Letting go...need some advise

    I have a dog I have had for many (11+) years. Recently he was diagnosed with melanoma. He has a tumor on his jaw and it is inoperable. He has had the growth (lower right mandible...all the way to the back of his jaw) removed once but it has quickly grown back at an alarming rate. So far it has mostly the tumor has grown between his jaw and cheek and it has as of the last two days began to ulcerate. The tumor is contained inside his mouth but I notice it is causing him discomfort and undoubtedly some pain. He has proper pain management (i think) tramadol 100mg we have administered at our discretion. Early on we had him on antibiotics (cipro & amoxicillin) as it lowered the smell of decay in his mouth and seemed to help while we waited for his first biopsy results. I know this cancer is highly metastatic and we are watchful of his condition. At this time for us it is like hospice for the dog. We make sure he is comfortable...well fed with his favorites...given special attention. His energy is noticeably lowered but he does manage to walk, feed, water...go for a full walk around 1 1/2 blocks. is defecating and marking. I ramble but I guess my problem is the dog is pretty tough...never complained much or whimpered so for me it is hard to make a call. When do we say he needs us to end his suffering? What can I do to make him more comfortable or content? How can you tell if your buddy is having a bad day or if he needs you to help him get some rest. We are both incredibly attached to the animal but we feel it our responsibility to make sure he never lingers for our inability to make the right decision. Any thoughts, comments and opinions would mean a lot to us both.

    Sorry to hear that´s happening to your friend. That will be a call of judgement, there are some real good alternative treatments against CA. But your friend is old now and may keep suffering for a long while. I would think my self what i would do if it was me. I would go to the sweetest spearfishing spot and i would reach the bottom looking for the sweet black out that would relieve all my pains, but that´s just me...



    Strength and honor my friend ...

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

    Emil, I'm sorry for your animal and I'm sorry for what your family is going through. I'd try to block the guilty feelings because those feelings are not good for anyone, not the dog not the family not you. Nor will they help you make good decisions but rather cloud your judgment. I read Dirk Benedict's book confessions of a kamikaze cowboy. He cured himself of prostate cancer by starving himself and changing his diet. You said you had the dog for 11 years but you didn't say how old the dog is. If it's very old then it probably doesn't make sense to do anything drastic. Still I'd starve/fast the dog for a while as a last resort. I'd get rid of all the drugs and starve him. Dogs can go without food for months. Make sure he has water. It may purge his system in some way.


    Past that I'd be in uncharted waters. It is a moment that I dread. I've put down with my hands a dog once. I hated it and thought for a while I will be emotionally scarred but it passed. I'd rather that though than give the responsibility to someone else who's a stranger to the dog. It seems like a betrayal to have someone else do it. Now I'm rambling. I've read that you will know when its time. Anything before that and you will not feel right. In the meanwhile don't kill yourself fussing over the dog in an unusual way. From the dog's perspective the familiar routine is what is most comforting.

    Dogs are sentient creatures, he loves you and he has the strength to pass this awful test .. Just let him know that you love him as well...


    "I never saw a wild thing feel sorry for itself. A bird drops frozen from its branch, without EVER feeling sorry for itself"

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

    Thanks for the words guys. About doing anything to stop the cancer it is futile. His tumor was operated on the first of the month. Since then it has come back with a vengeance...it is nearly 7 to 10 times as large. It is killing the surrounding tissue, has become malodorous and it bleeds chronically although not profusely. We are in the last few days i think. Today we called to inquire about the cost and necessary lead time for a house call euthanasia ($105). I walked him this morning and I notice his BM was very watery and dark. He still goes ape every time he hears his collar and lead jingle when it comes off the hat rack we keep it on. His appetite is fine although we now have to mince it (home made roasted chicken) finely so he doesn't have to chew to get it down. Scary to see just how aggressive such a tumor can be. At first I thought we'd get him to Christmas but it is obvious now that making the end of the month will be a stretch.


    I have had this dog since its birth....I owned his mother who gave birth to a litter of 16. Of those 16 2 were still born, another two were crushed by the mother even though I had her in a maternity pen. The puppies were well cared for and I administered all necessary vaccines and care until they were 8 wks old. I gave away about 6 dogs and while I was away for the weekend one girl who took two brought the pair back (vomiting and suffering from diarrhea and dehydration). I was not home so she put them back in with their litter mates who were housed in a dedicated enclosure outside of my house. Those two pups had contracted parvo and soon they infected the entire lot. Soon the pups who were just days before vibrant and healthy started dropping like flies. I had each one sans 3 die in my hands as I worked to save them. Of those three the biggest and healthiest one my dog Lenny was set aside and I kept him. One seriously tough dog. I later (a few months) lost his mother to a car collision. This guy has beat the odds before but we are now at the sunset of his life. His father also died as a result of malignant melanoma and I understand black dogs may be genetically predisposed to such conditions. I am with my wife and we are both feeling the onset of the mild depression that comes with realizing how close we are to his end. Lenny on the other hand is still courageous beyond comprehension...just yesterday he was having an across the fence stand off with a rottie that belongs to our neighbors....the dog weighs about 120 and is built like a brick shit house....if you asked Lenny I am sure he would tell you he can still take him....that's right buddy...i tell him...you can still whip him:)

    Emil, I'm no doctor. I have little understanding of cancer. But I do feel that it is an expression of excess in the system. Excess can be psychological, environmental stresses forced on the dog. But mostly it is physical, specifically the food that goes into the system. I would without a doubt try fasting. Is it possible that after the operation you lavished attention on the dog and fed it more or richer food than before to make up for its perceived suffering and unconsciously combined it with less exercise? This could be the reason the tumor came back faster. Try fasting you have nothing to lose. The dogs do not suffer psychologically when they don't eat if you don't expect them to.


    I've dealt with parvo myself once. Helped my friend save a littler of neapolitan mastiffs. It was a serious ordeal as the killer is the diarrhea, it dehydrates the pups. We saved them by pumping them full of fluids subcutaneously every 3-4 hours. It was a crazy routine but we/she saved all of them. That stench of the bloody diarrhea is something I'll never forget. The only vaccines I give my pups/dogs apart from rabies (required by law) are parvo/distemper.

    There are cancers and there are cancers. Malignant melanoma is fast and furious. It is literally wrapped around his jaw bone from the far back end and now involves that entire side of his mouth including under his tongue to about mid jaw on the lower right side. The back teeth are enveloped in the growth and it is oozing blood and sometimes tissue. This has happened all in the 14 days since the surgical extraction of two visible growths about the diameter of a nickel which brought his jaw back to almost normal. While he was on antibiotics the bacteria in his mouth subsided ad he did not have any halitosis or noticeable bleeding. His surgery was to restore function to his mouth for the purpose of eating and to determine through biopsy what cancer we were looking at. At first we thought fibro-sarcoma and figured we had a few months but the biopsy discovered melanoma and I knew he would go downhill fast. I am sure at this point it has involved his lymphatic system and would soon metastasize in his lungs or other organs but it seems he will be spared that stage since he is likely to soon have trouble eating or drinking and worse yet trouble breathing as his airway becomes restricted. I am going to take some pics of him and our family and maybe take him for a walk on the beach today. The only thing I really wish I could do for him that I know I won't be able to do is get him laid...my dad who cared for my dog for almost two years while I was out west and is incredibly fond of him said this to me recently: hasta que se muera dejalo que duerma y coma todo lo que quiera. Lo que te duermes, comes o culeas nadien te lo quita. :DWe both had a good laugh.

    Dear Emil, cancer is a tricky mother fucker, but all has to do with the inmune system. A Dear friend of mine was diagnosed with a stage four coriocarcinoma (testicular) that had spread to his lungs and other organs, he put up a fight and thru alternative treatment (ortocellular therapy) no chemos, no radiation, he ´s free of cancer right now. Next week he will start a boxing program in my Gym, Give him a lot of Green tea extracts that contans a catequin ECG (epinocatequingallate) that stops cancer cell metastasis by the inhibition of uroquinase and tumoral angiogenesis promoting thus apoptosis, all that means that the mofo cells of ca, will die massively. Give him intavenosu shots of High C vitamin Ascorbile palmitate, that destroys most cancer cells, cause vitamin c is toxic for tumor cells, and a good amount of lysine to strenghten his inmune system ( Brewers yeast is the Number one natural supply for this powerful aminoacid) Believe, he will get better. And will live longer and healthier without the side effects of traditional cough...cough useless... chemo theraphy



    http://www.stopping-cancer-naturally.org/index.html

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

    Also the cuban researchers has developeed alternative cancer cures, quite effective as Escozul, a scorpion poison based treatment and a lung cancer vaccine. This is science not an esoteric stuff it is supported by years of factic research.

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

    Quote

    Emil, I'd like to see a picture of the dog just to know him.


    He has a good looking dog. Very nice dark coat and a sweetheart. I have always enjoyed seeing him gingerly walking up to greet Emil after a day's diving. Emil and his wife have loved that dog and have cherished his companionship.

    Looks pretty good for his age other than the jaw, hardly any Grey hair. Worth making an effort to give him anther 2-3 years, I'd fast him for a while. I'm having a problem myself with one of my pups, it's got a swelling on its head. I'm not doing anything about it though, just giving it some time.


    Ascorbyl palmitate is an ester formed from ascorbic acid and palmitic acid creating a fat-soluble form of vitamin C. In addition to its use as a source of vitamin C, it is also used as an antioxidant food additive. Oral supplements of ascorbyl palmitate may be less effective, due to the substance breaking down again into its components before being digested. Ascorbyl palmitate is also marketed as "vitamin C ester."


    I have a bunch of vitamin C ester something for dogs in powder form. If you give too much the stool becomes runny. If you want I'll give you some. I don't know how this compares to the injectable kind but once the stool starts getting runny you know the dog can't assimilate any more vitamin C.

    I read a study recently that demonstrated that this given orally to prolong survival of terminal cancer patients showed no positive results. However, when given intravenously the concentrations available in the body were enough to aid patients in fighting cancer and prolong their survival. The problem is how do I obtain it in a form that can be safely administered to the dog....also what dose?





    Dan...what do you believe the bump on you dogs head to be? Is it a calcification or is it mobile and soft like tissue? My folks had a dobie that in her older years developed a lump above one of her ears and it was a ruptured vessel that remained in that state for the rest of her life. Whatever it is I hope it clears. As far as starving the dog I am not sure I am willing to go that route. I might be wrong but I feel the dog really has days and at most weeks before the tumor gets to affecting him so much that we are going to have to put him down. Believe me if I thought starving him would give him 6 months and help him fight the tumor to the point where he regained function and comfort in his jaw I would. I believe starving him would only add to his trauma. He expects his food around 8pm even when he is having trouble getting it down he asks for it....I think it is one of the things he enjoys most.....ranking around third behind screwing and going for a walk.


    I have heard many folks give testimony about one treatment or another curing cancer but many cancers are generally a death sentence. I think these diseases are both genetic and also the result of old age. Cancers are "freak" cells that do not function as normal cells should. The older we get and the more divisions and repair we force our cells to produce (as in the case of constant irritants like tobacco, alchohol etc) the more likely we are to "crap out" and churn out a "bad egg" ie cancer. His father died of cancer....and not just cancer but the same type...melanoma....could be coincidence but a few studies I read said black dogs in particular demonstrate a genetic predisposition to melanoma

    Edited once, last by Emil ().

    I think the lump is due to some kind of trauma. Your idea of a ruptured blood vessel is feasible. I don't know the dog's physiology well enough to deduce which blood vessel it is in the area of the lump. She could have hit her head falling backwards, it happens often when the two pups are rough housing. It started out soft and movable a week ago but now it's much harder and doesn't move. The dog's behavior didn't change, it's active and feisty. I'd like for the lump to be gone but for now I'm just going to wait and see.


    Cancer is what it is as far as an explanation on a cellular level. But that does not explain why it starts. I believe it to be an expression of excess in the system. Sure there's a genetic predisposition for it in some animals, but that doesn't take away from the fact that mostly it is environmental. The key is to feed the right natural foods and to keep the dog skinny all its life. This can only be achieved if the owner lets go of the idea that the dog is suffering if it doesn't get to eat what it wants. I apply this to my dogs. I enjoy consciously giving them less food than what I feel compelled to give, and seeing them happy and active afterwards as opposed to passed out on the floor digesting a heavy meal. I say this to you with the best intentions.

    Emil, you gotta go with a naturopath doctor. Huge amounts of intravenous Vitamin C are toxic to cancer cells and have no side effects or less side effects than a chemo. In the case of Felipe the Godamned cells died massively, within a couple of months his lungs were cancer free. Last two scans and tumor markers in the blood show no cancer anymore. It´s a fact

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

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