# Kidney cancer metastasized to lungs, please help =(



## calipuppydad (Oct 18, 2017)

At the moment, I am devastated and at a loss of what to do next, so anyone with experience with this, please help.

My first dog ever, Sherlock, just turned 6 this past September, but the last few weeks, he has been having these dry coughs. My wife and I didn't think much of it, but made sure to monitor him (could have been allergies, possible kennel cough, etc). Then, last week, he coughed up blood, and I knew it was vet time. They took chest X-rays of him, did blood tests, and ran fungal panel tests (to see if it was possible fungal infection of the lungs). The blood tests were all normal, and fungal tests came back negative, but the X-ray showed nodules in the lungs.

They passed this information over to the radiologist, who said it's consistent with pulmonary metastasis. Sherlock returned to the vet to do an abdominal ultrasound, and they found an irregular mass off the right kidney. They didn't feel it was safe to do a thin-needle biopsy in either the lungs nor the kidney, so while not 100% confirmed that he has cancer, the doctors all said it's very, very unlikely to be something other than cancer at the moment (since blood tests showed no signs of bacterial/viral/fungal infections).

Hearing this today was devastating beyond words - he just turned 6-years-old and was so healthy! He always had his regular checkups, and was always energetic, playful, and responsive, and we always kept his diet very tight to provide proper nutrition and to prevent weight gain. Even now, his behavior has hardly changed (save for the coughing, and occasional shortness of breath now), and he doesn't even know what he has!

Reading a few of the other threads, including Bella's heart-wrenching (but also very motivating) thread, I contacted UC Davis today, but they are so full that they won't be able to see us until Nov-6 (almost 3 weeks from now). Our doctor also said we can try contacting Sage Centers, which has specialties in oncology, to see if they have more immediate openings. I am about to contact them now.

What would you do at this point? Three weeks for UC Davis feels so far out, when prognosis for metastasis to the lungs is in the weeks/months range - I thought I'd have at least another 3-6 years with him, and just typing this has been difficult without tears flooding down my desk.

Thank you for reading, and please help me if you have any advice or information at all!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry for Sherlock's diagnosis, he's beautiful. 

I would contact the Sage Center to see if he can be seen sooner. 

Wishing you all the best.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

I am so sorry for Sherlock's diagnosis. I would make appointment at Sage, but also keep UC appt also in case you need them too. Welcome to the forum and you should receive a lot of support from the good people here. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Sherlock!!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I am so sorry. No advice, just a few tears. There are so many cancer posts in the last few days and for dogs that are too young to be facing this. You are in my prayers.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

My heart goes out to you. I'm so sorry. The unfairness of this diagnosis at age 6 is truly staggering. 

You might reach out to support groups on facebook or Smiling Blue Skies - Suzi Beber. She could be a good resource for chinese herbs to support Sherlock's immune system and possibly slow tumor growth. 

I don't know how you feel about herbal approach but I am in the camp of it can't hurt. It might buy you some extra time or give some extra quality to him. I am attaching some information my dog's breeder shared with me about 2 years ago when her special dog was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma (heart tumor). I know this is not the same thing but it might be of some interest, I share it not to tell you to follow it without direction but to show you that there are other approaches that you might be able to use in conjunction with traditional medicine should you be interested in more information.

I wanted to tell you that I hope you can try to concentrate on making each day as high quality for him AND for you as possible. When my first Golden was diagnosed, I was so upset that I allowed myself to fall apart. (His name was Baxter and he is the dog in my avatar photo) I could barely look at him without crying. I look back on his last weeks with regret that i did not focus on doing things he loved more. You know, going through the drive through for a cheeseburger to feed him by hand or ice cream for him. Stopping everything and just walking in the woods or finding a lake to swim in. I had small children to care for and I was just paralyzed with grief. My vet didn't get my hopes up but I kept waiting for the blood work to improve enough to talk about potential treatment options. It never happened. I wasted those last weeks crying. I just wanted to share this, not to depress you but in hopes you will learn a little bit from my mistake.

--------------------------- 
Suzi Beber (Smiling a blue Skies cancer fund) has sent me the following supplements. Thought you would all like to know about them.
INFORMATION About Artemisinin
1 capsule is added to each meal, based on 2 meals per day.
Artemisinin is a compound extracted from the plant Artemesia annua L. (sweet wormwood, also known as the Chinese herbal Qinghao) and is a sesquiterpene lactone. Artemesia annua has been used in China since AD 341 to treat febrile illness. In 1971, the active ingredient, artemisinin, was identified and isolated. Derivatives of artemisinin have been synthesized. The artemisinin molecule contains two oxygen atoms linked together in what is known as an endoperoxide bridge, which could react with an iron atom to form free radicals. Compared to normal cells, cancer cells sequester relatively large amounts of iron, mainly in the form of holotransferrin. Artemisinin has been shown to cause rapid and extensive damage and death in cancer cells and have relatively low toxicity to normal cells. Artemisinin has been analyzed for its activity against 55 cancer cell lines. Importantly, a comparison of artemisinin's cytotoxicity with those of other standard cytostatic drugs showed that it was active in molar ranges comparable to those of established anti-tumour drugs. These results and known low toxicity of artemisinin and its derivatives make them a promising novel candidate for cancer chemotherapy. Artemisinin was first used in the treatment of malaria. In dogs, the first studies involved those with osteosarcoma, and presently, studies are being conducted with dogs diagnosed with certain types of lymphoma. I have been using it with dogs (and humans) since 2003, not only those with cancer, but also for lipomas, and as a follow-up treatment, after chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.
There is a veterinarian in Washington State, who also uses Artemisinin for all cancer cases.
It is interesting to note, that Artemisinin is the second most common herbal used to fight cancer in companion animals. Artemisinin has been found to be very impressive for keeping tumour growth in check, and for preventing the spread of cancer in companion animals.
INFORMATION ABOUT WEI CHI BOOSTER
Use 1/2 the dose indicated on the bottle.
I was very fortunate to study with two Chinese physicians when I lived back east, in Ontario. One, was a sixth generation herbalist.
The basis for this formulation goes back to 1080 A.D. The herbs in this combination are said to inhibit cell mutation and tumour growth. Most of all, this product supports the immune system.
It contains codonopsis, astragalus, Angelica, oldenlandia, scutellaria, scrophularia, citrus, and lindera.
INFORMATION ABOUT PING XIAO
1 tea tablet per day, added to 1 meal.
Ping Xiao is specifically for cancer. It contains Radix Curcumae, Fructus Auranti, Herba Agrimoniae, Alumen, Niter, Wu Ling Zhi, Resnia Toxiodendri, and Semen Strychni Pulveratum. This combination of Chinese herbs promotes blood circulation by removing blood stasis, and helps to alleviate pain. Ping Xiao has been used for centuries and has been tested in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. This supplement has been officially approved by the Chinese Drug Administration for the treatment of cancer, and is used in hospital settings. Chinese translation: . . . dispersing accumulation of pathogen, clearing away heat and toxic materials, strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors."
I also have her on Yunnan Baiyao a Chinese herb that stops hemorrhaging.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Kristy,
Is this something only given after a diagnosis of cancer or could it be given as a supplement to help prevent cancer? Who's not scared to death with all these diagnoses in young dogs?
Thanks,
Cathy


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## calipuppydad (Oct 18, 2017)

Thank you for the advice and the kind, supportive words everyone, it means so much to my wife and I, and Sherlock too!

I was able to somehow get Sage Centers to see us on next Tuesday rather than next Saturday (and as SandyK suggested, I kept my UC Davis appointment as well just in case I need a second opinion two and a half weeks down the line). I'm going to continue calling every day and seeing if there are earlier cancellations.

Has anyone had radiation therapy done on their dog before, and what that was like (and whether the cancer had already spread)? Sage Centers apparently has the latest SRS radiotherapy machine installed, just recently this August. Reading up a bit on this, there are only a handful of these in the entire U.S. installed for animal use (though they've been in use for humans as the most advanced radiotherapy treatment for awhile now) - apparently they can zap growths down to 1mm or even better precision to avoid damaging healthy tissue, and only requires 1-3 rounds, rather than 10-15+ rounds in traditional radiotherapy. I don't know if this will be a game-changer or not, if the cancer has already spread, and hopefully the oncologist will have a better idea once they see Sherlock.

Meanwhile, Sherlock has been a real trooper, and besides the occasional cough, he is still his old, happy self! Will update as I have more (hopefully good) news!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

cwag said:


> Kristy,
> Is this something only given after a diagnosis of cancer or could it be given as a supplement to help prevent cancer? Who's not scared to death with all these diagnoses in young dogs?
> Thanks,
> Cathy


These were after diagnosis. Support for the immune system during treatment and to suppress tumor growth. There is a lot of research being done on immunotherapy and cancer treatment, this is also for humans so it really peaks my interest. I rely on a friend who is very interested in holistic medicine and I try to get her recommendations on what could be the better things to focus on if I can't do a lot. I try to choose a couple to use. I supplement with probiotics and mushroom extract for the antioxidant benefits. It's supposed to support immune system function. I know she has been interested in turmeric as well. I try not to go overboard, but hate to sit and do nothing, so this is my happy medium. Dogs Naturally Magazine is an online resource that might be of interest to you. Take it all with a grain of salt, be skeptical, but keep your eyes open, I think that's all we can do. So much is coming out about being overweight being a higher cancer risk for people, it really makes me committed to trying to keep my dogs lean and fit.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

Glad you got appt on Tuesday. I am sure the waiting to find out more info about Sherlock is so hard.


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## Yaichi's Mom (Jul 21, 2012)

I am beyond sorry to read the diagnosis that you have received for Sherlock.

I would suggest that you google and contact KetoPet Sanctuary who have done some amazing work with canine cancer via diet and other modalities. 

They should be able to guide you with things you may do.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Sherlock*

I am so sorry to read about Sherlock. 

I have no experience with your situation, but I'm very glad you got an appt. for Tuesday.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Any update on Sherlock? Was thinking about you all.....


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## calipuppydad (Oct 18, 2017)

Nolefan, thanks for thinking about us. I've been meaning to write an update but couldn't muster the strength to do it after visiting the specialist oncologist at Sage centers. They didn't even need to do another round of diagnostics - they saw the X-rays, ultrasounds, blood work, fungal panel tests, etc, and knew with almost near certainty that Sherlock's primary cancer is either adrenal or renal carcinoma that had spread to the lungs, and it's terminal with 1-3 months of time left without treatment. Even with chemo/radio, the oncologist said the amount of time extension Sherlock would receive is not going to be drastic with this cancer - so we opted for just trying to keep him as comfortable as we can in his remaining weeks/months.

They gave us prednisone and Yunnan Baiyao, which we give to him daily, and miraculously, he almost seemed like his normal self - energetic, playful, and responsive. For example, just last week, we took him hiking to one of his favorite trails, three days in a row, and it's not exactly a level-ground hike either. This almost fooled me into a state of comfort, in thinking that he can actually beat this himself (there have been very, very rare cases of spontaneous cancer remission in dogs).

Then, starting Sunday (Nov-5) afternoon, he just plopped on the ground, and didn't want to walk anywhere - he is normally VERY excited to go on his walks outside. He also didn't eat his dinner, which is the first time he's ever refused food. Today, I was able to get him to finish his bowl of kibble and some stewed chicken and carrots, but he was really lethargic the whole time and when he walks, it's very, very slow. He hasn't touched his dinner, and in fact has been in the minivan in my garage for the past 4 hours (I didn't want to force him down back into the house). I left the minivan doors open, and the door open in case he ever wants to come out of the minivan and into my room, but I think he may end up sleeping in there the whole night.

I just don't know anymore what the right decision is - I know at some point, the difficult decision will have to come, but is that time now? Or is he just in a slump and will be better after two days? Or is cancer one of those things where, once symptoms reach this stage, there is no better? At this point, he is only 6 years and 1.5 months old.

This was a picture of him today (left) with one of his favorite Retriever friends (right), who is a healthy 7-year-old.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

I am so sorry to hear this. I hope you got him to get out of the van and come in the house for the night. Poor sweet Sherlock, 6 years is way too young  . Try giving him all his favorite foods if he doesn't want kibble. Maybe scrambled eggs and chicken or ground meat, whatever he likes. I'll pray Sherlock has more good days than bad and for you the strength to help him on this journey. Hugs


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## calipuppydad (Oct 18, 2017)

Another week has gone by, and Sherlock is still with us! Bad news is, he has not gone on a walk in 3 days now, and for the past 36 hours, has only eaten one meal (none since the last 12 hours). About 6 days ago, he started bumping into things, and at first I thought it was lethargy or disorientation, but it turned out his vision was coming and leaving! A trip to the vet showed he had retinal detachment due to high blood pressure - the high blood pressure itself is likely due to the kidney tumor (kidney malfunction can interfere with regulation of fluid volume/pressure).

Emergency trips to an eye specialist showed that vision in his left eye is essentially unsalvageable, but his right eye still has a chance. We were given blood-pressure lowering medication, and to hope for the best, but it has been hard these past few days. I'm looking at various "quality of life" charts, and he ticks off a whole bunch of them - not eating (even yummy things like chicken carrot stew), is lethargic, isn't interested in anything, etc.

At the moment, we're waiting back on the vet for a consultation on whether a blood transfusion would help, as his recent blood test revealed that he is REALLY anemic (his gums are extremely pale). Words cannot describe how depressing this is - I really do not want to let Sherlock go, but I also cannot bear having him suffer. I don't know if he can make it another week.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I am so very sorry, my thoughts and prayers are with you and Sherlock.


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## ArchersMom (May 22, 2013)

I'm so sorry about Sherlock's diagnosis. It's never easy to lose a pet, but 6 is just so young


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

I am so sorry to see update on Sherlock. My thoughts are with you. Cancer is so unfair to attack our babies!! Love each other and enjoy the time you have left with him.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I'm sorry you are having to face this. A Golden who won't eat is definitely telling you something about quality of life. My thought on this is that I would rather let my dog go a day too early than a day too late, I know it hurts to think he's suffering. My heart goes out to you.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

nolefan said:


> I'm sorry you are having to face this. A Golden who won't eat is definitely telling you something about quality of life. My thought on this is that I would rather let my dog go a day too early than a day too late, I know it hurts to think he's suffering. My heart goes out to you.


This was our deciding factor with our Penny last week. It's so hard to make that call as to when, but I somehow was strong enough to follow thru on the thought that any extra time would be more for us than her. And not eating for her, was a huge sign. I'm so sorry you are facing this with your sweetie. It is so hard to take on the pain so they may be free of it. My prayers are with you.


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## calipuppydad (Oct 18, 2017)

We decided to let Sherlock go yesterday early afternoon in the comfort of our home - not eating and not wanting to get up to do anything is his way of telling us it's okay for us to let him go. It was the hardest, saddest thing I've experienced - everything happened so fast. The first injection made him almost fall asleep immediately, and the second injection stopped his heart within 15 seconds, and his breathing stopped. I cried so long and hard afterwards, and today, tears just pour out at random times of the day. Thank you all for thinking about us.

Here is the last photo of him, a rare smile in the past three days, half an hour before the vet arrived. It's almost like he's telling me that he's okay with being let go, and will hopefully be in a better place here he can run free without any discomfort. Thank you so much Sherlock for your 6 years and 2 months of pure, unconditional love.


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## Helo's Mom (Oct 16, 2011)

I am so very sorry. He's so beautiful and was much too young.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

I am so sorry. May your wonderful memories of sweet Sherlock bring you some comfort. RIP sweet Sherlock.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

I'm so very sorry. We let our Penny go 8 days ago. It is so very hard. My heart and thoughts go out to you. Let your grief take you where it may... it can't be hurried or glossed over. Even though my chest physically hurts and tears come at any time, I know that it is only because there was so much love for her and from her. Hugs.


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## dlmrun2002 (Mar 4, 2011)

Sherlock was a beautiful Golden. He was trying to be strong for you in the end. You did a great job caring for him in his last days. It is funny sometimes how they tell you they are ready to go. I hope time helps you feel better soon. Many here understand your loss. I hope the little film he made just for you plays forever in your great memories of him.

Godspeed to Sherlock

dlm ny country

“Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love; they depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it merely expands the heart. If you have loved many dogs, your heart is very big.” – Erica Jong


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

I'm so very sorry for your loss of Sherlock. He was such a beautiful boy.


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## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm so very sorry.


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## zoeythewonderdog (Mar 18, 2017)

I'm so very sorry for your loss of Sherlock. I hope you can take comfort in the two months that you got to pamper him. Thank you for sharing that last photo, it looks like he was comfortable and at peace. Hugs to you.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I am so sorry for your loss. You gave him a great life.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

I am so sorry you had to say goodbye to Sherlock. He will live in your heart forever!! Thoughts are with you as you struggle through missing you precious boy. RIP sweet Sherlock. Also want to say that last picture with his smile makes me think he is saying...I love you and thank you mommy!!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

I am so sorry for your loss.

Run free Sherlock, knowing you were loved greatly


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

I'm so sorry for your heartbreak. Losing a special dog is never easy, but the unfairness of losing one so early is a special kind of hurt. That smile on his face in the photo you just posted says he knew how much he was loved, I hope that eventually it brings you comfort that he knew how much he was loved. Thinking of you.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Sherlock*

I am so very sorry to read about Sherlock! 
My Smooch and Snobear will watch over him.
I've added him to the Rainbow Bridge List.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...7-2017-rainbow-bridge-list-2.html#post7340098


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