What are treatment options for my senior dog's bladder cancer?

Unfortunately there are not good treatments for transitional cell carcinoma, the most common type of cancer found in the bladder. If the tumor is inoperable then often anti-inflammatory medication like meloxicam is recommended to slow progression of the tumor. Chemotherapy is sometimes an option as well, but would not result in a cure. I'm so sorry for your loss - it sounds like Charlie was loved like a member of the family and you did what you could to keep him comfortable.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear about the cancer diagnosis. While this cancer is unlikely to be cured, there are other strategies you could consider such as radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy which may help prolong Odie’s survival with good quality of life. I would recommend you check in with a local veterinary oncologist who can review the case and make further recommendations. Have a great day!

It really depends on the location of the tumor in the bladder. If the tumor is located near vital structures like the ureter or urethra than it will be extremely difficult to remove the tumor. You could take her to a veterinary specialist (oncologist and/or a surgeon) for a second opinion to determine the best way to treat. Radiation and/or chemotherapy may be help.

I'm so sorry to hear this. Whether or not to do chemotherapy/radiation is a personal choice. It is completely up to you. If you have the financial means to do so and the dog is in good health otherwise then I see no reason no to do so. If the dog is very ill and/or you do not have the finances then you may elect not to pursue this treatment. Again, it is a personal choice. I suggest you consult a veterinary oncologist to get more information on the specific type of cancer he has and what the prognosis is. Even with chemotherapy and radiation sometimes the survival rate is still very low. Answers to those questions are best done by an oncologist. I hope this helps. Best wishes.

The option is to do nothing and just wait until the tumor is so big that is causes problems or pain or ulcerates. There really are no other options other than surgery (debulking the tumor), maybe radiation (this willl depend on the kind of tumor) or chemotherapy (which also depends on the kind of tumor. I suggest you discuss palliative care (just treat symptoms until euthanasia) with your veterinarian. I am sorry your Rusty is so ill.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that max has this problem. I would recommend a consultation with a veterinary oncologist to discuss this further. It is likely that surgical removal and chemotherapy will be recommended. Complete penile amputation combined with perineal urethrostomy (creating a new hole to urinate from in the perineum) is likely what will be recommended. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. Below is a helpful article that discusses this further in detail. http://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=11181&meta=generic&catId=30097&id=3852322

Hello, I'm sorry to hear about Foxy's squamous cell carcinoma. The decision to pursue radiation and chemo is a very personal one, and it's difficult to offer specific input without any knowledge about how aggressive Foxy's tumor is, and specifically where it's located. I'm gathering from your reference to cherry eye that the tumor is growing at the margin of the eye. The goal with radiation and chemotherapy in dogs is often a bit different than with people. In people, the goal is to be as aggressive as it takes to try to cure the cancer - and in the meantime, people can consent to feeling pretty crummy throughout treatment, because they understand the final goal. In animals, since they cannot consent nor understand the long-term benefit of chemo, our goal is more often to slow down and shrink the cancer, with the hope of buying more time with our pets - but it is much less commonly curative. Generally the oncologist with a dog will try to find the dose of chemo that will slow/shrink the tumor, while allowing the dog to continue to feel pretty good. So, there really is no right or wrong answer. For what it's worth, I think if financial aspect of the treatment is feasible, then there are few downsides to pursuing treatment. However, if there are financial limitations, it is important to keep in mind that usually these treatments do not cure the cancer, but simply slow it down for awhile. Again, this input is all without having specific knowledge about Foxy or her tumor - so I do encourage you to have this conversation with your vet, or request referral to an oncologist. Even if you choose not to pursue chemo/radiation, the initial consultation fee may be worth doing in order to have all of your questions answered and discuss all the pros/cons of different courses of treatment. Hope this helps.