My Dog Billy Had Brain Tumor

My Dog Billy Had Brain Tumor

by Bev Nicholson

Billy was a real mutt but we loved him. Just before Christmas I came home from work and Billy was sitting there. He did not acknowledge me which was very unusual. I looked at him - his eyes were literally rolling in his head and his head was tilted. I phoned the vet (Billy was 15 at this point). He said he would see him straight away. The vet said he had suffered a stroke and gave him steroids. He said he would see him after the course of steroids was over. We went back Billy seemed fine.

Then on the 4th January 2010 at 6.30 a.m., I heard Billy yelping at the bottom of the stairs and his feet banging on the living room door. I knew he was having a seizure attack. I jumped out of bed, I knew there was nothing I could do but comfort him. My 3 children also sat with him. It lasted 7 minutes - that was the longest 7 minutes of my life. Then he proceeded to try and run around the kitchen all the time, making this awful screeching noise. This went on for a further 2 hours. He was in no state to be taken anywhere. I phoned my vet who said bring him as soon as possible which we did. The vet decided to keep him there in case he had more fits and also to do some tests.

The tests came back fine. His kidneys were showing signs of deterioration but the vet said at his age that was normal. Then he got worse. I took him to the vets. I explained about him sleeping all the time, how he never rolled over for his tummy to be rubbed, how sometimes he physically can't move, and he had started falling over to the left hand side, and many other symptoms.

The vet said it sounded like pressure on his brain. A tumor. What do we do now? He said at Billy's age it would be to traumatic to send him away for a scan. If Billy was younger he would suggest it. He said just look after him you will know what to do when it is time.

Billy got worse. He lost control of his bladder, he was going blind walking into things. Then he started pacing and whining for hours.

On March 1st 2010, he went back to the vets with my daughter and I. He went to sleep with us telling him how much we loved him, what a good boy he was, what a special boy he was.

BILLY I MISS YOU SO MUCH X

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Jan 12, 2013
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To Faith's Mom
by: Anonymous

Sorry I did not get back to you - how are you?

It is the hardest decision you will ever make but believe me it was for the best. Billy really struggled - he was so brave. It's been 3 years. Now my children bought me a cushion with Billy's picture on and now I have 2 labs - 1 Black 1 Chocolate. They have not replaced Billy but filled the Billy-sized hole in my heart. They will also have the best life just like Billy did :-)

Dec 27, 2012
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Faith's last night tonight
by: Faithy's Mom (Colorado)

Billy's mom,

Tonight we sit with our little yellow lab Faithy. We are faced with the difficult choice to let her go peacefully tomorrow. She too has a brain tumor.

Several days ago she suffered 12 seizures and we had to rush her to the emergency vet. We were able to take her home after 35 hrs. But she is not the same - she shakes, she is unsteady and falls.

I sit with her now, her last night, reflecting on her beautiful life I have been blessed to share. My heart is aching tonight.

Thank you for sharing your story. It gives me peace to know I am doing the right thing for her tomorrow.

Dec 01, 2011
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Rocky
by: Linda C

Hi Bev-

Love the advent calendar from the vet! How cute. I bought my "grandfur babies" each a jumbo stocking that I plan of filling with doggie treats. One is a lab and the other is a bernese mountain dog. We used to get Rocky a jumbo rawhide for Christmas every year and it was so funny to see him carry it around!

I am doing Ok but today I looked at his ashes and lost it! It's very quiet around here and sometimes I think I hear his tags then remember it's not him :=( We are watching my son's dog this weekend and I can't wait!

Thanks for thinking about me. Enjoy the holidays.

Linda

Dec 01, 2011
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For Linda
by: Bev

How are you Linda? Hope you are okay - bought the furry boys an advent calendar from the Vets (also bought the kids one each as well LOL), then thought of you and Rocky. Hope you are Okay ? :)x

Nov 17, 2011
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Rocky
by: Anonymous

I will keep you updated! :)

Nov 17, 2011
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answer
by: Bev Nicholson

That is lovely you will enjoy that. You will probably end up with a dog sooner than you think :)

Nov 16, 2011
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Rocky
by: Linda

Congrats on your 2 furbabies. They sound adorable! If I could get another dog right now I would. There is too much going on with my life to devote my time to a new addition to the family. My husband does not want any more dogs so it will be quite the challenge to get him to go along with another dog.

In the meantime to get my dog fix, I am going to volunteer my time at a local dog rescue group in the area. When the time comes a rescue dog is definitely the way I want to go!

Nov 16, 2011
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For Linda
by: Bev Nicholson

Yes I got another dog after Billy had been gone 3 weeks - sounds harsh? I missed my Billy sleeping on my feet. My husband came in the kitchen one day and I was grating cheese for a sandwich and he found me sliding Billy's portion off the worktop but he was not there:( My husband went out the next day and got the local paper. He found an advertisement for labrador pups in the local area - black and chocolate dogs and bitches.

Also when Billy went to sleep that day, I phoned the breeder who said they had all gone but there is a problem with one. The man who was supposed to buy him was on an 8-week posting.

We went along to the breeder (my 3 children and I). There were all these lab pups running towards us. Jack (named after a certain captain) came into our lives and he is the best thing ever to heal our hearts. Also we have got his half Brother (Ozzy) - same mum different dad.

I personally don't think you should foster. You need a rescue dog to call your own or a puppy. Yes, we will have to make that horrible descion again but we will know we gave them the best life that Billy and Rocky enjoyed.

Nov 16, 2011
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Rocky
by: Linda

Hi Bev-

I am getting a little better but I still think about him all the time and can't believe this happened. How long did it take you to feel a little better? I feel guilty for not seeing some of his symptoms and hope he was not in pain. This whole tumor prognosis happened so quick that I thought maybe we jumped the gun but the vet said he would have another grand mal seizure and it would be worse than the 7 minute one he had the night before. We couldn't put him through that again. I struggle with that big time, thinking maybe medication would have helped him with that.

I am thinking about getting a necklace with a heart charm and putting his ashes in it so he will always be with me. His collar and leash are underneath my car seat from when we left the vet that horrible day and I can't bear to look at it or remove it from the car.

At some point I would like to get another dog but I can't go through the heartache of putting another dog to sleep. I saw in a magazine that there is an organiztion that needs fosters for pets that have owners in the service that need a temporary home while they are in active duty. I am considering doing that maybe next year. I am a major dog lover and want to give back somehow for the soldiers. Did you get another dog?

Thank you so much for thinking of me. It touched my heart that there is a such a kind person out there that truly cares...

Linda

Nov 15, 2011
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For Linda
by: Anonymous

How are you now Linda??? Hope you are okay if you reply to this I will help you the only way I can x

Nov 07, 2011
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Rocky
by: Linda

Thank you so much Bev for your kind words.

Sometimes we question our decision but we know in our hearts that it is the humane thing to do. It just hurts so bad...

Linda

Nov 07, 2011
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My Dog Billy Had Brain Tumor
by: Bev Nicholson

I am so sorry about Rocky. I know exactly how you feel. But you did the right thing. It is a HORRIBLE descion but it has to be made. :(

Nov 06, 2011
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Sorry about Billy
by: Linda

My dog Rocky seemed to be a healthy 12 year old Husky, or so I thought. He seemed to be getting a little slower and dragging his back legs a little more than usual but we accounted this to the arthritis in his back legs.

Then one horrible evening (Octboer 11th, 2011) he had a grand mal seizure. It was the most gut-wrenching experience in my life. We took him to the emergency vet and he was kept overnight for observation. He did not have another seizure but could not move his back legs at all. The vet said that they had to hold his back legs to go outside.

At that point the vet said he thought it was a brain tumor and the next seizure he would have would be much worse than the last one. Our hearts were broken but we knew we had to do the humane thing and put him to rest.

Looking back and after researching symptoms, he had many of them but we accounted them to old age. He was pacing much more than normal and acting like a puppy and getting into things he never did.

I miss my precious husky so much... :(

Sep 26, 2011
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I miss you Molly
by: Anonymous

I had a shitzu named Molly. She was the sweetest creature god had put on this earth.

One week ago I went to bring her in from the kennel and she was laying flat on her side and did not respond, I went over to her and picked her up and carried her in the house and called the vet immediately. I brought her in later that day - she had no fever and ate and drank regularly. They ran every test they could think of and found nothing.

Three days later she jumped up to go outside as if nothing had happened. The next day she was completely blind. I brought her back to the vet and he gave her prednisone for pressure he felt that was behind the eyes... the outcome at that time we thought was positive. I gave her the medicine prescribed and she ate and drank and went to the bathroom as if all was normal ... she bumped around the house a bit but seemed to be adjusting to her blindness.

Two days later I came down from upstairs and found her on the floor having a seizure that never stopped. We rushed her to the vet and I made the most heart-wrenching decision to lay her to rest. The vet believed at that time it was a brain tumor.

I loved her and will miss her every day of the rest of my life. I am sorry for others that have lost their most loved pets this way. For those of you that still have yours ... hug them and love them everyday for me.

Karen

Aug 09, 2011
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My little Marnie
by: Hannah

My heart goes out to you all - Loss of a much loved pet when they are part of the family is heart-wrenching.

I lost my Marnie just yesterday (8th August 2011).

It all started on Friday, 6th Aug. I came home from work and she looked unsteady on her feet, not normal. I took her straight to the emergency vet. Her temperature was high and they gave her antibiotics and sent her home.

On Saturday she got even worse still, so back to the emergency we went with more antibiotics. She got even worse and could not walk. She ate nothing, and we went back to the vets. The outcome left my son and I heart broken - she had a brain tumour.

At 4.40 yesterday, I had to make the decision to lay my puppy to rest. She was only 5 and a half - so sudden, don't understand why...

I love my Marnie moo. She made my life worth living...

Jul 02, 2010
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Brain Tumor
by: Jennifer

The same exact situation happened to me w my shitzu. She was 3 years old and we put her to sleep 2 weeks ago. I missed her so much and I feel that I need answers to ease my pain.

I know exactly what you went through....

So sorry

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