Tracey

Hi, my name is Tracey and my best friend, Bailey a 10 yr. old Golden Retriever, was just diagnosed with an oral plasmacytoma two weeks ago. I don't have to tell any of you on this site just how much Bailey means to me, I know you feel the same about your dogs as well. I am on this site because I am totally confused and completely devastated at his diagnosis and am trying to find any way that I can to help him through this battle!
First, my vet thought he had an abscess in his tooth because I found a small lump under his left eye one evening while I was petting his head. They took out 2 teeth and found that his gum tissue looked suspicious, so they did a biopsy. 4 days later I find that it is cancer, an oral plasmacytoma on the left side of his upper jaw, below his left eye. My vet said this was one of the "better cancers" to have because it rarely metastisizes in other areas. I took Bailey for an MRI last Thursday. The results were bad. The cancer was in his nasal passage, his salivary gland, a major nerve on the left side of his face and making its way to his left eye. The dental surgeon I had already made an appointment with to remove the tumor, said he couldn't get margins on Bailey's tumor because of where it was located. My vet said that radiation would ruin his left eye and cause severe damage to the nerve so that his tongue would not work. She told me to "enjoy the time I have left with him"! I was in shock. For the past 3 1/2 weeks I go from crying to finding some shred of hope to crying to finally hearing from my veterinarian to just enjoy what little time I have left with Bailey. Losing this dog is unimaginable! My brain won't even let me go there emotionally because I don't think that I could handle it! I know that everyone on this site is probablly feeling the same way that I do about their dog and the situation that they find themselves in .
My eyes are burning from being on the computer and reading Ted's entire book and other information on the computer. I already have a holistic vet who was giving Bailey accupuncture for his osteoarthritis and has started him on some vitamins and Omega 3's. For the past 3 weeks I have been making Bailey and my other dog Sadie their own dog food from an Anti-cancer recipe I found just in case he had cancer. My husband and my two girls love Bailey and are very sad, but fighting his cancer is all on me and that's fine. I just need some help on getting started and that's why I am here.
Please, if you have any information that could help me heal or get more time for Bailey, I would greatly appreciate it! Bailey doesn't know he has cancer yet. He still plays with his sister Sadie and is feeling really good, so I am thinking that he is still in the early stage of his cancer, but I don't know. I'm not getting much information from his regular veterinarian. It's very frustrating and I feel like I'm losing precious time! Please help Bailey!

rockytola

Tracey:
So sorry to hear about Bailey! You have come to the right web-site for support and information. We lost our 7 year old Cocker Spaniel (Rocky), last August after a year battle with lymphoma and found the people and the comments on the site invaluable. My suggestions would be to check out cottage cheese blended with flax seed oil (look up Budwig Protocol) and K9 immunity from Aloha. I would also take as many photographs as you can, give him lots of hugs and make sure that if and when the situation gets worse at least you knew you gave him the best you could. I miss Rocky every day and know exactly how you feel. We will keep you both in our prayers!

Benpaws

Hi Tracey,

I totally agree with "rockytola" and by reading through some of the posts on Food and Nutrition and supplements, you might indeed find a combination that will give Bailey more time.
This is indeed a shocking "diagnosis"and first you are totally heart-broken and cannot believe that this is happening, then you go to work to find WHATEVER you can to help your best friend.

This is definitely the best place to come for support and comfort and good information.

Our Benny had Mast Cell Tumour Cancer and we fed him a Canine Life (cancer formula) muffin which he loved. He also got organic vegetables which I steamed gently and free-range meats which I cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a little turmeric (an antioxidant for fighting cancer cells.) He also enjoyed his cottage cheese and cold-pressed flaxseed oil and lots supplements served in liverwurst. We had 9 very good months after the second tumours appeared with our dearest friend and we miss him every day, but those months we treasured and nothing was too much trouble for Ben.

Good Luck on this "this roller-coaster ride"with Bailey.
There is always HOPE! Try to "Live in the moment" like Bailey does. Like all our precious pups he has no idea that he is ill!
As "Rockytola" has said: Take lots of pictures and give lots of hugs. Every moment is precious!

Prayers,
Joanne

Tracey

It takes special people to continue to try to help others whom they've never met, so I thank you so much for giving me this wonderful advice! Is flaxseed better than fish oil (omega 3)? I do give Bailey 2 Tbsp. of cottage cheese every day for calcium, but haven't given him flaxseed oil because of the other fish oil I'm giving him. Where do you get coldpressed flaxseed oil? I am meeting with a holistic vet tomorrow afternoon. She is also certified in homeopathy.
We just got 4 feet of snow, so I have taken over 50 pictures of our two dogs and our kids in the snow. To look at Bailey, you'd never know he was 10 yrs. or that he has cancer. He is a gorgeous dog and so, so sweet! I'm sure I will have more questions as Bailey and I start this journey. Every new piece of information gives me hope that we can help Bailey live longer and more comfortablly with his cancer! Thank you again!

Benpaws

You will find the most caring people here and so many of us have been exactly where you are right now. There is help and there is hope. You are most welcome.

I was able to purchase cold-pressed flaxseed oil at our WHOLE FOODS store, but you could probably get it wherever organic herbs and supplements are sold are sold.

We gave Benny the liquid form of flaxseed oil and kept it refrigerated. It keeps for up to 4 weeks and each bottle has an "expiry date" on it. I don't know about the capsule form. NEVER HEAT flaxseed oil!

Benny also got a Wild Salmon oil capsule every evening as one of his many supplements.

Good luck with your visit to the holistic vet and no doubt you will get many more responses from the caring people here.

Prayers to you and Bailey and you family,
Joanne

TJandDante

How did the visit with the holistic vet go? Hope things are well with Bailey. This is so hard to go through-no one can prepare you.
TJ

Benpaws

Like TJ, I would be interested as well in how the visit went with the holistic vet? This is a very difficult journey and as TJ so aptly put it: "Nothing prepares you."

Hugs to Bailey.Prayers to you both.

Blessings,
Joanne & Shadow

Wendy

Like you I came to this site to not only find information but to locate others who are going through the same heartbreak. My dog Tanner is a retriever/heeler mix and was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma (cancer of the blood vessels) about 5 weeks ago. Since then there has been this overwhelming sense of urgency where I feel the vets are not being as proactive as I think they should be. So much time was lost with testing. However, I began imediately with changing Tanners diet, adding supplements, and even filtering his water. I will do anything I can to have more time with him. He is energetic (for 11 years old) happy, and seems so healthy other than the large tumor on his back hip. I have found so much helpful information from all of these wonderful people who open up their hearts to offer support. My prayers are with you and Bailey.Please keep me informed on how things are going.

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."- Milan Kundera

TJandDante

Have you tried the Artemisinin? I highly recommend it and you can Google the research they have done with it, both in dog cancer and human cancer. Dante was on 100 mg twice a day-its a very small capsule that hides easily in their raw diet.
I found that our "traditional" vet was into the testing and medicine and not at all into the feelings that we had for our beloved dog, not how he actually felt. Our holistic vet was much more proactive into things that would have our dog FEELING GOOD quickly while we strengthened his immune system to try and fight his cancer. And Dante did feel good and act like himself almost to the last day.
I think we all know,going in, that our chances for a successful fight in the long run are low. But by not giving in to our sad feelings and being ever HOPEFUL, our dogs respond in kind,because they don't know they are supposed to worry about their prognosis. If they wake up and have their "people" around and good food to eat and a walk on the leash, well their dog-day is perfect.
So Tanner's dog-days are perfect like they are. As long as you know you are doing all you can to make him have good days, and a good future, your dog responds with the love and vigor you'd expect. Enjoy all the days that are like this, you will look back on them with joy.
TJ

Tracey

I went to our holistic vet and she was great. She put Bailey on CAS options, Hoxey and Hoxey Bone Set, and he's taking vitamins B12,A, and D. She wanted to wait to give him anything else until we heard back from the dental surgeon that getting Bailey's tumor operated on was 100% OUT. I finally spoke with him yesterday and surgery is not an option for sure.
It all doesn't seem to matter anyway because yesterday morning before my youngest went to school, Bailey had his first ever seizure. We weren't sure what was happening to him as noone ever told us that when a dog has a tumor in his head, seizures will almost surely come as the tumor presses on the brain. I took him to our regular vet right away and he had another seizure there. I am still doing everything that I can to help Bailey fight his cancer, but now it's only a matter of time. They told me, which I can see for myself, that is cancer is very aggressive and moving through his head very quickly. It's only been a little over a month since I found the lump under his eye. I still can't believe that he won't be with me for much longer! As you all can understand, we are absolutely SAD! Can't imagine my life without one of my favorite, best things in it!!! My eyes burn from trying to hold in my tears so that Bailey doesn't sense my sadness. They told me to keep a positive attitude around him and I am trying very hard. My husband and I are taking Bailey to have him blessed by our priest this morning. That's the only thing that is getting us through this...knowing that that wonderful creature will be going to heaven, and that I WILL see him again one day! Thanks again for being so kind and caring to someone you don't even know. It means a lot!
Tracey