My dog has cancer. Can surgery help his breathing from throat nodes?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear Diesel isn’t feeling well. The prednisone is supposed to help slow the growth of the cancer but eventually it won’t be effective. Prednisone alone isn’t enough to cure him. If he is getting worse and the lymph nodes are growing it is likely the prednisone is no longer helping. I would discuss your options with the vet that diagnosed him but there isn’t much more they can do for him. I am so sorry and I hope the rest of his life is pain free. Good luck and kisses to Diesel!

There are many lymph nodes in the chest as well and any enlarged ones can cause these signs; unfortunately lungs may be infiltrated by the tumoral cells as well. An immediate check up is needed as x rays can confirm this clinical suspicion and decide whether further treatment can be an option.

I am so sorry to hear about Chyna. Your vet may have some recommendations for palliative care for Chyna, which might include a steroid such as prednisone to shrink the size of the tumor (unfortunately this is usually a temporary effect so won't last forever). This may help with the bleeding. Other medications they may consider could include a drug called Cerenia which can sometimes decrease inflammation and help with sneezing in some cases. To help with bleeding the vet may recommend nasal drops with neosynephrine which may help constrict blood vessels, or a chinese herb called Yunnan Baiyao which can help with bleeding problems.

It’s important to keep her quiet with minimal stress. Your veterinarian may decide to switch from the metacam to prednisone at this stage as it may reduce the swelling that may ease her breathing and eating. Unfortunately this sounds like a life threatening cancer at some point so give her lots of love and enjoy every minute with her. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Moosh.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m sorry to hear that Leo has very advanced cancer. When there are tumors in the chest, these are often inoperable, so our goal is to keep Leo as comfortable as possible. At some point, however, especially if Leo is having a hard time breathing, he is likely suffering, and it may be time to consider having him humanely euthanized. It is always hard to let go of our pets, but sometimes it is the best decision when it means we can eliminate their suffering. I hope this is helpful, best of luck with your decision for Leo.

It's difficult to say without knowing all the details of Einstein's case, but If removal is an option, then this would be a better option than chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is generally used to reduce inoperable tumors, or to kill the unseen tumor cells after a tumor removal. It is true that there are some big nerves and vessels in the neck region where the lymph node is, but in the hands of a skilled surgeon, there is not a big risk of causing damage to these structures. If your vet has performed at CT, then it appears that you are getting top-notch care for Einstein and I'm sure their recommended course of therapy would be based on sound, evidenced-based knowledge and experience. They may have warned about possible damage to the nerves only as a disclaimer in the rare instance that this could happen. I would ask the surgeon what the chances of nerve damage are in this case to give you more of an idea how dangerous this really is. If you are still unsure whether the procedure is the right way to go, then you may seek a second veterinary opinion, or a veterinary oncologist (cancer specialist) opinion. Below is a link to an article that may help you with this decision. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-know-it-s-time-to-see-a-veterinary-specialist/ I hope that helps and Einstein gets better soon.

I'm sorry to hear this is happening. I recommend to call your vet. This could be a side effect from the medication or it could indicate his lungs are filling with fluid from the cancer. I hope they figure out a solution quickly.