[SunAngel]

The vet just called and his cancer is the fast spreading kind and is probably throughout his system, so we have about 6 months with him keeping him comfortable, or amputate and do chemo and have him for 18 months, and that would cost $5,000 which we just don't have and we do not want to put him through all of that.

So we are pretty destroyed at this point. Both of our dogs are like our kids and it is ripping us apart right now.

Just thought I would let you guys know.

[rjaimz]

I am so sorry to hear about that. I don't ever know what I would do without my baby poe. I can only imagine what you are feeling.

[Phoenix_1]

(((((SunAngel)))))

That's terrible news about your cocker spaniel. I know the sadness that comes when a loved pet is sick.

My Bichon Frise had cancer and we didn't even get a chance to take him to the vet. He had a lump and they said it was fat, a lipoma, every year for 8 years they said that. Then a month after his yearly checkup, he quit eating on Sunday night and was dead Tuesday. I had an appointment for Wednesday morning. Cancer of the bowels.

[Confusedinomicon]

I cried a little. I hate to hear news like this.

I adopted a cat over a year ago and he's my baby. This reminds me he won't live forever and I have to treasure him even when he's being a little butt. Plus cockers are one of my all time favorite breed of dog.

((HUGS))

HUGS to you

[Secretum]

I'm so sorry for the bad news. I love my poodle as if she were my adopted daughter as well. I'm upset about having to leave her for college in a week; I'd be devastated if she were dying.

Be sure to take care of yourself during this difficult time. This is a really stressful situation that could potentially be dangerous to you.

I hate cancer...

[Queen of Chaos]

I lost a little chihuahua many years ago to cancer. Penny had a lump on her chest that the veterinarian said he was almost positive wasn't anything but he needed to remove it. A week later he called to say it was malignant. After that surgery, within a month, a dozen lumps appeared and not long afterwards she died.

I don't know exactly why I feel this way but I've always felt sorry for having the surgery - it didn't do anything other than make a bad situation infinitely worse. Penny had a hard time with the surgery, she was traumatized by being away from home in an environment she didn't understand and it didn't accomplish a thing.

I've lost three pugs over the past almost 20 years to everything except cancer. I've always told myself if I had one diagnosed with cancer, I would not go the surgery route nor chemotherapy and risk making the dog's final days even worse.

It's awfully hard to accept a terminal diagnosis. I lost a little pug in March, 2010, to a degenerative spinal disc. The day she was diagnosed the veterinarian suggested putting her to sleep within a week or two, saying she wouldn't live or have any quality of life for longer than 2-3 months max.

We went to another veterinarian for a second opinion. The diagnosis was identical but instead of predicting when Gumdrop would die, he said he'd help us give her a good quality of life for as long as possible. She lived almost a year and other than the fact that she couldn't get around normally and I carried her in my arms a lot, she never seemed to know anything was wrong with her.

We made the most of every day - when she couldn't go for walks, I bought a wagon and padded it so she could be outside, see neighbors, etc.

I miss her terribly but I have no regrets - those last weeks and months were an incredible experience and we grew closer than ever.

That is very unfortunate. Sorry to hear about your loss... I love the animals I've had. I've never had a death of a dog, but I've had many cats fall ill when they were kittens & ultimately died. Though I did have a Jack Russel/Shiba Inu who had a terrible seizure disorder & was taken away by animal control when we moved house. At least his (your dog's) life will have been a VERY happy one, since you care so much about him.