wait until Monday and took her to the emergency vet place (we're lucky, it's pretty close and was open with several staff around even on Easter Sunday). The vet said that she noticed that all of Lucy's lymph nodes seemed a bit large - either she had an infection (the growth) that was causing her lymph nodes to go into overdrive, or the nodes were swollen and had caused a blockage which is what the mass was. They sent off a blood and lymph node sample for testing. Of course, they warned that it could be lymphoma.

I got a call on Monday telling me that it was indeed lymphoma. I agreed to schedule her with the oncologist there instead of first going back to our regular vet (who I figured would just send us to an oncologist). She went in on Tuesday and they started her on chemo that day. She now has to go in once a week for chemo for 19 weeks. They also sent off for additional to find out specifically which kind of lymphoma it is.

Lucy has always had a fairly sensitive stomach, so I figured we were in for a depressed, diarrhea-ridden dog for the next while. But instead, when she finally came home Tuesday night, she seemed fine. And while she gets prednisone and Prilosec pills twice a day now, she's handling it great. Her neck swelling is almost completely down, she has only briefly had diarrhea one day, and she actually seems to have more energy than before.

We heard back later in the week that the tests showed she has B-Cell Lymphoma, which is the "good" kind, versus T-Cell Lymphoma. With her treatment, she has a very good chance of beating the cancer into remission. We're optimistic.

Oh, and this is going to run us $6-8000.

Steve of phpBB · Post by **Steve of phpBB** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 1:04 pm

Jeez. Good luck, Dave.

In case anyone is wondering why someone would pay that much for "just" a dog ...

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 1:13 pm

Wow! Just got really dusty in here.

Post by **brian** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:34 pm

Money is replaceable. Best friends aren't. Glad the prognosis is good.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:38 pm

This won't be popular, but I'd have a really hard time spending that kind of money. Obviously you guys can all do whatever you want and I'm not trying to say you're crazy because if it's worth it to you to spend that money then you absolutely should. I also haven't had a dog in a long, long time.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:44 pm

Shirley wrote:She's actually doing great so far. I've been pleasantly surprised.

A bit more backstory:

Last Saturday night, my son noticed that Lucy had a lump in her throat. It was fairly big and sort of football shaped. On Sunday, it felt like it was even bigger and harder, so I decided we couldn't wait until Monday and took her to the emergency vet place (we're lucky, it's pretty close and was open with several staff around even on Easter Sunday). The vet said that she noticed that all of Lucy's lymph nodes seemed a bit large - either she had an infection (the growth) that was causing her lymph nodes to go into overdrive, or the nodes were swollen and had caused a blockage which is what the mass was. They sent off a blood and lymph node sample for testing. Of course, they warned that it could be lymphoma.

I got a call on Monday telling me that it was indeed lymphoma. I agreed to schedule her with the oncologist there instead of first going back to our regular vet (who I figured would just send us to an oncologist). She went in on Tuesday and they started her on chemo that day. She now has to go in once a week for chemo for 19 weeks. They also sent off for additional to find out specifically which kind of lymphoma it is.

Lucy has always had a fairly sensitive stomach, so I figured we were in for a depressed, diarrhea-ridden dog for the next while. But instead, when she finally came home Tuesday night, she seemed fine. And while she gets prednisone and Prilosec pills twice a day now, she's handling it great. Her neck swelling is almost completely down, she has only briefly had diarrhea one day, and she actually seems to have more energy than before.

We heard back later in the week that the tests showed she has B-Cell Lymphoma, which is the "good" kind, versus T-Cell Lymphoma. With her treatment, she has a very good chance of beating the cancer into remission. We're optimistic.

Oh, and this is going to run us $6-8000.

Just to piggyback, you're in the exact situation we were in with Kaylee. Almost so similar it's scary. Lumps in her neck over the weekend, thought she was just having some flu issues, but took her in, was immediately told it was likely Lymphoma. Immediately started on CHOP protocol Chemo once a week for 20 weeks or something like that. The Prednisone was the worst part by far. It made our girl have accidents all over. She simply couldn't hold her urine on the full dosage. She would go to the door and look at us and by the time I could get to the door she would have peed on the front rug and just look up at you and cower because she knew she wasn't supposed to do that. Broke my heart. She peed on the bed and laid in it all night one night, I assume because she didn't have it in her to get up.

The first 4 weeks were the hardest. She didn't respond well to one of the drugs in the CHOP series and we had to take her to a different series of drugs because it was nuking her immune system so hard they were worried she was going to pick up a bug and die from not being able to fight it off.

We got through it. It was less than pleasant but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. She's a good doge and has brought us a lot of joy over the few years we've had her (even if she's a total mama's girl and ignores me whenever BSFGF is home and sleeps on top of us and is the world's biggest cockblock), I'm glad we did.

We were easily into it for 5.5K when it was all said and done. Worth it.

Hope it goes well. Here for you if you need to lean on me bud. Give the pup a belly rub for me.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:11 pm

Dogs are expensive even if they are not sick. Probably the only reason I have not pushed very hard to get another one. My wife loved our Harrier Hound/Beagle mix until we had our son. Then she was not interested in him at all and just viewed him as work. However this weekend we were over a friends house who have a young mutt and a few comments made me think I have a shot at a dog again.

So my question. Any of you have Pet Insurance? Is it worth it? If not would it have helped in the pup cancer scenario?

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:40 pm

That was such a great video. I can be in a horrible shitty mood when I get home. But my dog greets me at the door and is so happy to see me - it is such a great feeling to be welcomed like that. Our dog is a member of the family, and my wife and daughter both agree with me. No doubt we'd spend the money in a heartbeat, if she got sick like Dave's and BSF's dogs. Awhile back a friend of mine who doesn't much like dogs snapped at my dog to leave him alone. I told him, "hey, Be nice to her. If it came down to choosing between you two, you know you'd lose." He was a little taken aback.

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:41 pm

wlu_lax6 wrote:Dogs are expensive even if they are not sick. Probably the only reason I have not pushed very hard to get another one. My wife loved our Harrier Hound/Beagle mix until we had our son. Then she was not interested in him at all and just viewed him as work. However this weekend we were over a friends house who have a young mutt and a few comments made me think I have a shot at a dog again.

So my question. Any of you have Pet Insurance? Is it worth it? If not would it have helped in the pup cancer scenario?

I do not but regretting it immensely. Two of my neighbors have it...one of them has a cat with lymphoma and has been getting treatments for over a year...he says the insurance has been a lifesaver. My dogs are too old now but next dog we will get it.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:44 pm

We have insurance on our dog and our three cats. It's been a great deal, but the prices are going up as they get older.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:49 pm

GoodKarma wrote:
wlu_lax6 wrote:Dogs are expensive even if they are not sick. Probably the only reason I have not pushed very hard to get another one. My wife loved our Harrier Hound/Beagle mix until we had our son. Then she was not interested in him at all and just viewed him as work. However this weekend we were over a friends house who have a young mutt and a few comments made me think I have a shot at a dog again.

So my question. Any of you have Pet Insurance? Is it worth it? If not would it have helped in the pup cancer scenario?
I do not but regretting it immensely. Two of my neighbors have it...one of them has a cat with lymphoma and has been getting treatments for over a year...he says the insurance has been a lifesaver. My dogs are too old now but next dog we will get it.

Knowing what I know now, every dog I own from here out will be covered. Kaylee was 2.5 years old when get got cancer. That's not supposed to happen. And to be honest, if she had been 8 or 9 I'd have taken a long hard look at quality of life left before I: A)Spent the money and B) Put her through the treatment. It was brutal. She was miserable. But she's not dead, and hopefully has a lot of great years left in her. It was worth it at 2.5 years old.

Post by **Shirley** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:04 pm

Nope, no pet insurance. I always figured it was kind of a scam, like extended warrantees. Obviously, when I heard that $6-8000 price tag, I immediately wished I had insurance.

As for the cost/value calc - Lucy is 9, but in pretty good shape. Her knees aren't good, but otherwise she's pretty healthy. I think if we'd found out that she had T-Cell Lymphoma, meaning the chance for remission dropped to something like 25%, we might have reconsidered. But probably not. Well, I may have reconsidered, but the wife wouldn't have.

blundercrush · Post by **blundercrush** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 6:48 pm

I guess I am a cold hearted son of a bitch. For major stuff like cancer etc...the dog dies. I had dogs growing up, and I love other people's dogs. I do not currently have a pet. Take that as you will. So you have "Dog A" and you would murder Satan himself to protect this dog. Fine, I get that. But if Dog A dies, and you get Dog B, Dog B will love you just as much as Dog A. Yes, there is the sadness of loss, but that's inevitable. Is a dog dying at 3 vs dying at 10 more gut wrenching? Dogs will love you regardless. Is the "I did everything I could" feeling worth 1k? 10k? ~240$ a year for 5-10 years? It obviously is to a lot of people, but I just don't see it.

Edit: If you get it through work, whatever go nuts.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:29 pm

I have a dog and cat and for me, there's definitely a limit to what I'll spend.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:26 pm

blundercrush wrote:I guess I am a cold hearted son of a bitch. For major stuff like cancer etc...the dog dies. I had dogs growing up, and I love other people's dogs. I do not currently have a pet. Take that as you will. So you have "Dog A" and you would murder Satan himself to protect this dog. Fine, I get that. But if Dog A dies, and you get Dog B, Dog B will love you just as much as Dog A. Yes, there is the sadness of loss, but that's inevitable. Is a dog dying at 3 vs dying at 10 more gut wrenching? Dogs will love you regardless. Is the "I did everything I could" feeling worth 1k? 10k? ~240$ a year for 5-10 years? It obviously is to a lot of people, but I just don't see it.

Edit: If you get it through work, whatever go nuts.

I understand. My pops is this way. He had a bunch of farm dogs growing up and couldn't care less. I know people say this a lot, but Meg and I don't have children, so she's like one to us. I'm in no way equating a dog to a human life, but there is a part of us that feels like it's our job to get her back to well if it's within our power. Thankfully, i do ok at work and 5K isn't a catastrophic financial hit.

Post by **brian** » Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:17 am

Some people think it would be idiotic to spend $2K a year on booze which is nothing to some of us. I don't judge either way. On any of it.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Tue Apr 25, 2017 6:00 am

We spent a fortune on my Westie during her brutal final months.

My only regret is not that we spent the money, but that I really think we got somewhat hosed by a vet who was making guesses and stringing us along.

But the money would have been well spent if it had kept Georgie around for a couple of more years.

blundercrush · Post by **blundercrush** » Tue Apr 25, 2017 12:52 pm

brian wrote:Some people think it would be idiotic to spend $2K a year on booze which is nothing to some of us. I don't judge either way. On any of it.

I am not judging. I moved because I had an especially shitty parking space for my car. Now I have an apartment with a garage.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu May 04, 2017 6:44 am

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Thu May 04, 2017 8:28 am

How's the pup Shirley?

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu May 04, 2017 8:54 pm

Hey Rass, the rescue I volunteer at has a pup coming in that reminds me of Gus:

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri May 05, 2017 5:40 am

Ooooooooooh

Post by **Shirley** » Fri May 05, 2017 10:50 am

BSF21 wrote:How's the pup Shirley?

Having a rougher week this time. We're in week 3 and since she did so well in the first two, they upped her dosage this time. And now she's barely eaten all week. I have her back in the vet today to see what's going on. I thought she was pooping dried blood (it looked black) and that meant an ulcer. It turns out it's not that bad, but she may be having some intestinal troubles. They are just going to change up the meds a bit and see if that does it.

She also developed a wicked hot spot on her tail yesterday. She licked all the fur off a three inch section and the skin was bright red. She's never done that before. So, now she has to wear a collar for a few days, which will make her the unhappiest of all of this. Remarkably, she's been pretty happy throughout, despite mostly rejecting her food for the past couple days.

At least she'll lose some of that weight she's picked up the last few years!

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Fri May 05, 2017 11:26 am

Shirley wrote:
BSF21 wrote:How's the pup Shirley?
Having a rougher week this time. We're in week 3 and since she did so well in the first two, they upped her dosage this time. And now she's barely eaten all week. I have her back in the vet today to see what's going on. I thought she was pooping dried blood (it looked black) and that meant an ulcer. It turns out it's not that bad, but she may be having some intestinal troubles. They are just going to change up the meds a bit and see if that does it.

She also developed a wicked hot spot on her tail yesterday. She licked all the fur off a three inch section and the skin was bright red. She's never done that before. So, now she has to wear a collar for a few days, which will make her the unhappiest of all of this. Remarkably, she's been pretty happy throughout, despite mostly rejecting her food for the past couple days.

At least she'll lose some of that weight she's picked up the last few years!

Give her a belly rub for me. Doxorubicin is a bitch.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 10:08 am

My dog is a beast.

Walking along a trail in the park near my house and a chipmunk jumped out of the bushes. A hawk immediately swooped down and grabbed it and my Izzy tore off after the hawk which was maybe two feet off the ground with the chipmunk in its talons.

The hawk panicked and dropped the chipmunk which Izzy followed into the bushes. I was calling her, but she kept lunging and running into the bushes. I figured it had got away, but after about 15 seconds, Izzy flung the chipmunk high into the air. She pounced into the bushes again and then again tossed the chipmunk into the air.

She finally jogged out of the bushes with a happy look on her face. I couldn’t find the chipmunk though.

Part of me feels bad for the chipmunk, but a bigger part of me is incredibly impressed that my girl chased away a hawk and then killed the varmint.

GoodKarma · Post by **GoodKarma** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:28 am

Sorry fellas...but a need another round of writing catharsis.

These are my two dogs...Buck on the left and Isaac on the right. Buck was 14 in April; Isaac will be 14 on June 28.

Except that Isaac isn't going to make it until June 28...we are euthanizing him at 4:30 today.

We've had as many as five pugs at a time in our house...four of own plus fosters. I've been through the euthanasia process twice before...with our first (also just shy of 14) and the most recent one we adopted as senior...our guess is he was 15 or so. Those first two had somewhat gradual declines and it was clear that they were ready to cross the rainbow bridge.

This time, however, is much different. Isaac has a Hemangiosarcoma...a 9cm tumor on his spleen plus spots on his liver. We took him in Wednesday for a back xray b/c he's been having trouble getting up/walking and we knew it was something relating to his back/spine. We were hoping it wasn't a tumor ...instead maybe a herniated or slipped disk. Xray did show just that (a disc issue) but the vet called back later to say one of the techs noticed a mass in his abdomen. Ultrasound on Friday showed the tumor. He had xrays in October and there was nothing there so it grew fast. Treatment options were either do nothing or surgery. If we do nothing, the tumor will rupture and cause him to bleed out internally, which is not necessarily painful..just uncomfortable until you take him in and euthanize then. Surgery and subsequent treatment would only extend life 3-6 months but we didn't want to put him through that for what would be a degraded quality of life, especially since treating his back was now off the table.

This has been extraordinarily difficult b/c he seems fine, other than his trouble getting up/walking. Still eating, barking at things he sees, wanting to go outside, etc. He was never a very active dog...i.e. not excited for walks but tolerant of them. I'm struggling with the fact that he seems healthy (even though I know internally he is not) and that I know he is going to die today and he has no idea it is coming. He still has the same "light" in his eye. He has never been one to show pain (Buck has long been the drama queen in that area) but I'm hoping that the looks of what my wife sees as boredom is some discomfort he has been feeling and we are really going to grant him some relief this afternoon.

Normally I'm pretty reasonable about death...I believe that when your number is up...it's up. Mourn then celebrate the life that has just passed. I mentioned the other dogs because I was truly fine with it when their number was up. However, with Isaac I am incredibly angry...like I've never felt before. I'm angry b/c he was supposed to make it to 20. He was always the healthy one...other than some arthritis no major issues. He always looked younger than was (and still does)...and is so good-natured and young at heart. This has been an absolutely brutal weekend. I have cried more in the past 60 hours than I have in the past 20 years which has included the loss of three grandparents that I was closer with than my own parents and my father in law who was a bigger part of my life than anyone else besides my wife.

Posting here keeps me from becoming "that guy" on Facebook. I can just post a death notice there and be done with it. Thank you for listening. And please raise a glass to Isaac tonight if you can.

Edited to say sorry my pictures won't show for some reason...i'll fix later. Isaac is also my avatar pic.

rass · Post by **rass** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:32 am

Sorry man. Rest easy Isaac.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:33 am

That's heartbreaking. Really sorry you're having to go through this.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:34 am

So sorry to hear GK. Good vibes for Isaac as he makes his trip today.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 9:41 am

So so sorry to hear this.

He sounds like a really good boy, and it sounds like you've given him the best life that any dog could hope for.

Sleep well Isaac.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:53 am

Sorry, man.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 10:58 am

Sorry

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:13 am

Sorry, that's awful.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:22 pm

My son just took the single greatest dog picture I have ever seen. (Okay, I'm biased, but it's a good shot!)

Izzy had a good day.