Staffyluv

Ollie was dxd with kidney and bladder stones (oxalate stones) when he was about 6 years old. The stone in his bladder was too big to be passed so he had surgery to remove it. I noticed he seemed to want to wee a fair bit but did not seem to do a lot and a few times he would start to wee and then stop and move to start again and then stop again. His tummy seemed sore too. The final thing was one morning he was standing in the back yard and he was hanging his head and the drool was hanging to the ground from his mouth - scared the hell out of me. I rushed him to the vets again and with the previous info he was sent for an ultrasound. I also caught some wee for testing and the vet said to put some on a piece of paper and let it dry in the sun - when it is dry, it sort of crytalises... Ultrasound showed the big stone in his bladder and smaller ones in his kidneys - so the op was done straight away. He was cut from under his ribs all the way to just a cm or so from his penis - it was a big incision but obviously necessary and he spent 2 days in hosptial being monitored. We changed his diet and removed a lot of oxalate causing veges, no dried food, he went onto HSD UD for a bit but hated it, so I researched what I could feed him and we have not had an issue since (touch wood)... It helps if you know what sort of stones they are - so you can adjust the diet to help prevent them reoccurring Hope this helps

They do worry us don't they!... I remember when Ollie was having chemo, there were about 5 times that I thought I was going to lose him but that was more than 3 years ago now and he is still going very strong.

Thanks CnR, Clover and Nell... I am a big believer in the power of positive thoughts and I know that Ollie has lots out there for him, so he continues to do well. He is doing really well and I keep meaning to take the camera when we go out but keep forgetting, so will try to get some updated pics of the old man this weekend sometime. He is looking old now but still acts like a loon - typical staffy, only two speeds - flat out and asleep. Although it is mostly asleep these days, he is well and truely retired... Thanks for the thoughts Jodie and Ollie dog

Kingbob, it is not uncommon for MCT to go up and down. In fact it happens all the time. Keep a check on him and if he looks like he has an allergic reaction, this could the histamine, which is what MC Tumours release. His fur will raise in patches, almost like when a human has hives. Antihistamines are really good for this and if the vet says it is MCT, I would be asking him about a dose to start the little guy on straight away. All the MCT dogs (including my own) that I know use antihistamines daily to keep this in check.

It is high doses of vitamin C that are good for dogs with cancer. When Ollie caught a bug they had him on a drip with VitC and he came back to me acting like a puppy again. he also takes 1000mg a day - just used the chewable human ones you get from the chemist.

We have uses chinese herbs for Ollies cancer treatment from All Natural Vet Care. He has also had chemo as well as holistic treatment, so I can't say for sure if it was one or the other or both but he is still here more than 3 years after dxd (and they originally gave him 12-18 months)... I personally do believe that in the right hands, holistic treatment is a wonderful tool

You might find that if you have to start chemo you will have to cook the meat (minus the bones of course). Dogs on chemo have a bit of an issue with immunity when they have chemo and raw meat is fine (the best) for dogs that are well but it really needs to be cooked when they are having chemo to kill off any germs (even good ones) to protect them. I was even told once that I should not take Ollie walking about 2 days after chemo for a couple of days - never happened, he has always had his walk. To me it is all about the quality of his life - I would never dream of not doing something he wanted to do. I would get rid of the canned stuff too - it rarely has enough vitamins to do anything and it is loaded with by products and carbs (fillers and grains).

I have heard alot of good outcomes with MCT if they are removed with clear margins. With dogs leading normal lives afterwards. Fingers crossed that Freds margins will be clear. My suggestions would be to get rid of the carbs in Freds diet as cancer cells thrive on carbohydrates. Replace these carbs with Omega Fatty Acids as these feed the dog and not the cancer. Puggy my boy Ollie was given only 12-18 months because he has grade 2 with multiple tumour sites (no clear margins on excision of a few tumours) and it had already spread to his lymph system and he is now more than 3 years post diagnosis. He had chemo for six months and was and still is treated holistically. Even the canine oncologist thinks he has the longest remission in the history of veterinary science. He still has MCT - still has a few tumours but he is well and still loves his walks, his food, his family and his toys. While he is well I will do whatever it takes to keep him that way. Dogbesotteds girl Lucinda only went the the bridge this year and she was 6 years with grade 3 MCT (no surgery). So even without clear margins they can and do live great lives. I totally agree with your opinion on the carbs and fatty acids (we use fish oil and flaxseed for Ollie with his meals).

Dogs with MCT can and do live full lives - let us know what type and grade and we can offer advice on how our own are treated, it may help. Fingers crossed for a good outcome with clear margins

Sorry to hear your news. It is great that you noticed it so early. The reason they have to take some much around the lump is to ensure they get clear margins (they want to know there is no cancer near the edges of what they removed, to be sure they get it all). My boy has Mast Cell Cancer and is proof that not all cancers react the way they think they will - he was originally given only 12-18 months (over 3 years ago now). MCT is one of those tumours that goes up and down. He takes polarmine (antihistamine) to limit the histamine release that MCT causes - it is like an allergic reaction. Let us know how you get on - there are quite a few of us here that have dogs with cancer or have our beloved pets pass over to rainbow bridge. Diet is very important in treating cancer dogs. It might pay to look into holistic therapy as well - my lad is treated conventionally and holistically. All the best for a clean excision with clear margins.

Bone cancers are very different to MCT. Bone cancers are usually the more aggressive cancers from what I have read. MCT is a funny cancer - the tumours can be very reactive and spread or they may just sit in a couple of spots and not do much (the latter is what has happened to us, thankfully). Would you consider holistic treatment to compliment the coventional vet care? I believe that is why Ollie is still with us. Dogsbesotted had a lovely old Maremma (Lucinda) who was dxd with MCT grade 3 and told to take her home and make the most of the next few months - Lucinda lived a further 6 years. Lucinda was only treated holistically. Moopers boy, Jack, was a grade 3 and the tumour was removed with clear margins - he is doing really well. There are more positive stories than ones that end in a short time, so hang in there - we will all help as much as we can with information. I really think that lots of love, a positive attitude and using both types of treatment help so much. Diet plays a big factor in how well cancer dogs do - try to get as much of the carbs in his diet out. Carbs are not good for cancer dogs. Ollies diet is mainly meat (chicken, turkey, roo, steak & kidney, tuna) and he has some pumpkin or sweet potato to just coat the meat. He also has cottage cheese with flax oil every couple of days as a treat. He still gets doggy choc drops to take his plethora of tablets (he takes pills 3 times a day) and he is happy to take them as long as he gets a good treat. I also give him a bit of fruit now and then when I have a bit. It is the grains and fillers in commercial foods that need to be removed. Thinking of you ETA: I agree with the vax discussion - Ollie is only vaccinated every 2 years.

Good luck with it... MCT grade 2 can act like a grade 1 or a grade 3 - it varies from dog to dog. Our Ollie was dxd with grade 2 MCT in October 2005 and given 12-18 months. He had a couple of the tumours removed but unfortunately it was already in his lymph system and there were multiple tumour sites and we did not get clear margins on the removal of the tumours. So we have been fighting this for over 3 years now and on 2 years longer than they thought we would. He is currently in remission after having chemo and being treated holistically (and still is treated holistically). Ollie has his own thread all about MCT in the palliative care section above the general health threads. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions about this disease and treatments available, I am more than happy to help out and answer any questions you have.. Wishing you all the best

For the record you obviously know nothing about canine chemotherapy treatment. Dogs don't get 'sick' like people do because they are not given the doses that humans are given as there is no option for a bone marrow transplant. Canine chemo is given in low doses to kill off the cancer cells but as we all know, chemo attacks good cells like bone marrow as well, hence the reason for the low doses, so it does not kill off the good cells like it does with humans. Blood tests are taken weekly to ensure that the white cell count is high enough to have the next dose - just because they are dogs, does not mean they are not afforded the best treatment you can give them. Ollie had chemo for six months and it was the chemo and holistic treatment that has kept him alive long past what was originally suggested. I researched canine chemotherapy before I made the decision to go ahead (however it was our only option because he had multiple tumour sites and it was already in his lymph system)... he lost a bit of hair off the tip of his tail and where they used to shave him for the canula took months to grow back. Yes you are entitled to your opinion but maybe it is best to research topics

Look at his face, he looks so sad poor boy. Glad to hear that the vet is so positive Erny.

So sorry to hear your news - cancer is such a difficult thing to deal with. Our lad has MCT grade two with no clear margins on excision of multiple tumours. Not curable but he is in remission. We did chemo for six months and also treated (and still do) holistically. I believe the holistic approach has held him in good stead while the conventional medicines did their work on the cancer. He takes high doses of vitamin C, omega 3 and 6 oils, lymphodran to support his lymph system, milk thistle tablets and he did a course of chinese herbs a while back as well. Diet also plays a bit part in the treatment of dogs with cancer - carbs feed cancers, so we have all but elimiated starchy carbs (apart from some rice when he is not well boiled in chicken stock). Wishing you all the best

Hi rmc, Just saw your post, sorry. Yes I did get a couple of the old man over easter - they are on the PC inside and I will post a couple later for you. Thanks for asking about him. Just an update on the lad. Well he thinks he is a teenager again and has taken to stealing things - my slippers, the tea towel, my bath mat etc. He just wants you to chase him - lol... He is very well at the moment and still cheeky. He is happy to let me know I am 5 minutes late with his dinner with a loud woo woo. He is always up for a fight with the boys or a cuddle on the lounge with me. He gets up every morning around 7am to go for his walk at the park - someone once told me that dogs don't know what time it is... Ollie does, he knows when it is dinner time, bed time, time for tablets and time for his morning walk and he lets you know (just in case you might forget after 12 years of the same routine)... He has a birthday coming up soon (12/6) and he will be 12 years old. His health is well and the cancer is still in the longest remission known to veterinary science - touch wood it stays that way. He handled the toe removal really well, had a couple of bad days and then bounced back like he has each time we put him through more. My little trooper - he is such an amazing animal and with everything he has been through, still has the ability to love everyone like it is his last day on earth...

I would get it checked - it sounds remarkably like what Ollie just had. I had stepped on his toe and thought that I caused the damage but it turned out to be a nail bed tumour - no lumps just the nail looked like it was going to come out and split up the middle...

Ollie had partial tears in both cruiciate ligaments and we used ester C powder (7mg a day in his water) and as usual he has bounced back like there is nothing wrong with him. It aids in the repair of tissue damage. Such a cute picture, poor baby

Lumps should always be checked with a fine needle aspirate - even if the vet 'thinks' it is nothing to worry about, please for the sake of you dogs, request the aspirate... For a while we thought Ollie has a lipoma (because he had a couple of others) - when we finally checked it, it turned out to be Mast Cell Cancer.

Rest in peace old girl... What a beautiful face

Sorry to hear of your dilemma HG... Liver cancer is often difficult to treat and I fully agree with no anaesthetic if she has tumours on her lungs. Actually there is more you can do than you think. Holistic therapy is a great source to assist terminallly ill patients. We use lymphodran amongst other things to help support the lymphatic system. High doses of vitamin C are an amazing tonic for ill dogs - Ollie has it intravenously when he is in hospital to give him a boost... Starting with diet - remove all carbs. Carbs feeds cancer. Another suggestion is to see an holistic vet armed with as much information as possible - see if you can get blood work results from the attending vet to take with you. Ollie was given 12-18 months back in October 2005 when he was 8 years old. He will be 12 in June this year and is still with us and just had another surgery to remove a malignant round cell tumour from his toe (they had to remove the whole toe). He is recovering really well and walking on it just days after it was removed. All the very best

Allergies vary from dog to dog, just like they do in people. Our stafford is very allergic - he was stung and stopped breathing for a minute at the vets. His head swelled to what looked like double its size, his gums and tongue when a purplish pink shade. He had to have adrenalin as well as cortisone and something else - 3 injections all up and then it was wait and see. From that day on we have always told him NO when we see bees and it has not happened again, thank Dog...

Thanks Helen, He is happily snoring his head off on the lounge after a feed of steak and kidney with a little white rice and pumpkin

He had his stitches out this morning and he is walking around without any bandage on it as though nothing has happened - he is such a brave boy... He has not even attempted to lick it either. The vet said if he licks it too much he will have to have an elizabethan collar on... I am taking it easy this easter break and plan on giving the camera a good workout - so I will have some updated pics of the boy to post soon Another huge thanks for the good vibes and support from our DOL friends. Not only does it make me feel better about everything but I am sure it is what keeps him well - all those positive thoughts out there in the universe for him...

Had a good report from the vet yesterday. Ollie is not even limping anymore - amazing. Even the vet was impressed. So I asked if he could start walking at 'his' park again and the vet said yes as long as we keep his bandage dry. This morning we were up early, wrapped his little foot in a sandwich bag and taped it up and off we went - such a happy boy today.