It's Cancer. Again.

[Snowshoe]

Crap. Sending you lots of good thoughts.

[Annette47]

Jolie had mammary cancer. They removed the boob with the tumor as well as the ones on either side, so a triple mastectomy. They told us it would most likely come back ... eventually (hers was low grade as well), but that most likely it wouldn’t be for at least 4-5 years. Given that she was 12 at the time, we chose not to worry about that possibility. She eventually died from what we think was a benign splenic tumor (never showed any signs of spreading), but we didn’t do a necropsy so can’t swear that it wasn’t a metastasis from the mammary, but I doubt it.

Edited to add - she also had a Grade 2 mast cell tumor removed (with good margins) from her flank at the same time as they removed the mammary tumor, so it could have been that as well, but we really don’t think it was either previous cancer.

[MontananDakota]

Thanks everyone, I'm really appreciative of this board and you all. You've really been a great support to me through Montana's journey, Dakota's scare and now China's worries.

It amazes me with every dog that steals my heart I think to myself how special they are and I'm in awe of the bonds I have with each. All so different.

So I called the oncologist. The consult will cost $210. I obviously cannot do it right away but I can't wait long if I'm going to bring her. I have got to get this credit card paid down. I've got still some residual on there from Montana and Dakota's surgery plus now China's. Probably $2000 in this past 8 months. It's stressful.

So we're any of you who dealt with mammary cancer referred to an oncologist and did you go? At 9 it's definitely worth it to hearth he has to say about her.

Meanwhile she looks fabulous from when I got her. Since moving to grain free her hotspots are clearing up and the skin is softening again with new fur beginning to grow. Her ears are clearing up and her eyes too.

[Tanya]

no experience but sending thoughts and prayers it's removed and she continues to have a happy healthy life.

[labsnewfy]

I am so sorry to hear about China will keep her in our thoughts and prayers.

When Tootsie was diagnosed we were asked if we would take a referral, which we declined. After the ordeal with Coleman when we took him for an oncologist appointment the money they wanted for his treatment vs the time the treatment would give us with him was not good. It felt like they were trying to guilt us into treatment telling me if they didn't treat Coleman he would only live 4-6 weeks. Coleman was with us for 8 months without their treatment that would only have given us 6 months to a year.

[Blackboy98]

O God, I hate that word. Sending arms full of MOJO, prayers to Heaven to send you an angel to be with you and China and anything else I can think of to help. It sounds like China is doing SO much better since you have had her, she should be in good health for any surgery.

[Berna]

I am really sorry. She isn't even *that* old. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it hasn't spread...

[Annette47]

A consult was never suggested in Jolie’s case as the vet was confident that it would not be an issue in her remaining lifetime, but she was older than China. At 9, I would probably want to see what they say ...

[OHfemail]

I'm so sorry to hear about China. You've certainly been through it in the past year - good mojo sent along to all!

[janedoe]

I am so sorry. We may be encountering an oncologist soon. It depends on how Fran's biopsy goes but that's her spleen. All good thoughts for you and China. This cancer stuff blows.