Canine Bladder Cancer (tcc)

Hello,
I fully understand all the feelings your're going through right now. Wondering if you should stop the meds, alter the meds, watching stools and urine like a crazy person hoping for the best and dreading the worst. It's a mentally draining time and you can drive yourself nuts. Our vet was really adamant about keeping Shelby on the piroxicam once she started. She did have "bad" stools once in the beginning; that's when I did online research and found Cytotec.
Shelby is on a cocktail of various meds all serving different purposes. I worry about her liver, kidneys, etc as well. But I had to tell myself that, as much as I hate it, she has a highly aggressive cancer and we're managing it with meds alone, so some things may be compromised so that she has as many happy days as we can give her. Shelby was getting "blocked up" once a month, needing a cathader to relieve her bladder. Each time we tweaked her antibiotics, as secondary infections are very very common with this cancer. The bacteria thrive in the nooks and crannies the tumor creates, per the Clinics Vet. These don't always show up on "cultures" from what we've been told. Many websites created by onwers who have gone through this make mention that their dogs were always on an antibiotic. When shelby stopped the antibiotics she got worse, on them she's been good.
We've worked with both our family vet and an emergency clinic in our area since May.
Shelby is 50 pounds. Her weight had been consistent during this time, she eats a homemade low carb diet. And eats very well. She hates to eat in the a.m. and always has. We lure her in with egg beaters and cheese for a fast morning meal so that she can take her meds.
Here is her med breakdown.
Piroxicam: 10 mg. Once daily. This is a high dose and should be 7mg. At one point we thought she was at the end and we upped the dose with the Clinic in a last ditch effort. It worked and she's been fine with the higher dose.
Misoprostol (cytotec): 100 mcg. Originally at half a pill 3 times a day. When Piroxicam was upped so was this to one full pill 3 times a day. If her stools get runny we do a full, then half, then full for a few days.
Sucralfate: 1gm tablets. one tab every six hours (4 a day)
Pepcid: 10 mg pill. twice daily
Clavamox: 250 mg tablets. 3 times daily. I think this is a high dose as well, but 2 weeks ago she stopped doing well on Baytril and this was another "let's give it a shot" moments.
Bethanechal: 10mg. I think I spelled that right. This was part of the "let's give it a shot" moment 2 weeks ago. With getting blocked up our family vet thought that Shelby's tumor may be pressing on the nerves at the bladder. I'm not sure exactly, but he said that this med works for cats and it was all he could think of. Shelby now takes 1 tablet 2 times a day.
We're never sure what is getting her to pee like a champ, but she is peeing well.... so the meds all stay! I must say that Shelby has ALWAYS had an iron stomach. When I still lived at home my mom called her my shark. You know how when they open up a shark they find all that crazy garbage they eat.... Shelby always managed to get into and eat anything without too many issues. I'm grateful for her tough constitution, as I think it's given us so much more time with her. do well with your
I hope you find this useful and that your little girl repsonds well to her treatment.
Chrissi & Shelby

Thanks for all the information. It really helps.
Iris started the Cytotec today and will start back in with the Piroxicam in a couple of days. The vet is having me give her 1/4 to 1/2 pill of the cytotec 3 times a day. From what your doing, since Iris is only 21 pounds, the 1/4 sounds about right. She also started on Baytril this morning for a bladder infection. It sounds like we should expect more of this.
I am very anxious to get Iris back on the piroxicam. She is getting blood back in her urine again. I feel like a nut case following her around but you do what you have to.
Do you think the pepcid you have Shelby on is necessary along with the cytotec? My vet didn't seem to think I needed to give both but like I said, she is new to this cancer.
I really want to make sure she stays on the Piroxicam this time so maybe that would help.
Iris has an iron stomach as well so I was really surprised when she started having problems with the piroxicam. I'm hoping the baytril will make her a bit more comfortable.
Thanks again for all the help and keep us updated on how things are going.
Joyce and Iris

You and others have been so helpful to me. Bailey was diagnosed with TCC on August 10th, and unfortunately, it is advanced. She weighs 16 lbs., and, I think, has maintained her weight since the diagnosis. I have her on Piroxicam every other day, Pepcid every day, her antibiotic in the evening of the day she gets Piroxicam, and twice on the opposite days. I also have Bailey on herbal support from Robert McDowell in Australia (TCC Support and Maritime Pine Bark). She gets Cod liver oil mixed with her food some, too. I have read about the need for catheterization, but don't know how I will know when she is "backed up". (I have multiple dogs, and work outside the home.) I have been watching her urinate as much as possible, which she seems to be doing o.k. for the most part. She has been breathing hard today, though, and I wonder if that means she needs to be checked. If anyone has experience with this, I would appreciate the help.
Also, I am wondering if she is feeling crummy because I only have her on Pepcid. I have tried twice to give her Carafate, but she doesn't take too kindly to the syringe in her mouth. I was told to give it in a slurry, then wait for 2 hours before giving her any other food or pills. Has anyone had better experiences with Cytotec? (I know it has more side effects.)
Otherwise, it seems as though I have had a similar reaction to everyone else...I have cried for two weeks straight!
Bailey and the rest of my brood are 15, 16 and 14. I never dreamed they would live this long, but that doesn't make what I am now going through any easier.
Thanks for all the help!
Paige and Bailey

Hi Joyce,
Honestly, I'm not sure if the pepcid is necessary with the cytotec. It may fall into that "whatever helps" mentality. Both my vet and the vets at the emergency clinic said to keep her on it with the cytotec. Shelby's stools are great, she eats like a champ and she's been with us longer than all the doctors expected. So something in the med cocktail and her care is working! :-)
It's tough to make all of these decissions, I know that too well. We can only do the best we can with the information we have. That's why I was glad to find this and other websites. Keep us posted

This is a nightmare....I always run around checking Gandalf's urine and feeling great when its clear..This morning it was bloody..My heart fell..I don't want to over medicated him. He has been doing so great.. This is hard to know what to do.....
I too have been crying all day....Our poor babies...
Gandalfs Mom Pam

I know how you feel. It makes me sick when I see the blood. Is Gandalf still on the piroxicam? When I had to take Iris off for a few days the blood came right back. She started back up with the piroxicam last night so I am hoping it will clear again. It is so hard to see this happen to our babies. Just know we are all thinking of your guy and wishing the best for all of you. These are very tough times.
Joyce and Iris

Joyce, I think I had a small breakdown yesterday..He's still on piroxicam and I put him back on his clavamox last night...He feels great. Though it's 95 degrees here... I'm the one who is having a bad time...I really am a mess...I love going to this site...thanks for all your support
Gandalf's Mom Pam

How often do all of you test your dogs for bladder infections? Do you keep them on antibiotics all the time? Do you always do a culture on it? How is it collected?
Iris had her urine checked last week but it took 4 days to get back since it was being cultured. I collected it and brought it in. During this time she had no antibiotics and she had a big infection. The vet wanted to make sure she used the right drug so we had to wait until the results were in. The doctor wants to check her again in 2 weeks but this time wants to use an ultrasound guided needle aspirate to get a cleaner sample. Does anyone else have this done to their dogs? I really don't want to put Iris through anymore than necessary. I also worry about those 4 days waiting without antibiotics.
Joyce and Iris

Hi - I just want to thank all of you for posting your information on this website. Earlier this week my dog (actually he is more like my child) was diagnosed with Tcc and I have been unable to function since receiving the news. After reading everyone's stories and advice I feel a new sense of hope that we can prolong Haberdash's time while maintaining his quality of life. Thank you Thank you Thank you.
And if I find any beneficial info. that is worth sharing, I will def. post it for all to see.

Joyce,
Gandalf gets bladder infections about every 5 weeks...We keep his calvimox handy and at the first sign of an infection we give it to him.. It's a 14 day dosage... His first infection started Dec.17th... This last dosage will be his 5th round...I was afraid of too much medication but he seems happy so what the hell....We did the sonagram and he was down for about four days...I don't really know if it was worth it..Sometimes I think we know way too much info on our babies..Gandalf has no idea, so when I'm upset,he doesn't understand...Other people whose doggies don't have TCC tell me I should be happy because "You know he is 13 years old"....Yeah I'm elated... I don't care if he's 45 years old this whole thing sinks!!!!!!!!!
Gandalfs Mom Pam