Any info on TCC, treatment, chemo and financial aid..

My 5 year old Bulldog was diagnosed with TCC about a month ago. Luckily, she had the surgery and had all the tumor removed. It has been already two weeks since the surgery and she is recovering well and doing well on the medications. Butterball is a strong girl and very determined indeed! All this is so scary and overwhelming emotionally, physically and financially... The oncologist says, we should move on to chemotherapy as soon as she is done with the recovery which will be in another week. My vet says chemotherapy and peroxicam will give an average of a year and a half or perhaps more since all the tumor was removed. and with chemo, we wont have to worry about cancer cells sptreading to other organs..I did alot of reading and research but it's be so helpful if anyone can share their experiences and unbiased opinions about chemotherapy and if it is indeed beneficial and my Bball wont be in misery due to all the toxicity..( I'm sure the oncologist is telling me whats best for my pup but I wonder if is the best thing to do) Secondly, any suggestions on holistic or alternative medicine or nutritions I should have her on? Has anyone else with TCC survive longer than 2 years with the treatments?

Another concern is the cost issue. I was not able to get any insurance for her for the last few years and all the tests and procedures I'm paying now is a huge financial burden.. and I don't know how much more I can pay.. I didn't expect something like this to happen. Any suggestions if anyone is or was in a similar situation? She is the only family I have and Bball is all I have.. I'm trying everything to keep her with me for longer.. I guess cost is secondary when is about saving your baby, your best friend and soulmate..

This is so new and scary for both of us.. but I'm praying every night and encourage her to fight this.. Any suggestions will be appreciated..

Unfortunately I can't offer any advice regarding treatment or coverage, but just want to tell you that prayer helps-God loves our pets as much as He loves us, and I am sure Butterball knows you are there for her and your heart will tell you when it is time to let her go in peace.  Just remember-animals don't fear death, they only fear pain and suffering.

Best of luck to both of you.

Molly & Scootie's mom

Hi there!

I'm sorry to hear about your pup and I know how scary this all is.  I don't come on this board all that often any more and it seems that treatment options have changed considerably since my pup was diagnosed, but here's my advice.

My dog Annie is going to be 14 in April and she was diagnosed four years ago.  She has TCC that started in the trigone area of the bladder.  I take her to an oncologist in Tampa,Fl. We started her on piroxicam back when she was first diagnosed and had her liver functions checked twice during that first year. After a  couple of months she was given a second ultrasound and the tumor was still there (and I'm sorry I can't remember but I BELIEVE it had not shrunk at all but had not grown consdierably). My vet at the time said there were no other treaments available for her. The TCC did NOT respond to chemo or radiation and was inoperable in its location.

SO all we have done for these four years is taken piroxicam. Periodically I would read on the board of dogs having surgery, radiation, chemo etc and I would sit my oncologist down and ask him if he was sure he knew what he was doing and was he up on the latest procedures. He assured me he was, that he had sent several dogs to the University of Florida for their surgeries but it wasn't for us. During these years Annie has had better times and worse times and every time it seemed worse, we'd go back to persecute the vet. Once she developed a strange limp (it lasted a day but she couldn't walk and that is SO unlike her) I was convinced the tumor had spread to her bones. We rushed in as an emergency and our vet wasn't in. By the time we arrived the limp was gone, but the emergency room vet gave her an xray anyway and everything was fine (I had also decided the cancer had spread to her lungs--it hadn't.

I know many people on this board have opted for surgery, radiation and chemo and I can't figure out why my vet does not see a benefit to these options (on the other hand we are four year survivors, Annie is going deaf and growing old and it will be a race now to see if in the end it is the TCC that takes her). I recently switched my primary vet and in telling the new one about Annie's history, she was telling me how she had recently operated on a dog for cancer.

I urge you STRONGLY to make sure you are seeing an oncologist if at all possible.  In a month they see and treat more cancers than a regular vet will see (or recognize correctly) in a year!

IF it is an oncologist and they say that these treatments will extend your pup's life, THEN consider it. Chemo in dogs is not as hard at all as it is in people. I have seen many many dogs at the oncologist's having their chemo--(it is HUGELY successful with other forms of cancer in dogs). The dogs are fine and their humans are satisfied with the results.

I wish you the very best of luck and I agree with the other person who suggested prayer. Four years ago it would not have really occured to me, but every night I pray for Annie!

Oh yes, and my usual advice--try not to worry--it doesn't help a bit and takes away from the time you should spend savoring every second that you have with your pup.

Marty

Thank you so much.. You have no idea how much it helps to get advice and it definetely strenghtens our hope hearing Annie is doing well...

Butterball had surgery and all the tumor was removed and the oncologist suggests chemo and peroxicam.. It makes me feel more at ease knowing chemo is safe and about your experience..

Butterball and I plya more and spend alot of quality time.. We aslo have prayer time which she seems to enjoy.. I will keep you and Annie in my prayers as well..

On 1/10/2009 Butterball wrote:

Thank you so much.. You have no idea how much it helps to get advice and it definetely strenghtens our hope hearing Annie is doing well...

Butterball had surgery and all the tumor was removed and the oncologist suggests chemo and peroxicam.. It makes me feel more at ease knowing chemo is safe and about your experience..

Butterball and I plya more and spend alot of quality time.. We aslo have prayer time which she seems to enjoy.. I will keep you and Annie in my prayers as well..

 

 

I wish all of you my Love & good Luck! I found my way here looking at Cancer drugs for my husband, I saw Pet Cancer & decided I needed to go there.

 I work as a Vet Tech, have seen a lot of Cancer in Dogs. God Bless all of you that consider the Surgeries, Drugs & Treatments. If I could give you a giant hug & kiss I would. You are the Rare breed of people. Most people hear cancer, & make THE decision. Those that take a moment hear cost & time. That is when they make a choice to look further.

 EVERY ONE of you on here, has chosen to look further, see if there is something better you can do for your loved one. I think that is called love. Keep doing what is right in your heart. There are no promises, but it doesn't hurt to look.

4 years ago, the love of my life, turned out to have an Adrenal Gland tumor at the age of 10. Honestly, I didn't think he would have a chance. My Vet, who I work for, put it very simply to me. If you don't do it, he will be gone in 6 months. If you do the surgery, he may pass during it but he may make it through. He felt he was strong enough to give it a try. We chose to do the surgery, we knew ahead of time the cost, it was very expensive, we owed him the chance to live.  After 7 hours of surgery & they lost him on the table twice, he got through the surgery. 2 weeks at the hospital, he wouldn't eat or drink fluids, they were at a loss, wanted to put a feeding tube in him, with the help of my boss, I sugested I bring him home & try at home. He ate with-in 6 hours of being home.

He survived it all & had a really good 3 years afterwards. I spent a fortune but he was happy! He thought he was spoiled rotten before!  We lost him very quickly X-mas 08, obviously the cancer came back, sorry for myself BUT I am glad that it was quick & painless for him.

Trust your heart, love your dog, do what you can without letting them suffer. Give them a kiss from me!