I am currently recovering with great difficulty from the loss of my 6yr old GSD dog, Sabre, who was pts to prevent further suffering from lymphoma on Dec 6th 2002. At the end of Oct, he had seemed off colour, a bit out of sorts and lethargic but nothing else. He then started to pant excessively particularly during the night and frequently not long after his meal. The finding of swollen neck glands on November 14th, led to his first visit to the vet, a blood test, examination and grave suspicions, which following x-rays and a biopsy on his lymph glands were devastatingly confirmed. The lymphoma was widespread, very vigorous, advanced and an abdominal mass was apparent. Although insured, chemotherapy was not considered a viable option and he sadly went downhill very fast, stopped eating and couldn't sleep probably from pain or discomfort.

He never gave up on his love of life and even an hour before the end, still found the energy to fulfil his daily pastimes of retrieving sticks and balls plus a quick half-hearted game of football, which he adored. He went to sleep peacefully in my arms in the country home he protected and loved so much.

The speed and lack of strong symptoms for this disease is frightening. I understand that caught early chemo. can be very successful, although not offering a complete cure may provide good remission for a limited period. What concerns me is an apparent increase in the incidence of this disease in pedigree dogs in mid life. I have sought the opinion of several vets on this matter and am assured that there is no evidence of a genetic link. I am unconvinced and feel that some lines may well be carrying a gene with either a predisposition or an enhanced vulnerability to attack by viral or environmental agents, even food additives. Perhaps, one day the answer will be found, meanwhile, none the wiser, do I look for another GSD and go through all this torture again? My previous GSD had died at 6yrs from a gastric torsion, so I'm becoming just a little paranoid.

I hope this account will serve to alert other members. I would welcome any advice, views or previous experiences of this terrible disease.

Pete

my gordon setter die of this 8 years ago,i went on a semiar by a top vet in this feild, with chemo they will only go on for poss an other 18 months but they cannot tell you if they are feeling sick or what by the drugs,so i went down the route of not having any treatment just letting him have good quailty time with me and the family for 6 months,

Hi Pete

I lost my bitch to this hideous disease in August of last year :(. From diagnosis to death was little over two weeks She gave no indication of illness prior to my finding swollen lymph glands one morning. The swiftness and severity of the disease left me reeling - it literally tore through her and destroyed her :(
Like you I have also had a GSD suffer a gastric torsion although on a happier note he survived :) - only now he has DM so it's only a matter of time before I lose him to another disease beyond my control :rolleyes: :(
~Do I go through all this torture again?~ I don't regret a moment I have spent with my bitch. I took her on as an eight week old puppy knowing full well that *touch wood* I would live a darn site longer than she would and at some stage I would have to say goodbye. She gave me ten happy years of companionship and devotion. I miss her desperately but if I have the choice of going through all that inevitable pain and heartache with another dog or missing out on all the joys of sharing my life with another then the answer is yes! I go through the tortue again! every time!
Sorry about your dogs
Lara x

Hi Pete

Sorry to hear about your loss of Sabre

I also lost a bitch to this disease, again diagnosis to death was two weeks and I declined to put her though chemo as the vets said that, even if it worked, it would only give her a few more months. The trouble with this disease is that by the time it is visible it is too late. I was told that one of the earliest external places for detecting it is in the muscle crevice behind the knee, below the rump (best way I can think of to describe area) and if there is a lump there an no damage to the leg then get vet advice asap. Needless to say I now check all my dogs their and on their other lymph glands very regularly.

Christine

Hi everyone, the stories of losing dogs so young is so upsetting, I have been lucky that all my dogs have got past 10 but it is always a nagging worry, I have lost 2 older dogs to cancers and know how heartbreaking it is even with an older dog. Where are the thyroid glands found and what do they feel like normally? I expect there are lots of warning signs we should all look out for and we are lucky we have a site that brings these things up for us, thank you to everyone who tells their sad stories so that others may fare better.
With sincere best wishes to you all
Hayley

You can't normally feel the lymph glands, but can you remember the last time you had a sore throat and the glands under your chin came up, these are lymph glands and they are spread thoughout the whole body and react to infection, amongst other things.

When raised they will feel anything like a small pea to an orange, the most common places to find them are the neck, armpits and groin

Christine

Many thanks for all your sympathy, at the moment it's very much appreciated. I now feel that perhaps later this year, I will put myself through it all again and take on another of our beloved four-legged friends.

Re: location of lymph glands and to add to Christines notes. In Sabre's case, he was a large GSD male and the glands each side were very hard and swollen a little larger than the size of a strawberry. These glands are frequently swollen in the presence of many infections but the give-away for Sabre was that he had no apparent infection and no raised body temperature. Diagnosis could not be confirmed without the aid of blood tests and biopsy. As Christine confirms, I understand that the swelling of other lymph glands at sites around the body including the legs may be indicative and the spleen is often enlarged. Again in Sabre's case during the last 3 weeks, one side of his body seemed a little swollen and in fact at first I wondered if he was experiencing the dreaded bloat, as at the time I had no knowledge of lymphoma. Unfortunately time is never on your side with this hideous disease and to strike apparently healthy dogs in their prime is cruel to both dog and owner.

Pete

hi there at the moment my 4 year old bullmastiff bitch is going through chemotherapy due to her being diagnosed with lymphoma.We also were amazed at how quickly it came on,1 minute she seemed healthy and the next day she had trouble drinking and eating.When she started chemo the glands instantly went down after a few days and she has been fine up until last week when we noticed they have been coming up alot more due to her having chemo every other week.She has been going through chemo for 8 full weeks and 3 sessions of every other week.We have spoken to the vet and we know we don't have much time left with her so we are going to make what time is left a happy time for her.Mind you she nearly drowned herself today in a lake while we were walking her around the lakes!!(probably after the swans as she eats anything now she is on chemo).She is a lovely natured dog and is the best companion and guard dog you could wish for and is much loved.She definately rules the roost and bosses our male bullmastiff,staffy,american bulldog and jack russell.Lymphoma is a devastatingly fast form of cancer and i hope that more people know about this disease and remember to always keep an eye for any changes in the glands.