# Has anyone here dealt with anal sac cancer in their dog? :(



## Kibblelady

Our Tobe was diagnosed about 4 weeks ago with an anal sac tumor, it has already spread to his chest and possibly his lymph nodes due to their size. The high calcium level induced by the tumors was also causing a problem however steroids (Pred) had held that off a bit but we are now in between steroid treatments, the vet wants to hold on until he absolutely needs it. We are not getting surgery on Tobe, after thought we just do not want to put him through that. The vet and oncologist also did not really see a point in chemo.... we know what is going to happen here and we have basically accepted it but we know the trauma we are in for :*(

background wise Tobe is 8 years of age. I bred him myself and still have his 13 year old dam here healthy as a horse ...good for her of course but shocking to think of losing him before her, I am having a hard time swallowing that. Of course I don't want anything to happen to her but I expected it, we did not expect this with him... he has always been healthy. He is OFA mild however has no symptoms of any hip problems and our vet even questioned the OFA's decision...but what can you do? He really is my daughter's pet so I did not do the rads again as many times the OFA changes their grade. he is currently on DMG, IP-6, L-Glutamine, Whey protein, fish oil and colace (stool softener.) He is fed Life's Abundance with various other things to encourage him to eat as he tends to have the typical "cancer anorexia." he has gained weight since diagnoses so what we are doing is working we just hope it keeps up. He gets Honest Kitchen's Prowl (the cat formula) Natural Balance rolls, canned Pedigree (yeah I hear the gasps, but he will eat it and that is the point) half of my hoagie lol Meaty bones (he gobbles them up) basically anything we think he will eat we offer, eating is very important and we do not want him to lose ground. We know he is going to slip away from us, we just want as much quality time as we can get for him. This is my daughter's heart dog, they love each other so very much... my daughter experienced a trauma when she was about 13 that involved another GSD we had, at 18 mths of age he was found dead in his kennel, she found him and she adored this dog (this story is much longer and I can share it if people are interested) anyway, his sudden death apparently was caused by Ventricular arrhythmia of the GSD  This is a horrid thing, a thief that hides until striking....it struck and she was devastated.... man I did not want her to ever go through that again so in a way I am thankful for cancer in Tobe's case as my Beth has time to spend with him and say good bye and get used to what is coming... Beth is now 22 but as a parent you know how fragile they still can be when it comes to something like this. 

Anyway any suggestions and advice on dealing with this and helping Tobe would be greatly appreciated. He is one of the GSDs in my photo on the left, he is the dog in the front. That is my Beth and Tobe's dam Emma in the back. I hope I am not forgetting anything, please ask a question if you need information.

Oh, for informational purposes as well I will not switch him to raw. he does get some raw items as do all my dogs but I will not do that for a number of reasons. Also, no, it was not kibble that caused his cancer so please do not make comments on this...it will anger me (thought I would warn so it does not happen.) I will also not be putting him on a grain free or lower carb food. Basically information about supplements are fine as are some tasty things we can entice him with but no, I will not be changing his base diet but thank you to those that have that knowledge as it can be very important to others in this situation.

Oh just remembered too, when he is on Pred it is 20 mgs 2xs per day for 2 weeks then to 20mgs 1x per day for 7 days then 20mgs per day every other day until they are gone. While he is taking the Pred he also gets an antacid to help his tummy if it causes upset. He tolerated it wonderfully the first go round and it made us all wonder if he really had cancer lol he ate like a fiend, peed constantly of course (which is awesome in this case) ran around the yard, played with his toys etc. He just saw the vet on Thursday and it was the first time he actually saw him in person lol I think the vet was expecting a very sick animal when he walked in the room and was greeted by a very healthy looking male GSD with some moderate muscle atrophy that could not be noticed until you lay hands on him lol I think he thought he was going to be in for "the talk" as I had called to tell him that Tobe was depressed and lethargic again and not eating as he should.... nothing could be further from his mind after seeing Tobe lol Now he wants to wait on the Pred till he really needs it as he said so it will be more effective basically? But my worry is the hypercalcemia and it taxing his kidneys. It also was causing neuro signs before and that is what had us going to the ER vet at 11pm.(The regular vet is a new vet to us and I honestly was not making total sense out of his wanting to wait on the Pred but if I do not try and trust him how can I go through this with him? Kwim?) If Tobe starts to decline due to this Pred issue and he holds the same stance we will be going to another vet. My old vet is such a wonderful man...open, wants to discuss, respects owners that educate themselves, he has breed specific knowledge on the GSD and has many many of them in his practice (breeders and fanciers lol) The man is my hero lol But, we moved and he is like 2 hours away now  Man I miss him.... The hospital that did his workup ( an ER hospital but also a by day one as well) is an option but they are pretty pricey and they are 45 minutes away....ugh I hope I do not need to hunt for a vet now of all times  I have been burned by a few in the past and man I have trouble trusting them.....

Anyway, comments, advice and concern are very appreciated...
Thanks guys


----------



## KittyKat

So sorry to hear your dog has cancer. =(

I lost my first pet a few years back to cancer and it was heartbreaking. 

You can give sub-cutaneous injections to hydrate them if they are having issues staying hydrated. Usually kidneys start to come under fire at some point and that can be helpful.


----------



## Celt

Pet botanics meat rolls and NaturalCountry Pet meat rolls were a couple of foods that our Old Man ate well. The Pet Botanics is a "cooked" high calorie meat roll, the Natural Country Pet is raw (Dal especially loved the venison one, was the go to food). Something else, he ate well was grilled meat (he prefered steak, very rare; but chicken breasts were acceptable).


----------



## Kibblelady

Two comments? That's it? (Thank you to the above two comments) On a nutrition board no one else has any suggestions in as far as supplements etc? No advice on holistic recommendations? I admit I am surprised....


----------



## Kibblelady

Oh, Tobe was also put back on the Pred this morning. I had his chest xray sent to the regular vet and he was surprised at the number of mets and their coverage in the xray, as I said he did not realize how very ill this dog is because he looks so good. He says Tobe will stay on the Pred till it just doesn't work anymore.... I pray that is a few weeks off.


----------



## MollyWoppy

I'm so sorry to hear about your pup as well. And, I don't have anything to offer as far as food in concerned, I've been lucky enough (touching wood like hell here) not to have had a pet with cancer so haven't had the need to do any research.
Would you mind if I ask what symptom's alerted you to the fact your pup was so sick? 
I hope the prednisone works with minimal side effects, it's such a heartbreaking situation to be in. 
I know a chihuahua who had AIHA, she has been on a maintaining dose of pred for 2 years now. I don't think she looks healthy at all, but I guess the alternatives are even worse. The owner and I don't talk food as they have will only feed Pedigree.


----------



## DaneMama

I'm so sorry to read this. Unfortunately its something we see pretty darn regularly at work (I'm a vet tech). I've seen people who've done surgery and their dog does well for a while, but in the end its really not worth it for most cases because usually the dogs are older (8 is fairly old for a GSD) or the cancer has already spread due to progressed disease. Anal gland tumors are hard to see because they're all the way on the inside. It's not until they get BIG and are noticeable from the outside OR when the dog is problems going to the bathroom because the rectum is so cramped from the tumor pushing in. From what it sounds like to me....you're doing everything right. 

At this point the only thing you can really do is keep him comfortable and eating whatever it is that he will eat. 

As for supplements, I'd give him a milk thistle medication to help support his liver function while on Prednisone. Steroids are hard on the liver and so giving the liver some additional support with a drug called Denamarin would be ideal. You can get milk thistle supplements at any natural health food store, but Denamarin has been formulated specifically for dogs. 

I would also do everything you can to keep him hydrated. Getting plenty of fluids in to flush his system is paramount. 

The other best thing you can do is stay positive. Be happy and loving to him during this time because he will feed off of your energy. If you keep a positive outlook (even though things are not good) he will pick up on that and it does make a difference. I've seen it too many times. Owners get severely depressed when cases like this pop up, and following that news so does the dog. Then everyone is miserable for the last few weeks, months etc. I know this is a hard thing to do, but just keep it in mind when you're around him. 



Kibblelady said:


> Two comments? That's it? (Thank you to the above two comments) On a nutrition board no one else has any suggestions in as far as supplements etc? No advice on holistic recommendations? I admit I am surprised....


Its still early...we are typically late risers in your area because I think for the MOST part a lot of the core members here are on the west coast *yawns*

ETA: Cancer like this is usually not related to environmental factors like food. It really depends on what kind of cancer it is. Has it been fully diagnosed with a type yet? That will be your biggest clue as to the cause....


----------



## naturalfeddogs

DaneMama said:


> I'm so sorry to read this. Unfortunately its something we see pretty darn regularly at work (I'm a vet tech). I've seen people who've done surgery and their dog does well for a while, but in the end its really not worth it for most cases because usually the dogs are older (8 is fairly old for a GSD) or the cancer has already spread due to progressed disease. Anal gland tumors are hard to see because they're all the way on the inside. It's not until they get BIG and are noticeable from the outside OR when the dog is problems going to the bathroom because the rectum is so cramped from the tumor pushing in. From what it sounds like to me....you're doing everything right.
> 
> At this point the only thing you can really do is keep him comfortable and eating whatever it is that he will eat.
> 
> As for supplements, I'd give him a milk thistle medication to help support his liver function while on Prednisone. Steroids are hard on the liver and so giving the liver some additional support with a drug called Denamarin would be ideal. You can get milk thistle supplements at any natural health food store, but Denamarin has been formulated specifically for dogs.
> 
> I would also do everything you can to keep him hydrated. Getting plenty of fluids in to flush his system is paramount.
> 
> The other best thing you can do is stay positive. Be happy and loving to him during this time because he will feed off of your energy. If you keep a positive outlook (even though things are not good) he will pick up on that and it does make a difference. I've seen it too many times. Owners get severely depressed when cases like this pop up, and following that news so does the dog. Then everyone is miserable for the last few weeks, months etc. I know this is a hard thing to do, but just keep it in mind when you're around him.
> 
> 
> 
> Its still early...we are typically late risers in your area because I think for the MOST part a lot of the core members here are on the west coast *yawns*
> 
> ETA: Cancer like this is usually not related to environmental factors like food. It really depends on what kind of cancer it is. Has it been fully diagnosed with a type yet? That will be your biggest clue as to the cause....


Yep, those of us on the east side of things have to be patient! :ranger: :smile:


----------



## Liz

I am sorry for your pup. You are in a difficult position and it hurts to seem them decline. Everything Danemama said is about all you can do. You seem happy with what he is eating so can't offer change there, you are obviously ok with the veterinary treatment he is receiving so there is nothing to say on that and the only supplement that may be of benefit is Milk Thistle. As far as other homeopathic remedies they do not to work well when in use with traditional medication such as the steroids, etc. Your course of treatment is very traditional and that is fine and I hope he does well for quite a while longer. I have studies natural treatments for a few years now and honestly with something this sever if you were interested in supplements or naturopathic treatment I would seek a holistic vet. It would be highly irresponsible to suggest other supplements which might interfere with his current treatment. 

I hope you have a lot of time still with your guy and feel for you in watching him in his illness.


----------



## Maxy24

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog :frown: 

I know someone on another forum who always recommends Essiac Tea for any sort of tumor, not sure how much merit it has, but it could be worth a shot. Not sure if it would interact with any medications though, this is where she gets her herbs from:
Premium Essiac Tea made from Organic and Wildcrafted Herbs.

It says the dog should eat it on an empty stomach, you can mix it with other liquids if they don't like the taste.


----------



## Kibblelady

Thanks for all the suggestions guys both food and inspirational  I was a bit surprised because I wrote the post on Saturday and did expect some advice or suggestions on a nutritional board lol Not mad, just was surprised. I will look into all the things suggested and anything else that comes to mind please let me know.


----------



## smaughunter

No advise but hang in there. I lost my other dog to cancer earlier this year. It is devastating.


----------



## SaharaNight Boxers

Why won't you go low carb? That's one of the first things I would do.


----------



## Kibblelady

SaharaNight Boxers said:


> Why won't you go low carb? That's one of the first things I would do.


Because he has such little time left, IMO it will not make the difference people would do that for  Messing with his diet, his base, may stress him and upset things and I do not think it's something to do in his case. Hope that makes sense? I am supplementing him with things that can help in his case right now....the low carb thing just wouldn't be able to do anything for him.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The above is what I wrote about a half hour ago. I am so very lost in this :*( I did some research on Tobe's cancer and situation...it cannot really give a time frame, fine. Vet at ER hospital couldn't either...but suggested it was not a long time, a matter of weeks....okay. New vet he has says he is very sick and has mets all over his chest, his lymphs are enlarged.... basically he is expecting the end soon. But I sit and look at him and I cannot believe he is that sick  (I am crying so hard now..... I have been handling this "clinically" because my state of mind is just as important to Tobe as his is...) Of course we all want to do the right thing. My gut tells me to leave this alone, give him anything he wants to eat (the cancer is of course taking away his appetite and desires. The pred gives him back some energy, helps him clear some calcium and stops it from leeching from his bones so much due to the tumors.... he feels better, eats, drinks and plays. I ran all over my county the other day collecting supplements for him ( I am dedicated to him of course) But, I also have to be realistic here and think about where to draw the line and what is good for him...... cutting out carbs of course makes sense to many (and me of course) however, he was losing weight so very fast, he is not eating properly and lacks energy and strength...taking away the easy to digest carbs that give energy just does not appeal to me and research does support this if you look. If he was just diagnosed with an anal gland tumor that we could remove and hope to beat this YES I would go low carb for him in a heartbeat....but, that isn't what is happening here. We did not catch this, did not see it and it has gone way beyond his glands and local lymph nodes.... it is all over his chest with no hope at all for arresting it. His time is limited, very limited is what I am feeling... so what do I do? Keep him on his regular food that has always served him well and *has* kept him so healthy through this that we did not even notice what it was doing? Or possibly switch his diet to something that will only make this possibly take longer? I know that sounds harsh but *everything* I do is with his comfort in mind, not mine. I am supporting his system and helping it deal with the results of the cancer...preventing it or starving it just does not make sense at this point, or does it? Is anyone understanding what a cloud of confusion this is?  

If I wanted to consider a low carb food, does anyone know of one made at Ohio Pet Foods? I am most comfortable with this plant..... any other plant would make me nervous 

sorry for the rambling,


----------



## DaneMama

I'm so sorry for your situation. I had a cancer scare a few months ago with my soul dog and I about lost it. Luckily the mass removed was a non aggressive cancer that was completely removed. 

Beep breaths. Try and relax. Go and be with him, spend time with him while he's still here. That's the best thing you can do. 

What is the specific cancer diagnosis?


----------



## Kibblelady

Natalie he has adenocarcinoma. It started in his anal sac and has apparently spread to his lymph nodes. He has many metastatic tumors in his chest. When the original tumor is found early in the anal sac they can remove it and do chemo and get good results....in Tobe's case it is too little too late  There is no hope at all of curing this, it will kill him. So, I am trying to balance do I leave things the way they are or change his diet and hope it helps but possibly upset his system and stress him? Ugh. Thinking of going to get some Evo today. I looked at many grain free diets but to be honest many of them were not "low carb" when you looked at them. Life's Abundance has 44% carbs... a number of the popular grain free foods had around 40 or thirty something...not much of a difference to do it you know? However, Evo had twenty something, significantly lower, so we will attempt it. The first sign of stool problems or anything like that though I have to end it as he cannot afford that right now. He is not wanting to eat the LA right now, could be a food aversion issue seen in dogs with cancer (association to nausea, they think the food is the issue) but this morning was hungry and excited to eat so I gave him some of my Charlie's Bil Jac (Charlie has mouth issues at his age, they existed prior to me having him, that needs the texture of the Bil Jac, it is easier for him to eat.) mixed with wet food with his supplements and medication in it, so that's a good thing for today. Later I will try and get the whey protein into him lol I don't think he likes vanilla (wish they had un flavored at all the stores I check but they didn't) So, some Evo, red meat probably and some better wet food are on the shopping list today...we will see if he'll eat it though  Does anyone know who makes Evo?


----------



## DaneMama

Champion foods makes evo, it's a P&G company. 

Even if he has loose stools I wouldn't worry much about that, unless he loses the ability to hold it. As long as he's eating that's what matters.

Carcinomas are some of the worst and most aggressive cancers out there. I'm so sorry.....


----------



## Kibblelady

DaneMama said:


> Champion foods makes evo, it's a P&G company.
> 
> Even if he has loose stools I wouldn't worry much about that, unless he loses the ability to hold it. As long as he's eating that's what matters.
> 
> Carcinomas are some of the worst and most aggressive cancers out there. I'm so sorry.....


Oh okay, I like Champion, they make Pinnacle right? I am not worried at all by the sale to P&G, it is the plant itself I am interested in (knowing cook rates, practices, vitamin blends etc) I have to worry about loose stools because I cannot have him dehydrated due to the calcium levels and needing him to urinate to clear it (this situation is sooo complicated ugh)

Thank you Natalie.....


----------



## Kibblelady

Oops got confused, Breeder's Choice makes Pinnacle


----------



## Kibblelady

Hmm actually Pinnacle Peak Protein has the lowest carbs I have found yet.... hope they have that where I am going.


----------



## BearMurphy

evo is made by natura which was bought by P&G


----------



## magicre

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


----------



## Kibblelady

Thank you magicre. Yes this is what we are doing, simply keeping him comfortable so his remaining time is great. Of course we want as much as possible but we realize really not much we do will really affect that.

I did go and purchase Natures Variety Instinct. Since the pred is back on board he is interested in anything to eat we offer him and of course is enjoying it. I will be out watching today as he relieves himself to see how that end is doing. I have had family members that have cancer and one currently that does that is very close to me...the worst thing is watching them disappear  Tobe is starting to lose his muscle mass  It is becoming noticeable and he is looking so much older. The knot on his head is starting to protrude  ::sigh:: when I run my hands over him he is starting to feel like a skeleton, but has weight on him and is happy so do not misunderstand. This will be a hard road. I have been starting to lose it when talking about him to people, the kind where you voice starts to break and you cover your mouth to try and stop the emotion. He is okay, but is simply acting more like his dam who is 13. My daughter is different than me and when I try and tell her clinically what is happening to him she doesn't want to hear it. He is her boy but I bred him and care for him and I do not think she is realizing that I am hurting to and need comforting. My DH is not big in this department and if I start to cry just kind of looks at me, like he is unsure what to do. So, I have a lot I am carrying. I do belong to a dog cancer yahoo group that is awesome though.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys, it is really important right now...


----------



## magicre

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


----------



## Kibblelady

Well today was a hard day for Tobe as well as my daughter and I. I thought I noticed some fullness in his belly last night and definitely saw it today. He is developing ascites  (fluid build up in the abdomen, could be blood) This isn't good.... my daughter took him for a walk as he seemed okay and I called the "new vet." Through his receptionist I asked (I asked her to leave him a message actually, she ran to him) what I should do about the fluid, if anything? Could it be drawn off to both provide relief and to see if it was blood? She comes back and says "he thinks you should bring Tobe in tomorrow and probably have him put to sleep." This irks me as it is the *second* time he has made this comment. He saw him the other day and was very surprised by his good condition and even suspected he didn't freaking have cancer.... grrrr. Denied him the pred etc The dog freaking drug my daughter out the door for his walk, tried to snatch a taco out of my hand earlier, is eating, pottying and showing much interest in the world around him...but hey, fluid in the abdomen....put him down? I am ticked off.... oddly when Beth brought him back from the walk he was in not so good shape  He was very labored in breathing, heart was going a mile a minute and he was panting like mad. She said he had not run or anything... he also had scraped his back paw pad and it was bleeding.... she didn't notice this and no reason she would have. She felt terrible, like she had harmed him and yeah, I was worried...but he rested and is perfectly fine now and well..he can go in the front yard but no more long walks for Tobe. Now, I am facing a dog dying from cancer, that will need attention this week for the fluid and probably be put down in the next 2 weeks at the latest and I *Hate* the damn vet we have been seeing...uuuuggghhh I am thinking Tobe will go back to the ER hospital for his final visit ... they were very nice there, sympathetic and kind. We will need that, not MR. "I do not know how to listen to my clients."

Sorry, I am pretty lit over him. O so so so so miss my old vet  But, he is like 2 hours away and if Tobe goes into some sort of crisis I do not want him suffering in the back of the car before he is given peace :*( Man I am so angry.... this man has not given me any real advise and his answer to any question I ask now is put him down....WTH?

Anyone near the Jersey Shore that can point me in the direction of a vet with good client compassion, respects knowledge his clients have taken the time to learn, does not cause you to take out a car loan to treat an illness, that I may like? (Seriously I have a lot of pets and I am now in limbo and I do not like it.)


----------



## KittyKat

So sorry to hear about your crappy vet. That's the one thing you don't want to hear, especially when your dog overall still has that 'spark of life'. You and Tobe will know when it's time!


----------



## Herzo

Yes I have lost 2 of my bassets from cancer one I knew it was going to happen and one was a surprise. My big worry was how was I going to know when it was time. It moved into her lungs and she panicked one night and that's when I knew it was time. She was having such a hard time breathing. I had already asked the vet if he would come to my yard and he did so she didn't have to go to the vet again.

I'm so sorry about your pup and I think we all know how hard this is. It does not help to not like the vet you have to work with. My vet was great. Hang in there and I wish I could help.


----------



## Kibblelady

We have an appointment at another local vet tomorrow I have heard great things about. The receptionist when I called was very supportive, compassionate and totally understanding what I am looking for. Unlike the one from this other vet who always made it sound like i was bothering her  I have been used to "grumpy" receptionists and have ignored it when I have a winning vet but hearing an upbeat, understanding and supportive person that was genuinely interested on the other end of the phone was very nice. She is even contacting the ER vet to get Tobe's records so they can review them, the other vet told me to do this as well as getting the xray. I never thought of that...thought they weren't allowed to do that or something. They aren't ever busy in his office so is it laziness? I don't know... sorry I am so negative toward them. I did also go online and look for reviews and found a number of negative ones for this jerky vet  Don't know why I did not think to do that sooner. In comparison I found only positive ones, extremely positive ones, for this new vet. So I am encouraged.  Tobe was much better last night and slept well, he is good this morning as well. We just know now he cannot exert himself and we will not push him at all. He is slipping though, such a difference between last week and this week and unfortunately I think this will come to a conclusion within two weeks and that is probably being generous :*(


----------



## Liz

I hope this new vet can give at least some comfort. There is nothing that will make the end easier for any of you and I am sorry for that. I have never lost a dog to cancer but I have to seizures and know how difficult it is to see them decline and then they seem to bounce back - it makes decisions doubly difficult to make. 

Maybe the new vet can make the time left comfortable for you and your pup. I hope this one is as good ass he sounds.


----------



## Chocx2

I'm sorry to hear about your pup, I have had a dog with cancer but all of it was removed and he did well for several years after surgery. He was a greyhound. He lived to almost 15 got him when he was 5. I just loved him the sweetest boy. Just love him he will know you care.


----------



## Kibblelady

Okay, Tobe's new vet (and my new vet for a loooong time) was awesome. There are two vets in the practice and we saw the woman there. She was amazing, so thorough. We had a 1 hour 15 minute appointment. She did a complete history, then a complete exam. Reviewed all the records from the ER clinic and wanted the records from Dr. Jerk (which was good because now he knows we are *history*) She also knew who I was talking about without me mentioning his name and agreed she was glad we went running and were now in her office.

Now for her assessment. Tobe of course *probably* has a very rare cancer (probably because no, we have not done a biopsy.) His muscle is wasting as is typical for this stage and she noted an abscess that was hiding at the base of a tooth (very weird because I check these things and scale teeth if they need it which is not usual) Tobe had urine accidents 4 times in the office as can be typical in a dog with such a high dose of Pred onboard. They were so gracious they would not let me clean them up and insisted they do it... I cannot believe how thorough she was, wow. Basically there is little to be done for Tobe other than supporting him until he is ready to stop..... we knew this but at least she discussed what possible things we could do. Her family also lost a GSD to this cancer and she knows what we are dealing with, her family fought it hard and still only got like 5 mths for their pet  She is a GSD person!  Yeah! She did a hemocrit just to check his red cell volume and it was perfect so that is a good thing. She also took him and tried to get fluid from his abdomen to see what it was but couldn't get anything, in a way good as well as it is most likely not blood ( I was worried he was bleeding into his abdomen from the cancer.) She noted 4 mets in his xray from June and did a digital exam of his rectum and found the tumor has increased in size 3x, but it is small in it's nature. She also checked his prostrate (he is intact) and found it was fine, just slightly enlarged as would be typical for his age.

She was so kind, as was her tech. It was so nice to feel that coming toward you instead of indifference and just nothing. Also...I didn't realize that my daughter had taken her kitty to Dr Jerk a year and a half ago, I didn't realize he was the one she used. Kitty had gotten out, indoor cat, and was in the yard. I let the dogs out, 5 of them. Dachshunds are not good with kitties in the yard IMO and they went after her  The GSDs of course followed. I heard the commotion and rescued Kitty from them (that is her name) and immediately noticed her jaw was broken :*( In the front where the lower jaw joins...it was obvious. I called Beth and she flew home and took her to Dr Jerk. He looked at it apparently (this is second hand) and *discouraged* her from getting an xray and told her it was not broken. Needless to say we were confused..... but he was the vet right? Kitty's jaw healed that way and she now has a snaggle tooth that catches hair on it. She is okay but this could have been treated, jerk. My daughter was working at Popcorn Zoo a while later (NJ residents may be familiar) and took Kitty in for an exam, the vet was alarmed at her jaw alignment and xrayed it...yep it was broken... grrrrrrrrr. I just did not realize that was who she saw, man I hate this guy now. Seems he cuts corners claiming to save people money but he is cutting corners on treatment and is IMO dangerous.... I feel like an idiot for hanging in there trying to understand him and should have been more discerning.

The vet, Dr. Linda, wants me to call her on Weds with an update on Tobe. She had me remove a few of the supplements I was giving him and I understood why so no argument with that. She does feel I should go to a low protein food with him simply because his kidneys are working so very hard to clear the calcium and produce urine due to the Pred, I agree with her. She does like the newer grain free foods but in Tobe's case does not think it is really appropriate but, in the end she does not think it will matter in the end result so I should make the decision and also feed him whatever he likes.... The Pred will fail eventually...and we discussed quality of life and what to watch for (appetite, bathroom habits and sleeping, being able to that is)
I am sure I have forgotten a lot since it was a long visit with a lot of information and discussion.

Price wise? I was very happy. With everything she did and the tests and extended visit I think it was 160.00

So now we can relax and not stress about the vet think and just enjoy our time with Tobe and know that when his time comes either this new vet will be there or the ER hospital.


----------



## MollyWoppy

You sound relieved, like a lot of pressure has come off your shoulders. I'm thrilled for you that you've finally got your answers. What a relief to finally find a vet who you can totally trust. And, she sounds like a lovely person on top of everything else.


----------



## April

I'm about to lose my jack of 17 years to the anal gland cancer I can't handle it don't know how to cope or what to expect or when to decide the time to put him to rest. I'm totally heart broken and alone and not handling it well


----------

