Greyhounds And Cancer

[Guest Vinnie]

To answer the poll, we lost our puppy Vinnie at 14 months (not years) to osteosarcoma. We got him at 3 months, he was diagnosed at 11 months and we opted for amputation and chemo. Lungs checked at 3rd chemo treatment show spread into lungs. We helped him to the bridge a couple of days later.

 

Not all greyhounds die from cancer. Don't forget about Genie, who passed away at age 20 from old age. Run free Genie.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2008 by Vinnie

[carronstar]

I lost my first girl, Scarlett, at 19 1/2 to osteo.

I lost my second girl, Morgaine, 3 weeks after her 6th birthday to status epilepticus.

It will break my heart whenever I lose Aquitaine but I know she will send me the right girl to love and care for when that time comes.

[Guest suzye]

I am so amazed at the stories of geryhounds who lived to 19 and 20! Wow. That's incredible.

 

On the other hand, reading this thread is making me never want to adopt again. I put Jazz down last month and the thought of losing another one any time soon is unbearable. I'm thinking of adopting a 7-year old, but the thought of losing him to cancer or something else awful is unthinkable. But you never know what's going to happen or when. A 2-year old could become ill and the 7-year old could live to 15. But the boy we're thinking of adopting is big, so now that I read the osteo risk is greater in the big ones, I'm scared.

 

I haven't lost a greyhound to cancer, but I've only had one. As far as I know, her paralysis was caused by LSS, arthritis impinging on spinal cord, or slipped disc.

Edited October 14, 2008 by suzye

[queenwinniesmom]

Our first Grey, Lacey, was a rescued AKC Greyhound, and we lost her to osteo at 13. Winnie was one month shy of her 12th birthday when we lost her to kidney failure, but she'd been diagnosed with osteo 3 1/2 years earlier. Our Patsy was only 6 when we lost her to lymphosarcoma.

[Guest dwolfe711]

We adopt senior returns - we've lost five to cancer - four to osteo -

 

Toby, 12yo female to hemangiosarcoma, 7/03 (with us for 10 years)

Red, 12yo male to osteo, 8/04 (with us for 7 months)

Elaine, 11.5yo female to osteo, 10/04 (with us for 10 months)

Lizzy, 14.5yo female to osteo, 1/07 (with us for 2.5 years)

Duncan, 12yo male to osteo, 7/07 (with us for 3 years)

 

Red, Elaine and Duncan were diagnosed and we had to make the decision to send them to the Bridge when we thought the time was right.

Lizzy showed no symptoms or limping but broke her rear leg while running in the yard and the x-ray showed osteo in the bone and we had to send her to the bridge that day.

Toby had two tumors removed from her leg in 18 months, when it returned a third time we opted to not remove and made the decision to send her to the Bridge when the time was right.

 

Donna

[KahluasMagic]

I lost Magic to osteo just shy of her 9th birthday.

[Guest EmbersDad]

ember was diagnosed with osteo in oct of 08. her 11th birthday is dec 8, so she was 10 at her diagnosis

[SilversMom]

I have had my 1st grey for only 2.5 years. No cancer yet, but I lost a German Sheperd to bone cancer. She was just over 6 when she died of the cancer.

[Guest jettcricket]

My first greyhound, Chance, was diagnosed with osteo at the tender age of 4....he died a few days after his 5th birthday.

 

Jett, my heart dog, died from mast cell tumor cancer which is not that common in greys at the age of 9 years, 9 months. I so wanted my boy to see his 10th birthday.

 

Cricket was diagnosed with osteo back in early July of this past year. Without doing a bone biopsy they think it's osteo, but it can also be chondrosarcoma which is cancer of the flat bone. The fact that she's doing as well as she is with her treatment of chemo/radiation (no amputation) I'm thinking maybe it is chondrosarcoma. Cricket turned 11 this past August. Bless my baby girl...she's a fighter for sure. Even when she lost her fur on her hind end it's growing back again. We feel so blessed that she is still here with us.

[RobinM]

 

Polli was dx with osteo Oct. 9, 20008. 3 months short of her 10th birthday.

 

( I did not do the survery)

 

[Guest tennesseegrey]

I've had two greyhounds. My first, Rosie died this past August from Osteo. She was 10. My second was diagnosed with Osteo one week later. He is currently on Chemo. He is 11.

[Beautybabe]

I'm a relatively new greyhound owner. The prevalence of bone cancer in these pups is confounding. I am so grateful that the veterinary research community is interested in studying and combating this horrific disease.

[Guest Redpack]

Diplomat was only 6.

[cowpantslady]

morty died at 13 of osto last dec he lived 3.5 months

saullie died at 11.5 in june of osto saull amazed everyone no chemo or amputation just strict died artisnimin and lots of mushy hugs he lived a year

chester died at almost 10 of mast cell

casy our non grey kerry blue died of cancer at 13

zie our wolf hybrid died at 16 of cancer last jan

now our new guy has cancer he is only 5.5 we are waiting today for sonogram results so make sure it hasn't spread to his organs

i read an article that said over 65% of all dogs will die of some form of cancer

really sticks

 

[Guest Energy11]

I lost one to stomach cancer (Energy) and Max to Osteo. My friend Charlotte, 2 to Osteo. Glenn, one to Hemangio!

[Guest bigorangedog]

I lost my sweet, beautiful heart boy Tanner to osteo on February 16th of this year. He had just turned 13, and I miss him every day. Then, 2 months later on April 16th we lost our squirrely girly Annie to the same thing. She was not quite 12 years old. I have 2 other senior hounds, one who will turn 14 on October 1st and has nothing wrong with him but incontinence (he wears a diaper). The other is Crisco, who will turn 14 on January 4th. We're investigating a lump in his armpit right now, which may be hemangiosarcoma or may be nothing.

 

For our 2 osteo babies, we carefully considered amputation, but did not think that either of them would want that. At their ages, it would have been too traumatic, and they were both sensitive souls. I know it was the right decision for Tanner, but I still question whether Annie would have been okay as a tripod. Hard to lose 2 so close together.

 

Jen

[Guest longdoglady]

I am so amazed at the stories of geryhounds who lived to 19 and 20! Wow. That's incredible.

 

On the other hand, reading this thread is making me never want to adopt again. I put Jazz down last month and the thought of losing another one any time soon is unbearable. I'm thinking of adopting a 7-year old, but the thought of losing him to cancer or something else awful is unthinkable. But you never know what's going to happen or when. A 2-year old could become ill and the 7-year old could live to 15. But the boy we're thinking of adopting is big, so now that I read the osteo risk is greater in the big ones, I'm scared.

 

I haven't lost a greyhound to cancer, but I've only had one. As far as I know, her paralysis was caused by LSS, arthritis impinging on spinal cord, or slipped disc.

 

 

I understand how you feel, I lost Kraken aged 10 to ovarian cancer, the following year I lost Dusk, her daughter, aged 9 to bone cancer . The pain of losing them prevented me from getting another dog for 2 years. When I got my lurcher puppy Jack I realised just how much I missed having a dog, his death aged 8, 2 years ago, was due to a dog attack, I was heart broken but this time he had taught me that I could love another dog and that the joy they bring is worth paying the price of the pain of losing them. I adopted Anna 2 months later and love her to bits. Anna may die tomorrow or in 10 years time but I cherish every single moment of my time with her. My advice is don't miss out on the love and joy this big boy will bring to your life. Dusk was not big, she slipped and fell heavily on her shoulder chasing a rabbit, the trauma caused the tumour. I know lots of healthy young and old greyhounds whose owners never feel the need to use Greytalk, the stastitics here may seem worse than they are.

[Guest RICHandJUDE]

My dear Mike the greyt went to the Bridge on 6/30/2009.

 

X-rays did not show the cancer all along until the end.

He had bone cancer in the shoulder area which then spread to the chest area.

 

We sure do miss him, as do our other greyhound and our Beagle.

 

[Guest Lovemyhound]

I just lost my first and only grey this past Sunday, 8/23. My heart is very heavy and sad. He was only 7 yo. He battled some unusual medical problems for about 6 months this year and all biopsy's were negative for cancer. We never found the culprit of his chronic medical problems. He died rather unexpectedly Sunday morning and I suspect there was a cancer lurking in there somewhere which we just couldn't find.

 

Thank God for the wonderful programs at universities around the country researching this exact subject such as the one at Ohio State University. Go to http://www.vet.osu.edu/1872.htm

 

[Guest derfaroo]

To answer the poll, we lost our puppy Vinnie at 14 months (not years) to osteosarcoma. We got him at 3 months, he was diagnosed at 11 months and we opted for amputation and chemo. Lungs checked at 3rd chemo treatment show spread into lungs. We helped him to the bridge a couple of days later.

 

Not all greyhounds die from cancer. Don't forget about Genie, who passed away at age 20 from old age. Run free Genie.

 

 

Sad to say...Our Dear Genie WAS INDEED diagnosed with cancer at the end. Several months before her passing, she had a growth on her nose that could not be contained. She acted and felt fine...but there was this thing that grew beyond what her skin could contain. She also had growths on her right leg. She was 20! We tried our best to do for her what we and the Vet Specialists thought best. In my heart...now that she's gone... given her age...we should have left her alone. In my heart...she was 20...and maybe the surgery cut her life shorter than necessary? We'll never know. I also have to say that the "VET SPECIALISTS" INFLICT GUILT that convinces you into doing more treatment than necessary. When you are at the WEAKEST...they suggest all kinds of tests and treatments. I MEAN... Genie was 20! Genie was acting FINE! Until we tried to help her. God Bless you, sweet baby! We were SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU!

 

But...for the record... yes, indeed... Cancer was involved with the demise of my precious baby girl, Genie. I don't know what's right. At her age...maybe we should have left her alone....but didn't...on advice of specialists. I don't know.

Edited September 17, 2009 by derfaroo

[Guest OurGreytLife]

I lost my precious greyhound, Marty, to intestinal cancer in 2005. He had just turned 5 years old. I still miss him so much.

[Guest mcsheltie]

This year we have lost Mason at 10 to pancreatic cancer and Shauna at 6 to lung cancer.

[Guest lgmaddox]

Gracie died a week ago of suspected stomach cancer at almost 14yrs.

[Guest MyBoys]

Out of our seven boys who have crossed the bridge six of them had cancer.

[Guest Charming]

I just wonder, with all progress in medical science, diagnostic technology, biology, stem cell research, years of medical research etc. there is ZERO progress in finding the reason for development of osteosarcoma in greyhounds (and other large breed dogs). As it was 100 years ago the only one “cure’ is amputation (which can prolong their existence by another 4 months). 22% of all greyhounds are destined to die from this horrible disease. I understand all the objections against stem cell research for humans (religious and other considerations) but why researches did not do anything for animals, for dogs in particular? It looks like there are other reasons for that.

Edited October 11, 2009 by Charming