November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month. At our house, we have always been aware of cancer but it doesn’t mean tragedy can’t strike as we learned six weeks ago. Cancer is the number one disease related cause of death in pets. I, Bailie, first am dealing with cancer in a pet with the loss of Madison. It is a terrible disease, and pet cancer is also very sneaky and secretive.
Mom’s first dog, Trine, passed away less than a week after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003. Like Madison, she one day stopped eating and was gone less than a week later. She showed no signs of feeling ill prior to not eating. When she passed away, she was just over ten years old. Mom adopted her from a shelter and only knew roughly what month she was born. Her photo was from eight months prior to her passing.
Madison was doing her sports just ten days before she passed away and had so much fun seeing all the people she knew. For the month prior, she was also competing in sports almost every weekend without any issues. When pets don’t show signs of being ill, it makes it hard to know something is going on. Mom took this photo of Madison three days before she passed away. She was still happy and acting fairly normal except for not eating. After that day she declined rapidly.
Cancer Prevention In Pets
- Feed your pet high quality, healthy food
- Keep your pet fit and at a good weight
- Visit your veterinarian at least once if not twice a year for a physical
- Get any lumps or bumps checked out by a veterinarian
- Reduce stress in your pet
- Cancer can strike a pet at any age, it is not just for older dogs
Pet Cancer Warning Signs
- Sudden weight loss
- Lameness,
- Chronic vomiting or loose stool/diarrhea
- Lumps or bumps growing rapidly
- Bleeding
- Coughing
- Sores that will not heal
- Change in appetite
Pet cancer is tough because many pets don’t show a lot of signs that something is wrong until it is too late. Pet cancer rates are similar to humans, so let’s hope that some day, sooner rather than later, cancer rates for people and pets will start to decline. Some lines of purebreds have very high cancer rates because of selective breeding, so if you have one of those breeds pay extra attention to your pet.
Mom never wants to go through this cancer thing with a pet again. It is very hard and being so fast and deadly it is super hard to process. Always remember life is short, so make the most of the time we have together. The life of any living creature can change in an instant. Be grateful, and cherish the time you have. Let’s try to kick the “C” to the curb!
Cancer is such a horrible disease and is so not fair to our beloved furkids.
It is a terrible disease for any living creature. We want to remind people how prevalent it really is, that it can strike at any age and to always keep it in mind.
we lost our beloved whft and our two wonderful husky pups … what a horrible and evil disease… and with all our knowledge and our science we lose the fight so often… hugs to you and to all who could not win this fight…
It is just awful yet we spend all the money to go to outerspace and stuff. Cure this disease for all instead.
I lost my pbgv Katie to cancer but I tried to treat it with chemo which is not like cchhemo in humans They said no side effects ,which there weren’t any but it just extends their life’s a few months and to
Then you have to make the decision and when it is Time. I have learned my lesson Madison went on her terms.
We had a long talk about treatment options and chemo was one but her cancer was so far along and since she would not eat anything, it would have helped for perhaps a couple weeks. For months I would have entertained the option. It is so sad and so sorry for you with your Katie.
Cancer sucks
It sure does!
Cancer is so awful. It is important to keep it in mind because it can lurk in our pups without us knowing it. Just a rotten, awful, totally horrible disease. your friend Chester
Exactly. I mean Madison ran the fastest fastcat run she had run in ages just a month before she passed. There were no signs she had cancer or would be gone so soon. One morning she was howling because breakfast was taking to long for me to make and the next she stopped eating which was the beginning of the end. So very sad.
Cancer is a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE disease. Madison lived her best life with Mom and her siblings…..
Sending hugs as you all lean on each other as your days go on.
Cecilia
Trine also had a great life from a shelter dog to living with Mom and moving to Germany but still one day no more food and gone days later. So very hard to deal with for those left behind. Even some humans are fine, start feeling sick and are gone a few weeks later.
What an evil disease, it is our hope that one day they can find a cure!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
It is very even and doesn’t play fair.
I hate cancer. That was my dear Chablis’s demise, and it was over a 10-day period prior to which he was very active and healthy.
It is amazing how fast it zaps dogs and humans, so nasty and very sad. The loss will take a long time to get over.
Yes, we hope the evil C problem can be solved and disappears forever!
It really needs to be eradicated!
We’ve lost cats to cancer also, and yes, it’s usually no symptoms until it’s too late, then then it’s very rapid.
My heart still grieves for Madison and for all of you.
It is so very sad around here still and it seems so quiet even though there are still three of us. Life gives us these challenges and we have to get through them, like it or not.
Cancer just sucks. Thank you for shedding a spotlight on this horrible disease. 💞
It sucks for all living beings. So nasty and cruel.