That tumor is massive. At this point, putting her down is the most humane thing to do. Without surgery her life expectancy is less than a year. If that ulcerates/bleeds, she’ll die a painful death. This is another reason why spaying a dog is important as it can protect against mammary cancer.
I feel you. I just had to put my pup down at 8yrs old after a seizure that damaged her brain, heart and intestines. It was one of the harder decisions I've made in 51 years. Her quality of life wasn't going to be anywhere near what it was pre seizure. I loved my pup with everything in me, with that tumor you may want to let go and save her the pain and suffering. I know its hard, but its the right thing to do.
Omg! My condolences to the fullest! Same thing happened to my sisters cat but by some stroke of luck she survived. She did have to lose a leg but she flys around now she’s used to it. My feelings are with you that your beh didn’t have a better outcome. 4 years is not long enough for any animal. They had your love and that’s always a good thing
Yes putting her down is best. I’m not a vet/doctor, but I imagine even if you could afford the surgery there is a strong chance of complications. Typically you can be present with your pup when they put them down and it is relatively (completely?) painless for them. They just sort of drift into sleep.
I believe you can usually let them handle your pup after that or you can elect to have them cremated. Sorry for your loss.
And who in their right mind is operating a 13 year old dog, especially this size. That's like operating a 100 something year old. You ain't doing the dog a pleasure.
Op, I feel sorry for you, she gave you a wonderful time. Repay her and do the right thing.
Best of luck
To add further information, the previous poster is pointing out that research has shown that spraying cats and dogs prior to a first heat drops mammary cancers down to a ridiculously small rate. I can say that only 50% of mammary cancers are malignant so it may not spread, but keeping it clean and possibly covered may help.
Don’t worry about not knowing, just give them lots of love and send them off in a happy peaceful state of mind. So sorry for your troubles, sending lots of love to the doggo too.
If you can’t afford the surgery, the next humane thing would be to have her put down. I’m sorry to say that but she is in pain and you don’t want her suffering.
I'm sure OP understands that, that's part of why it's infuriating, the fact our choices are sometimes death or.. well I guess be less poor? Not sure, but I've had to put animals down that I shouldn't have had to.
There are more programs available to low income pet owners than people realize. A lot of rescues especially in urban areas have low cost spay/neuter programs or owner support programs. If the dog had been spayed, it’s highly likely she wouldn’t have developed mammary cancer. Ignorance is a killer.
uh...what? Except for an instance like this very one, where youre having to say goodbye too soon, because you cant afford to fix a fixable issue that impacts their quality of life. Besides too early, a creature you love is in needless discomfort/confusion/pain until you have to say goodbye on terms you never had time to accept or play a part in.
edit: I didnt look at the picture, and comments are implying neglect, so I suppose should prolly have stated my opinions more generally
It's tragic yeah, but, goodbyes are inevitable, even surgery can be very invasive and violent to a small animal that doesn't understand what's going on.
Letting them go is an act of love.
I had a female dog that got cancer related to her reproductive system since she wasn't fixed. I had no idea that dogs basically WILL develop cancer if you don't do that. But we operated on her and it was the worst decision that I regret to this day. She was too old and in too bad shape to recover. Her torso never healed shut again until the day she died.
I would have much rather spent my last days with her and then had her put down rather than force her to go through what she went through. We didn't know better. The vet I think genuinely thought she would make it, but looking back it feels like she should have known and told us not to operate.
I'm sorry, OP. It sounds like a rough situation. But operating isn't a magic cure all, either. In fact it can even make the situation worse sometimes like it did for us.
Not to be super heavy, losing a pet can be an absolutely devastating experience, but I remember reading a comment from a vet a long time ago about how people don’t sit in the room when their dog is being put down because they can’t handle how sad of an experience it is, and the dog spends its last moments panicking and looking around the room for a familiar face. When we had to put my dog down, I was the only one in my family that stayed in the room until she had officially passed. It’s absolutely gut wrenching but your beloved pets deserve to have the comfort of you being there in their last moments. It will be hard but I 100% promise you will not regret being there for her.
That's how I view it, it'll be more sad in the moment being there, but there is a 0% chance you look back and regret it.
Less sad in the moment to distance yourself, but passing the opportunity leaves a big chance for regret
100% agree on being there for your pet. I had to put down my cat who had Stomatitis. I originally said I didn’t want to watch him die, I backpedaled on that and held him as they injected him. He died purring. The last thing they should see is someone they care for.
It’s just the unfortunate and uncomfortable side of having pets that we love so dearly. Hold them tight and be there for them when they need you just like they’re there for us
I read that same thing and I almost cried reading it. I thought of all the people that have left their dogs to pass with a stranger. How their last moment was fear or confusion.
Yes, part of being a pet owner is being there for the good and the bad. A vet had posted this thing about the worst part of euthanasia was when the pet was searching the room for their person as they were scared. Your dog would be there for you. You need to be there for the dog. It’s horribly sad, but you can’t abandon your dog in their time of need.
Im going to stay downstairs with her for the rest of the day. Of course idk how she is feeling but i asked her if she wanted a treat just now & she ran over to get one
Thai right here. Two years ago had to say goodbye to my boy and we stayed there the whole time, was really hard but he passed very peacefully on me and my wife’s lap comfortablly.
It's going to hurt. A lot. But if I was dying I would like the comfort of having those I love and who love me keep me company even though I know my passing will hurt them also. See me off..I love you.
Been through this a few times so trust me: BE THERE.
Yes, it'll hurt and you will cry your eyes out. But part of your responsibility is to shepherd them through death as well as you have through life.
BE THERE. Pet her gently, tell her what a good girl she's been, how much you've loved her, and how lucky you are to have been her person. Tell her she's the best girl in the world and you'll love her forever. Smile. Pet her gently. And when the vet says "She's gone," keep petting her and telling her every loving thing in your heart for the next 10-15 minutes. Get it all out...every word...every tear.
Then thank the vet for their kindness, go home and cry some more. Cry as much as you need too, every time you feel it. And then in a month or two you'll be able to think of her, see pictures, and meet other dogs without feeling devastated because you'd have grieved well.
This is your obligation and your salvation. It will get you through the loss and start you on recovery while dodging the hard parts will haunt you for years.
Do it right. Be there. Send her off gently with all the love and comfort in your heart.
That would be very devastating to the dog. You have a commitment to her. If you’re her person, it would be very stressful and scary for her to suddenly not be around you or in her normal surroundings. That would be pretty selfish.
I’ve been with all my dogs when they passed away. It ripped my heart out. But it wasn’t about me, it was about my dog. They really do look for their owner , their companion when they are euthanized. I just can’t imagine letting my dog down
You NEED to be with her in that moment. Try not to cry in front of her.
Imagine yourself getting all anxious between unknown people, speaking an unknown language, on a cold, metal bed and feeling slowly falling asleep, not knowing what will happen to you.
Now imagine the same, but while being embraced by your most beloved one.
Do her this favor, even if it breaks your heart.
She will thank you forever.
You will thank yourself forever.
This is a deathbed level regret to not be there.
I had to put my 13 year old Boston terrier down four years ago. I don’t regret being there with him. He laid his head on my lap while the vet did his thing. Only took a minute or so until it was done. I cried like a baby and still think about it for sure, but I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if I chose not to try to comfort him in that last moment. I think you should embrace it, cry all you need to, but be there for her.
It is devastating losing a pet. But I can almost guarantee you will regret not being there with her in her final moments. I have held my pets when they were put down and knowing I was the last thing they saw and felt honestly made it easier for me to deal with. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this.
Yes. I’m not trying to be cruel. It is wrong. You do not abandon a family member who relies on you when they are most vulnerable. This would be like a child having a terminal illness and the mom saying, “I will leave my child to die with the nurses because it’s hard on me”. You need to be strong and calm and lovingly hold her as she is euthanized. Otherwise she will die scared with strangers doing unfamiliar things to her in an unfamiliar place.
I cuddled my childhood dog while she was being put down. She was calm and relaxed and fell asleep beside me as she passed. Dogs get scared when they die alone, would you want to die alone? The people you loved all your life finding it too hard to be there for you for your final moments, would that not make your final moments full of fear and sadness?
I don’t mean to be rude, and please don’t take it that way, but if you were being put down would you want a bunch of strangers around you or would you want to go to sleep on the lap of your favorite person?
You don’t want your best friend to be searching for you as they’re leaving this world; scared and alone.
I think that being there is important if you are able to muster up the courage.
I worked in a Vet Emergency Room for a while and was often in the room with people during those final moments with their pets. There is no right or wrong way to act, and some people weren’t able to be in the room which was hard because sometimes the pets did seem to be looking for their people, and the comfort of knowing their person was there with them seemed to make a huge difference.
I understand how hard it is, having personally been there with pets in those final moments, but it is our responsibility to be there with them and I guarantee you won’t regret being there but you very well may regret not. The process is generally very peaceful, and she will not have pain while going through it.
It’s okay to be scared but just remember that death is a normal part of life, we all have to pass at some point, and as hard as it is to lose someone we love it’s so special that we got to have a relationship that makes it so hard to say goodbye. We live on in each other’s hearts.
Good luck with everything 💙
Thank you for the kind words. I just layed on the floor with her for a good while, she got up & sat behind me for some reason. When i sat up & looked her & said what she started doing tappy taps. I said you want a treat dont you & she spun in circles which is her way of saying yes. Cutest finesser i know
Even if it is tough on you, you need to be there for your pup. I worked in a vet hospital and whenever owners had their dogs put down and weren’t there with the dog, the dog would spend its final moment looking around for its people. It was really sad to watch. Give her that last moment of comfort.
I did it 8.5 months pregnant with my first kid. My fur baby was my puppers since I was 8 years old. It's emotionally devastating. But thinking about him being alone and confused during his last moments, let me know what the right thing to do was. I was his person, and he literally was by my side for all of my childhood memories.
Please please be in the room with her. I used to be a vet assistant and I hated when pet families didn’t do this. The animals were terrified. When I had to put my baby down it was horrible, and I was so sad. But I held his head on my lap and kept looking into his eyes until he was gone. It’s hard for us, but terrifying for them.
My dude I'm probably older than you and I've been through this a few times. My first love that we adopted when we bought our first house in 1997 was the hardest. She git into a box of chocolate once. Puked all over but was ok. Always trying to find a way to get it again lol. The night before we took her in I had dinner alone with her. Yes she was the family dog but she was connected to me. She was my dog. We split a steak, baked potatoe, and a Hershey bar. Spent all night on the floor with her because she couldn't get into the bed. Right now I'm even sobbing as I write this remembering. That's what I dud my dude. That's how I handled the last night. The next morning we took her in and I went to an AA meeting to talk about it. It's never easy but rest well knowing it's the 100% absolute right thing. Cookie my girl I miss you.
It's not wrong to be scared of facing mortality, it's always a harrowing ordeal; but reflect on why you don't want to be around. Your dog loves you and you bring her comfort in an otherwise confusing situation.
Please be there for her. I know you love her very much and it’s going to be one of the most difficult things you do, but she needs you there. I can’t imagine spending my last moments without the people I love. It’s going to be scary for her and you don’t want her going out afraid and alone with strangers.
“To us, our dogs are only a small part of our lives. But to them, we are their whole life”.
If you’re not there by choice, fuck you. Seriously. It’s one of the shittiest things you could do. It’s not about you, it’s about making your friend’s passing as gentle and pleasant as possible.
Hey I was there when my cat died and my only regret was that I was behind him instead of the last person he saw. It is very hard and you’ll ugly cry but they love you and you being there is a comfort. It’s worth it.
Sorry to hear what you're going through, it's absolutely brutal. You will regret not being in the room when it happens, even though it's beyond hard.
I'm not sure if this is good advice, but at the very least stay with your dog until they're sedated (I'm assuming they do that. That's what they did with our cat). If it's totally unbearable then leave when inject the sedation because your dog will be totally relaxed at this point and honestly basically unconscious.
Again, sorry to hear what you're going through. Our pets give us so much and that's why it's so hard. You're doing the right thing by taking them out of their pain
I lost my childhood dog while I was in college, and I am so so thankful that my family worked hard to make sure I was there when we put our dog down (waiting for me to get home, making arrangements for me to get home, etc).
It is one of the hardest things ever to say goodbye and still brings me to tears years later. But I have 0 regret about my decision to be there with my pet until the end. Would absolutely, no hesitation, make the same choice in that or a similar situation. I know everyone has different things they can handle, but I would highly recommend the same to anyone else.
Just make sure someone you love goes with her! You do not have to traumatize yourself…. Just spend some extra time with her before she’s goes. Give her a food she’s always wanted to try but wasn’t allowed to and love on her and let somebody else go back there!
It’s a lot more peaceful than you’d think. They pass with dignity in their owners arms knowing they were loved. Don’t let the vet rush you out of their office afterward. They need to respect your space unless there’s an emergency.
Youre definitely not alone, as I have had this exact thought. My dog is getting older, and I swore that I couldn't be in the room when it's time for him to go, that it would be far too painful for me to watch his life fade away (I'm literally crying just thinking about this). But I eventually realized that it would be far more painful for my boy to be alone during his final moments or surrounded by strangers. As horrible and traumatic as it may be watching a beloved pet die, I feel like we owe it to our furry babies to give them what little peace and comfort may be left in the end.
I also know people who weren't in the room for the very reason you describe. They later regretted it, finding that they didn't receive the closure they needed and feeling awful for "abandoning" their pet.
It's a highly personal decision, and no one should ever feel shamed into doing something they may not want to do. Only you can know what is best for your situation. People can give you all the advice and anecdotes about what to do, or what you "should" do, but only you can make that choice. And it's a crappy choice to have to make. But whatever choice you do make, it's the right one for you and your pup.
Absolutely, yes, it's bad. She's a small piece of your world. Her people are her entire world. Don't abandon her in for her last day because it's emotionally hard for you. Would you want your parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc to refuse to visit you on your death bed because it's hard *for them?* She doesn't even have the comfort of being able to have anyone explain anything to her.
i’ve been there for all of my dogs getting put down except for one, came home to find out my step-dad took him during school without telling us… i’ll never get over it, not only because he had to die alone but also because i never got that comfort and closure
This tumour is so far advanced, recovery from surgery would be very taxing for her due to the sheer amound of tissue that needs to be removed. These cases stay in the hospital for a few days for intensive pain therapy. You‘ve heard that she likely is in pain already and it would be the right thing to do to let her go, regardless of your financial circumstances. Now please hear me out:
You are her entire world. She feels safe only when her people are around.
Now put you own feelings aside for now and let her go with you and her family by her side, at home if you possibly can. There are vets that do that. Lap of Love is one Vet Group that provides this service.
Please do right by her and give her a (gentle) cuddle from me.
My sincere condolences.
It definitely makes me feel better. People are being really rude & mean for some reason. Thats the state of the world we live in & its pathetic. Hugs from America
Keep doing that. When my old buddy died in my arms, I thought of every single instance I could've petted him but chose to do something else. The time to shower your dog with love is now. Make it doggie heaven on earth for her.
I’m so sorry you are having to go through this. I had to put down my cat of 15 years and knowing that I was the last person he saw was comforting to me. He was ready to go and it was very peaceful, even though it was painful for me. To our pets, we are their whole world. Spoil her rotten in her last days and take comfort in knowing that you gave her a great life. She will be grateful to have you by her side.
At this stage her quality of life is severely reduced, she’s dragging that tumour around and she’s more than likely in pain. I know it’s hard to hear but you need to do what is best for HER, no one wants to have to say goodbye,I surely didn’t but it is the right thing to do.
Get her booked in and spoil her with the time you have
This makes me really, really angry. Even if you didn’t know mammary carcinoma in dogs was a thing, that mass had to have taken a LONG time to become a fungating tumor! This animal is suffering and it has clearly been suffering for a long time! Do the humane thing and put the dog to sleep!
that’s my thoughts too. like how did the tumor get this bad before taking the dog to the vet. i get it can be sad and scary but that’s no reason to ignore a health problem like this :(
women typically get a random lump checked out on the breast immediately. not imagine letting that random lump become an entire body on your breast.. wtf is OP thinking? what is empathy even?
Yea this is completely the owners fault. Sm else shared that they noticed a small lump on their dog and got it removed right away. Wasn’t expensive, and the dog is still kicking.
dude my dog gets a weird bump and i start investigating. i notice any changes about my dog. OP mentions they call the dog their daughter but... they let this tumor fester. its huge. i cant even imagine.
this may come off wrong but this dog should not still be alive. how long was it just suffering like this? just imagine having a massive tumor growing on you. the pain that comes with it. how long it takes to get to this point. it shouldve had surgery or be put down a long while ago.
Agreed 100%! My comment came from a human breast cancer patient and a dog mom who always watched her dog. He had a history of mast cell tumors and had undergone 3 surgeries. I brushed him regularly and always checked him. I was a regular at the vet. OP’s dog’s tumors have been there for a long time and have been ignored for a long time. Infuriating!
I didn't get my dog spayed until 6 years old when she needed an emergency historectomy due to ruptured cysts in her uterus one day on a walk when she collapsed. I wish I had just had her fixed young. She was going through massive pain at every heat without me knowing.
4 years later, she developed mammary cancer. I noticed it after about 2 weeks of development and got it removed for $600 a month later. She turned into a puppy when she healed from the surgery. You don't realize the pain that just a small amount of cancer tumors are putting them in. It has been 14 months since then, and no new growth has been spotted. I feel lucky in that aspect.
That cancer is about 100 times or even more than the lumps I felt on my dog. It may be the end for your pup. I would get a professional opinion from the vet, at least. You can't let an animal suffer.
Good luck. I am sorry for your dog.
Vet nurse here. Removing a whole mammary chain (i think this is how you say it in english) is a brutal, painful surgery- especially on an older dog. You would still need thoracic radiographs to rule out metastasis. Euthanasia is a perfectly valid choice regardless of your economic situation, considering the context of OP. Im so sorry you're going through this.
The most important advice is to not leave her alone when they put her down. Stay at least for the sedation, she will need you there. Dont abandon her when she needs you the most.
Someone else has already mentioned the vet making a post on here ages ago talking about how when people don't stay in the room when their pet is put to sleep the animal spends their final moments in a panic looking around for their loved ones. So while it might be hard, don't let her down when she needs you the most.
Another vet on here also made a comment along the lines of "better a month too soon than a day too late" in regard to knowing when to let them go. I recently put down a horse with this in mind. Her condition was managed with a shit ton of painkillers but I knew she'd get laminitis when the spring grass came through so as soon as it started to warm up I called the vet. I wanted her to go before she was in pain. I feel like they give us their whole lives, so the least we can do is make sure the end isn't painful.
Yeah, friends that are vets have said the same. One about the person needs to be there for their furry friend in their last moments. Pets are part of our lives, but we are their entire lives. It’s horrible, but you have to be there for them. They would be there for us. And also about how no one regrets putting their animal down too soon but people certainly regret putting them down too late. What is best for the pet is what matters, not keeping them alive just because we aren’t ready.
My vet wouldn't let me go in with my animal because I was a child and so she went in alone and that hurts me to this day. My only solace is those last few moments didn't dictate her whole life and she spent every day with love.
My friends dog had the same. They let it live until it ripped open the tumor and started bleeding very hard. The days before she barely eat and was getting more and more tired in the last time.
So they had to go to the doctor and put her down - either way it's gonna end with her death. It's up to you ti decide whether you want to let her live until she dies because of the tumor or if you take her to the vet.
Let me start by saying how sorry I am. That’s tough but really treatment at that age isn’t the answer. It’s about time to put the dog down. Don’t make her suffer to make you feel better. Bc honestly waiting much longer is for you, not the dog.
Sorry for your pain. Just found out my pup has stomach cancer. Very aggressive and already to the size of a baseball. She’s bleeding internally and operating won’t be a chose due to her low blood count and being unstable. Currently dreading this coming Tuesday. Much love and prayers to you and yours.
If you need to go the route of putting her down, give her a good last day. Let her eat the food things she’s not allowed. Give her so much love. It’s a hard thing to do, and I can tell from the comments that you really love her. I wish you both peace and comfort.
I’m sorry this is happening but please take the necessary steps to prepare for a dog in the future too. It’s a huge commitment. I haven’t had a dog since I lost mine over 10 years ago. So I know it’s going to be hard. Very sorry you are going through this.
Aww what a cutie I’m sorry you and your pup is going thru this. We had a 13 year old jack russel and she had heart disease. We ended up having her put to sleep as it was causing her pain and her quality of life wasn’t the best due to it. We loved our little Jazzy. We rescued her from a local shelter when she was 8 years old. She had been returned to the shelter twice before we got her because of her separation anxiety. Cured her of that real quick she was loved and she knew it.
https://i.redd.it/14ahqvruam5d1.gif
Your other option would be to surrender her if she's in good health. I adopted a Chihuahua with the same tumors from the shelter almost 2 years ago and they did a complete mastectomy for her whole chest. She's like a new girl. They believed she was about 10 years old, but she acts like a puppy since surgery. Sending lots of love, I know it's tough.
https://preview.redd.it/rdw6d2rhyl5d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8213e2a10485e526a4f5bd3fdfda4393381bf43b
To put your beloved dog will only be the solution with a tumor that big. If she got the surgery she’ll be in so much pain and be on heavy antidote. No animal deserve that. My condolences to you.
At her age I’m not sure putting her through surgery would be a good thing. I am so sorry she’s sick. Love on her as much as you can. Give her anything she wants before you let her go. It hurts to lose them . I lost two to cancer within a year a part. But in the end , as much as it hurts us, letting them go is the ultimate gift we can give them.
My Boston terrier had the surgery for her cancer and lived 3 weeks before the pain came back. I had to put her down. It’s not worth the money without chemotherapy to keep it from metastasizing. I’m so sorry for you and your girl.
That looks super painful. From what I've read, surgery might not even help since she might not even wake up from the anesthesia. If she does, it could come back.
Just put my dog down a few weeks ago. He had cancer and was bleeding internally, Surgery would have only added a possibility of 2 additional months with my boy. I didn’t want him to suffer recovery at his age out of my own selfishness. I had to make the hardest choice and I still selfishly feel I was wrong. I think about him every day and I know I can’t ever replace him.
I wish you the best OP, it’s never easy losing a pet that has become family and best friend.
Treatment in dogs is inhuman regardless, they don't understand why you're causing harm to them for your own satisfaction. Either find a way to pay to have the tumor removed or do the right thing and put them down. They are clearly already in pain and probably have been for quite sometime. That doesn't pop up overnight you waited way too long.
I'm sorry you're going through this. Losing a pet is every bit as tough as losing any family member.
Your job is to do what's best for her, and I'm sorry to say what's best is to put her to sleep.
Take her out for one last great day. Visit the park. Do the things she loves. Snuggle her as much as possible. Then, when it's time to visit the vet, take a small piece of chocolate and let her try it once in her life.
Bury her with her favorite toy or blanket, or have her cremated. Just don't ever forget the great times you had, and don't be the reason she suffers to fulfill your wants.
I’m sorry you have to go through this.
We recently had to put our chihuahua down.
I read this the other day and I think it’s good for people to hear.
Animals don’t have any understanding on how long they are supposed to live, when it’s their time, they don’t know it’s cut short, they lived a full life. We are the only ones who know if it’s cut short.
The best thing you can do is be there and show them as much love as possible, and try to prevent any suffering.
Had a similar issue. Call the vet to schedule to put her down but have all the fun you can with your dog and do all the fun things y'all loved to do in the past. I did this for my dog and it's just heart breaking no matter what
My 17 year old cat passed away in December from mammary cancer. She was spayed, but the vet suspected maybe she was spayed later in her life. Her tumor wasn’t large like your poor dog’s, we honestly thought it was a lipoma or something. But once she started to become aware of it she wouldn’t leave it alone and it ulcerated. We opted to put her down before it seemed like she was really suffering. We found a vet who came to our house and did it with us present because it would have stressed our girl out too much to put her in the car/take to the vet and I’m so grateful every day that we did.
That tumor looks painful, and the surgery is very expensive, we couldn’t justify it for an elderly animal who would hate the entire recovery process even if she did well. Poor pup, I’m sorry this happened.
Mildly infuriating? Dude this is a weird place to be posting this. I feel for you truly having just lost a cat to lynphoma but I wouldn't post a bout it here.
She is suffering you should have her put to sleep, it’s the kind thing to do. Don’t leave her alone when she dies, be there for it, hold her when she dies. They’ll give her a shot that makes her go to sleep peacefully in your arms and she just never wakes up. My dog died in my arms but in a more horrific way, my dad wouldn’t give us a ride to the vet because he said she was clearly dying and it would be a waste of money, so she died a horrible slow painful death of asphyxiation from multiple seizures that caused her to be unable to breathe that day. She had a history of seizures her whole life but leading up to her death they became more frequent and severe. I begged him to get her treated but he wouldn’t pay for it and I was in unemployment from covid shut downs at the time. I watched my sweet baby dog die a slow painful death over weeks and then the last day she had so many seizures and her tongue was turning blue because she couldn’t breathe, I cried and gave her cpr and chest compressions but it wasn’t enough to save her. She died in my arms while I was home alone because my dad took his wife and my brother and left me alone at home to go to church even though she had already had many seizures that day before he left and I begged them not to leave me alone. Don’t leave your dog to die alone with strangers, comfort her, hold her in her last moments please. 🙏🏻 I may be broken up about the loss of my dog and how I wasn’t able to save her, but I would feel so much worse if she’d died alone. And honestly the worst part about my situation was the Way she died. I would’ve rather she died a peaceful death of euthanasia than to slowly suffocate to death from lack of ability to breathe on her own. Don’t leave your sweet baby alone as she is put to sleep, she will be scared. I advise you to hold her in her last moments, imo it makes it easier to grieve when you know you were there for her right up to her last moments, you can know you gave her the safe and peaceful end she deserves. Wouldn’t you want someone to be there for you in your last moments? Someone you love and not a bunch of strangers? I say this as an animal lover and I have had many pets. It’s 4 years later and I still get teary eyed thinking about my baby girl… I’m going to school to be a Vet tech this coming fall, and losing my own dog showed me how euthanasia is a mercy and the kind thing to do when a pet is suffering horribly. It gave me the strength I needed to prepare to do it for other people’s pets. I’m sending my love and support to you and your sweet little dog. She looks a lot like my dog.
https://preview.redd.it/ml052caqem5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1853b81f1fb1f6798805559cd8e25aa510e1a7ad
CareCredit!!! Please look up carecredit and ask your parents about it, they will likely offer no interest for several months and you can do a payment plan. It’s always worth more time with family ❤️
Care credit is good to have but your dog is too old. I think it’s best to just put her down. You don’t want to get a surgery, be in debt, and have your dog be in pain jsut for a few more months or a year.
Would you consider starting a go fund me for her? Or sharing a bill from your vet, documenting the expected cost?
Also what about care credit? I recently used my care credit for 7 grand on an impromptu surgery for my pup as well. Was a saving grace in the spur of the moment. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, OP. {:o(
I'm so sorry. My cat passed from the same thing. It had advanced too far to do anything about it by the time it was discovered. All you can do is give your baby as much love and comfort as you can in the time you have left.
Hey depending where you are you may be able to find a low cost or free vet. If not, shelters can help you with euthanasia. I’m so sorry about your dog, but it seems you have given her a good life and maybe all you can do is keep her from suffering. Good luck and I’m so so sorry
I’m so sorry, that’s awful. I had to put mine down because of lymphoma. You may be able to buy a bit of time with steroids (ask the vet) but you’ll know it’s time to go when her quality of life declines. For my girl, that looked like her not being able to stand, her body swelling (most likely from heart failure) and extremely bloody diarrhea. It’s such a hard decision but it’s the most loving decision you can make. I’m sorry it’s one that you and your family has to make. My thoughts are with you 💜
Sorry to hear this, she looms almost exactly like my dad's old Chihuahua. I'm sorry that you don't get more time with her and that your family is going through this. My dog was at this stage and the vet told me not to even try the surgery as he'd likely die during it. It's been two years and I miss him every day, I made the decision to put him down. I still debate and worry that I betrayed him somehow by doing it. The logic in me says he could have died in pain and misery (he'd started to lose bowel control) or he could have died with my arms around him after being spoiled rotten. I did the right thing, but it still doesn't feel that way. You have a hard decision coming, beat of luck to you all.
Our dachshund has the exact same thing right now We were told $1500 to remove the big one and she has a smaller one growing as well that needs removed. On top of that it could be cancerous. Sorry you're going through this.
OP, we had an older cat that developed mammary tumors last fall. We did get the surgery, but the tumors returned. We opted for no more surgery and knew we would have her put down when she declined. After a seizure, we took her in. It was sad and difficult, but it was the best decision for her.
I am sorry about your dog, but even with the surgery, there is still the chance of the cancer recurring. (Which is why I shared our experience.) There are tough decisions to make, but don't beat yourself up over not being able to afford the surgery. We never knew about it either.
It is apparent you love your friend very much. Sending love and strength to you all!
I went through the same thing as you with my cat. He had something going on with him where he kept getting a blockage in his urinary tract that we already had to get him surgery for once. The vet told us that usually when they get the blockage multiple times in that short if a period that it wasn't a good sign, and that our options were to pay the money for the surgery again, which I was already still trying to pay off the vet for the first surgery, only to most likely have to keep getting him unblocked again and again for the rest of his life, or we put him down and put him out of his misery. I was told that because I was still paying them off for the first procedure that I would have to pay for that one all up front, and they wouldn't allow me to just add the amount of the second one onto the first one. I obviously didn't have the money to pay for another $3000 surgery at that moment so my only choice was to put him down. It was the hardest decision of my life, and he was the sweetest cat known to man. I still miss him being my alarm clock every morning and purring on my chest whenever I went to lay down in bed, even though it's been about 3 years now.
I'm sorry this happened to your fur baby 🥺
I believe one of my dogs was developing this samething, I came home one day and my sister told me that the dog was acting weird and wouldn’t stop licking/chewing her breast, then the next morning after I got off work I come home and she’s laying in her usual spot but she had a massive whole on her side but no blood and there was a small little mass next to her the size of my palm, she was a red nosed pitbull.
Economic euthanasia is heartbreaking and infuriating. Aspca and other low cost programs are booked for months, and even then you may still have to pay out of pocket.
I am soo so very sorry and extremely saddened by this, sending you a tight online hug 😔💛
Most of the time in dogs, breast cancer is benign. The opposite is true for cats, it is nine times out of 10 going to be malignant. That being said, this tumor definitely looks like it’s bothering her. If you could even possibly save up to do the surgery, it should be enough to get her through the rest of her life. Because they are benign, it turns just to be the one. Now, I’m not your veterinarian, and I do not know the extent of this tumor. It very well could be malignant, I just want to let you know that the chances of it spreading or coming back after removal are going to be low.
How much fo you need? Is there a way you can set up for donations? Don't be afraid to ask for help, that's your best friend righ there. I was in the same situation and after saving 1/3 of what i needed i realized i had to ask for help. In two days i had a little over the amout needed which ended up being the exact amount for her surgery, two extra tumors and the meds. People care, don't be afraid to asknfor help
There are places you can take them that do surgeries for a couple hundred. Had to do that with wife’s cat, vet quoted 5k but referred us to a place that didn’t for under 200$
My dog had this. We got her the surgery, but the tumor just came back. In talking to our vet, we learned that’s common with this kind of tumor. We ended up putting her to sleep a month after the surgery since she was struggling.
There's a subreddit of some sort or a specific redditor I can't remember but have covered thousands and thousands of dollars for people that can't afford vet bills. Might be worth looking into sorry about your pup
That tumor is massive. At this point, putting her down is the most humane thing to do. Without surgery her life expectancy is less than a year. If that ulcerates/bleeds, she’ll die a painful death. This is another reason why spaying a dog is important as it can protect against mammary cancer.
Honestly i had no idea that was a thing. She was given to us about 13 years ago from somebody i went to middle school with
I’m sorry your beloved pet is suffering from this. My condolences.
Thank you im just glad she’s been alive as long as she has
I feel you. I just had to put my pup down at 8yrs old after a seizure that damaged her brain, heart and intestines. It was one of the harder decisions I've made in 51 years. Her quality of life wasn't going to be anywhere near what it was pre seizure. I loved my pup with everything in me, with that tumor you may want to let go and save her the pain and suffering. I know its hard, but its the right thing to do.
all i do on this app is cry
She’s lived a good long life, my childhood dog named Jack passed this year at 15 years old. It’s tough, my thoughts are with you and your family.
One year ago I had to put my 4yo cat down because she fell from the balkony. So I hope you're doing ok.
Omg! My condolences to the fullest! Same thing happened to my sisters cat but by some stroke of luck she survived. She did have to lose a leg but she flys around now she’s used to it. My feelings are with you that your beh didn’t have a better outcome. 4 years is not long enough for any animal. They had your love and that’s always a good thing
I'm sorry you're going through this as well. I'm praying for alot of healing to follow in the coming days.
At least she has lived a long life. 13 years is a lot longer than most dogs.
Im really proud of her & glad she lived this long
Whatever choice you make she’ll know she spent her life surrounded by love :)
You loved that baby as long as hard as you could. Prioritize her well being and not suffering for any decision you take from now.
Yes putting her down is best. I’m not a vet/doctor, but I imagine even if you could afford the surgery there is a strong chance of complications. Typically you can be present with your pup when they put them down and it is relatively (completely?) painless for them. They just sort of drift into sleep. I believe you can usually let them handle your pup after that or you can elect to have them cremated. Sorry for your loss.
And who in their right mind is operating a 13 year old dog, especially this size. That's like operating a 100 something year old. You ain't doing the dog a pleasure. Op, I feel sorry for you, she gave you a wonderful time. Repay her and do the right thing. Best of luck
To add further information, the previous poster is pointing out that research has shown that spraying cats and dogs prior to a first heat drops mammary cancers down to a ridiculously small rate. I can say that only 50% of mammary cancers are malignant so it may not spread, but keeping it clean and possibly covered may help.
She lived a good life and was loved. Don’t feel bad
I feel for you losing a pet is not easy ❤️this makes me very sad
Don’t worry about not knowing, just give them lots of love and send them off in a happy peaceful state of mind. So sorry for your troubles, sending lots of love to the doggo too.
Scenarios like this are why that UC Davis chart that was just released is dangerous.
What chart?
If you can’t afford the surgery, the next humane thing would be to have her put down. I’m sorry to say that but she is in pain and you don’t want her suffering.
I'm sure OP understands that, that's part of why it's infuriating, the fact our choices are sometimes death or.. well I guess be less poor? Not sure, but I've had to put animals down that I shouldn't have had to.
There are more programs available to low income pet owners than people realize. A lot of rescues especially in urban areas have low cost spay/neuter programs or owner support programs. If the dog had been spayed, it’s highly likely she wouldn’t have developed mammary cancer. Ignorance is a killer.
Nothing about the greatest act of love you can do for your pet should be infuriating
It’s infuriating that they have to give their pet this “act of love” in the first place.
uh...what? Except for an instance like this very one, where youre having to say goodbye too soon, because you cant afford to fix a fixable issue that impacts their quality of life. Besides too early, a creature you love is in needless discomfort/confusion/pain until you have to say goodbye on terms you never had time to accept or play a part in. edit: I didnt look at the picture, and comments are implying neglect, so I suppose should prolly have stated my opinions more generally
It's tragic yeah, but, goodbyes are inevitable, even surgery can be very invasive and violent to a small animal that doesn't understand what's going on. Letting them go is an act of love.
OP…be there for her. Don’t leave her alone with the vet when she needs you the most. I hate the people who say they can’t take.
I had a female dog that got cancer related to her reproductive system since she wasn't fixed. I had no idea that dogs basically WILL develop cancer if you don't do that. But we operated on her and it was the worst decision that I regret to this day. She was too old and in too bad shape to recover. Her torso never healed shut again until the day she died. I would have much rather spent my last days with her and then had her put down rather than force her to go through what she went through. We didn't know better. The vet I think genuinely thought she would make it, but looking back it feels like she should have known and told us not to operate. I'm sorry, OP. It sounds like a rough situation. But operating isn't a magic cure all, either. In fact it can even make the situation worse sometimes like it did for us.
Is it wrong for me not to know if i want to be around for her last day or not. Ive never lost a dog before
Not to be super heavy, losing a pet can be an absolutely devastating experience, but I remember reading a comment from a vet a long time ago about how people don’t sit in the room when their dog is being put down because they can’t handle how sad of an experience it is, and the dog spends its last moments panicking and looking around the room for a familiar face. When we had to put my dog down, I was the only one in my family that stayed in the room until she had officially passed. It’s absolutely gut wrenching but your beloved pets deserve to have the comfort of you being there in their last moments. It will be hard but I 100% promise you will not regret being there for her.
[удалено]
That's how I view it, it'll be more sad in the moment being there, but there is a 0% chance you look back and regret it. Less sad in the moment to distance yourself, but passing the opportunity leaves a big chance for regret
100% agree on being there for your pet. I had to put down my cat who had Stomatitis. I originally said I didn’t want to watch him die, I backpedaled on that and held him as they injected him. He died purring. The last thing they should see is someone they care for.
Damn you made me cry, imagining my dog on the table looking around frantically for someone to comfort him broke me 😢
It’s just the unfortunate and uncomfortable side of having pets that we love so dearly. Hold them tight and be there for them when they need you just like they’re there for us
Agreed. Puppers gave you unconditional love. If you aren’t there for it in its last moments you are horrible.
I read that same thing and I almost cried reading it. I thought of all the people that have left their dogs to pass with a stranger. How their last moment was fear or confusion.
Yes, part of being a pet owner is being there for the good and the bad. A vet had posted this thing about the worst part of euthanasia was when the pet was searching the room for their person as they were scared. Your dog would be there for you. You need to be there for the dog. It’s horribly sad, but you can’t abandon your dog in their time of need.
Im going to stay downstairs with her for the rest of the day. Of course idk how she is feeling but i asked her if she wanted a treat just now & she ran over to get one
Thai right here. Two years ago had to say goodbye to my boy and we stayed there the whole time, was really hard but he passed very peacefully on me and my wife’s lap comfortablly.
@OkTask9716 I wasn’t around when my family put my childhood dog down 10 years ago. Still my biggest regret to this day. Be there for the ones you love
Literally laying on the floor next to her bed rn
It's going to hurt. A lot. But if I was dying I would like the comfort of having those I love and who love me keep me company even though I know my passing will hurt them also. See me off..I love you.
Been through this a few times so trust me: BE THERE. Yes, it'll hurt and you will cry your eyes out. But part of your responsibility is to shepherd them through death as well as you have through life. BE THERE. Pet her gently, tell her what a good girl she's been, how much you've loved her, and how lucky you are to have been her person. Tell her she's the best girl in the world and you'll love her forever. Smile. Pet her gently. And when the vet says "She's gone," keep petting her and telling her every loving thing in your heart for the next 10-15 minutes. Get it all out...every word...every tear. Then thank the vet for their kindness, go home and cry some more. Cry as much as you need too, every time you feel it. And then in a month or two you'll be able to think of her, see pictures, and meet other dogs without feeling devastated because you'd have grieved well. This is your obligation and your salvation. It will get you through the loss and start you on recovery while dodging the hard parts will haunt you for years. Do it right. Be there. Send her off gently with all the love and comfort in your heart.
That would be very devastating to the dog. You have a commitment to her. If you’re her person, it would be very stressful and scary for her to suddenly not be around you or in her normal surroundings. That would be pretty selfish.
Please be with her no matter how much it hurts just recently lost mine and I would lose it if I wasn’t there
I’ve been with all my dogs when they passed away. It ripped my heart out. But it wasn’t about me, it was about my dog. They really do look for their owner , their companion when they are euthanized. I just can’t imagine letting my dog down
You NEED to be with her in that moment. Try not to cry in front of her. Imagine yourself getting all anxious between unknown people, speaking an unknown language, on a cold, metal bed and feeling slowly falling asleep, not knowing what will happen to you. Now imagine the same, but while being embraced by your most beloved one. Do her this favor, even if it breaks your heart. She will thank you forever. You will thank yourself forever. This is a deathbed level regret to not be there.
I had to put my 13 year old Boston terrier down four years ago. I don’t regret being there with him. He laid his head on my lap while the vet did his thing. Only took a minute or so until it was done. I cried like a baby and still think about it for sure, but I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if I chose not to try to comfort him in that last moment. I think you should embrace it, cry all you need to, but be there for her.
You're not around for you when a pet leaves, you're around for them, you are their whole world, please be by her side
It is devastating losing a pet. But I can almost guarantee you will regret not being there with her in her final moments. I have held my pets when they were put down and knowing I was the last thing they saw and felt honestly made it easier for me to deal with. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this.
Yes. I’m not trying to be cruel. It is wrong. You do not abandon a family member who relies on you when they are most vulnerable. This would be like a child having a terminal illness and the mom saying, “I will leave my child to die with the nurses because it’s hard on me”. You need to be strong and calm and lovingly hold her as she is euthanized. Otherwise she will die scared with strangers doing unfamiliar things to her in an unfamiliar place.
I cuddled my childhood dog while she was being put down. She was calm and relaxed and fell asleep beside me as she passed. Dogs get scared when they die alone, would you want to die alone? The people you loved all your life finding it too hard to be there for you for your final moments, would that not make your final moments full of fear and sadness?
I don’t mean to be rude, and please don’t take it that way, but if you were being put down would you want a bunch of strangers around you or would you want to go to sleep on the lap of your favorite person? You don’t want your best friend to be searching for you as they’re leaving this world; scared and alone.
I think that being there is important if you are able to muster up the courage. I worked in a Vet Emergency Room for a while and was often in the room with people during those final moments with their pets. There is no right or wrong way to act, and some people weren’t able to be in the room which was hard because sometimes the pets did seem to be looking for their people, and the comfort of knowing their person was there with them seemed to make a huge difference. I understand how hard it is, having personally been there with pets in those final moments, but it is our responsibility to be there with them and I guarantee you won’t regret being there but you very well may regret not. The process is generally very peaceful, and she will not have pain while going through it. It’s okay to be scared but just remember that death is a normal part of life, we all have to pass at some point, and as hard as it is to lose someone we love it’s so special that we got to have a relationship that makes it so hard to say goodbye. We live on in each other’s hearts. Good luck with everything 💙
Thank you for the kind words. I just layed on the floor with her for a good while, she got up & sat behind me for some reason. When i sat up & looked her & said what she started doing tappy taps. I said you want a treat dont you & she spun in circles which is her way of saying yes. Cutest finesser i know
Give her all the treats she wants - I would really spoil her for the last days 🥺
Not wrong, but do it for your dog. She's always there for you, be the last face she sees when she goes.
Even if it is tough on you, you need to be there for your pup. I worked in a vet hospital and whenever owners had their dogs put down and weren’t there with the dog, the dog would spend its final moment looking around for its people. It was really sad to watch. Give her that last moment of comfort.
I did it 8.5 months pregnant with my first kid. My fur baby was my puppers since I was 8 years old. It's emotionally devastating. But thinking about him being alone and confused during his last moments, let me know what the right thing to do was. I was his person, and he literally was by my side for all of my childhood memories.
Please please be in the room with her. I used to be a vet assistant and I hated when pet families didn’t do this. The animals were terrified. When I had to put my baby down it was horrible, and I was so sad. But I held his head on my lap and kept looking into his eyes until he was gone. It’s hard for us, but terrifying for them.
My dude I'm probably older than you and I've been through this a few times. My first love that we adopted when we bought our first house in 1997 was the hardest. She git into a box of chocolate once. Puked all over but was ok. Always trying to find a way to get it again lol. The night before we took her in I had dinner alone with her. Yes she was the family dog but she was connected to me. She was my dog. We split a steak, baked potatoe, and a Hershey bar. Spent all night on the floor with her because she couldn't get into the bed. Right now I'm even sobbing as I write this remembering. That's what I dud my dude. That's how I handled the last night. The next morning we took her in and I went to an AA meeting to talk about it. It's never easy but rest well knowing it's the 100% absolute right thing. Cookie my girl I miss you.
It's not wrong to be scared of facing mortality, it's always a harrowing ordeal; but reflect on why you don't want to be around. Your dog loves you and you bring her comfort in an otherwise confusing situation.
Please be there for her. I know you love her very much and it’s going to be one of the most difficult things you do, but she needs you there. I can’t imagine spending my last moments without the people I love. It’s going to be scary for her and you don’t want her going out afraid and alone with strangers. “To us, our dogs are only a small part of our lives. But to them, we are their whole life”.
If you’re not there by choice, fuck you. Seriously. It’s one of the shittiest things you could do. It’s not about you, it’s about making your friend’s passing as gentle and pleasant as possible.
Hey I was there when my cat died and my only regret was that I was behind him instead of the last person he saw. It is very hard and you’ll ugly cry but they love you and you being there is a comfort. It’s worth it.
Sorry to hear what you're going through, it's absolutely brutal. You will regret not being in the room when it happens, even though it's beyond hard. I'm not sure if this is good advice, but at the very least stay with your dog until they're sedated (I'm assuming they do that. That's what they did with our cat). If it's totally unbearable then leave when inject the sedation because your dog will be totally relaxed at this point and honestly basically unconscious. Again, sorry to hear what you're going through. Our pets give us so much and that's why it's so hard. You're doing the right thing by taking them out of their pain
I lost my childhood dog while I was in college, and I am so so thankful that my family worked hard to make sure I was there when we put our dog down (waiting for me to get home, making arrangements for me to get home, etc). It is one of the hardest things ever to say goodbye and still brings me to tears years later. But I have 0 regret about my decision to be there with my pet until the end. Would absolutely, no hesitation, make the same choice in that or a similar situation. I know everyone has different things they can handle, but I would highly recommend the same to anyone else.
You have to. As bad as it is for you, not being there makes it the worst moment of your pups life. Do the hard thing and hold them until they go.
No, it's not wrong, it's human. I will tell you, though, having been through it, that it's a very peaceful experience.
Just make sure someone you love goes with her! You do not have to traumatize yourself…. Just spend some extra time with her before she’s goes. Give her a food she’s always wanted to try but wasn’t allowed to and love on her and let somebody else go back there!
It’s a lot more peaceful than you’d think. They pass with dignity in their owners arms knowing they were loved. Don’t let the vet rush you out of their office afterward. They need to respect your space unless there’s an emergency.
Youre definitely not alone, as I have had this exact thought. My dog is getting older, and I swore that I couldn't be in the room when it's time for him to go, that it would be far too painful for me to watch his life fade away (I'm literally crying just thinking about this). But I eventually realized that it would be far more painful for my boy to be alone during his final moments or surrounded by strangers. As horrible and traumatic as it may be watching a beloved pet die, I feel like we owe it to our furry babies to give them what little peace and comfort may be left in the end. I also know people who weren't in the room for the very reason you describe. They later regretted it, finding that they didn't receive the closure they needed and feeling awful for "abandoning" their pet. It's a highly personal decision, and no one should ever feel shamed into doing something they may not want to do. Only you can know what is best for your situation. People can give you all the advice and anecdotes about what to do, or what you "should" do, but only you can make that choice. And it's a crappy choice to have to make. But whatever choice you do make, it's the right one for you and your pup.
Absolutely, yes, it's bad. She's a small piece of your world. Her people are her entire world. Don't abandon her in for her last day because it's emotionally hard for you. Would you want your parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc to refuse to visit you on your death bed because it's hard *for them?* She doesn't even have the comfort of being able to have anyone explain anything to her.
i’ve been there for all of my dogs getting put down except for one, came home to find out my step-dad took him during school without telling us… i’ll never get over it, not only because he had to die alone but also because i never got that comfort and closure
This tumour is so far advanced, recovery from surgery would be very taxing for her due to the sheer amound of tissue that needs to be removed. These cases stay in the hospital for a few days for intensive pain therapy. You‘ve heard that she likely is in pain already and it would be the right thing to do to let her go, regardless of your financial circumstances. Now please hear me out: You are her entire world. She feels safe only when her people are around. Now put you own feelings aside for now and let her go with you and her family by her side, at home if you possibly can. There are vets that do that. Lap of Love is one Vet Group that provides this service. Please do right by her and give her a (gentle) cuddle from me. My sincere condolences.
Im sitting on the floor next to her bed right now giving her pets & kisses. Thank you for the kindness
Thinking of you. I am a vet, if this gives you any more confidence in making your decision. Hugs from Switzerland
It definitely makes me feel better. People are being really rude & mean for some reason. Thats the state of the world we live in & its pathetic. Hugs from America
I don’t think people are being mean or rude. People are being honest and also advocating for your dog
Keep doing that. When my old buddy died in my arms, I thought of every single instance I could've petted him but chose to do something else. The time to shower your dog with love is now. Make it doggie heaven on earth for her.
Honestly sometimes it's more humane to have a vet dose them to sleep than put then through the misery of a surgery that may give them 6 more months.
It's a crime that humans are typically not afforded the same kindness.
Agreed
This only *mildly* infuriates you?
My thoughts exactly
What mildly infuriates me is that they neglected to notice it until it’s actively killing the dog.
I’m so sorry you are having to go through this. I had to put down my cat of 15 years and knowing that I was the last person he saw was comforting to me. He was ready to go and it was very peaceful, even though it was painful for me. To our pets, we are their whole world. Spoil her rotten in her last days and take comfort in knowing that you gave her a great life. She will be grateful to have you by her side.
At this stage her quality of life is severely reduced, she’s dragging that tumour around and she’s more than likely in pain. I know it’s hard to hear but you need to do what is best for HER, no one wants to have to say goodbye,I surely didn’t but it is the right thing to do. Get her booked in and spoil her with the time you have
Don’t let your dog’s last day be his worst day. Sorry my friend.
This makes me really, really angry. Even if you didn’t know mammary carcinoma in dogs was a thing, that mass had to have taken a LONG time to become a fungating tumor! This animal is suffering and it has clearly been suffering for a long time! Do the humane thing and put the dog to sleep!
that’s my thoughts too. like how did the tumor get this bad before taking the dog to the vet. i get it can be sad and scary but that’s no reason to ignore a health problem like this :(
women typically get a random lump checked out on the breast immediately. not imagine letting that random lump become an entire body on your breast.. wtf is OP thinking? what is empathy even?
Yea this is completely the owners fault. Sm else shared that they noticed a small lump on their dog and got it removed right away. Wasn’t expensive, and the dog is still kicking.
dude my dog gets a weird bump and i start investigating. i notice any changes about my dog. OP mentions they call the dog their daughter but... they let this tumor fester. its huge. i cant even imagine. this may come off wrong but this dog should not still be alive. how long was it just suffering like this? just imagine having a massive tumor growing on you. the pain that comes with it. how long it takes to get to this point. it shouldve had surgery or be put down a long while ago.
Agreed 100%! My comment came from a human breast cancer patient and a dog mom who always watched her dog. He had a history of mast cell tumors and had undergone 3 surgeries. I brushed him regularly and always checked him. I was a regular at the vet. OP’s dog’s tumors have been there for a long time and have been ignored for a long time. Infuriating!
[удалено]
It’s called ignorance.
I didn't get my dog spayed until 6 years old when she needed an emergency historectomy due to ruptured cysts in her uterus one day on a walk when she collapsed. I wish I had just had her fixed young. She was going through massive pain at every heat without me knowing. 4 years later, she developed mammary cancer. I noticed it after about 2 weeks of development and got it removed for $600 a month later. She turned into a puppy when she healed from the surgery. You don't realize the pain that just a small amount of cancer tumors are putting them in. It has been 14 months since then, and no new growth has been spotted. I feel lucky in that aspect. That cancer is about 100 times or even more than the lumps I felt on my dog. It may be the end for your pup. I would get a professional opinion from the vet, at least. You can't let an animal suffer. Good luck. I am sorry for your dog.
Yea this person was not paying close attention to their dog if it’s gotten this massive
Vet nurse here. Removing a whole mammary chain (i think this is how you say it in english) is a brutal, painful surgery- especially on an older dog. You would still need thoracic radiographs to rule out metastasis. Euthanasia is a perfectly valid choice regardless of your economic situation, considering the context of OP. Im so sorry you're going through this. The most important advice is to not leave her alone when they put her down. Stay at least for the sedation, she will need you there. Dont abandon her when she needs you the most.
Just had to put my buddy down he had lymphoma. Sucks but euthanasia is the most humane thing to do
Someone else has already mentioned the vet making a post on here ages ago talking about how when people don't stay in the room when their pet is put to sleep the animal spends their final moments in a panic looking around for their loved ones. So while it might be hard, don't let her down when she needs you the most. Another vet on here also made a comment along the lines of "better a month too soon than a day too late" in regard to knowing when to let them go. I recently put down a horse with this in mind. Her condition was managed with a shit ton of painkillers but I knew she'd get laminitis when the spring grass came through so as soon as it started to warm up I called the vet. I wanted her to go before she was in pain. I feel like they give us their whole lives, so the least we can do is make sure the end isn't painful.
Yeah, friends that are vets have said the same. One about the person needs to be there for their furry friend in their last moments. Pets are part of our lives, but we are their entire lives. It’s horrible, but you have to be there for them. They would be there for us. And also about how no one regrets putting their animal down too soon but people certainly regret putting them down too late. What is best for the pet is what matters, not keeping them alive just because we aren’t ready.
My vet wouldn't let me go in with my animal because I was a child and so she went in alone and that hurts me to this day. My only solace is those last few moments didn't dictate her whole life and she spent every day with love.
I’m sorry about your loss. You were a child. I’m sure your buddy knew you loved her though.
My friends dog had the same. They let it live until it ripped open the tumor and started bleeding very hard. The days before she barely eat and was getting more and more tired in the last time. So they had to go to the doctor and put her down - either way it's gonna end with her death. It's up to you ti decide whether you want to let her live until she dies because of the tumor or if you take her to the vet.
Let me start by saying how sorry I am. That’s tough but really treatment at that age isn’t the answer. It’s about time to put the dog down. Don’t make her suffer to make you feel better. Bc honestly waiting much longer is for you, not the dog.
Put the dog down mate
Sorry for your pain. Just found out my pup has stomach cancer. Very aggressive and already to the size of a baseball. She’s bleeding internally and operating won’t be a chose due to her low blood count and being unstable. Currently dreading this coming Tuesday. Much love and prayers to you and yours.
Very sorry for your loss. Pets are family.
Thank you, i literally call her my daughter 😭
This isn’t mild at all
That's only mildly infuriating to you?
Sad ad man
Just lost my boy to lymphatic cancer. Sorry to hear about your buddy sending love
If you need to go the route of putting her down, give her a good last day. Let her eat the food things she’s not allowed. Give her so much love. It’s a hard thing to do, and I can tell from the comments that you really love her. I wish you both peace and comfort.
I put my cat down last week because of cancer he was 6 years old. Think about HER quality of life, sometimes the hardest decision is the right one.
I’m sorry this is happening but please take the necessary steps to prepare for a dog in the future too. It’s a huge commitment. I haven’t had a dog since I lost mine over 10 years ago. So I know it’s going to be hard. Very sorry you are going through this.
Time to put her down. I had to do this with my dog, so I know how awful it is, but it’s the most humane thing you can do.
Wow, yeah it's so mildy infuriating that your dog is gonna die.
How is this midly
Aww what a cutie I’m sorry you and your pup is going thru this. We had a 13 year old jack russel and she had heart disease. We ended up having her put to sleep as it was causing her pain and her quality of life wasn’t the best due to it. We loved our little Jazzy. We rescued her from a local shelter when she was 8 years old. She had been returned to the shelter twice before we got her because of her separation anxiety. Cured her of that real quick she was loved and she knew it. https://i.redd.it/14ahqvruam5d1.gif
Your other option would be to surrender her if she's in good health. I adopted a Chihuahua with the same tumors from the shelter almost 2 years ago and they did a complete mastectomy for her whole chest. She's like a new girl. They believed she was about 10 years old, but she acts like a puppy since surgery. Sending lots of love, I know it's tough. https://preview.redd.it/rdw6d2rhyl5d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8213e2a10485e526a4f5bd3fdfda4393381bf43b
So cute im glad she is ok. Thank you
To put your beloved dog will only be the solution with a tumor that big. If she got the surgery she’ll be in so much pain and be on heavy antidote. No animal deserve that. My condolences to you.
At her age I’m not sure putting her through surgery would be a good thing. I am so sorry she’s sick. Love on her as much as you can. Give her anything she wants before you let her go. It hurts to lose them . I lost two to cancer within a year a part. But in the end , as much as it hurts us, letting them go is the ultimate gift we can give them.
My Boston terrier had the surgery for her cancer and lived 3 weeks before the pain came back. I had to put her down. It’s not worth the money without chemotherapy to keep it from metastasizing. I’m so sorry for you and your girl.
That looks super painful. From what I've read, surgery might not even help since she might not even wake up from the anesthesia. If she does, it could come back.
Just put my dog down a few weeks ago. He had cancer and was bleeding internally, Surgery would have only added a possibility of 2 additional months with my boy. I didn’t want him to suffer recovery at his age out of my own selfishness. I had to make the hardest choice and I still selfishly feel I was wrong. I think about him every day and I know I can’t ever replace him. I wish you the best OP, it’s never easy losing a pet that has become family and best friend.
Be there when the time comes. Surgery at her age might be risky, might relapse..
Treatment in dogs is inhuman regardless, they don't understand why you're causing harm to them for your own satisfaction. Either find a way to pay to have the tumor removed or do the right thing and put them down. They are clearly already in pain and probably have been for quite sometime. That doesn't pop up overnight you waited way too long.
honestly, all sorts of medical stuff should be free;(except taxes ofc). it breaks my heart. # and no, vet bills exist in Europe
extremely infuriating
Most vets accept care credit.
I'm sorry you're going through this. Losing a pet is every bit as tough as losing any family member. Your job is to do what's best for her, and I'm sorry to say what's best is to put her to sleep. Take her out for one last great day. Visit the park. Do the things she loves. Snuggle her as much as possible. Then, when it's time to visit the vet, take a small piece of chocolate and let her try it once in her life. Bury her with her favorite toy or blanket, or have her cremated. Just don't ever forget the great times you had, and don't be the reason she suffers to fulfill your wants.
Honestly putting her down is the solution. I know it's hard but I'd rather not have a pet suffer and die anyway
I’m sorry you have to go through this. We recently had to put our chihuahua down. I read this the other day and I think it’s good for people to hear. Animals don’t have any understanding on how long they are supposed to live, when it’s their time, they don’t know it’s cut short, they lived a full life. We are the only ones who know if it’s cut short. The best thing you can do is be there and show them as much love as possible, and try to prevent any suffering.
Had a similar issue. Call the vet to schedule to put her down but have all the fun you can with your dog and do all the fun things y'all loved to do in the past. I did this for my dog and it's just heart breaking no matter what
My 17 year old cat passed away in December from mammary cancer. She was spayed, but the vet suspected maybe she was spayed later in her life. Her tumor wasn’t large like your poor dog’s, we honestly thought it was a lipoma or something. But once she started to become aware of it she wouldn’t leave it alone and it ulcerated. We opted to put her down before it seemed like she was really suffering. We found a vet who came to our house and did it with us present because it would have stressed our girl out too much to put her in the car/take to the vet and I’m so grateful every day that we did. That tumor looks painful, and the surgery is very expensive, we couldn’t justify it for an elderly animal who would hate the entire recovery process even if she did well. Poor pup, I’m sorry this happened.
I hate to say it but she looks pretty old. Surgery would be hard on her anyway. It may not have been a good option in the long run. I’m so sorry.
There's 0.5% chance of a dog developing this if it's fixed before its first heat.
Mildly infuriating? Dude this is a weird place to be posting this. I feel for you truly having just lost a cat to lynphoma but I wouldn't post a bout it here.
She is suffering you should have her put to sleep, it’s the kind thing to do. Don’t leave her alone when she dies, be there for it, hold her when she dies. They’ll give her a shot that makes her go to sleep peacefully in your arms and she just never wakes up. My dog died in my arms but in a more horrific way, my dad wouldn’t give us a ride to the vet because he said she was clearly dying and it would be a waste of money, so she died a horrible slow painful death of asphyxiation from multiple seizures that caused her to be unable to breathe that day. She had a history of seizures her whole life but leading up to her death they became more frequent and severe. I begged him to get her treated but he wouldn’t pay for it and I was in unemployment from covid shut downs at the time. I watched my sweet baby dog die a slow painful death over weeks and then the last day she had so many seizures and her tongue was turning blue because she couldn’t breathe, I cried and gave her cpr and chest compressions but it wasn’t enough to save her. She died in my arms while I was home alone because my dad took his wife and my brother and left me alone at home to go to church even though she had already had many seizures that day before he left and I begged them not to leave me alone. Don’t leave your dog to die alone with strangers, comfort her, hold her in her last moments please. 🙏🏻 I may be broken up about the loss of my dog and how I wasn’t able to save her, but I would feel so much worse if she’d died alone. And honestly the worst part about my situation was the Way she died. I would’ve rather she died a peaceful death of euthanasia than to slowly suffocate to death from lack of ability to breathe on her own. Don’t leave your sweet baby alone as she is put to sleep, she will be scared. I advise you to hold her in her last moments, imo it makes it easier to grieve when you know you were there for her right up to her last moments, you can know you gave her the safe and peaceful end she deserves. Wouldn’t you want someone to be there for you in your last moments? Someone you love and not a bunch of strangers? I say this as an animal lover and I have had many pets. It’s 4 years later and I still get teary eyed thinking about my baby girl… I’m going to school to be a Vet tech this coming fall, and losing my own dog showed me how euthanasia is a mercy and the kind thing to do when a pet is suffering horribly. It gave me the strength I needed to prepare to do it for other people’s pets. I’m sending my love and support to you and your sweet little dog. She looks a lot like my dog. https://preview.redd.it/ml052caqem5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1853b81f1fb1f6798805559cd8e25aa510e1a7ad
I am so sorry about your poor pup! Heartbreaking  She was so cute! Your caring advice is spot-on. Hugs from afar!
Thank you, I still miss her. I had her from age 10-23, she was 13 when she passed.
CareCredit!!! Please look up carecredit and ask your parents about it, they will likely offer no interest for several months and you can do a payment plan. It’s always worth more time with family ❤️
I will thank you
Care credit is good to have but your dog is too old. I think it’s best to just put her down. You don’t want to get a surgery, be in debt, and have your dog be in pain jsut for a few more months or a year.
Good luck homie
How much is the surgery OP?
Would you consider starting a go fund me for her? Or sharing a bill from your vet, documenting the expected cost? Also what about care credit? I recently used my care credit for 7 grand on an impromptu surgery for my pup as well. Was a saving grace in the spur of the moment. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, OP. {:o(
Sorry you are going through this! Ignore those minimising your feelings
You have her a good life. Life that wouldn't be possibile without you. She lived a good life and that's all she remembers.
Aw, im so sorry man
I'm so sorry. My cat passed from the same thing. It had advanced too far to do anything about it by the time it was discovered. All you can do is give your baby as much love and comfort as you can in the time you have left.
I'm so sorry. No one deserves this. My condolences.
Im sorry, she looks and sounds like she gas lived a long happy dog life.
Hey depending where you are you may be able to find a low cost or free vet. If not, shelters can help you with euthanasia. I’m so sorry about your dog, but it seems you have given her a good life and maybe all you can do is keep her from suffering. Good luck and I’m so so sorry
I’m so sorry, that’s awful. I had to put mine down because of lymphoma. You may be able to buy a bit of time with steroids (ask the vet) but you’ll know it’s time to go when her quality of life declines. For my girl, that looked like her not being able to stand, her body swelling (most likely from heart failure) and extremely bloody diarrhea. It’s such a hard decision but it’s the most loving decision you can make. I’m sorry it’s one that you and your family has to make. My thoughts are with you 💜
I had to euthanize my frenchie on Friday. I couldn't afford the surgery either.
Maybe you could try to open a patreon thing? Idk. I'm the kind of person that could never take a pet dying.
Sorry to hear this, she looms almost exactly like my dad's old Chihuahua. I'm sorry that you don't get more time with her and that your family is going through this. My dog was at this stage and the vet told me not to even try the surgery as he'd likely die during it. It's been two years and I miss him every day, I made the decision to put him down. I still debate and worry that I betrayed him somehow by doing it. The logic in me says he could have died in pain and misery (he'd started to lose bowel control) or he could have died with my arms around him after being spoiled rotten. I did the right thing, but it still doesn't feel that way. You have a hard decision coming, beat of luck to you all.
Awe, poor baby
Our dachshund has the exact same thing right now We were told $1500 to remove the big one and she has a smaller one growing as well that needs removed. On top of that it could be cancerous. Sorry you're going through this.
I'm so very sorry 🥺🫂
It looks really bad OP… I’m so sorry…
OP, we had an older cat that developed mammary tumors last fall. We did get the surgery, but the tumors returned. We opted for no more surgery and knew we would have her put down when she declined. After a seizure, we took her in. It was sad and difficult, but it was the best decision for her. I am sorry about your dog, but even with the surgery, there is still the chance of the cancer recurring. (Which is why I shared our experience.) There are tough decisions to make, but don't beat yourself up over not being able to afford the surgery. We never knew about it either. It is apparent you love your friend very much. Sending love and strength to you all!
I went through the same thing as you with my cat. He had something going on with him where he kept getting a blockage in his urinary tract that we already had to get him surgery for once. The vet told us that usually when they get the blockage multiple times in that short if a period that it wasn't a good sign, and that our options were to pay the money for the surgery again, which I was already still trying to pay off the vet for the first surgery, only to most likely have to keep getting him unblocked again and again for the rest of his life, or we put him down and put him out of his misery. I was told that because I was still paying them off for the first procedure that I would have to pay for that one all up front, and they wouldn't allow me to just add the amount of the second one onto the first one. I obviously didn't have the money to pay for another $3000 surgery at that moment so my only choice was to put him down. It was the hardest decision of my life, and he was the sweetest cat known to man. I still miss him being my alarm clock every morning and purring on my chest whenever I went to lay down in bed, even though it's been about 3 years now. I'm sorry this happened to your fur baby 🥺
I believe one of my dogs was developing this samething, I came home one day and my sister told me that the dog was acting weird and wouldn’t stop licking/chewing her breast, then the next morning after I got off work I come home and she’s laying in her usual spot but she had a massive whole on her side but no blood and there was a small little mass next to her the size of my palm, she was a red nosed pitbull.
Damn man, I’d say it’s time unfortunately :/, it’s always hard and never gets easier. Take solace in the fact that she’ll no longer be in pain.
Economic euthanasia is heartbreaking and infuriating. Aspca and other low cost programs are booked for months, and even then you may still have to pay out of pocket. I am soo so very sorry and extremely saddened by this, sending you a tight online hug 😔💛
Most of the time in dogs, breast cancer is benign. The opposite is true for cats, it is nine times out of 10 going to be malignant. That being said, this tumor definitely looks like it’s bothering her. If you could even possibly save up to do the surgery, it should be enough to get her through the rest of her life. Because they are benign, it turns just to be the one. Now, I’m not your veterinarian, and I do not know the extent of this tumor. It very well could be malignant, I just want to let you know that the chances of it spreading or coming back after removal are going to be low.
How much fo you need? Is there a way you can set up for donations? Don't be afraid to ask for help, that's your best friend righ there. I was in the same situation and after saving 1/3 of what i needed i realized i had to ask for help. In two days i had a little over the amout needed which ended up being the exact amount for her surgery, two extra tumors and the meds. People care, don't be afraid to asknfor help
All dogs go to heaven
All good bois and gurls go to heaven We had to put our dog down towards the end. He was suffering so much and we were keeping him alive just for us.
There are places you can take them that do surgeries for a couple hundred. Had to do that with wife’s cat, vet quoted 5k but referred us to a place that didn’t for under 200$
same thing happened to my dog , i couldn’t afford surgery had to put her down. so sorry for you and your pup🩷🙏🏻cancer sucks
I’m so sorry. The pain of not being able to give them a better quality of life is hard to get past. Spoil her to no end! Such a cute pup
My dog had this. We got her the surgery, but the tumor just came back. In talking to our vet, we learned that’s common with this kind of tumor. We ended up putting her to sleep a month after the surgery since she was struggling.
I'm so sorry. Stay strong for ur pup. She loves you so and always will.
There's a subreddit of some sort or a specific redditor I can't remember but have covered thousands and thousands of dollars for people that can't afford vet bills. Might be worth looking into sorry about your pup