My dog has cancer and high calcium. How long comfortable without meds?

I'm really sorry to hear this. Unfortunately, surgery is the mainstay of treatment. It is the only proven method to influence survival of dogs with these tumors. Usually dogs with this type of tumors also have kidney failure or high calcium as well which can complicate things. Metastasis (spread) can also be a problem. There is a drug called Palladia (a chemotherapy agent) that is usually given to the dogs after surgery however, I am unsure if it is helpful without surgery being done first. You would have to consult with a veterinary oncologist about that. That being said, that medication is extremely expensive. There is not much that can be done short of surgery and chemotherapy. If you cannot afford treatment then all you can do is make her as comfortable as possible and when it gets to the point that her quality of life is no longer good then you should consider humane euthanasia so she does not suffer. There are no over the counter medications that can be recommended. Hopefully this article will answer more of your questions. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/anal-gland-tumors ) Again, I am sorry to hear this. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mylie. Elevated calcium does happen with certain types of cancers. However, it can also be related to kidney failure, certain toxicities, or even a lab error. Typically additional testing is required to determine the cause of high calcium. I hope this information helps!

Poor Yogi! This is such a tough situation. His timeline turly depends on how comfortable he continues to be and how quickly this mass grows and spreads. I would expect that he may only live for a few months since it looks like there are some nodules in the lungs and the mass currently looks pretty big already. The key is to make sure he stays on pain meds as he needs them and don't be afraid to give him the high end of his dose of meds if needed. The key is to keep him comfortable until he has a poor quality of life and at that time, you may choose humane euthanasia. I hope this helps and my thoughts are with you.

I am so very sorry to hear your baby has a tumor! That is devastating! Depending on what type of tumor it is and it's location (if it is in the bone vs in the spinal cord) can vary the average life expectancy of the animal, so it is really difficult to say without knowing these things. There are definitely treatments/medications that can help improve Caesar's quality of life for as long as possible. Additionally, some tumors respond favorably to radiation treatment or potentially chemotherapy as well, so that may or may not be an option for Caesar. If you aren't doing further treatments, then often adding in steroids to reduce swelling and inflammation can potentially make Caesar's quality of life as good as possible. I would discuss medication and expectations with your vet, as they will hopefully be able to give you more information based on what they are seeing in the x-ray. I would also focus on how he is doing day to day and how comfortable he is. Not every dog "reads the book" on how cancer progression is suppose to go and we always hope for longer time than the average. I would consider getting area rugs or carpet runners to give Caesar more grip when he is walking. Hard wood floors and tile can be difficult for any older dog to walk around on, so giving him more traction may help. I would also discuss pain management with your vet. Sometimes if they are more painful, we can adjust their medication for the "bad" days. Ultimately we look for good quality of life. If Caesar quality of life is starting to decline ("bad" days outnumber the "good" days), then I would consider humane euthanasia. It's never an easy decision for any owner (vets included!) but ultimately it is the last kind thing you can do when there is nothing else you can do for him. Again, I am so very sorry for you and your boy!

This is a tough question without knowing what things she is currently having trouble with. You are asking for advice on what we call palliative care, which means we are treating with medications/supplements to help make her comfortable. If she is having trouble eating, then offering soft canned food and pain medication would be the recommendation. If she is having trouble walking, then offering joint supplements and pain medication would be the recommendation. So it really just depends, because you won't be able to confirm if she has osteomyelitis or bone cancer without a bone biopsy here. And these two conditions are treated very differently. However, even with that said, treating Angel with a short course of antibiotics and low dose steroids may be beneficial, especially if she has any decrease in appetite or severe inflammation present. I hope this helps and best of luck moving forward with your pet Angel. Take care.

I am so very sorry to hear about Lucy. It is always heartbreaking to get this news. If you cannot afford chemotherapy I would discuss the possibility of treating with just prednisone (a steroid) alone. This can provide temporary improvement in some pets and is not expensive. As far as how long she has left, it really can vary by dog. I have seen some decline very rapidly after diagnosis, within a week or two. That is the more rare case. Others on prednisone may live for another several months, and occasionally we will have one live 6 months or longer. The average is about 2 months. You can read more about the disease at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=575

I retommend you contact your local humane societies for advice on emergency and subsidised care - there is much help available for pets in need due to financial constraints. Unfortunately with the weakness described there is a risk of complciations such as bone marrow supression which would make surgical treatment less likely to be successful and in ths case euthanasia may indeed be the kindest option for him to allow him his dignity in passing. A blood sample may help in guiding this decision as if curative treatment is not possible it is unfair to exoect him to carry such a debilitating condition for much longer