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Location: Ontario Canada
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 2
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Anybody else have this experience??
My first post here.
Just looking for some others opinions.
My Golden Retriever is almost 12. About 4 months ago he was diagnosed with a terminal cancer in his nose. The vet said she did not think he would live 6 months and more than likely in 2 months we might have to make a decision, it was an incredibly aggressive cancer.
At this point the cancer has progressed that his nose has grown to 3x the size it once was. For the past 2 weeks he has had almost daily nose bleeds. In the last week I can see him really trying to itch his nose which is more indication for the vet that it is starting to bother him. A few weeks back he would still go for walks but seemed to lose his enthusiasm for it. Same with playing if coaxed I can get him a little bit interested, but he has lost interest on his own. It has affected his breathing, he is purely a mouth breather at this point and while doesn't show signs of distress does sound like he is snoring pretty much 24/7
All of these signs make me think he is getting close to the end. I am very mindful of the phrase a day to early is a day to late. I don't want him to suffer purely because I can't let him go.
With that said when I talk to people about signs they look for that a dog's time has come, some of the most obvious my dog is not showing.
He still eats like a champ, bathroom experience is fine, walks/stands well enough for a 12 yr old. Still comes to the door to see me when I get home(happy that I am home)
Even some of the other dogs I have had, had a more traditional decline that I did feel like I was ultimately making a decision for them not to be in pain.
So I find myself incredibly torn. When I describe the later symptoms (eating, walking etc) to others I think they say, it sounds like he still has some life in him. Yet when I describe the nose bleeds, breathing, swollen nose, lack of interest in walking/playing, other say maybe he is trying to tell us something.
I think my biggest worry is he is such a sweet dog who loves to eat and I worry he won't show those signs until he actually is in distress.
I realize my dog is dealing with cancer and not old age, the later of which I am a little more familiar with. So I guess my question is have others out there had an experience of a dog with a healthy appetite/walking etc but that displayed other signs that his time has come?
I just find I am getting really mixed signals. I will come home, he wags his tail to see me, I give him a treat that he inhales and it doesn't seem so bad. Than an hour later I hear him breathing/snorting. He scratches at his nose and draws blood and no desire to go for an evening walk or play and I think maybe I've already let it go to far.
Just very confused