Canine Bladder Cancer (tcc)

Hi Marty. CSU is Colorado State University.  They have a veterinary teaching school there and also the Animal Cancer Center.  The website for the CSU Animal Cancer Center is http://www.csuanimalcancercenter.org/

Thanks for the good wishes, Joy & JJ.

Hi Allana, Darren & Brannigan.

JJ also went thru a stage where the urine came out much more at night when he was sleeping.  He sleeps next to our bed, so I put down a plastic sheet with some towels on it where he sleeps.  The night-time peeing seems to happen more often when he has a bladder infection.  He's gone almost two months without an infection & most nights now there is nothing or maybe just a tiny bit of urine on the towel.  Since he's been on the piroxicam & cleared of infection, he's able to go for several hours without having to go outside.  When he had bladder infection, it was every 5 minutes needing to go out, & more pee came out at nite when he was sleeping. I don't know why.  Also the chemo has helped him be able to urinate better when he goes out, so it has also helped with the incontinence.   However, even a little pee on the floor distresses him greatly as he has always been able to stay in all day ok, so now I just keep a size 1 baby diaper on him held on with a cut-up strip of old t-shirt so if I'm gone all day he's fine.  For some reason if he pees a little in the diaper he's not bothered by that, but if he gets any pee at all on the floor he's just really upset no matter how much I tell him it's ok.  Since his tummy was shaved for the ultrasounds it's become much easier to keep him clean.  Not sure how much you could shave a girl dog to help with that issue.  Maybe you could try having Brannigan wear the strap-on pants that girl dogs wear when they're in season, but use a little diaper in it, & use wet wipes between showers.  Sounds like she probably has an infection & you need to have a urine culture done to see which antibiotic will work best so you can get it completely cleared up.  JJ kept getting infections until we tried Baytril, & for that particular bacteria that was the drug that worked best.  

Good Luck! Joy & JJ.

Hi Joy and JJ,....and Hi to Marty and Annie too!!

Thanks for your reply. Just started the Baytril today.

So now she gets 5 mg Piroxicam a day, one Amoxil twice daily, and graviola 25 drops, plus Baytril. I hope it makes an improvement in the incontinence. For now we have soft plastic sheets and lots of towels! Brannigan now sleeps on the floor by our bed as well. For her entire life she has slept at the foot of our bed, but since she has gotten sick she wants on the floor. Still not acting ill in the least!! She is still able to get the urine out, mostly when she is lying down and NOT straining. With straining - it is just a trickle, but at least it IS coming out. It is difficult as we are gone from the house for 9-10 hours during the day while at work.

I've heard it said that when dogs get ill, they start to distance themselves from their family/pack. But she is more affectionate than ever, follows us all over the house like she needs to know where we are. It really breaks my heart. We still haven't yet had a heart to heart regarding even discussing chemo. I think we both know at 14 years, it probably isn't realistic. The nearest teaching/ Veterinary Medicine school is 6 hours away.

Let us know how JJ gets along. What type of breed is JJ??

Allana, Darren and Brannigan 

Hi Allana, Darren & Brannigan.  JJ is a scottie.  He had his 2nd chemo a couple days ago, & he's doing fine.  The oncologist said in 3 weeks when he comes for the next treatment, they'll do an ultrasound to see if the mass has actually decreased in size.  He said the mitoxantrone is not as harsh as some of the older chemo drugs, & you can keep going for at least 5 treatments & maybe more as long as it keeps working.  I think we would probably take a break after the 5th one.  They have been using the mitoxantrone on another tcc dog for over 2 years.  They did tell me that sometimes it just works for awhile & then the tumor gets resistent to it. About a week ago JJ started the night-time peeing again like your Brannigan is doing.  Once he woke me up at 3 am to go out, & he hadn't peed in his diaper yet, so I think the night-time thing is just because they can't make it thru the night.  When the I told the oncologist he hasn't been on an antibiotic since early Feb, he went ahead & started him on one called Clavamox, so we'll see if that helps with the night-time thing.  As long as the pee gets out so he can be comfortable, I'm not too fussy about when or how it gets out.

Joy & JJ

Hi Joy- Just wondering how JJ is getting along? Did he have another Chemo treatment? Brannigan just finished the Baytril antibiotic today and she has improved for the past 5 days...... no peeing at night !! Maybe she did have an  infection.

Post an update so we know how you are doing.

Marty and Annie.....how are you getting along??

Take Care-    Allana, Darren & Brannigan 

Hi Allana, Darren, & Brannigan.

JJ did have another chemo treatment & it went fine.  We didn't see the dramatic improvement like the 1st one; instead he just stayed about the same & this chemo treatment is just maintaining the ground we gained with the first one.  He goes back next week for an ultrasound to see if the chemo is making any difference in the actual tumor size.  As long as it seems to be helping him, we'll probably just keep doing the same thing. 

Glad to hear the Baytril helped Brannigan.  JJ is back to the night-time peeing & he gets me up at 3:30 am every nite.  I'm just glad he's able to empty his bladder.  The oncologist put him on Clavamox in case it's due to infection, & I can't tell that it's done a bit of good.  It really seems like the Baytril is the only antibiotic that works for him.

 JJ & the 2 girl scotties just went outside, & I can see him playing with one of the girls.  So we're having a good day today. 

Joy & JJ

Hi there--thanks for asking about us!

I've been super busy and have not visited the board for a while, nor have I had a chance to check out CSU's website.

Annie turns 13 this month so we have a lot to be grateful for! She's not been having a very good time lately and I'm hoping it's just a UTI. She's been feeling the urge to pee much more than is normal for her. The other thing, that bothers me more, is that she is always breathing heavily--almost a constant panting.  No one else has ever described this symptom.  She has  had it before and it went away before so I'm hoping that's what will happen again.

Hope all your babies stay well and respond to their treatments!
Marty

Joy & Allana--

I thought of this last night when Annie was putting herself out again, but have either of you considered a doggie door or isn't it an option for you?

I always say the doggie door and our tile floors have made such a difference in the quality of life (mostly mine) since Annie's cancer.  

She goes out at night whenever she feels the need.  In the beginning that door was banging shut it seemed like every ten minutes, but now (at least until these past couple of weeks) she probably only goes out once a night.  I usually wake up anyway, but just enough to pay attention to the sound of her coming back in and going to her bed. Even if you had to put up a little temporary fence outside the door, it would be a great thing to have.

Good luck!

Marty 

How do you know when it's time??? 

My Lucy was diagnosed six months ago. 

She has recently taken a turn for the worse.  Her appetite is failing, her breathing is labored, she has had accidents while lying down and although she is on pain medicine she flinches when I touch her.

She is the love of my life and the last thing I want is for her to suffer.  However I do not want to play God and end her life if not necessary... can anyone please give me some good advice on this ??? !!!

Hi all:

I hope all of our precious fur-babies are doing OK with this terrible cancer. 

Brannigan seems to be feeling fine. She is peeing each and every night when she falls asleep, and when she lays down the urine seems to come out. Still fairly active for a 14 yr old dog. Does not seem to be in pain.

It trickles out when she strains to pee during the day, but I think her bladder stays mostly full and only empties when she lays down. I think the tumor moves away from the opening when she lays down, enough to let the pee out. I guess, as long as it gets out thats the main thing.

She seemed the best when getting BAYTRIL added to her regime of piroxicam, graviola and Amoxil. Has anyone just kept their dog on Baytril??

Marty- thanks for the suggestion of the doggie door. It is impossible given the structure of our house. There is really no where to install it. I do let her out if I wake at night, she never looks to go out at night but I take her out regardless. I hope Annie has perked up to her normal self.

Joy- how is JJ doing?? 

Nancy- I hope Lucy improves soon!! My vet has told me that 'you will just know when it is time" My thoughts are with you. It is so very hard. Maybe she has a urinary infection. Sometimes a trial of antibiotics helps for another while. It is such a roller -coaster! 

Wishing you all a nice weekend and many blessings!

Allana , Darren and Brannigan