Scottie bladder cancer

I hope this goes to the right place. My precious 11 year Scottie was diagnosed with TCC ths week. He had no symptoms but my groomer said he had blood in his urine so I immediately had a urine culture. They said he did not have an infection but had some abnormal cells so he had an ultrsound on Mon. I was with him during the process and he did not have anything unusual until she got to the front of his bladder. She said there is an inflamation of the bladder lining which could be cancer. The recommended that I speak to a surgeon since the problem is in an operable place. I guess I am in denial and somewhat skeptical about the whole thing. My vet also put him on 3.7mg of piroxicam. She never mentioned the stomach thing so I am glad that I found this site. Do any of you experienced dog owners have any suggestions. I do not want to risk surgery if I can avoid things another way. He is 11 and I just don't want to toorture my baby. He seems just fine now. My heart breaks for all of you that have lost a precious pet. I always remind myself when I get a new pup that they don't last forever. I just hate the when they have to go. Never been without a dog for the last 40 years. None of them ever had cancer either. Just old age. Thanks.

Hi Mauvaischien.

That's good news if the tuor/cander is in an operable place for your scotttie.  What's his name? It is risky having surgery, no doubt.  However, I've got a 13 year old scottie Darnley who was operated on for a suspicious tumor back in 2008 near his prostate gland when he was 9/10 years old and then more recently for some benign growths early this year near his mouth!  Both times he was put under anaesthetic and he healed and survived. He's slowed down somewhat since he was neutered at the time of the first op, but he remains a really tough, compact, dog.  They don't call scotties "die-hards" for nothing. What did the vet think of the chances of your scottie surviving the surgery?  Sometimes bladder tumors can be difficult to remove.  Perhaps waiting a bit and see if the tumor stabilizes/stops growing would be better before surgery.

Other sad news, though. I've got a younger 6 1/2 year old female scottie, Megan's Dee, who was just tenatively diagnosed with TCC through an ultrasound and cystocentesis.  Unlike with your dog, though, my dog's tumor is not apparently in an operable place -- it is too close to the "narrow mouth" end of her bladder where the sphincters connect to the kidneys.  Operating might spread the tumor and might imperil kidney function. The vet is giving her about two years of life left, max.

The vet will have complete another urinalysis next week to test for the TCC.  We're about to put her on prioxicam too, though from what I've been reading it is a tough anti-inflammatory drug that's hard on the stomach. Meanwhile, all I can do is read up on this horrible disease and figure out how we can keep her as healthy and comfortable as possible.  I have switched her over to the Royal Canin S/O diet for dogs with urinary problems now.  I'm looking into giving her more fresh homemade foods, some of it raw, if I can, and hope for the best.

She had been having incontinence and some blood in her urine for about 4 months off and on.  The vet initially put her on antibiotics, 2 rounds of them (amoxicillin, and then amoxicillin & cipro), and they offered her some relief, though she continued to suffer incontinence and some discomfort. 

Also, you can read up more here:
http://www.vet.purdue.edu/pcop/files/docs/CanineUrinaryBladd

Let me know how you and your dog are doing!  Cathy