my dog and love has bladder cancer

One year ago my Lasa Nene now 14 years was diagnosed with TCC. She was immediately put on piroxicam, clavamox, and 3 radiation treatments. Within 2 days after her first treatment the blood in urine stopped and she became her old self, everyone was shocked! I also started making her own food and still do. She only had 3 chemo treatments, missing the other 3 because in Dec. 2007, 2 family crisis prevented me able to make the appointments. She is still on piroxicam once a day, and when she seems to be having a hard time uriniting, the vet puts her on clavamox. She needs to get another ultra sound this month. Her energy is great, almost as she was at 3 years old, and eats great, her hearing is going, but her urine normal, at least for now. At first the vet gave her 6 to 18 months. We are at 12 months and still no more blood or accidents, she does her normal bad, she just puts her head out the doggy door, but her butt is in the house! She is my shadow, my other little dog favors my boyfriend and could care less about following me. And I think that is cute too. I do not know why Nene is doing this good, maybe we caught this early, changing her diet to homemade health food, I just hope when she has to go to the Rainbow, it will be just old age, not cancer!

How did your dog respond to chemo?  That's an option I may take.  She had the laser surgery on 6/19 and will be going for an ultrasound on the 7/21 and will be having a laser procedure on 8/5 to see if the tumor has grown back.  My fur-baby is now on Peroxicam and I wondered if putting her through chemo would diminish her quality of life....which right now she is so full of.

 

On 7/9/2008 Mariahs Mommie wrote:

How did your dog respond to chemo?  That's an option I may take.  She had the laser surgery on 6/19 and will be going for an ultrasound on the 7/21 and will be having a laser procedure on 8/5 to see if the tumor has grown back.  My fur-baby is now on Peroxicam and I wondered if putting her through chemo would diminish her quality of life....which right now she is so full of.

 

Nene first has an ultra sound, then 3 treatments of radiation, chemo was done once in between. My dad came to live with me at that time, and I lost track of events exactly of Nene's treatment, so I will have to look up all info, and I have no problem with that. The chemo really took her down and I had to put off the timing of it cause Nene was gaging and throwing up her food, but radiation kicked butt the first treatment, the Vet said if this tumor starts overcoming her bladder again, he is willing to do radiation again. The manner in which they treated Nene is in an unorthodox order for humans and they are still striving to find the perfect timing of treatments. And so far it is working. I strongly suggest your vet calling my vet about treatments. As I wrote on this web, everyone waiting at the center having their pets receiving radiation told me that the difference was immediate. And they were correct. I could not believe it. Email me if you did not get all of my information, ok?

 

So sorry to hear of your Lasa Nene. I have a 9 yr old? rat terrier mix(shelter dog I adopted two years ago).I got her as a companion dog for an under active heavy yorkie-poo I already had.  I did the whole works for her, fixed a "cherry eye", spayed. teeth cleaning, and vacinations, etc. The first of March 08 after exploratory surgery (and previously a 5 month treatment for what was believed to be bladder stones), she was diagnoised with bladder and urethra cancer. She was put on piroxicam. I declined radiation. They gave her one to six months. She will soon be in month 6 and doing fairly well. She loves to go for walks, is perky, cuddles, and watch out the windows. A real guard dog. She is a fussy eater now, but I give her whatever she'll eat - which seems mostly to be cooked ground turkey, and a few dog biscuits. I know it is not a balanced diet, but I just want her to maintain her strength and enjoy what life she has left.  This month on a few occasions I have given her a 2nd dose of piroxicam mid-day because she seemed stressed. I figure it can't hurt her, and if it makes her more comfortable - that's all I care about. I dread the day when I will have to make THE decision....and hope she sleeps away. As I have experienced with other dogs I have had....that does not happen. Best wishes. Nel

 

On 7/5/2008 Shillalah wrote:

One year ago my Lasa Nene now 14 years was diagnosed with TCC. She was immediately put on piroxicam, clavamox, and 3 radiation treatments. Within 2 days after her first treatment the blood in urine stopped and she became her old self, everyone was shocked! I also started making her own food and still do. She only had 3 chemo treatments, missing the other 3 because in Dec. 2007, 2 family crisis prevented me able to make the appointments. She is still on piroxicam once a day, and when she seems to be having a hard time uriniting, the vet puts her on clavamox. She needs to get another ultra sound this month. Her energy is great, almost as she was at 3 years old, and eats great, her hearing is going, but her urine normal, at least for now. At first the vet gave her 6 to 18 months. We are at 12 months and still no more blood or accidents, she does her normal bad, she just puts her head out the doggy door, but her butt is in the house! She is my shadow, my other little dog favors my boyfriend and could care less about following me. And I think that is cute too. I do not know why Nene is doing this good, maybe we caught this early, changing her diet to homemade health food, I just hope when she has to go to the Rainbow, it will be just old age, not cancer!

 

I have a 9 year old Cocker Spaniel who 1. Was told he had crystals and blood in the urine he was put on S/D food and antiobiotics. 2. After a month of antibiotics and the S/D food no change was found so he was put on Clavamox for 14 days. 3. Another Urinalysis said that there was still blood in the Urine along with abnormal cells. The vet said by feeling the bladder it seemed very thick (the lining) which means it is very possible he has bladder cancer. She put him on Baytril to try one last round of antibiotics and they he is scheduled for a sonogram next week along with a biopsy should they find anything interesting. The wierd thing is there are no tumors, just thickening of the bladder wall. She said that what happens is the the wall will thicken and shrink so that the urine can not be held anymore and it will pour out blood and urine. This is so confusing to me. He is so happy and playful and eats great and is so young to me. This dog is my baby, my destiny and my life and I don't know what to do. I am in the early stages yet I want to start to do everything possible to help. I am assuming a sonogram will tell me how advanced things are and how long to expect him to make it. Then what do I do? I look into his brown eyes and want to explain it to him. I can't imagine looking into those eyes for the last time. She said she felt no tumors so can anyone explain how there is cancer with no tumors. Any advice would help me so greatly.  I am disabled and limited on money but would pay my last dime to save him or prolong his life. Generally does anyone know how painful this cancer is (my vet says he shouldn't be in pain) but I want to make sure. She said that I would know when it was time to take action when he starts to bleed and urinate without being able to stop it. Or if we want to take action early look for blood dribbles and this means it is getting worse. I am just heartbroken. Does anyone have time to help me understand all of this and what is best to do for him. Has anyone been told a time frame to expect him to live. We are in the middle of moving soon and Idon't know if I should put him through that stress and I am just at a loss. Please help. My email address is --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--if you can share please email me. Angela

Hi Angela--

As I understand TCC is ot a tumor that grows out like a baseball but grows along the transitional cells of the bladder wall (thus the name transitional cell carcinoma).As the tumor gorws along the sides of th bladder, the "walls" thicken with tumor. 

Again, as I understand it,you biggest concern is that as this tumor grows it blocks off the kidneys (it's okay to block off one but we all need one kidney to function) . If this should happen, there is nothing that can be done and kidney failure is inevitable (and I know from experience--very quick)

Now for the better news--my Annie was diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago and was given 6 months to  live.  The only medicine she has taken every day for the past 3 1/2 years is piroxicam.  I hope this has been prescribed for your pet (and a few postings up, someone is offering some for free!!!) I've also learned on this board that AAA, if you are a member gives a discount on prescription drugs, even for your pets. (I get our piroxicam from a normal pharmacy.

I wish you all the best of luck with your baby--please take this advice I am about to offer,it will help you greatly. Don't worry right now and don't cry every day--take this time you have and enjoy every second you can with your pet.  This time is the only time you have (whether it's six months or six years) don't waste it being sad. (You'll have plenty of time for that one day that I hope is a long way off)

Marty