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My dog who is 12 years old had a tumor on her spleen years ago. They removed the tumor and the spleen (in the nick of time. she started bleeding in her stomach). It turned out to be benign.
A few years later she ended up getting bloat. She's only 30 lbs and I couldn't figure out why she would get bloat because it usually happens in bigger dogs. Our vet said it was probably because having her spleen removed gave the stomach more room to move around. Once again they saved her.
A couple years after that she was diagnosed with a heart murmur. She sees her heart doctor twice a year and is on medication for it.
My baby has been through a lot.
Ever since she had that tumor on her spleen, for a couple years I would take her in every few months for complete bloodwork and xrays.
Then our vet said bringing her in twice a year for bloodwork and xrays would be ok.
In November 2013, I took her in, her bloodwork and xrays came back great.
On Monday, January 6, 2014, she didn't want to eat and just wasn't herself. I called the vet and took her in.
Her ALT was 984 (should be 0-120)
Her ALP was 157 (should be 0-140) Our vet said this was really not that bad, just slightly elevated).
Everything else was complately normal.
They did an ultrasound. All her organs looked good but her liver looked abnormal.
We took her in on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 for a biopsy.
This is what the biopsy stated. (I won't give you the description because there's too much writting. If you need it, I will type it).
CYTOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION
Hepatic neoplastic infiltration by a sarcoma of high-grade malignancy. The cell morphology supports a hemanglosarcoma.
COMMENTS
This could represent metastasis or a primary hepatic origin and supports a poor prognosis. If there are discrepancies between this report and your clinical impressions, please do not hesitate to call me.
Our vet said this was a bad cancer. We are taking her to see an oncologist on Monday, January 13, 2014.
She's not having any symptons that I noticed. She's always been between 28-30 lbs (mostly maintaining 30 lbs). This last week, she's been 28.6 lbs. It's staying that way.
She's eating, drinking (more than normal but my husband keeps this house 80 degrees. I think she's drinking more because it's too hot and she's going potty more because she's drinking more). She wants to play but I don't throw her her toy. She just chews on it. She's not vomiting, she doesn't have diarrhea. She's really acting normal. Alittle slower but that could be because of her age.
I'm freaking out. She's my baby and I want her around for another year or so.
Can you tell me anything about this cancer?
Is there any hope?
Could it be that since in November it was good and 2 months later it was high, is caught early?
According to the ultrasound, this is the only tumor that was found. Could they remove this tumor and do chemo and extend her life for another year?
Do you think she is suitable for surgery? Could she survive the surgery with her heart murmur? A cardiogist will be they as well to monitor her heart if she can have surgery. The doctor who performed the biopsy recommends that depending on the results of the pending fine-needle aspirates, if further evaluation is desired, consultation with a sugeon regarding mass removal should be considered.
I was told this tumor can burst and she can bleed out. We're not letting her jump around. What's the chances of this thing burtsing? Can it burst if she's just laying around? Or walking slowly? This tumor is 6 cm.
How fast can this tumor spead? Is it days? Or can it take months? I don't know how fast is fast.
Is it possible it stayed in the liver without spreading?
I'm sorry for all these questions but this is my baby and I would do anything for her.
I have nothing hopeful to offer you and you need to be prepared for the worst. I've had many dogs over my life as I always keep multiples. I've been this down this road before, more than once.
By the time an internal hemangiosarcoma is noted, it's frequently spread to other organs. Not always, but more often than not. The spread may be so slight it's not immediately noted but the damage is being done. Sometimes the metastasis cannot be seen until the dog is opened up.
Yes, it can burst and the dog can quickly bleed out. Keeping your pet super quiet won't change that. A hemangiosarcoma is a tumor that arises from blood vessels, so is a rapidly growing, blood filled mass. Coupled with the fact that the liver is heavily vascular, it's a double whammy.
You need to discuss some things with your vet and with anyone suggesting surgery.
First, you say your dog has a heart murmur. There are six grades of heart murmurs. Which one is she ?. It may not be wise to operate on a dog with a heart murmur depending on how bad it is.
Second, you have an old dog. Depending on its breed, the dog may be near the end of her life span for that breed. Surgery can be risky on old dogs.
Third, and this is important. You have a dog with a compromised liver. The drugs used to anesthetize the dog are metabolized in the liver. If the liver cannot handle the anesthesia because it not working well, you could have a " surgery was a success but the patient died" situation. or "surgery was a success but the patient stroked out and is now blind and deaf " situation.
I know I'm not telling you anything you want to hear but it's best to be prepared. Surgeons tend to like to operate, even if the rate of true success is slim to none. What you don't want to do is to put your dog through needless pain and misery because you can't let go. If you've ever had abdominal surgery,it's no fun.
I'll also note that one old dog with a hemangiosarcoma and surgery not recommended due to age was given a 2 -4 week survival time. I went to a practitioner of Chinese medicine. He concocted a variety of herbs to use, with a base of Maitake mushrooms and that dog lived for another six months. Coincidence, maybe, but the dog was comfortable and eating until the end.
So, please discuss rationally with your vets all the pros and cons and make the best decision with the comfort of the dog first in mind.
I really don't have anything have anything helpful to say about her cancer. Just that she really has been through a lot in her life, and you have seen her through it. You sound like a wonderful dog mom. You will find the strength to get her through this too, whether that means fighting to get her some time, or letting her go. Listen to the vets, and listen to what she is telling you also. I know the heartbreak of facing the loss of a dog. You have my deepest sympathies.
I really don't have anything have anything helpful to say about her cancer. Just that she really has been through a lot in her life, and you have seen her through it. You sound like a wonderful dog mom. You will find the strength to get her through this too, whether that means fighting to get her some time, or letting her go. Listen to the vets, and listen to what she is telling you also. I know the heartbreak of facing the loss of a dog. You have my deepest sympathies.
Thank you. My dog really have been through so much. The vet's office told me if she had any other owner, she probably won't be here now. Still, this is so hard and the pain is unbearable. She's my baby.
I have nothing hopeful to offer you and you need to be prepared for the worst. I've had many dogs over my life as I always keep multiples. I've been this down this road before, more than once.
By the time an internal hemangiosarcoma is noted, it's frequently spread to other organs. Not always, but more often than not. The spread may be so slight it's not immediately noted but the damage is being done. Sometimes the metastasis cannot be seen until the dog is opened up.
Yes, it can burst and the dog can quickly bleed out. Keeping your pet super quiet won't change that. A hemangiosarcoma is a tumor that arises from blood vessels, so is a rapidly growing, blood filled mass. Coupled with the fact that the liver is heavily vascular, it's a double whammy.
You need to discuss some things with your vet and with anyone suggesting surgery.
First, you say your dog has a heart murmur. There are six grades of heart murmurs. Which one is she ?. It may not be wise to operate on a dog with a heart murmur depending on how bad it is.
Second, you have an old dog. Depending on its breed, the dog may be near the end of her life span for that breed. Surgery can be risky on old dogs.
Third, and this is important. You have a dog with a compromised liver. The drugs used to anesthetize the dog are metabolized in the liver. If the liver cannot handle the anesthesia because it not working well, you could have a " surgery was a success but the patient died" situation. or "surgery was a success but the patient stroked out and is now blind and deaf " situation.
I know I'm not telling you anything you want to hear but it's best to be prepared. Surgeons tend to like to operate, even if the rate of true success is slim to none. What you don't want to do is to put your dog through needless pain and misery because you can't let go. If you've ever had abdominal surgery,it's no fun.
I'll also note that one old dog with a hemangiosarcoma and surgery not recommended due to age was given a 2 -4 week survival time. I went to a practitioner of Chinese medicine. He concocted a variety of herbs to use, with a base of Maitake mushrooms and that dog lived for another six months. Coincidence, maybe, but the dog was comfortable and eating until the end.
So, please discuss rationally with your vets all the pros and cons and make the best decision with the comfort of the dog first in mind.
My dog's heart murmur is a grade loud 3, soft 4. That is according to her heart doctor. I know this type of cancer is one of the worst but I don't want to put her to sleep if she's still eating, drinking, wanting to play and still acting normal but I don't want this tumor to burst either.
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