Hard times with a best friend....

Prayers from here....

Bad news. Hoping for the best . . .

Tim, Piper doesn't look particularly old. Age?
I have lived through exactly what you are going through with my first GSP. She had lympangiosarcoma. Very rare in dogs and agressive. She was 2 1/2 when she got it and made it to 5 years and 5 months after surgeries and 5 rounds of chemo. Chemo is tough. After all my research I found that chemo in dogs is given as much lover levels then say humans. Its more to prolong life then rid them of the cancer. The 1950's chemical that mine received was one of the first drugs given to humans. I found that very discouraging that technology could not keep up with our best friend. The best advice I was given I will share to you now from my local vet. Prednisone! A cheap anti-inflammatory that I believe gave my girl a couple more years with me. She took 10mg daily for 2 1/2 years. At $5 a month it kept the cancer from spreading very very slow. My girl was put down after she blew up her shoulder running to me in the woods. The cancer most likely spread to her bones per x rays. I wish you both the best!

Zach,
Piper just turned nine in July, I’ve always fed her a fish based diet, I’ve had her on anti inflammatory supplements for the past two years due to bad environmental allergies that wreaked havoc on her skin causing infections and hair loss overall malaise last summer . My vet had us add extra good fats, and turmeric to her diet and advised Claritin and also prescribed Apoquel for the allergies. Unfortunately the oncologist advised that Apoquel will accelerate tumor growth. I know the extra good fats and turmeric helped with the inflammation and she didn’t have severe allergies this year , maybe that’s why the cancer remained localized and hadn’t spread. Thanks for the information, she starts her treatment tomorrow, we’ll hope for the best.
Take Care
Tim

Best wishes for you and your canine companion.

** Update*
 

I just wanted to update everyone with the information that Piper had her last chemo treatment on November 4, 2020. At the time of her third treatment on October 14th, the vet oncologist took X-rays of her chest and it was all clear with no cancer spread and the bloodwork was all good. We go back in six weeks for another X-ray and bloodwork and if all is clear a follow-up in 4 months, then out to a year if no problems. Throughout the chemo treatments Piper did well with minimal side effects. Thanks to all those concerned. I wanted to post some hunting photos and figured an update would be in order too.
Thanks again
Tim.

Tim, I hope you continue to get good check-ups for Piper. My best to you both.

Thanks Garry,
The vets told us that once she’s past the side effects , which usually hit around day four after the treatment for a few days, she could do her normal activities. I’ve had her out for the duck hunt and a few pheasant hunts that I limit to 2hrs with frequent breaks and the easy areas. She’s done well , finding pheasants every time. It’s clear getting out in the field lifts her spirits.

Great news. Please give Piper a scratch behind the ear for me and enjoy every minute in the field hunting together.

Tim, I'm so glad that you are able to hunt with Piper. We lost two of our Gordons this past year to cancer, so I know some of what you are going through. I'm hoping all the best for you and your hunting buddy.