On 8/9/2008 cajuduffy wrote:
My 10 year old westie was just diagnosed on tuesday with a tumor is his bladder and prostate (aboout 40%) and early stages of kidney disease. He has irritable bowel syndrome and a rare diabetes that is pretty mild he just needs to be able to drink and urinate freely. He deteriorated over the span of 2 months. Thankfully it has not spread and he started chemo (he can only do mitxantrone because of the kidney disease) but was very sick the next day~ he threw up his food twice (even though he took his budesonide which is a steroid for ibd and usually keeps him from having any stomach upset). He is so incredibly sensitive to meds and I gave him tramadone (1/4 tab) 2 times and he didn't drink the entire day so I took him to the vet and he was hospitalized for 2 nights and he refused to eat even on the anti-nausea, pepcid, flagyl and budesonide. He was so depressed he began to shake yesterday am when i went in to check on him. I decided that he needed to go home and pray that it would cheer him up enough to start to fight. My vet told me it probably wasn't even from the chemo (which I guess doesn't start until days 3-5) and more likely from the ibd. Once home, and after cooking up a storm of food he started to sniff at things and actually came into the kitchen. Not long after he ate a little and drank a lot so i got the catheter removed and he slept great through the night. He woke up with me at 6:30 and trotted outside happily (I was beside myself with relief and joy) and then he urinated perfectly and started to strain and had diarrea and the began to walk like his hips were loose and very lopsided) he was clearly in a lot of pain and kept sitting and laying, trying to find corners of the yard to hide in, panting heavily and clearly in pain). For the past week I have noticed that he wants to be in dark rooms, under beds or in tight corners outside. The reason for this lengthy description of what is going on is to hopefully get some insight into this hideous disease and some suggestions, advice and support because i feel so completely helpless to help him. I am very grateful to find this site. All the very best to all of you out there on the same journey. Blessings, Kim and Duffy
Hi Kim
It is so painful to watch our companions suffer. I have an old Cocker that is a Katrina survivor. I came across him while doing volunteer work shortly after the hurricane in Mississippi. He is old and deaf and wasn't highly adoptable. He and I bonded immediately (he looked so much like my Cocker that died 4 years before at 17) so I put my name & number all over his paperwork when I had to pull out for LA after Hurricane Rita. They called me a month later and said he health was not good and would I still take him. They flew him to me. He did good the first 1 1/2 yr but the last 1 1/2 yr he has had so many problems pop up. No cancer but his heart is enlarged to the point it covers his entire chest cavity (on heart meds), he has chronic ear problems (like many Cockers - meds daily), and has arthritis so bad he has spells of having to be carried up and down our steps and into our car (he loves to go in the car) - also on meds for that. As my hubby said a few months ago - it is a good thing I love you with what you are costing me. Last year just as I was getting ready to go into treatment he tore a ligament in his hind leg and required surgery that was almost $900 (which didn't help his arthritis). He was and still is my constant shadow. While in treatment he was like glue and the many hours I spent in the bathroom throwing up, he sat on the floor next to me the entire time. You can't buy that kind of loyalty.
Do a search on this site of TCC (Transitional Cell Carcinoma) and it will take you directly to posting going on about canine bladder cancer. I've read many of them and people have excellent suggestions for food, etc. to help your Duffy. Take care sweetie and I pray you are blessed with many years with Duffy.
Diana
Dusty and I will be praying for you and Duffy