Trying to help my friend with her senior Lab

[lovemylabby]

A good friend of mine's Lab who is 12 years old, has just recently been diagnosed with early stage of cancer..but the Vet has not yet been able to determine where the cancer cells are in the body?

The dog has had an ultrasound with no visible tumors anywhere! But the Vet had a TK blood test done on the dog...and it did come back a very low positive for cancer cells in the body. This all started because the dog is anemic (found on previous blood test) and the vet can't seem to figure out why? The Vet has ruled out almost everything...no heartworm, worms, fleas, bleeds in the body, tumors, etc.)

She is scheduled for another ultrasound and a possible MRI. Has anyone ever heard of this?

But in the mean time, I suggested that her dog should possibly be put on a low-carb, grain free kibble and perhaps adding fresh meat, vegetables etc.

She does not want to feed raw.

I would love to help her...but wanted to come here first for some advice. She did ask her Vet...but you know how Vets are when it comes to nutrition.

What is so hard is that her dog acts completely normal. Does not show any sign of sickness at all.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

[3ChocMom]

I would suggest your friend find a good holistic/homeopathic vet that specializes in cancer and go in for a consult. Either that, or find a good veterinary oncologist. If the regular vet can't figure it out, it's time to find one that can. As much as I love my regular vet, she isn't a specialist and sometimes, general practice vets need help with things that they don't see every day. I wouldn't allow my regular vet to continue running expensive tests when it feels like they're just throwing things at the wall and hoping something sticks. Not sure if that's what's happening here, but it kind of sounds like it.

I would also suggest your friend look into home cooking her dog's food if she's averse to raw feeding. I do this for my dogs, they eat half kibble, half homecooked at the direction of my holistic vet. If one of them had cancer, I would go 100% homecooked. It's not that hard at all, and I'm not one to even cook for myself.

[POPTOP]

Agree with 3ChoMom. Time to get to a oncologist. I would suspect spleen/liver cancer with anemia so the ultrasound sounds like a good idea. Further testing I would want ordered by the oncologist. Nothing against her vet but she wants someone who specializes in cancer.

Please pass on my prayers.

[lovemylabby]

Thanks so much for all your insight. I have no experience with cancer...but I will mention to her that she seek out an oncologist.

It would scare me to know that my dog has cancer cells...but not know where it is.

[Doreen Davis]

Depending on where you are in upstate ny and what can be afforded financially in terms of diagnosis and treatment, you've got cornell or if on the eastern side of the state tufts is close in Mass. Those types of teaching schools are used to dealing with diagnosing the tough stuff.