My dog has lymphoma (cancer). Without treatments she will die, should we spend the money or put her to sleep?

She is a sheltie, 9 and a half years old. She is like a member of the family.

My dog has lymphoma (cancer). Without treatments she will die, should we spend the money or put her to sleep?
I work at a vet clinic, and one of the veterinarians I work with specialized in cancer, so we see a lot of patients with lymphoma. There are two directions that owners usually take. One is treating it with chemo therapy and the other is making them as comfortable as possible for the time they have left. Talk to your veterinarian about which option is best for your dog. If she is otherwise healthy and feeling good your vet might recommend treatment. If you have the money, I would go for that. A lady I work with has a cat that is in remission from lymphoma, it has been almost a year and a half since she has had any problems. But really your veterinarian will be able to give you the best advice. Good Luck!
Reply:if your dog is old and beat u you should put it to sleep but if you think it may have a long life try to help it stay alive
Reply:Depends on your financial state..





It is all about the money





Good Luck


sew
Reply:you need to consider several things. can you afford treatment, will the dog be the same after or still not return to its pre cancer state. i know it is hard to let an animal go but keeping it around for your own benefit doesnt help anyone. consider also the life span of your dog. if it is 10 or so years you know what you have to do. best of luck. you will make the right choice.
Reply:It's a painful decision.


I don't know how long Shelties live... or how active a working dog she is. or if she's a family pet.





My dogs I would do more for only because they are working members of the family on our farm. A 9 year old Pyr is OLD and it's not worth the cost of treatment in most cases to prolongue their lives such a small amount.





We cannot make your decision. Only you can.


Weigh the factors.


Is she a working, active dog?


How long is a normal life span?


Can you afford the treatment?





You have to consider all the facts.


My father died of cancer.. he felt that, if there was no quality of life, it was not worth doing the treatment.
Reply:I am so sorry about the cancer. The best thing for you and the dog would be to put her to sleep and end her pain. Dogs come and go just like us, whats more is that also like us is that there is not always the 100% chance that they will live even if you spend thousands of dollars on treatments.
Reply:If there is a chance the cancer will go into remission I would spend the money. Think, if it were your mother or child, would you do it for them? Pets are family too. If you can't afford it most vets offer payment plans and there is also health insurance for pets. For future reference, feed your pets 100% organic food, such as Organix or Newman's Organics. This may be expensive, but you will save a lot of money from your pet getting cancer later in life and the medical bills from that; it is also better for your pet's health, better for the environment, and better for farm workers. Most pet foods contain a lot of chemicals and meat by-products, which are not good for them. Go to Whole Food, or Petco to find some good food.
Reply:You should ask the vet if the dog will be in constant pain even with the medication. If so, you might want to put her to sleep, because it might not be worth the pain. But if she seems healthy, and if she won't be in any pain, you might want to get the treatments. I hope your dog gets better!
Reply:there is no right answer for everybody. it depends on your pet. treatments can get pricey and most of the time your only buying a few extra years at the most. and the treatments are ongoing. even if she is in remission she will still need to come back regularly for monitoring. my only experience is with chemotherapy. dogs don't have as hard a time with it as people do. if you talk to your vet he should be honest with telling you what he would do in your situation. also, i would always always get a second opinion. sadly, it boils down to your financial situation. but if i could afford it i would do it, as long as your pet's quality of life is good.