Canine Bladder Cancer (tcc)

Hello Peaches Mom

I'm really so sorry to hear about your girl.  She clearly had so much love and care from you to be with you an extra 2 and a half years from the  TCC diagnosis.   Yes, it does offer encouragement and hope....

I apologise in advance for asking the following questions, as you're still grieving so much.  However, can I please ask if you were aware of the extent of the TCC, through ultrasounds, etc? And what treatment did Peaches have, including any supplements? Did she have any other health conditions? How old was Peaches?

Peaches will certainly be running free in spirit and will be there for you in times of need.  She will also be waiting for you when it's your time to move on....hopefully, not for a long time yet......

Bless you and take care.

Garry and Logan (DX May 2012, with TCC)

On Nov 13, 2012 10:46 AM LogansDad wrote:

Hello Peaches Mom

I'm really so sorry to hear about your girl.  She clearly had so much love and care from you to be with you an extra 2 and a half years from the  TCC diagnosis.   Yes, it does offer encouragement and hope....

I apologise in advance for asking the following questions, as you're still grieving so much.  However, can I please ask if you were aware of the extent of the TCC, through ultrasounds, etc? And what treatment did Peaches have, including any supplements? Did she have any other health conditions? How old was Peaches?

Peaches will certainly be running free in spirit and will be there for you in times of need.  She will also be waiting for you when it's your time to move on....hopefully, not for a long time yet......

Bless you and take care.

Garry and Logan (DX May 2012, with TCC)

Hi Garry,

When Peaches was first diagnosed over 2 years ago, her tumor was less than 1 cm.  She has had multiple ultrasounds throughout this disease and the final was this past July when the tumor was taking up almost all of her bladder.  I did not put her thru chemo becasue she was deathly afraid to go into a vets office.  She did see the best oncologist in this area (PVSEC) in Pittsburgh when needed, but I had a vet come to my house to take urine samples and blood samples.  She was on piroxicam the whole time and Pepcid ac the whole time.  Occasionally she needed Tramadol for pain (alot in her last few months) and was on a multitude of antibiotics depending on what bacteria was growing in her culture.  I found a VERY good supplement called CranFlora which is a probiotic/cranberry capsule that I believe helped a GREAT deal.  I would recommend Cran Flora to EVERYONE on this site.  It helps with urinary problems.  She had no other health conditions and she was between 8 and 9 years old when she passed (she was a rescue, so we don't know her exact age).

Debbie

Hi Peaches' Mom/Debbie.

Sorry to hear of your dog Peaches. She looked like a very happy creature from her picture.  That she managed to live as long as she did with you -- 2 1/2 years instead of 6-12 months, is wonderful.   I'm sure you would not trade a minute for the love and happiness you shared. I hope her quality of life was fine for as long as it could be. 

We'll be keeping you both in our thoughts/prayers. She's home now, with God.

Cathy/Megan's 2nd Mom

Debbie, I've been scouring this site for the last week, since Hamlet's initial ultrasound and a possible TCC diagnosis. My vet suggested that we go to the university of Florida fora second opinion. Today they told me to plan on spending the day there and they mentioned a biopsy. I know you have just recently lost Peaches, so you may not be on this site often, but if you are: should there be any test I should steer clear of? I don't want to put hamlet through any unnecessary or painful testing, I know I'm getting too stressed in advance. . .but he is, like we spall say, the most precious, sweetest little friend. . . Thank you. Carolyn

On Nov 14, 2012 9:27 PM Hamletsmom wrote:

Debbie, I've been scouring this site for the last week, since Hamlet's initial ultrasound and a possible TCC diagnosis. My vet suggested that we go to the university of Florida fora second opinion. Today they told me to plan on spending the day there and they mentioned a biopsy. I know you have just recently lost Peaches, so you may not be on this site often, but if you are: should there be any test I should steer clear of? I don't want to put hamlet through any unnecessary or painful testing, I know I'm getting too stressed in advance. . .but he is, like we spall say, the most precious, sweetest little friend. . . Thank you. Carolyn

From what the oncologist told me, the only way to determine 100% for sure if it is TCC is to get a sample of the mass.  In Peaches case, they inserted a urinary catheter and took out a fluid and cell sample of the mass.  I think that was called a cystoscopy.  Prior to that she had 2 ultra sounds and x rays which showed there was  a mass, but there was nothing definitive saying it was TCC.  I hated to put her thru that, but it was the only way to get the proper diagnosis.  I am so sorry you have to go thru this and I will keep you in my prayers Carolyn.  I will pray for a good diagnosis and NO TCC!!!!

On Nov 15, 2012 8:03 PM MyPeaches wrote:

On Nov 14, 2012 9:27 PM Hamletsmom wrote:

Debbie, I've been scouring this site for the last week, since Hamlet's initial ultrasound and a possible TCC diagnosis. My vet suggested that we go to the university of Florida fora second opinion. Today they told me to plan on spending the day there and they mentioned a biopsy. I know you have just recently lost Peaches, so you may not be on this site often, but if you are: should there be any test I should steer clear of? I don't want to put hamlet through any unnecessary or painful testing, I know I'm getting too stressed in advance. . .but he is, like we spall say, the most precious, sweetest little friend. . . Thank you. Carolyn

From what the oncologist told me, the only way to determine 100% for sure if it is TCC is to get a sample of the mass.  In Peaches case, they inserted a urinary catheter and took out a fluid and cell sample of the mass.  I think that was called a cystoscopy.  Prior to that she had 2 ultra sounds and x rays which showed there was  a mass, but there was nothing definitive saying it was TCC.  I hated to put her thru that, but it was the only way to get the proper diagnosis.  I am so sorry you have to go thru this and I will keep you in my prayers Carolyn.  I will pray for a good diagnosis and NO TCC!!!!

There is one other way to determine TCC...it is by obtaining a urine sample, spinning it and putting any remaining cells under the microscope.  This is how Bailey's TCC was determined.  She orginally was to undergo a cystoscopy but then they were able to find the TCC cells in her urine.  Definitely try that option before going the other route.

Our University of Florida visit has given us good news! The "mass" that had been seen in the trigone area and initially suspected as a malignancy, miraculously dropped in the bladder and they will be surgically removing two large stones next Wednesday!! We will be celebrating Thanksgiving day without Hamlet, but he will be released from their care either Thursday or Friday. They are very optimistic about the outcome but we will know more after his surgical consult on Tuesday. The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is a wonderful, state of the art facility and we feel blessed having access to its talented and caring staff. Thank you to this site!! I gleaned useful dietary information that I will be implementing. Hamlet isn't out of the woods, but I am so thankful for the hope we have that it is stones only!!

It is wonderful to get such great news before Thanksgiving!  We lost our 11-year-old Wheaten, Rio, to TCC on Memorial Day.  I almost dropped off this site yesterday, but now the good news I was hoping for came through!  Kidney stones are a good thing compared to TCC.  Goood for you and Hamlet!

Hello I am new to the forum and came across the forum via google as my 9 year old girl (staffordshire bull terrier) was diagnosed with bladder cancer TCC at the beginning of the year. I'd noticed blood in her urine - we had snow in London and it was very obvious. Treatments for UTI/cystitis were given, (and didn't work), nothing showed up on urinalysis or blood tests, then an ultrasound revealed what the vet thought might be polyps, a biopsy was then performed through the urethra and it came back as TCC. Other than the blood in the urine she showed no symptoms of anything being wrong. I had always been opposed to giving dogs chemo as I'd seen my best human friend go through it all with NH lymphoma, but when it actually happens it's funny how you change your mind! I decided to give one doze of mitoxantrone and see what effect it had on her. When the VN gave her back to me she had more energy and life then when I dropped her off and was barking and wiggling. We did a course of four doses of mito spaced 3-4 weeks apart and she is on daily peroxicam. Back in July the ultrasounds show the tumours had shrunk from 2-3 cm to 1cm so we made good progress and decided to see how it went and rescan in January. She does a lot of little wees, and can take a long, long time to finally poop, but she eats well, goes on long walks, I took her off peroxicam 2 weeks ago and it was a big mistake as she has started peeing overnight, it's like she can't hold it anymore. She us also drinking tonnes of water! I gave her a peroxicam this morning went out to work and came home to no accidents, would it have worked that fast? Sorry I have whittered on, we have a Vet appt Monday so will update after.

My best, positive thoughts are going out to you and your bull terrier. May she continue to thrive and keep the tumor shrinking. My best, Carolyn