My 13 and half Golden Retriever has just been disagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma (breeds, lost)
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I am kind of lost right now. My 13 and half Golden Retriever was diagnosed a year ago with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. He is for the time being in remission, taking twice a month 10 Leukeran pills (chemo), and once a day 10 mg of Prednisone. He never really had any symptoms, and it was just discovered through a regular check up.
He is a big dog (100 lbs), and has a few lipomas. I noticed a new one two or three month ago on his stomach just inside an inch or two away from his front leg (size of a lemon). When I showed it to my vet, he took some cells through needles to analyze them, and it came back as a spindle cell sarcoma. He sent the results to my dog's internist who just told me that the only thing to do was surgery. She was concerned that it could get real big and it would not be possible to remove it.
With all my dogs, what matters to me is their quality of life. When I told the internist that I was not crazy about surgery because of leukemia, his age, and he has heart arrhythmia, she kind of said that this was far more serious (there was no biopsy, and it has not been graded) than the leukemia.
My issues are I want him to be happy for the last months or years of his life. I know we are lucky already since the average life of a Golden is around 10, and he is 13 and half. Should I put him through surgery with the risk that he dies on the surgery table, or just wait? From what I read these sarcomas do not spread (it was confirmed by the internist), and I was also wondering if surgery is really needed, does anyone know if it's possible do to it under local anesthesia.
I like my internist but I have to consider that she wants to bring business in the facility where she works where they have surgeons of course and it's hard to decide where to go from here.
Right now, my dog is happy, tired because he is old, but happy, he eats well, loves to go for short walk, and his tumor has not really grown at all in the last two months. If anyone had a similar experience or anything to do with that kind of sarcoma, please share your experiences with me.
Thanks a lot,
Dominique
Last edited by DominiqueD; 01-13-2011 at 12:40 PM..
Reason: add a picture
I don't have experience, but I am sorry for what you are going through. Your doggers is happy being with you and knowing that you love him. that's a tremendous gift to him, as I'm sure he's given you many such gifts over the years.
Which part of the country are you located in? There is a tremendous facility, one of the only ones in the nation, that deals in these sorts of specific issues and neurological disorders in dogs and cats. But they are located in Clackamas, Oregon (near Portland). Only suggest it because they would be able to offer you a considered second opinion.
I live in Maryland, near Washington DC.
It's just hard to figure out if surgery is really the best thing I could do for him or if it would be a good thing for the facility where I go.
My internist did not take into consideration anything. As a matter of fact, she had forgotten he had heart arrhythmia!
Thanks for your post.
Dominique
I live in Maryland, near Washington DC.
It's just hard to figure out if surgery is really the best thing I could do for him or if it would be a good thing for the facility where I go.
My internist did not take into consideration anything. As a matter of fact, she had forgotten he had heart arrhythmia!
Thanks for your post.Attachment 74147
Dominique
well there is a red flag right there if the vet forgot he had a heart condition that is not a good sign. I would look into a second opinion.
Even tho I don't have any experience with this I do agree that you might want to get a second opinion. A lot of vets don't like to do surgery on a dog that age due to the high risks that can be involved. I'm not sure I'd want to take that chance given that he has a heart condition.
Whatever you decide I wish you nothing but good luck.
I live in Maryland, near Washington DC.
It's just hard to figure out if surgery is really the best thing I could do for him or if it would be a good thing for the facility where I go.
My internist did not take into consideration anything. As a matter of fact, she had forgotten he had heart arrhythmia!
Thanks for your post.Attachment 74147
Dominique
He is a gorgeous dog. I think Goldens are one of the gentlest breeds.
I never updated this post since I could not remember my password, and I just found it.
Pouch, our golden retriever, was put to sleep in April 16, 2011. It was not the leukemia which got him but I guess a sarcoma.
One morning, he could not hold on his feet anymore, it was like he did not feel them. He had a visit with the internist a week prior, and was ok.
I called her, and she said that most likely a sudden growth of a tumor inside. We put him to sleep that day. He looked so lost, was looking at me for help, since I have always been the "fixer". The only way I could fix him this time was to put him to sleep. :-(
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