I have posted here before about my Golden Retriever, Abby (12), who had a spleen tumour removed in March/April this year! A very traumatic time for all of us but thanks to the advice on Champdogs we have put it all behind us and had a lovely summer together making the most of the time we have.  Abby is doing really well, apart from a droopy eye, which unfortunately the vet puts down to another tumour pressing on a nerve, we can't do any thing about it so on we go!  Abby is very happy and enjoying life to the full, eating, walking and swimming well, so I haven't though about it at all.

However, I have just found a mammory lump on my younger golden, Penny (aged 7).  she was at the end of her season so the vet asked that I leave it a bit longer to make sure it wasn't something to do with her season.  It wasn't, it has grown larger very quickly and the vet operated on Thursday to take it out, she was spayed at the same time this had already been planned due to fits occuring in her last two seasons. 

I am worried I'm doing something wrong!  In the last 15 months all three of my dogs have had tumours, the first my BC in August last year a tumour in his mouth, nothing I could do about it, it grew so quickly, he was pts to avoid further suffering, then Abby in Feb/March with the spleen and ovary problem, and now Penny!

Penny is recovering well she was always a healthy lively dog so hopefully all will be well with her later on we'll just have to wait for the results.  Anyone with any advice or who has suffered similar problems please let me know!

No advice, but I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you're having such a traumatic time. Good luck with Penny's results, I hope her recovery continues and she's back to full health again soon. :-)

Kath.

Hi Kath
Thanks for your kind words, it means a lot to know there are people out there thinking of you! Just when we were beginning to feel more positive there is a shot out of the blue, oh well c'est la vie as they say here in France!
Jan

I lost two BC's to different cancers last year & it's nothing you or I have done

I've been researching & asking people more knowleable than me about natural cures & homoeopathy remedies & This about Echinacea angustifolia might be of help. It's a Native American herbal medicine & has helped lots of people & dogs(including stopping the effects of fading puppy syndrome)

No advice either, just wanted to say sorry you're having such a bad time & don't blame yourself - sometimes these things happen. Good Luck

My oldest girl had several mammary-tumors removed four years ago. They appeared and grew very quickly, all on one side. Tests made, pointed to them being benign. She healed well, and has never had any trouble afterwards. We celebrated her tenth birthday last week, she ate the biggest part of her birthday-cake herself, and wasn't even sick afterwards...... :-) Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your girls, hoping everything goes well. There is absolutely no reason for you to blame yourself, these things happen.

Don't blame yourself - it's just one of those horrible coincidences, proved by it being several different forms of cancer in different locations. For starters, Abby is a very good age and the older dogs get, the more prone they are to cancers. The fact that she's reached 12 under your care and bounced back after such a serious operation is a sign that you're doing something right!

The only thing you could have done in Penny's case is had her spayed at a younger age and that only MIGHT have cut down her chances of getting mammary tumours, but there's no cast iron guarantee it would have made any difference.

Please don't beat yourself up about anything. You may have other dogs in he future and never encouter any form of cancer again.

Hi all
Many thanks for all your good wishes and thanks for the link Moonmaiden I'm looking into it!  Penny's results are back and I was shocked and disappointed to find out that the tumour was aggressive cancer.  The cancer is in stage 1 though so the outlook isn't all bad.  The vet feels that she has a fairly good prognosis, she did a mamary strip and spayed her at the same time but we must keep an eye on her!  We are staying very positive at the moment, I'm surprising myself, but if the last 15 months has taught me anything it's to enjoy my precious girls each and every day that we have together and not to dwell on what might happen.  We need to be prepared and to be watchful and to do anything we can to help our dogs, with this in mind does anyone have any links to websites that might help me at the moment, particularly with food or supplements/herbal.  Many thanks again for all your support.
Jan, Abby and Penny

I am sorry for the news but send you all big hugs and hope that your girls stay healthy for as long as possible :)

Lucy
xx

Hi, I too have and still do worry whether I have done something wrong. I lost my beautiful WSD Moss in July after on and off vomiting. He had a bad weekend and went in as an emergency with query telescoped bowel. It was worse, he had bowel and lymphatic cancer so the awful decision was taken. On Wednesday last week, mum lost Matt who had already had a splenic tumour (and spleen) removed three weeks previously. He collapsed with a massive bleed and we rushed him down to the vets but there was nothing to be done. The splenic tumour was a secondary from a haemangi-sarcoma of the heart. It was terrible. I have been reading the various message boards and wonder why so many beloved pets suffer from this dreadful disease. Three of mums' friends have also lost dogs in the last 10 days with cancer. Is it diet?

I wish you, Abbey and Penny all the love and luck in the world

Sorry to hear about your goldie. It must be a very worrying time for you. you can only do what your vet reccomends and hopefully this will give you a long life together. I have known many dogs with these tumours that have had them removed and went on to live for many more happy years.
Thinking of you.
Nicky

Sorry about your dogs :(

Hers some links might help

http://www.dogaware.com/specific.html#cancer
http://neuro.vetmed.ufl.edu/neuro/AltMed/Cancer/Cancer_AltMed.htm
[link]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1448&articleid=1357[/link]
http://www.csuanimalcancercenter.org/wbswebpage.cfm?pagetextid=Nutrition
http://www.csuanimalcancercenter.org/wbswebpage.cfm?pagetextid=Nutrition

Christine, Spain.

Thank you for your messages, so sorry to hear about Moss and Matt Bronskibeat, since the problems with my dogs I've heard of so many dogs with cancer, but then again there are also alot of people with the same disease, the difference being that by the time we find it in the dogs it's often too late!  I still have that nagging doubt in my mind though that it's something I've done, and one of the first things I thought about was the diet! 
Many thanks for you love and kind wishes Nicky I have passed them on to Abby and Penny and thank you for the links Christine I will have a look at them.  I must say thank you to all on champdogs, I live in France and am away from my friends, can't speak the language here that well but get by, and don't like to call up my friends all the time with my woes, you've really helped me get through this difficult time, thank you!
Jan, Abby and Penny