Monday, June 30, 2008

Happiness is a warm puppy. ~Charles M. Schulz

“Without treatment? 4 to 6 months, on the outside.”

These are the words the veterinarian said to my husband last week.


Recently we found out that our dog, Bo, has a sarcoma growth near his shoulder blade. (Front, right leg) Bo is approximately 10 years old. They immediately put him on pain medication and a pretty strong anti inflammatory, since he had gone lame the day before. They did x-rays, blood tests, urine tests… and now we can’t go any farther unless we want to get a cat scan and surgical biopsy combination. Which would cost us in excess of $1200. BEFORE the cost of treatment once they found out what kind of cancer we are dealing with. On top of the several hundred we spent the other day on the initial testing.

Best-case scenario if we have the additional testing and treatments? 8-10 months of good life for our darling boxer after he spends 4-6 months recovering from an amputation of his front leg from the shoulder down, and follow up chemo treatments.

We aren’t going to treat his cancer. He is an old baby, and we are going to spend the next couple of months loving him, spoiling him, and thanking God for bringing this very special soul in to our family for the 3+ years that we have had him. It wasn’t long enough, but with a pup as special as he is it never would be long enough. We are Bo’s third home – and how anyone ever gave away a dog this sweet is beyond me. The day we met him it was love at first sight... and we promised Boxer Rescue that we would be his Forever Home. We have been through his adjustment to being part of our family, major surgery for mast cell tumors, and now this. I hate that treatment isn’t really an option – but Husband and I talked about it and even if we had unlimited funds at our disposal we cannot see putting him through the surgery and treatments especially since they estimate that the cancer would return within 18 months anyway.

We will give him the pain medication that the doctors have prescribed, watch him closely and when it is time we will lovingly let him go. We will treasure him in our hearts forever, he has given us love that we would have been incomplete without.

8 comments:

Deborah said...

Oh, Dodi. I read your post with tears in my eyes. I'll tell you up front that I think you're doing the right thing for Bo and God forbid if we faced the same situation with our babies we would probably reach the same decision. Why put the little guy through all that when the cancer will probably return anyway? Quality of life. You've given him that. And all your love too. And he knows. God bless.

Vanessa said...

I am so sorry. This makes me cry. Loosing an animal is so tough. I think one of the gross oversights of God/Universe is making our pets lives not equivalent to ours.

Martha said...

Oh Dodi, I"m so sorry...ya'll just aren't catching any sort of breaks this year when it comes to the whole grief process.

Hang in there...and you are indeed doing the right thing for this sweet pup of yours!

ganelle said...

OHHH. So sorry! How are the girls holding up?

And, I agree. You made the right call.

tz said...

what a summer!
I am so coming over and organizing your pantry...

Rumour Miller said...

Oh I am so sad for you! We lost our lovable lab, Molson, in February after 8 years. I will be thinking of you.

Sitting In Silence said...

Oh Dodi...I am so sorry to hear of this news but so proud of you for making such a brave decision....

What a beautiful dog and what a beautiful photo.....

Thinking of you all oxoxxoxo

Aimee said...

Dodie, I am sorry for every thing your family has been through. I can so sympathize with you. Austin was with us for 13 years. He was part of our family and it's hard to see a family member go through so much. My thoughts are with you!