Hi Jennifer, Thank you for a very valid and sharing post on this topic!
>I will never know if I made the right decision with Dash. No one knows if the cancer wouldn't have come back anyway, so it will never be "proved". I am not judging people who choose to treat their pets with chemo, but I also think those who choose not to do chemo are making just as loving a choice. A dog's life is far too short as it is; spending 6 months of one's life feeling 'under the weather' is a substantial amount of time in a dog's life. Whatever choices a dog's guardian makes, the choice is made with love, which is what matters the most. You are so right! I know it was the final chemo treatment with Doxirubicin that killed my Sam, he had a heart attack a few hours even after carefully monitored treatment with this chemo protocol! But I also know that without aggressive treatment and COP treatment chemo he would have choked to death some six months before, the cancer was in his throat and growing so fast! Sam had an extra six months of quality time and I mean this, you would not have known he was so sick! The morning of his treatment with this chemo (and was last resort, COP system was now barely keeping this cancer at bay, we were back to a few more days before tumour growing and choking to death) we drove many hundreds of miles to the Oncology Unit! Sam had wonderful run across the beach and swim in the sea, he looked glorious! Only I knew from popping supplements down his throat just how fast this cancer was growing again! We took the chance and I held him as he died from heart attack! My Boy Sam had very highly malignant T-cell 3 Lymphosarcoma! Over a short weekend from seeming healthy dog, suddenly, he was dying! Prognosis from biopsy was a few days without treatment a few short weeks with! With a lot of help from my friends and a very caring vet we went far beyond this! Ros, my Vet, main concern here was quality of life! He had that quality of life until the end! Still have the nightmare image of Mr Baker coming out to get me and my Boy dying in my arms, and the "if only's" but I know it was last ditch chance and without it I would have had to make that final decision in a few short days before my Boy died a very horrible death! He went out fighting and his death was fast and peaceful at the end of a very brave fight! And with six months extra of good quality LIFE! We did everything, cancer diet, supplements, and all working together to give my Boy more time! So many precious memories now! Cancer you have to fight on so many levels! With Sam was very sudden and he should have died so fast and so soon, we chose to fight aggressively, was a very aggressive cancer! My Boy did so well! I have only personal experience of this type of cancer, but I Moderate a group for owners of pets with cancer! With Lymphosarcoma this is one of the most treatable forms of cancer and chemo has produced very good results! Milder forms of this disease and Babes still doing so well! But so many other cancers out there! And Fighting! I have been in contact with owners and facing extreme surgery! And some owners who rely completely on holistic care! Yes, I echo your thought, Jennifer. <Whatever choices a dog's guardian makes, the choice is made with love, which <is what matters the most. All Love, Jean, Sunny, Sim, Barney and the Longlease Gang and Rainbow Sam XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX http://bernese.biz
