My Great Dane Zeus has Acute Lymphocytic Lymphoma

by Elizabeth
(Atlanta, GA, USA)

Our 4 year old Great Dane, Zeus, was just diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Lymphoma. This happened very suddenly, over a week, and he went downhill very fast.

Zeus has always been a happy, bouncing, friendly Dane and one day last week, he just stopped eating and would find a spot where he could be alone in the house and would go there to be away from everyone. This is VERY uncommon for Zeus as he is so friendly and loves to be around us. He wouldn't sleep in his bed anymore and wouldn't come to us when we called. He just started moping around.

I noticed the lymph nodes under his neck were swelling as well and he started having trouble getting up to go out. Diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting and fever were also present.

After about three days of this odd behavior, I took him to the vets and x-rays, blood testing were done. His blood work came back showing acute lymphoma that was in the marrow and very advanced. He also has an enlarged spleen as a result. He stayed on IV fluids at the hopital for two days over this past weekend and I just picked him up and brought him home.

The vet told us this morning that his cancer was so advanced that even with aggressive chemo, his chances of survival were extremely slim.

So, I brought him home, with a big bag of pain pills and antibiotics that he will take twice a day (8 pills total) till the time comes. We don't know how much longer we have with him. Could be a month, could be two months, could be a week. The vet expects about a month.

Grief is an understatement. We have cried until there are no more tears. The best thing is to keep him as comfortable, happy and pain free as we can here at the house until the cancer overtakes him and he leaves us. He will always be in our hearts. WE love him so much and can't believe this has happened.