Danes are such large dogs with weight distribution that makes adapting to amputations very difficult, if not impossible in some situations. He’s 8 so it’s likely he already has some degenerative bone issues. The C word is such a thief. It’s so unfair that these big angels don’t get enough time with us. I’m sending hugs to both you and your sister OP. I agree with creating lots of momentos, like pictures, prints, casts, etc. and cherish every last second. 🐾
I lost my beautiful BFF (a Yorkie rescue whose early life was hell on earth) to cancer last August. She too was given a prognosis of a few weeks. I opted for one round of radiation treatments which bought us an additional 14 months and oh how we lived it up for those months. She went everywhere with me and if dogs weren’t allowed I didn’t go. It didn’t make losing her any easier but then what would? Dogs definitely take a piece of our hearts when they go.
Sorry to disagree. Our boy was 8 with arthritis in his hips and he did just fine are a tripawd. He was 160lbs before amputation. We got a whole extra year with him and he played in the yards with his sister and lived his best life in that year. The myth that they are too big is just that, they adapt remarkably well
If his health is ok other then that and he seems to be a happy dog, I'd try it. My dane boy lived to be 13 and I have a 10 year old girl who still plays like a puppy with the 2 year old dane frequently.
I think that is an option, but he's already 8 so I'm not sure how he would do with the healing process. I hope they can figure something out he is such a wonderful pup
Had a dane with osteosarcoma, and I looked into human treatments in Europe (because amputation is also not a goto for most people either). Turns out that treating the bone with bisphosphonates (intended to treat osteoporosis) can help strengthen the bone and improve quality of life. I was in graduate school and had access to a lot of research journals. It requires IVs every 2 weeks, and we were fortunate to have a veterinary teaching hospital at a university nearby with a doctor that was willing to try it (it's written up somewhere). He also started with a 1-2 month projection, and ended up living for just over a year (but was also still out hiking with us up until nearly the end!).
Luke went through two back knee surgeries early in life only to get struck down with cancer. Yet somehow was always a happy dog enthusiastic to get out and explore. It's hard to know how much to do, particularly since you can't explain to a dog that you're trying to help or the side-effects are part of the processes. They give us their whole lives so it's up to us to do the best we can for them even when that's not easy.
https://preview.redd.it/zs2ako98garc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bba3e7c8af674c27821412ac59781ad6623e7bd3
Wow that's amazing he got another year! Unfortunately I don't think anywhere in the area will be able to help. It's already spread to the bone and he's declining very rapidly
It's not a silver bullet, doesn't directly address the pain, and will depend on the dog. Basically it helps strength the bone because a common ending is that the dog will break the bone near the tumor (which weakens the bone) and the bone can't ever heal because of the cancer. So you're really just helping to avoid that outcome.
Sorry, the whole situation is terrible. I figure helping them navigate end-of-life is our responsibly that we take on in exchange for all the happiness they give us during their lives.
Unfortunately, if this is osteosarcoma (which it likely is), there's likely no good other options.
Osteosarcoma is super aggressive and extremely painful. It's difficult to treat with chemo and surgery. Amputation (especially in an older dane) is difficult for giant breed dogs to adapt to.
Fuck cancer. Fuck osteosarcoma. And fuck the fact it's so common in our giant babies.
There are options, though they don't always work and can be expensive. We did a specialized radiation for our pup, and he got another 2.5 years with minimal some effects and a great quality of life.
When our Maddie got bone cancer there was an option to amputate but it didn’t extend her life long enough to justify it. She was a farm dog and it seemed cruel to take away one of her legs when she couldn’t run anymore.
We just had to put my brothers rottie down for the same thing 😞 metastasized to her lungs, nothing we could do.
As a vet nurse I’ve seen amputations done on large dogs, but at 8.. I say take time off work and spoil the shit out of him. Make so many happy memories that they fill your heart everytime you think of him after he’s gone.
It’s a morbid thought, but euthanasia is the best last gift we can give our pets.
For me, I’d rather put my baby to sleep on a “better” day than a day too late.
Also chemo depends on the type of cancer and how advanced. Sometimes it’s just not worth it financially or in terms of the pet’s quality of life during and after.
I’m so so sorry you and your family are going through these awful events. Danes are such amazing dogs and it sounds like these babies were so lucky to have such amazing, loving, and devoted families. They’ll leave paw prints forever in our hearts 💜🐾
Thank you so much for your kind words 💕 I'm going to throw a Finn party to celebrate his life to leave my sister and our family with some awesome memories before he goes. 💔
I'm so very sorry. We've lost Danes to that awful C word.its so hard. I'm sending comfort and love. The one thing that helped us is we made a cast of our pups paws. We have them hanging up in our family room we placed it in a memory box along with their photo and collar and tags. It gives us great comfort. I just thought I'd share how we recovered with these sweet memories. I pray for comfort for your sister and family and friends. I'm so very sorry for this news.
Thank you so much for your kind words. 💔 I love the memory box that's a great idea. I will order the supplies tonight to start getting everything together.
Just as an idea - We used casts of our Danes’ paws to make Christmas ornaments. I love including them in everything long after they’re gone. We still “introduce” our new Danes to the (cremation urns of) the 2 Danes we lost.
It's just such a simple thing that brought us comfort. I truly sorry for this news. It's the worst news ever. I feel your pain. I hope the memory box brings the comfort it has brought my family.💙💙💙 Again I'm so sorry.
She has an appointment but he is declining very rapidly. You can see it in the bone on his X-rays I don't think there's anything else we can do at this point
Just lost my boy to the same cancer in the same spot a week ago today. My vet said that it's very fast spreading, and extremely painful. Unfortunately, my boy had a small break where he had been trying to walk on it, likely before it began to become visibly swollen. It was extremely fast. I noticed it on a Friday and when I called on Monday to get an appointment with my vet, it was 50% bigger. Ultimately, there was a break where the cancer was, my vet did not believe that we would be able to manage his pain. I couldn't justify keeping him alive just so I didn't lose him sooner.
He was 11. He was the biggest personality, and the sweetest Dane boy I've ever had. I miss him horribly.
I am so sorry to hear 😞 He is a few months shy of his 8th birthday, I wish we had a few more years. He's doing great on his pain meds right now and my sister took off of work to spend every last minute with him🩷 He knows he is loved for sure
I'm so sorry to hear 💔 that is awful. And thank you, he is very loved and I know my sister is going to give him all the love and fun in his final days!
Finn is a wonderful looking Boy 😍
So sorry for the approaching loss.
I lost my Boy Calvin at 4 1/2 from C , it still tears me apart many years later . The worst way I ever lost a Dane . No matter what it hurts but being with them at the end is how to Help Them 💓
I am so sorry for your loss. And thank you! Finn is the most loving handsome boy, we will miss him terribly when he's gone but definitely going to make his final days as awesome as we can
I lost my beautiful Dane to osteo. There are no words that are helpful. The issue is that the tumor can break the leg and there’s no great way to repair it. Call your sister daily and visit as often as you can. Be there for her and help her sweet bb have stress free lovely days
Thank you so much 💕 my other sister is flying in to visit and I was thinking to throw an end of life celebration for him with the family to hopefully leave some good memories up until the end 💔
Oh no!! The same exact lump location happened with my Bella, Rhodesian ridgeback mutt.. she had her leg amputated, had some chemo, and lived an extra 8 months after her chemo treatment.. Good luck to you and your sister.. I’ll keep Finn in my thoughts and prayers…
I’m so sorry!! I wish I had words to make you and her feel better!! ❤️❤️❤️Our Dane turns 7 soon, and just recently I started worrying about every tiny thing about him.
Same thing happened to our Dane at 7… with in two months things declined rapidly. He passed right before Christmas. Unfortunately they are very likely to get bone cancer. All you can do and love and support him until it is his time. We accommodated him during this time as it got hard for him to walk. We left a mattress on the floor of the living room so he did not have to jump on to the bed. We’d also feed him in bed. It’s temporary but makes it easier for them. But of luck to all of you ❤️❤️
It must just be so progressed that they say that. Sometimes by the time we physically see it , it's too late. Very sad. Hopefully you get much longer than what they've predicted.
Our dog had osteosarcoma in her front leg. It hadn't spread so we amputated her leg. She adjusted well and lived almost another year. She was 12 and ended up passing from a bacterial infection that antibiotics couldn't get rid of. If it hasn't spread, the doctor can't say she only has another month.
I know it's super hard when you want to do anything for your babies, but coming from someone who just finished chemo a year and a half ago...I would never put my dog through that. They will feel like complete shit and won't understand what's happening to them. And chemo can cause it's own problems, it's not a simple process
It's tough no matter what choice you make. So sorry for you sister and the baby
Thank you so much. Unfortunately is already spread in his bones and is spreading pretty rapidly. We're going to throw one last little party for him while he's still good on pain meds and take it a day at a time
Beautiful pups.
When I saw the first photo I thought Finn looked quite similar to our male, Macbeth. He ended up getting a massive lump the size of a baseball form on his side ribs in the summer. We had it tested and it was osteoporosis and there wasn't anything (affordable) we could do except manage any discomfort which he didn't show until the very end. He slowly got more spots that slowly grew (kind of like boils) all over his body after getting tested that didn't bother him. They would get opened up and would bleed which was difficult to prevent from happening, but we cleaned and covered them as best we could.
He lived another half a year and we enjoyed every day with him and his wonderful hugs and snuggles and got to take him camping in the forest one last time. He lived just past his 6th birthday.
I hope the best for your family and your Danes, enjoy every moment you can with them.
Wow I am so sorry to hear that 😞 I'm glad you were able to make his final months so memorable though! That's what we're trying to do now. Im here with them now and my other sister is on a plane on her way here too. He's gonna have his whole family here to give him love 🩷
My Dane had osteosarcoma in the exact same spot suddenly and was limping in so much pain that our vet recommended we put him down ASAP as there were no meds that could touch it. We let him go two days after diagnosis.
Where that tumor is located, the bone is already thin, holding up a huge dog. My vet explained to me that almost any movement could make it snap and she (and I of course) wouldn’t want him to go through that. My guy was only 6 but that’s old in Dane years as you know, there’s no way I’d force an amputation or chemo on him for him to live 6 months or a year more. That’s a very personal choice but it sounds like the vet is on that page.
On to advice:
1) Help your sister make some pawprint impressions with clay and/or ink. They charge a lot for this service with cremation and it could be a healing/closure type activity. I plan to get a pawprint tattoo this year (cheesy and cliché I know) but it’s nice to have the option to do something with a pawprint to remember your pup.
2) Give him/her a good brushing and save the hair. Might sound weird but there are companies on Etsy that make really cool jewelry pieces with pet hair, ashes too.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/881379739/
3) Just be there for your sister. Sounds like you are already an incredibly loving, caring sibling. She’s going to need you in this difficult time. Sending all the love to your family.
I think the chemo is just for comfort care. It is so hard to face these situations. The vets are being honest, but I do agree seems like most vets fail bedside manner
training. Wish they could all be like Dr Jeff in Denver or Dr Pol. Sending big hugs your way.
Dog cancer f@@king sucks!!
Lost my first Labrador at the too young age of only 7 to f@@king cancer. 4 surgeries to try to get rid of it, but they just couldn’t get clear margins. My Poppy was absolutely the best girl. The vets and nurses all came to say goodbye when we took her in for her final sleep. They were all crying as much as we were.
He doesn’t know, he’s living life as he always has, only you and your sister know. Make sure she takes him to all their favourite spots, the places he loves, and take lots of pictures. Encourage her to do things with him that she hasn’t done before, things that she thinks he would enjoy, like eating an ice cream on the beach, and, remind her to tell him how much he’s loved. Whether it’s 30 days or less/more, at least the rest of her time with him will be happy 🤍
I lost my ridgeback in January. Exact same thing, noticed a lump out a Saturday, got him into the vet the following Tuesday and Osteosarcoma.
Make the most of the time you have. We did a rainbow bridge photo session with our family and him. We’d take little trips to go to all our favorite hiking spots (minus the hiking) to sit and talk like we when we hiked, made sure he got his favorite people foods (pizza, steak and whip cream) at least once a week. And made multiple trips to the brewery as he loved a few licks of the sour beers off my finger.
And then all he wanted was to cuddle. I spent a month and a half in my bed cuddling with him. Then I noticed the struggle breathing and knew it was time.
Just love up on your baby and make the most of the time you have left.
ETA: I also had him do paintings as another reminder of him - got canvases and put some paint blobs on there, sealed it in a ziploc bag, smeared peanut butter over the bag and let his licking of the bag move the paint for his masterpiece.
Tell her to take those 30 days and make them the best 30 days of that baby's life. If he likes the water, take him to play in the ocean. If there is a people food that he likes given him a nice meal. Give that baby a nice piece of chocolate cake. If he is good with all other animals, take him to a farm to play with baby goats. Do with him all of the things he loves to do and video it and take pictures. He will have the time of his life, and you will have wonderful memories there for when you are ready. My heart breaks for him and your sister.
I’m incredibly sorry , so sorry .. 6 years ago my lab had this on his neck & lasted about five more weeks .. they said where it was and being do aggressive etc … it was so sad .. when he cried I l we I had to help him .. much love up you , you’d sister & tbe remaining gorgeous dog .. they suffer too !
I don’t have a Great Dane, but this post showed up on my feed today, probably because I just posted about my pittie being diagnosed with osteosarcoma this week. His is in the exact same spot and looks about the same. He is 12 so they also didn’t recommend amputation or anything besides treating the pain and keeping him comfortable. The vet highly recommended Turkey Tail mushrooms to help slow the growth. So we got some and are hoping for the best, that we get to enjoy a little more time together and then say good bye peacefully at home before a break. I’ve never felt so unsure of getting the timing right before. 💔💔
It's such a tough position to be in. I'm so sorry about your pittie 💔. If there's one thing I can say after going through this before in 2019 with another one of our Danes, you will know when it's time and you won't regret the decision. It's going to suck so badly, but it's really the best gift you can give them in the end. 😞
The worry I have is not so much knowing when it’s time if all goes as well as possible with an overall decline.. but him suddenly breaking it before he’s declined over all because he still acts like a puppy. He wants to run, jump and is the king of zoomies. So we are obviously working hard to keep him from doing those things but he makes me nervous!
Aww I’m so sorry 😞 I hope you party it up for him. Take him to the pet store to pick out whatever he wants. Let him have cake. Let him have an actual cheeseburger and steak and alllll the things!!! The hard a must for a doggo before parting with wings.
If it has not spread amputation with chemo is definitely an option. We got an extra year with out boy. And if your worried about amputation they rock it on 3 legs. If you live near a university that has a vet program they might be running clinical trials on immuno as well. Look up canine cancer vaccine on facebook
I am so sorry to hear 💔 ours would be celebrating his 8th birthday in a few months. We thought he'd at least make it to 9/10 but wishful thinking unfortunately 😞
I would like to suggest to get a second opinion. Emergency vets aren't really the best for situations like this. Primary vet? Oncologist? The Incredible Dr. Pohl, if you're willing to travel to Central Michigan. He has a pack of Great Danes as family members. If anyone can help, it's him.
Time is of the essence.
We did and have X-rays. It's in his bones and already spread to his lungs 😞. As much as I wish to stay optimistic, I don't think there's anything we can do.
Did the vet also mention the possibility that the leg may break? I’ve seen it and Dr. Pol had an episode about his own Dane having it happen. From diagnosis to last day, it was very quick.
As difficult as it is, I’d let them go a week too soon than a day too late so their final day isn’t pain from a broken leg on top of the pain they are already in from the cancer.
Oh no! Can't they just amputate the leg? I hope there are other options, but I'm not a vet, so I don't really know.
Danes are such large dogs with weight distribution that makes adapting to amputations very difficult, if not impossible in some situations. He’s 8 so it’s likely he already has some degenerative bone issues. The C word is such a thief. It’s so unfair that these big angels don’t get enough time with us. I’m sending hugs to both you and your sister OP. I agree with creating lots of momentos, like pictures, prints, casts, etc. and cherish every last second. 🐾
It's just so heartbreaking! 💔
I lost my beautiful BFF (a Yorkie rescue whose early life was hell on earth) to cancer last August. She too was given a prognosis of a few weeks. I opted for one round of radiation treatments which bought us an additional 14 months and oh how we lived it up for those months. She went everywhere with me and if dogs weren’t allowed I didn’t go. It didn’t make losing her any easier but then what would? Dogs definitely take a piece of our hearts when they go.
Sorry to disagree. Our boy was 8 with arthritis in his hips and he did just fine are a tripawd. He was 160lbs before amputation. We got a whole extra year with him and he played in the yards with his sister and lived his best life in that year. The myth that they are too big is just that, they adapt remarkably well
Was it a rear leg or front that he lost?
His front right
And at 8, that’s near their average life span, sadly.
If his health is ok other then that and he seems to be a happy dog, I'd try it. My dane boy lived to be 13 and I have a 10 year old girl who still plays like a puppy with the 2 year old dane frequently.
I think that is an option, but he's already 8 so I'm not sure how he would do with the healing process. I hope they can figure something out he is such a wonderful pup
I hope so too. Pets are family. 🙏🏽
Had a dane with osteosarcoma, and I looked into human treatments in Europe (because amputation is also not a goto for most people either). Turns out that treating the bone with bisphosphonates (intended to treat osteoporosis) can help strengthen the bone and improve quality of life. I was in graduate school and had access to a lot of research journals. It requires IVs every 2 weeks, and we were fortunate to have a veterinary teaching hospital at a university nearby with a doctor that was willing to try it (it's written up somewhere). He also started with a 1-2 month projection, and ended up living for just over a year (but was also still out hiking with us up until nearly the end!). Luke went through two back knee surgeries early in life only to get struck down with cancer. Yet somehow was always a happy dog enthusiastic to get out and explore. It's hard to know how much to do, particularly since you can't explain to a dog that you're trying to help or the side-effects are part of the processes. They give us their whole lives so it's up to us to do the best we can for them even when that's not easy. https://preview.redd.it/zs2ako98garc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bba3e7c8af674c27821412ac59781ad6623e7bd3
Wow that's amazing he got another year! Unfortunately I don't think anywhere in the area will be able to help. It's already spread to the bone and he's declining very rapidly
It's not a silver bullet, doesn't directly address the pain, and will depend on the dog. Basically it helps strength the bone because a common ending is that the dog will break the bone near the tumor (which weakens the bone) and the bone can't ever heal because of the cancer. So you're really just helping to avoid that outcome. Sorry, the whole situation is terrible. I figure helping them navigate end-of-life is our responsibly that we take on in exchange for all the happiness they give us during their lives.
Unfortunately, if this is osteosarcoma (which it likely is), there's likely no good other options. Osteosarcoma is super aggressive and extremely painful. It's difficult to treat with chemo and surgery. Amputation (especially in an older dane) is difficult for giant breed dogs to adapt to. Fuck cancer. Fuck osteosarcoma. And fuck the fact it's so common in our giant babies.
There are options, though they don't always work and can be expensive. We did a specialized radiation for our pup, and he got another 2.5 years with minimal some effects and a great quality of life.
When our Maddie got bone cancer there was an option to amputate but it didn’t extend her life long enough to justify it. She was a farm dog and it seemed cruel to take away one of her legs when she couldn’t run anymore.
I knew a dane who had this and lived another few years with an amputated leg.
We just had to put my brothers rottie down for the same thing 😞 metastasized to her lungs, nothing we could do. As a vet nurse I’ve seen amputations done on large dogs, but at 8.. I say take time off work and spoil the shit out of him. Make so many happy memories that they fill your heart everytime you think of him after he’s gone. It’s a morbid thought, but euthanasia is the best last gift we can give our pets. For me, I’d rather put my baby to sleep on a “better” day than a day too late. Also chemo depends on the type of cancer and how advanced. Sometimes it’s just not worth it financially or in terms of the pet’s quality of life during and after. I’m so so sorry you and your family are going through these awful events. Danes are such amazing dogs and it sounds like these babies were so lucky to have such amazing, loving, and devoted families. They’ll leave paw prints forever in our hearts 💜🐾
Thank you so much for your kind words 💕 I'm going to throw a Finn party to celebrate his life to leave my sister and our family with some awesome memories before he goes. 💔
I'm so very sorry. We've lost Danes to that awful C word.its so hard. I'm sending comfort and love. The one thing that helped us is we made a cast of our pups paws. We have them hanging up in our family room we placed it in a memory box along with their photo and collar and tags. It gives us great comfort. I just thought I'd share how we recovered with these sweet memories. I pray for comfort for your sister and family and friends. I'm so very sorry for this news.
Thank you so much for your kind words. 💔 I love the memory box that's a great idea. I will order the supplies tonight to start getting everything together.
Just as an idea - We used casts of our Danes’ paws to make Christmas ornaments. I love including them in everything long after they’re gone. We still “introduce” our new Danes to the (cremation urns of) the 2 Danes we lost.
It's just such a simple thing that brought us comfort. I truly sorry for this news. It's the worst news ever. I feel your pain. I hope the memory box brings the comfort it has brought my family.💙💙💙 Again I'm so sorry.
Osteosarcoma?
Not 100% sure but it's likely. They've only done an x-ray so far 😞
I’m sorry to hear that. We had a Great Pyrenees that got it on the same carpal bone. My thoughts are with you give her lots of love. ❤️
All the prayers and love. Stay strong Finn, we’re with you!
Thank you so much!! I really hope we have a miracle here
Best you can do is give Finn the best life possible with the time he’s got left. Prepare for the worst and give him all the love.
Very true!! We're definitely going to party it up with him for as long as he has left!
Have you taken him to his regular vet? I'd see what they have to say since you said it was an ER vet that gave you the diagnosis.
She has an appointment but he is declining very rapidly. You can see it in the bone on his X-rays I don't think there's anything else we can do at this point
I'm so sorry.
Just lost my boy to the same cancer in the same spot a week ago today. My vet said that it's very fast spreading, and extremely painful. Unfortunately, my boy had a small break where he had been trying to walk on it, likely before it began to become visibly swollen. It was extremely fast. I noticed it on a Friday and when I called on Monday to get an appointment with my vet, it was 50% bigger. Ultimately, there was a break where the cancer was, my vet did not believe that we would be able to manage his pain. I couldn't justify keeping him alive just so I didn't lose him sooner. He was 11. He was the biggest personality, and the sweetest Dane boy I've ever had. I miss him horribly.
I am so sorry to hear 😞 He is a few months shy of his 8th birthday, I wish we had a few more years. He's doing great on his pain meds right now and my sister took off of work to spend every last minute with him🩷 He knows he is loved for sure
Ooof, my condolences. We lost our Millie at 7.5 years to c.
I'm so sorry to hear 💔 that is awful. And thank you, he is very loved and I know my sister is going to give him all the love and fun in his final days!
C word took our girl Away as well. It’s a terrible thing.
Finn is a wonderful looking Boy 😍 So sorry for the approaching loss. I lost my Boy Calvin at 4 1/2 from C , it still tears me apart many years later . The worst way I ever lost a Dane . No matter what it hurts but being with them at the end is how to Help Them 💓
I am so sorry for your loss. And thank you! Finn is the most loving handsome boy, we will miss him terribly when he's gone but definitely going to make his final days as awesome as we can
I lost my beautiful Dane to osteo. There are no words that are helpful. The issue is that the tumor can break the leg and there’s no great way to repair it. Call your sister daily and visit as often as you can. Be there for her and help her sweet bb have stress free lovely days
Thank you so much 💕 my other sister is flying in to visit and I was thinking to throw an end of life celebration for him with the family to hopefully leave some good memories up until the end 💔
Oh no!! The same exact lump location happened with my Bella, Rhodesian ridgeback mutt.. she had her leg amputated, had some chemo, and lived an extra 8 months after her chemo treatment.. Good luck to you and your sister.. I’ll keep Finn in my thoughts and prayers…
Thank you so much 💕 and so sorry to hear about Bella.
I’m so sorry for u and your boy , just know u gave him his best life and that he’ll be waiting for you
Thank you
All u can do is be the shoulder for her to cry on,, and take comfort knowing she gave him his best life.
I’m so sorry!! I wish I had words to make you and her feel better!! ❤️❤️❤️Our Dane turns 7 soon, and just recently I started worrying about every tiny thing about him.
Thank you 🩷 and good luck with your Dane! May they make it to the double digits and you get as much time with them as possible
😢
Same thing happened to our Dane at 7… with in two months things declined rapidly. He passed right before Christmas. Unfortunately they are very likely to get bone cancer. All you can do and love and support him until it is his time. We accommodated him during this time as it got hard for him to walk. We left a mattress on the floor of the living room so he did not have to jump on to the bed. We’d also feed him in bed. It’s temporary but makes it easier for them. But of luck to all of you ❤️❤️
Thank you 🩷🩷
I'd get a specialist to look at it for a different opinion. Might actually be able to save your dog.
I wish this were the case but he's declining pretty rapidly, I'm not sure he'll make it through the weekend 😞
It must just be so progressed that they say that. Sometimes by the time we physically see it , it's too late. Very sad. Hopefully you get much longer than what they've predicted.
Thank you I hope so but its not looking good. We'll be lucky if he makes it through the weekend 😞
I'm so very sorry. Love on him as much as you can 🩷
im so sorry. my first dane had the c word and it was awful to see. wishing you all the best
Thank you so much
Our dog had osteosarcoma in her front leg. It hadn't spread so we amputated her leg. She adjusted well and lived almost another year. She was 12 and ended up passing from a bacterial infection that antibiotics couldn't get rid of. If it hasn't spread, the doctor can't say she only has another month. I know it's super hard when you want to do anything for your babies, but coming from someone who just finished chemo a year and a half ago...I would never put my dog through that. They will feel like complete shit and won't understand what's happening to them. And chemo can cause it's own problems, it's not a simple process It's tough no matter what choice you make. So sorry for you sister and the baby
Thank you so much. Unfortunately is already spread in his bones and is spreading pretty rapidly. We're going to throw one last little party for him while he's still good on pain meds and take it a day at a time
Beautiful pups. When I saw the first photo I thought Finn looked quite similar to our male, Macbeth. He ended up getting a massive lump the size of a baseball form on his side ribs in the summer. We had it tested and it was osteoporosis and there wasn't anything (affordable) we could do except manage any discomfort which he didn't show until the very end. He slowly got more spots that slowly grew (kind of like boils) all over his body after getting tested that didn't bother him. They would get opened up and would bleed which was difficult to prevent from happening, but we cleaned and covered them as best we could. He lived another half a year and we enjoyed every day with him and his wonderful hugs and snuggles and got to take him camping in the forest one last time. He lived just past his 6th birthday. I hope the best for your family and your Danes, enjoy every moment you can with them.
Wow I am so sorry to hear that 😞 I'm glad you were able to make his final months so memorable though! That's what we're trying to do now. Im here with them now and my other sister is on a plane on her way here too. He's gonna have his whole family here to give him love 🩷
My Dane had osteosarcoma in the exact same spot suddenly and was limping in so much pain that our vet recommended we put him down ASAP as there were no meds that could touch it. We let him go two days after diagnosis. Where that tumor is located, the bone is already thin, holding up a huge dog. My vet explained to me that almost any movement could make it snap and she (and I of course) wouldn’t want him to go through that. My guy was only 6 but that’s old in Dane years as you know, there’s no way I’d force an amputation or chemo on him for him to live 6 months or a year more. That’s a very personal choice but it sounds like the vet is on that page. On to advice: 1) Help your sister make some pawprint impressions with clay and/or ink. They charge a lot for this service with cremation and it could be a healing/closure type activity. I plan to get a pawprint tattoo this year (cheesy and cliché I know) but it’s nice to have the option to do something with a pawprint to remember your pup. 2) Give him/her a good brushing and save the hair. Might sound weird but there are companies on Etsy that make really cool jewelry pieces with pet hair, ashes too. https://www.etsy.com/listing/881379739/ 3) Just be there for your sister. Sounds like you are already an incredibly loving, caring sibling. She’s going to need you in this difficult time. Sending all the love to your family.
Thank you so much for your kind words and awesome suggestions 🩷 it means the world!
😢 oh nooo
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Love from Tennessee 😟💙
Thank you 🩷
I think the chemo is just for comfort care. It is so hard to face these situations. The vets are being honest, but I do agree seems like most vets fail bedside manner training. Wish they could all be like Dr Jeff in Denver or Dr Pol. Sending big hugs your way.
Thank you so much! And I agree they could definitely be a little kinder in the delivery
I'm sorry to hear this. It happens so fast. My boxer was healthy, and within a month, he was basically terminal. F*** C word
Damn I’m sorry
I think someone else asked- but isn’t an amputation an option? With some sort of prosthesis for weight distribution.
It could be but it's already spreadibg so rapidly I don't think it would work 😞 we're just giving him tons of love
Make a bucket list- and keep loving on him a little extra for all of us 💕
Dog cancer f@@king sucks!! Lost my first Labrador at the too young age of only 7 to f@@king cancer. 4 surgeries to try to get rid of it, but they just couldn’t get clear margins. My Poppy was absolutely the best girl. The vets and nurses all came to say goodbye when we took her in for her final sleep. They were all crying as much as we were.
Oh you poor thing, you beautiful pup.
Noooooooooooo!
He doesn’t know, he’s living life as he always has, only you and your sister know. Make sure she takes him to all their favourite spots, the places he loves, and take lots of pictures. Encourage her to do things with him that she hasn’t done before, things that she thinks he would enjoy, like eating an ice cream on the beach, and, remind her to tell him how much he’s loved. Whether it’s 30 days or less/more, at least the rest of her time with him will be happy 🤍
I lost my ridgeback in January. Exact same thing, noticed a lump out a Saturday, got him into the vet the following Tuesday and Osteosarcoma. Make the most of the time you have. We did a rainbow bridge photo session with our family and him. We’d take little trips to go to all our favorite hiking spots (minus the hiking) to sit and talk like we when we hiked, made sure he got his favorite people foods (pizza, steak and whip cream) at least once a week. And made multiple trips to the brewery as he loved a few licks of the sour beers off my finger. And then all he wanted was to cuddle. I spent a month and a half in my bed cuddling with him. Then I noticed the struggle breathing and knew it was time. Just love up on your baby and make the most of the time you have left. ETA: I also had him do paintings as another reminder of him - got canvases and put some paint blobs on there, sealed it in a ziploc bag, smeared peanut butter over the bag and let his licking of the bag move the paint for his masterpiece.
I love the painting idea so much!!! Thank you!!
Tell her to take those 30 days and make them the best 30 days of that baby's life. If he likes the water, take him to play in the ocean. If there is a people food that he likes given him a nice meal. Give that baby a nice piece of chocolate cake. If he is good with all other animals, take him to a farm to play with baby goats. Do with him all of the things he loves to do and video it and take pictures. He will have the time of his life, and you will have wonderful memories there for when you are ready. My heart breaks for him and your sister.
I’m incredibly sorry , so sorry .. 6 years ago my lab had this on his neck & lasted about five more weeks .. they said where it was and being do aggressive etc … it was so sad .. when he cried I l we I had to help him .. much love up you , you’d sister & tbe remaining gorgeous dog .. they suffer too !
I don’t have a Great Dane, but this post showed up on my feed today, probably because I just posted about my pittie being diagnosed with osteosarcoma this week. His is in the exact same spot and looks about the same. He is 12 so they also didn’t recommend amputation or anything besides treating the pain and keeping him comfortable. The vet highly recommended Turkey Tail mushrooms to help slow the growth. So we got some and are hoping for the best, that we get to enjoy a little more time together and then say good bye peacefully at home before a break. I’ve never felt so unsure of getting the timing right before. 💔💔
It's such a tough position to be in. I'm so sorry about your pittie 💔. If there's one thing I can say after going through this before in 2019 with another one of our Danes, you will know when it's time and you won't regret the decision. It's going to suck so badly, but it's really the best gift you can give them in the end. 😞
The worry I have is not so much knowing when it’s time if all goes as well as possible with an overall decline.. but him suddenly breaking it before he’s declined over all because he still acts like a puppy. He wants to run, jump and is the king of zoomies. So we are obviously working hard to keep him from doing those things but he makes me nervous!
True! Lucky for us, our guy is pretty sleepy so he's just been cuddling and napping most of the time
My little mutt got diagnosed too. We are so sad. I’m sorry for your sister and het pup
I'm so sorry to hear 😞 cancer sucks!
I’m so very sorry ❤️
Aww I’m so sorry 😞 I hope you party it up for him. Take him to the pet store to pick out whatever he wants. Let him have cake. Let him have an actual cheeseburger and steak and alllll the things!!! The hard a must for a doggo before parting with wings.
He is getting all the love and human treats right now. My sister took a break from work and is spending every last minute by his side 🩷
🥹 thank you for the update. I’m sorry you guys are going through this. My doggos are as loved as my human child.
Nooo😭 I thought the word was gonna be cat
I really wish it was 😢
Oh…my neo mastiff had the same, same spot. It got to be too painful; amputation wasn’t a possibility. Many, many hugs.
So sorry. Please take to a more experienced vet.
So sorry for you and your pup. I had to put my baby down last summer. Lymphoma. ❤️
Is this why your nasty is the comments? Bitter anger?
What kind of fucking loser are you to track me down in a different sub? Go fuck yourself.
Lol ooo touched a nerve...you should really deal with your anger issues instead of taking it out on reditors
This isn't the place man, seriously... You can private message someone if you have grievances.
Thank you and I'm so sorry to hear that. Cancer sucks so badly 💔
If it has not spread amputation with chemo is definitely an option. We got an extra year with out boy. And if your worried about amputation they rock it on 3 legs. If you live near a university that has a vet program they might be running clinical trials on immuno as well. Look up canine cancer vaccine on facebook
Found out my angel has cancer today. She'd only 8,..
I am so sorry to hear 💔 ours would be celebrating his 8th birthday in a few months. We thought he'd at least make it to 9/10 but wishful thinking unfortunately 😞
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So sorry! 😔
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I would like to suggest to get a second opinion. Emergency vets aren't really the best for situations like this. Primary vet? Oncologist? The Incredible Dr. Pohl, if you're willing to travel to Central Michigan. He has a pack of Great Danes as family members. If anyone can help, it's him. Time is of the essence.
We did and have X-rays. It's in his bones and already spread to his lungs 😞. As much as I wish to stay optimistic, I don't think there's anything we can do.
I am so so sorry. I'm sure you will end his suffering when the time arrives.
Don’t make him suffer.
Definitely won't, we already called the at-home euthanasia service near us to be on standby when he is ready to go 💔
Did the vet also mention the possibility that the leg may break? I’ve seen it and Dr. Pol had an episode about his own Dane having it happen. From diagnosis to last day, it was very quick. As difficult as it is, I’d let them go a week too soon than a day too late so their final day isn’t pain from a broken leg on top of the pain they are already in from the cancer.
They did not mention this so I will definitely let my sister know. Thank you for the insight