Saddest Day Ever My Dog Was Dx With Stomach Cancer

So sorry to hear about your dog. Several years ago we had a Bichon who was 14 when he passed away from salivary cancer. It started as a golf ball size lump on his neck, but he was still eating. It eventually grew to be the size of a softball, then he stopped eating. We decided to put him down and the vet agreed. Eating was his favorite thing and I didn't want him to starve. It's a very difficult decision. Unfortunately it may be time to let him be at peace. You have a big decision here. Just follow your heart.

I am sorry to hear about your dog. Unfortunately there are times when there is nothing that can be done. He may not be in any pain, just not hungry. I would give him whatever he loves to eat and enjoy every moment. You will know when the time is right to allow him to go with dignity.

I am SO sorry!! I don't have any advice. Just an extremely difficult time. HUGS to you!

I would feed him whatever he wants at this point. I think your vet would have prescribed pain pills if he were in pain. He's not hungry because of the cancer. Try different things to tempt him and see what he likes the best.

I'm sorry you both have to go through this. Best of luck.

Butterfly, so sad to read your post. My thoughts are with you. It's tough stuff to deal with. LM

This is a very hard , sad,time for you.

When my Mother was eating less and less , in the nursing home , we were told that is natures way of shutting down. Maybe works that way for our fur babies also.

Butterfly, this is only my opinion but it is based on experience. I had a lab mix with cancer. We put her through various treatments which served only to delay the inevitable. The thought of your furbaby in pain and/or starving to death is almost unbearable. Eventhough our girl was still up and around a fair amount of the time, wagging her tail and being her loving self, the horrendous attacks of gagging and coughing she rould have sometimes had to have been painful and frightening for her. Personally, if I were you, I would not subject your 13 year old pet to what an oncologist would most likely do (surgery, chemo, etc.). I understand about the idea of starvation and it is a horrible thought. We decided to do what we considered right and let her be euthanized without fear or pain when she wouldn't/could'nt eat although she could still lap a little water. Then we started giving her water with a baby medicine applicator. The doctors said, and I believe, that animals (and humans for that matter) aren't hungry and won't eat when they are in that condition. I am so sad for you. I had a Sheltie who died from congestive heart failure at the age of eleven. They are such wonderful dogs. I'll keep you and your husband and your little guy in my prayers.

On 11/15/2014 Silver Lining said: Butterfly, this is only my opinion but it is based on experience. I had a lab mix with cancer. We put her through various treatments which served only to delay the inevitable. The thought of your furbaby in pain and/or starving to death is almost unbearable. Eventhough our girl was still up and around a fair amount of the time, wagging her tail and being her loving self, the horrendous attacks of gagging and coughing she rould have sometimes had to have been painful and frightening for her. Personally, if I were you, I would not subject your 13 year old pet to what an oncologist would most likely do (surgery, chemo, etc.). I understand about the idea of starvation and it is a horrible thought. We decided to do what we considered right and let her be euthanized without fear or pain when she wouldn't/could'nt eat although she could still lap a little water. Then we started giving her water with a baby medicine applicator. The doctors said, and I believe, that animals (and humans for that matter) aren't hungry and won't eat when they are in that condition. I am so sad for you. I had a Sheltie who died from congestive heart failure at the age of eleven. They are such wonderful dogs. I'll keep you and your husband and your little guy in my prayers.

I agree. I had a Husky/Lab, and she had stomach cancer. I wish the Vet had told me on the last visit that it was time to let her go, because I would have done it right then, but he didn't, just told me to give her rice for dinner as she hadn't been able to hold anything down. Within a few hours, she went into seizures, and we rushed to the emergency room, but she died on the way, it was horrible! It was traumatic for me, and over twenty years later, I am still shaken by it.

Not all cancers cause pain.

If for one moment I thought he was in pain, I would again ask for pain meds.

I would feed him anything he likes. We have used appetite stimulants in a few kitties. Sometimes they work, with one it didn't. It did make them a little loopy at times.

Spoil and love him. Loss of appetite is sometimes nature's way of shutting down.

I am so sorry you are going through this. What is his name?

Hyacinth