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Our first chow had cancer

Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:00 am
by Dessysmum
Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum as I have just come across it. I wish I had found this site sooner as it would probably have helped me a great deal. Our beloved chow chow Desmond, was sick for about 3 months in total. He started off being sick periodically on and off and it just escalated from there, until he was being sick every day and went completely off his food. We had him at the vet every other day for weeks as they tried every cure they thought would worse. They treated gastritis, ulcers, and even IBD after performing an endoscopy. In the week we started the steroids we seen Desmond really deteriorate. We took him to the vet hospital then and they said he was very sick, they performed exploratory surgery the next day and discovered 70% of his stomach was encased in a cancerous tumour. We had to put him to sleep during the op. We are absolutely heartbroken and never thought this would happen to our wee boy. Has anyone else experienced this with chows. I keep thinking maybe we could have done something different. It's tormenting me. I know this site is mainly for people looking for help and advice on their chows, and that might seem irrelevant in my case now, but we don't know anyone else with chows and would love to hear from people who know about them.

Re: Our first chow had cancer

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 5:32 am
by Butterfly57
I am so sorry for your loss. I know how difficult it is. We lost our Sabrina in April this year. I don't have any answers for you, but wanted to let you know that you are not alone. Sabrina had severe arthritis in her hips. It feels like I lost a child.

I came here for the same reason you did. Looking for answers. I haven't found any yet, but I keep hoping the pain will lessen.

Re: Our first chow had cancer

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 9:24 am
by Dessysmum
Thanks for your reply. You're absolutely right, it is like losing a child. We lost a baby last year and the pain is just as much. Not a day goes by that we don't cry over him. My husband says answers now are pointless, but like you, il keep searching. I recently found a website that sells bespoke made windchime with a small watertight casket for ashes and a personalised plaque on the pendulum where you can write your own words in memory of your loved one. I have ordered one for Desmond's ashes. He loved being in the garden most of all and now he will always be there, and we will bring him in and hang him in the porch ( where his bed was) in the winter. We couldn't settle with the idea of scattering his ashes as we don't want him to be far from us so I'm glad I found this solution. I love it. Every time i hear the chimes I will think of him. And we will teach our new baby (I'm 7 months pregnant) that that is his big brother talking to him. People may think it is silly but it brings us comfort. I hope you can find comfort in something too, for the memory of your Sabrina.

Re: Our first chow had cancer

Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 12:08 am
by maikinda
I'm very sorry to hear about Desmond. Please don't feel like there was something else you should have done. Too many times by the time cancer is found, it is too late. I'm sorry that you lost a child, I can only imagine how hard that is. Best wishes on the new little one that is on the way.

Laura

Re: Our first chow had cancer

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:08 pm
by brenchow2
Hi
Real sorry about your lose. I had a black chow "Storm" for 14 years and one day she stopped eating and was getting sick which looked like coffee grounds and so I took her to a vet and several hours later they told me she had stomach cancer. Later I would find out that this a normal thing for some chows. I can say that at least I had her company for 14 years. I still cry when remembering the fun times we had.

Re: Our first chow had cancer

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:56 am
by SusanGeorgiou
My chow Goldie started throwing up what looked like foamy bile. She quit eating her food so I gave her whatever she would eat.
I took her to the vet and they told me to give her Acid Reducer. I did for a week and she didn't get any better, then one morning she wouldn't eat so I took her back. They did some tests and said
she has stomach cancer. She will be dead in a week. We brought her home that was Sept. 10th, more than 4 weeks ago. She still eats a little and gets sick, but she still runs in the yard with my husband. She loves to sit on the porch with him and watch the traffic go by. I spend as much time as I can with her. She loves to go to the bank and get cookies she won't eat. Some days she
likes to go to the beach and walk and other days she just wants to sleep. She is 9 years 5 months and our heart is broken, but she is still here with us.