My dog has cancer

[DevaMajka]

This is my second dog with cancer. Since I've known dp, 9 years, we've had 3 dogs. Two of them have/had cancer. sigh.

Shiloh had a lumpectomy Friday, and the biopsy results came in today.
She has a mast cell tumor. We don't know for sure how long she had the lump, but it couldn't have been the size it was for very long- we would have noticed it. It was on her belly, and she rarely shows her belly. The size and color it was, though, we could see it when she was laying on her side.

Just from reading about it briefly, it seems like lumps that grow quickly are typically more aggressive, and have a lower recovery rate. She's having surgery Friday to remove the area around where the lump was, to hopefully get it all.

I guess the good news is, that with Brooke's (our other dog) cancer, the vet straightup told us she had 6 weeks to live. At least there's a better chance Shiloh will live longer/more comfortably.

Is it just a wierd coincidence that 2 out of 3 of our dogs had/have cancer? Is that common? Does it mean there's something environmental that's contributing?

Anyway, I'm mostly just sharing to get hugs, I suppose

[MariaMadly]

I'm so sorry!

and

[Purple*Lotus]

I am sorry One of my cats once had liver cancer It is very sad

[somegirl99]

I'm so sorry, I know it's tough. Sending lots of positive wishes for her surgery.

Originally Posted by DevaMajka

Is it just a wierd coincidence that 2 out of 3 of our dogs had/have cancer? Is that common? Does it mean there's something environmental that's contributing?

It's pretty common in older dogs. I think some of it is that we are now able to keep them alive long enough to get cancer (as opposed to dying much younger from other causes).

Cancer is usually caused by a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors, but many of the environmental factors are out of our control. Cancer is a huge family of diseases, unless your other dog had the exact same type of cancer then it is most likely coincidence.

[DevaMajka]

Thanks everyone. 2 I'm feeling better today- just have to get her in for surgery Friday, and hope that they get it all. If not, then hope that we can effectively control her pain. That was the worst part about Brook's cancer- she was obviously in pain at the end.

Originally Posted by somegirl99

Cancer is a huge family of diseases, unless your other dog had the exact same type of cancer then it is most likely coincidence.

That's good to know. Brook had lymphosarcoma, and Shiloh has a mast cell tumor, so yep, different types. Thanks

[eli's mama]

I've had 2 dogs with Mast Cell tumors. My lab had one like 5 or 6 years ago and is still around to tell the tale...you know...if he could talk. anyway, my german shepherd just had a similar tumor removed from her belly last july. she's doing very well and she's 12 so that is something. One thing the vet told me about mast cell tumors is that they grow fast but that they are really easily irritated so the dog will be licking at it and such, also they bleed easily so you see little patches of blood on the floor where they lay down. that's how we found this last one. so even though it's under where you wouldn't see don't beat yourself up for not noticing, chances are it wasn't there that long before you did find it.

[ParisApril]

Sorry to hear about your dog Cancer is very common in old dogs. I would like to share my dogs story.

I love Zoe my black lab. She is my first ever pet.

Zoe was diagnosed with cancer 6 years ago! She had a lump on her front leg and the vet said they could try and remove the tumor but because of the type it was if they didn't get it all, which would be extremely difficult considering where it was, it would spread like wildfire throughout her body. The other option was removing her front leg which for a lab would have just killed her quality of life. In the end it was a quality of live decision. We wanted her to be happy and she was showing no signs of the tumor bothering her at all. She still isn't bothered by it and it is the size of a small kiwi now. She has never chewed it, ever.

Anyway she has been living with cancer for 6 years now. She will be 13 in September which for a lab is pretty old. Her cancer has not affected her quality of life at all. Now at almost 13 she has lumps and bumps all over her, none of them bother her in the least.

[DevaMajka]

Wow! What an amazing story! Thanks for sharing

Well, Shiloh goes in today for her 2nd surgery to remove the area that was a round the tumor. Hopefully it goes well!