Andy has bone cancer

Lucy:
 
Our lab mix was over 16 when she we discovered tumors had compromised spleen and liver.  Wanting the best quality for what remained of her life, we made the same decision as you.  And while I won't say it was easy, it was right and it was peaceful and she was ready.  There came that day when she looked at me for help and there was nothing I could offer her, but release from the indignity and suffering that was coming.
 
I think if you are open to it, you will know when he is ready.  Wishing you comfort and peace,
 
Lisa Marie

Hi-- you might want to email Dr. Milner at the U of FL at Gainesville.  He did a huge study on osteo-sarcoma a couple of years ago and had really good results with radiation.
 
I also learned (thru having a dog with cancer) a whole lot about the benefits of a cancer diet from the vets up there.  I've got Dr. Roger Clemmons' cancer diet and I'd be happy to send it to you if you'd like.  Carbs feed cancer and they've known that for 25-30 years, and giving a diet without grain carbs was an enormous help to us with two dogs of ours that have had cancer.  It slowed the progress of the disease markedly.
 
It's a tough thing -- whether you are a vet or a lay person.  You have my thots and prayers.  Callie

I'm so sorry to hear about andy. You are in my thoughts and prayers. I think the hardest thing is that they don't really understand what's going on. And as a human you want to explain it to them, but you can't.
 
-emily

Thanks for the responses. I would like information on that diet. I had heard about the carbohydrate thing, but had not found the diet itself. There is quite a bit of information about angiogenesis inhibitors (like shark cartilate) but many of the new products are investigational and not available to the public. Non-steroidal antiinflammatories and doxycycline may have some tumor slowing properties, so Andy is on those. I have decided that I want to avoid any treatments that are unpleasant. Getting him a few extra months of life by putting him through unpleasantness is not something I want to do to him. He is too sensitive and sweet.

    I just want to extend my sympathy and I will keep you and Andy in my prayers.

I'm so sorry.  I'll be praying for you and Andy.  Once again, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.  I will keep you in my thoughts.

Seeing your post, I felt I needed to add my experience.  I had a Golden with lymphoma.  She was 10 1/2 at diagnosis, so we decided not to do chemo. The vet put her on prednisone to make her feel good, and said she had 60-90 days.  I bought shark cartiledge supplements as I had read it may help.  The prednisone worked, she felt great...but she was always hungry.  Having 60-90 days, I wasn't going to deny her anything, so I fed her lots of treats.  The vet thought I was wasting my $ on the shark cartiledge.  Over the next 14 months, she gained 30 pounds. She felt good, she was happy and fat!  My vet finally said to keep doing whatever I was doing as she had outlived all the chemo dogs diagnosed within a few months of her.  My biggest worry was "how would I know it was time?"  My vet assured me she'd tell me.  After 14 months, she went downhill amazingly fast, and one day, she said "that's it, I'm finished".  I never had to second guess it.  She was a month shy of 12.  Did the shark cartiledge do anything?  I don't know for sure, but I believe it did.  Did eliminating commercial dog food help?  Probably.
 
My heart goes out to you.  Don't be afraid to try anything.  Miracles happen every day.  You and Andy will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Sally
 
 
 

I am so sorry about your Andy.
I believe with all my heart what owned by dogs said, "miracles happen everyday!"
Never forget that.   Callis is wonderful in what she knows about diets and all, and ownedbydogs has more ideas. Don't give up,,,,if there is a possiblility------take it.
Bless you and your Andy.  
You better believe we will pray for his merciful end and your acceptance. 

I'm fairly new to the forum, so I haven't "met" you and Andy, but I'm very sorry to hear about his diagnosis.  I know there will be difficult and sad days ahead for you and your husband.  We recently had to euthanize our sweet boy, and waiting for "that right time" was agonizing.  It was only 2 months ago, and the pain is still deep for me.  As someone else said, you wish they could talk, even if only for a few minutes, so you could explain what was happening and come to an agreement about a signal they could give when they have had enough.
 
I have a friend whose nearly 10 year old Boxer was diagnosed over a year ago with osteosarcoma.  Due to her age and some arthritis, they didn't opt for amputation, and they to decided against chemo and radiation since they wanted her to feel good, not suffer just for a few extra months of life.  A surgery was performed to cut out as much of the cancer as possible (it hadn't spread outside her leg), and they continue to baby her as always.  She's still doing well, even though she's happy to stay cozy in her favorite chair more than go for long walks.  We never would've guessed our dog would predecease her.  So, as the other poster said, miracles do happen. 
 
In the meantime, I wouldn't rule out anything you can try that won't hurt her, whether nutritionally, supplements, etc.  And all the good thoughts and prayers coming your way should help, too.  Best wishes to you and your husband, and an extra big hug for Andy.

To add to what Sally said ... I think the best part about a cancer diet (and I KNOW I'm speaking to a vet when I say this) is that it made ME feel like ***I*** was doing something postive.  It wasn't medicine that would have side effects, it wasn't going to make him sick it wasn't going to make him feel yucky -- the cancer diet was something he SNARFED UP IN A BIG WAY.  I felt every time I set it down like I was thumbing my nose at cancer just a little bit more.  I actually said more than once -- eat up Bucko -- you're feeding YOU, not the cancer!!  It's like you give them something they LOVE, and at the same time you are doing your own little private thing to starve the cancer out.
 
As a guardian the toughest thing is feeling so darned helpless in the face of cancer.  It's like it's there in their body and you can't DO anything.  But with a cancer diet I WAS **doing** something.  So it was good for ME mentally. He loved it, but it helped ME deal.
 
Does that make sense??

I found a great site when my little Gretel had cancer.  I invite you to visit  [linkhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCancer/]http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCancer/[/link]  The members are very knowledgeable about diets etc and it's a great support group.  I know this is a difficult time and you and Andy are in my thoughts and prayers. 

Today I was all distraught because I discovered that one of my Labs had fractured one her upper 4th premolars and might require a root canal/crown. Now I feel quite silly. I can do nothing but express my sympathy and wish you, your family, and your dog the best of all possible outcomes.

First let me say that I totally understand your decision.  With Duke, we opted for amputation and chemo and I'd never put another animal through that.  When Misty obviously had cancer, we put her on the cancer diet, we let her live her life to it's end, without treatments and we had the vet come to our home to help her to the Bridge.  She had some really good quality time before the end, and when she did go downhill, it was very quickly. There was NO mistaking that she was ready to leave us. She so loved her romp on the beach before she left us.  She was 13 and I flat out was NOT going to put her through what our beloved Duker had gone through.
 
You're a professional so the feeling of helplessness has to be even worse for you than it is for us 'regular' owners.  I agree with Callie, going to the cancer diet really makes US feel like we are doing SOMETHING other than just letting the cancer eat our babies alive.  And DOING SOMETHING lets us at least feel like we've got a little control of a horrible situation.
 
You and Andy will be in our thoughts and our prayers.  You'll know when its time, but hopefully, that'll be a LONG time from now.
 
Hugs!