I have being going through a bit of a tough time with my Maltese Champ.
He is 13 years old and fondly known as the "grumpy old man".
He lives to put his body as close to yours as he can for warmth.

A few weeks ago, the groomer called me to tell me she was concerned with a large lump on his side. I ran to pick him up and immediately took him to the vet. Just five days later, he was operated to remove a rather large mast cell tumor. They are rated from a 1 being benign, to a 3 being the worse case. His was a 2. Unfortunately, the cells extend beyond the extra tissue they took out. So basically, Champ has the cancerous tumor cells in him and likely to recur within 3 to 6 months.

It was recommend I see an Oncologist, which I just did. Basically, after a couple of thousand dollars in the surgery, a few hundred for x-rays post op, I now need to spend another $1,000 in additional tests to see if it has spread or is contained.

If contained, radiation is recommended to the tune of $4,000 which gives him a 95% chance of no recurrence between 1 and 3 years.
If spread, needs chemo, which costs nearly as much, and only has a 50/50 chance of survival/no recurrence at the one year point.

So, not like I can dig up this kind of money overnight. I need to take out some loans and will if I have to. I feel it is nuts to spend this kind of money to try to save him and perhaps not really improve his life but instead make it worse along the way.
On the other hand, he is truly my friend. May sound nuts but I consider him no different than if posed with this issue with a child or family member. I feel I won't be able to rest in peace knowing I didn't give my friend a fighting chance and help him out by doing everything possible. However, his age concerns me. He is 13. He is no spring chicken anymore.

I have an appointment tomorrow with a very renown holistic vet. Let's see his perspective and then it will be decision time.

Any opinion welcome. I am sure in the end, I will be as confused as I am now but at least I will know how others feel about the same issue.
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I'm very sorry to hear the bad news about your buddy. I hope things work out for the best.

Man, I'm gonna go home and give mine a few extra hugs tonight.
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It may seem like a lot of money to a third party, Carlos...but he is your friend, part of your family. I know if it were Ganz I would rob a 7-11 if I had to. I will say a prayer, and hope that it all works out for the best.
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there is the answer you seek.

Good luck "grumpy old man", prayers for you tonight.

(BTW - my little guy is also "grumpy old man". sit beside you for warmth and a drive in the car is all he wants now)
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Prayers for your friend.
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I love dogs and can certainly understand where you are Carlos. Ultimately you are going to have to make the call. My :-) since you asked is as follows based on owning dogs my entire life.

Think about the dog and what's best for him. The money aside, is going through this truly going to improve his remaining years or only make what time he has left harder on him?

We all want to keep them around for as long as we can and I am no different. But at some point we are doing it for us and not them. I have come to peace with it in my own mind, that in the later years of my dogs life I make them as comfortable as I can and hope nature takes it's course. Most times I'm not that lucky and have to end the pain and suffering via euthanasia. At the point my dog is only suffering is the point I make that call. I feel I owe it to them to send them on.

It has to be one of life's hardest decisions to make.

Prayers sent for the both of you.
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Prayers sent for you and your friend. You will know what is right.
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My sympathies for you and your tail wagging companion. It's a difficult choice that lay ahead. Much like an aging human family member, this aging canine has special needs. Some want to hold out for one more great memory. Some have enjoyed the ride and just don't want to hurt anymore. Unfortunately, your pal cannot voice his opinion to you. His actions will speak volumes. You know in heart what he wants.
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For my lab, I'd do anything as long as it didn't compromise his quality of life. Last year I spent close to $3k on treatments over time and food to get him over an extreme ear infection that lasted several years caused by allergies. Was well worth the money to remove his pain.

Good luck in what you decide. Take him for a long walk this afternoon, I know that thrills my lab more than anything in the world.
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Tom,Fred and even Al have made good points.

It's a tough call Carlos,no doubt.
If I felt I were prolonging Champs suffering in any way,I would do what none of us like to do.
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Only you will know what the right decision is for your family, but either way, I don't think that you can make a wrong decision. Best of luck with your tough decision.
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I feel for you brother. I really do. There is no easy decision. I'll say a special prayer for the whole family.

Call me if you need to talk.
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A very difficult and depressing situation, Carlos.

I'd do anything for my greyhound except put him through pain for my sake. As long as his quality of life was good, I'd do what I could.

Prayers for you both, my friend.
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Agreed that it is a very hard call to make, but at some point mother nature is going to prevail and 13 years is getting up there. I don't say that lightly as I have had several pets throughout my lifetime and will continue to have more.
Best wishes to you and your family through this time.
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Thanks to all that have posted.

Just wanted to add, if you saw him right now, three weeks post op, after having been split from his spine all the way to his chest on over a third of his circumference, you would not believe that little guy went through that.
He looks great.
He is happy.
Eats well.
Just has some bad stuff in him bound to return.

Anyone have any experience with holistic vets/meds?
I am not confident in it but then again, I am ignorant towards it.
The vet coming tomorrow is not cheap and although highly recommended by the groomer and relied on by many, I just wonder if that is in fact a plausible way to make his remaining life better and spare doping him with chemicals that do more harm and zapping him like a bug with radiation, for 18 treatments in 6 weeks' time.
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FYI for anyone ever going through the same situation.
Did a whole lot of reading today.

Seems the three conventional methods (surgery, radiation and chemo) do more damage to the poor friend than one can imagine. The latter two create serious issues with their immune system, particularly the chemo.
I have learned chemo is not very good at all for him if not spread. Won't help the cause and may harm him more as may not make it through the treatment.
The radiation will burn the heck out of his skin and also may have side effects.

Read quite a bit now on holistic vet treatments for mast cell tumors. Seems their theory that has shown success is to strengthen the immune system via herbs and diet. By doing that, the body fights the mast cells on its own. Stops them from releasing the histamines that cause it to enlarge/reproduce.
Let's see what he tells me tomorrow for my $250 at home consultation fee, herbs and diet extra.

I guess the main thing I learned so far is that spending money and going conventional may work but also causes many other serious concerns.
Not doing anything is a death sentence.
Holistic may work and may not. If I end up relying on it, and it doesn't work, I may end up feeling like I went to a mechanic instead of a proctologist (just to lighten things up, imagine the mechanic's tools to be used on you v. that of a proctologist).
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First, very sorry to hear this. Next, do what is right for the dog. Many vets push thousands of dollars of treatments to make money but never really discuss what is really important which is quality of life for the dog. Good vets can be hard to find. To often these days they dispense tests and treatments that cost thousands before offering good advice. These cancer treatments while prolonging the dogs life often leave the dogs in pain (I have seen it and am totally against these treatments for dogs now). We put dogs down because they cannot let us know about their pain. It is counterintuitive but considering putting down the dog is sometimes best. As long as the dog is recovered, enjoy him but ask about the effects of the treatments not just the desired outcomes if he relapses. Good luck to you and the pooch! Do what is best for the dog in your heart, not what you think is best for you.
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I've done a lot of study on Holistic cancer treatment in the past. If it's the right person adminstering the right stuff, success rates are equal to or above that of radiation, chemo, etc.
Being that many herbs and preparations are not fda approved, they can't be used in medicine on people.
I'm not going to make the call on what you should do, Carlos. I will suggest that you keep doing what you're doing. Get educated. You'll make the right decision, you're doing it out of love. :-)
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Carlos..my heart goes out to ya brother!! I recently had to put two of my closest friends down. About four years ago I had a vet put me through the ringer for about $ 3500 with hopes of a better quality of life for my "Snootch". Test after test for him to tell me he has conjestive heart failure...it tore me apart, and made me mad as hell. Needless to say I do not visit that vet and have told all of friends (any anyone else who will listen) about him. I hope that this vet isn't preying on your love and providing false hopes. In the end, the decision is what's best for your dog and his quality of life. Sending thoughts and prayers brother.
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Wow! I feel for you Carlos...

I have written and erased my words several times. It is so hard to express sometimes especially when dealing with such an emotional issue - and I am speaking for myself.

I went through something with Hope the Wonder Dog recently and it is just heart wrenching for sure. You sound alot like me, I would throw every resource I have to save them and keep them around. Icehog sums that one up pretty well.

I was very fortunate in that she has made it through a couple surgeries and I value every second, every minute, every hour of every day...

It also made me a bit more aware of my gf and family back home.

You never know when their time comes unfortunately.

I am no one to tell you what to do however try and balance what you are doing for him and what you are doing for you - I think you are already down that path of thinking...

Best wishes and all the prayers and positive thoughts I can muster are headed your way from Cancun. I will definately be thinking of you guys when I see Hope tonight.

All the best brother.

Respectfully,

Travis
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