Cancer Diagnosis for Buck, one of the Dynamic Duo

[William Woods]

Earlier today I finished reading both stories in the Parker Pages from Misters Gordan and Cleveland. Having followed the posts on Mr. Cleveland's journey with the plaything Parker, I enjoyed the story. Mr. Gordon's story hit home with me on many points and brought back many memories. This afternoon I read Mr. Cleveland's post on his dog. All this reminds me of how fleeting the good times are, and how precious the memories of our hunts, with both friends and animals.

Mr. Cleveland, I have had a number of dogs over the years, and competed with some of them for several years. Many years ago, I competed against a dog with three legs in NSTRA. While this dog was not nearly as fast as it once was, I could see that the dog was clearly enjoying what it was bred to do. The choice you have to make is yours alone, and I do not envy either decision. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

Thank you to both men for sharing the stories.

[Mike of the Mountain]

John, we have had to deal with various tumors on GSDs and American Bulldogs. Since the only options were low odds that they would last through surgery with no guarantees that they'd live more than a few months, we opted to have them put down. Having a dog active on 3 legs is a better option than having a dog knocked down due to radiation or chemo knowing full well the dog does not feel good nor understands why. If amputation is the only option and they could guarantee they removed all the cancer, then I'd opt for amputation. It's a very personal decision. Prayers for wisdom.