Out of remission

anniehoo

My dog after a year and half in remission for lymphoma is now out of remission. She went through the whole chemo thing back in 2007 and im not sure whether to put her through it again. Has anyone any experience of this and if so did you do more than one round of chemo? Having reservations this time as its so intensive and dont want to put her through it again if its not worth it!

Lauragoesmad

I'm really sorry to hear that. You poor thing!
How old is your dog?
I would ask my vet if I was in your situation, what he/she would do if it were their dog? I'd say most vets would choose the chemo if there was a chance of it working but would leave it if they thought it might not work.

anniehoo

Shes nearly 13 so i dont know if its fair to put her through it again (19 weeks from start to finish)! She did it 2 years ago and had no problems with it but im just in a dilemma,whether its mean of me to subject her to all the needles and drugs again.She has no symptoms apart from raised lymph nodes and shes still full of beans etc, she doesnt act her age if you know what i mean! Arrggh tough one!

Discodog

I must confess a vested interest in that my Saluki has just had a second breast tumour removed in three weeks. I discussed chemo but my vet is not keen as she believes that it is not very effective for breast cancer but naturally I want to be aware of all my options. May I ask the total cost ?.

As for your girl only you can really know the right answer. Our dogs are totally reliant on us to make the right decisions for their welfare. My girl is much younger & like yours, outwardly healthy. I think that, if I were in your shoes I would want answers to the following..

Is a second dose of chemo as affective as the first ?. Do the side effects become cumalative ?. Assuming no chemo how much longer could she have a healthy life ?. What is her likely life expectancy with chemo ?.

It may be that if she had another year of happy life, without chemo, then you would feel that she has had a good innings. Our love for our dogs can make us reluctant to take the hard decision. I wish you all the luck in the world.

anniehoo

Discodog wrote: »

It may be that if she had another year of happy life, without chemo, then you would feel that she has had a good innings.

Lymphoma if left untreated is a very rapid disease...id be talking months here! The first round of chemo gave her a year and a half and with each successive treatment the remission time becomes less and less. The vets are amazed shes lasted as long as she has already!

Its really hard making the decision to be honest. I swore i wouldnt be one of those owners who drag out their pets life for longer than is fair. Theres another vet visit tomorrow for a scan to see if its spread so will wait and see then. I think i already know what the answer will be i suppose just really looking for someone to tell me its ok not to continue with treatment when realistically she wont be here for much longer either way

Discodog

I did a little research since posting & I appreciate your situation a bit better. Vets have a difficult job in that they should always put the interests of the animal ahead of the emotional reaction of it's owner. But it is not easy when we, as owners, want treatments & not to lose our beloved pet. As I look at my girl sleeping off her anaesthetic I hope that it is a decision that is a few years away for me but I will never be able to relax.

13 is a good age. I had three boxers & none managed that long. If you decide that enough is enough you will of made a decision born of love & kindness. No one could ever critisise you for that.

ISDW

I lost my dog Gus to lymphoma in September. It was diagnosed on 31st July, and he died on 1st September. He was only 5, but having spoken to the vet, and lots of other people, I decided against chemotherapy, as the usual remission period is only a few months, so I think that you are very lucky to have had so much extra time with your dog. I can't really advise you on what you should do, I can only tell you my own experience. If I had another dog with lymphoma, I would do the same as I did with Gus, I would shower them with love and treats and make their time with me as comfortable as possible. I think 13 is a good age for a dog, and as they get older, it must be harder for their bodies to undergo any kind of treatment. It is really, really difficult to let one of our beloved pets go, but I think it is one of the things that we can do for them to show them how much we love them, and how much we appreciate all of the love and loyalty they have shown us through the years.

Whatever you decide, I will be thinking of you, people who have never had a pet don't understand the very special place they have in our hearts, but for all the heartache, I wouldn't be without them.

Good luck.