Experiences with brain tumors in dogs?

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

I hope this post doesn’t come across as self-indulgent. Apologies if it is.

On Saturday I came home at around noon from the barn. I left my dog, a fifteen-year-old chihuahua, laying on the couch at 9:30am, where she usually sat, waiting for me, every day, whenever I left the house.

She was very energetic, especially considering her age, and always was very healthy. FWIW, she was an ‘extra large, big-boned’ chihuahua, no health problems, very sturdy, very active. In October she had had a dental so she had complete blood work for going under anesthesia–the vet described the results as “textbook perfect.”

I came home to find her having seizures, foaming at the mouth, having lost control over her bowels, and spinning in circles.

I rushed her first to my vet, found that they could do nothing for her there, then to an emergency vet with a specialist on hand. The neurologist said that for a formal diagnosis they would have to put her under anesthesia and do an MRI but based upon her symptoms it was almost certainly a tumor in the forebrain, the constant circling being the main issue indicating that.

I took her home with anti-seizure medication and steroids which were supposed to keep her quiet and give her an appetite but she was never the same dog. She was no longer having seizures (they stabilized her at the vet and I was able to get the pills in her via a syringe with water down the throat) but she kept circling and circling non-stop. She did not drink, other than what I was able to give her with the syringe (I gave her a small amount of water every hour to keep her hydrated as best I could, even though swallowing was difficult) and didn’t even lick the baby food I smeared on her teeth to encourage her to eat.

Eventually after a day the drugs kicked in a bit and she grew more sedate but still seemed very uncomfortable. I took her in my arms to comfort her but after lying there for awhile she would start circling again if not confined to her crate and drunkenly walk around in circles if I let her have any freedom to wander even a few steps on the floor.

I took her this Monday morning to the vet’s and after looking at her both the vet on call and the vet that saw her yesterday agreed with me that it was the best decision that this morning be her last. She was so weak that when I spent time with her to say good-bye before they took her she couldn’t even get out of the cage.

It’s just so shocking given that she seemed fine on Friday. Looking back I can maybe see some signs. Her tongue was hanging out a bit (but again, she is 15 and has had dental problems). Sometimes she’d stop bringing a toy back to me during a game of fetch but she always felt that fetching meant that I did some of the running around with the toy, not just her. She’d occasionally miss a nearly 18-inch step she liked to jump on but again, she was getting old. I can’t imagine taking her to the vet months ago for a MRI or a neurological evaluation for those symptoms, given her age.

Because of her age and the fact her symptoms were so extreme and advanced they did not recommend the MRI, since surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy would be too much for an older dog to bear and even for a younger dog these can only prolong life at best not cure.

I am sorry for the novel but the real question I have is–do any of you have experience with brain cancer in dogs? What are your stories? Are there any known factors which contribute to it? I’ve had dogs in my life since I was eight (it’s so hard with an empty house right now) but I’ve actually never had experience with this before, which is why it is so scary and utterly heartbreaking.

She is–I can hardly bear to say ‘was’–a wonderful dog, a dog of a lifetime and I guess it’s my nature to want to learn about this and understand better what happened as a way of dealing with the pain.

[Zu_Zu]

No knowledge of .

Just huge ((hugs)) laced with comfort and support ~

I’m so sorry ~ :sadsmile:

RIP ~ beloved girl ~ knowing you will always be loved and remembered ~

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Thank you Zu Zu, I know that all dogs are wonderful but she was truly one of ‘those dogs,’ the kind that everyone says is a special dog, not just me her (biased) owner.

[Ladylexie]

Oh I’m so sorry. I don’t have any experience yet, but, our 10 year old Chi has started experiencing seizures about once every month for the last year and half. The ER vet we took him to the first time couldn’t find anything, but, just a guess said it would probably be a brain tumor and if so there is nothing they can do. This is why at this point where he is fine except for these occasional seizures I figured no reason to do an MRI on a healthy dog only for them to tell me there is nothing we can do.

I’m so very sorry I can certainly relate to this.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@Ladylexie–my prayers are with your dog. 10 years old is still very young for a chi! The fact that the dog is coming back from the seizures is a good sign and there are many other conditions that can trigger them, from what I understand. It was the circling with my dog that was the real clue, and that is only for a very specific location for the tumor. It might be worth an appointment with a canine neurologist–I was so lucky that the emergency vet I went to had one on staff.

Chihuahuas (mine was a long-haired) are such great dogs. I think sometimes people stereotype them as ‘yippy’ maybe because that’s how they’re portrayed on film, but mine was utterly selfless and kind.

[JBD]

Yes, our 16 year old cocker mix exhibited a mixture of symptoms like circling, not being able to eat unless hand fed and getting “stuck” in corners. We tried meds for cognitive disorder with a little success but did take her to a neurologist for a second opinion.

The neurologist said her symptoms were because of age related cognitive disorder and possibly a brain tumor. She did not recommend a MRI as we would not put Ginger through surgery at her age.

Odd though her symptoms were, at first they bothered us a lot more than the dog. And while I’d never make my pets suck it up, if it’s just me that’s being inconvenienced or saddened then I deal with it. Gradually the symptoms worsened to the point they distressed her and/or she was in pain so we let her go.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@JBD–with my dog, the symptoms had a much more sudden onset and as soon as the constant circling started, she was very much in distress. I suppose the way things progress depend on where the tumor is located.

It’s amazing how fragile our bodies and our dog’s bodies are. I’m so sorry for your loss as well.

[Horsegal984]

The other possibility is she threw a clot to her brain, but that wouldn’t have been any more treatable than a tumor. There are many reasons she could have thrown a clot, but none of them are good.

I’m so sorry for your loss, she sounds like a great little dog

[JBD]

[QUOTE=Impractical Horsewoman;8617000]
@JBD–with my dog, the symptoms had a much more sudden onset and as soon as the constant circling started, she was very much in distress. I suppose the way things progress depend on where the tumor is located.

It’s amazing how fragile our bodies and our dog’s bodies are. I’m so sorry for your loss as well.[/QUOTE]
May your sweet dog Rest in Peace.

[Beckham03]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I work with a lot of dogs with brain tumors everyday. Everyone presents with a different story…acute onset of neuro signs, slow onset, sudden seizures, a seizure here and there…sadly there is no straightforward presentation. Some are able to be managed with meds for a while, some aren’t. I’ve seen some do well with sx if the tumor is in a place that can be removed. Followed by chemo and radiation. Some still struggle with treatment.

It sounds like you made the right decision by your sweet dog. I’m sorry you had to go through this.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

Thank you @JBD and @Beckham03. Her decline was very dramatic in just two days–I guess the only good thing is that she did have good quality of life until then which I know is not true of all dogs with tumors.

@Horsegal984–she was a wonderful little dog, thank you so much! We will never know for sure of course but the neurologist thought based upon her circling that the brain tumor was the most likely diagnosis, just from her behavior. Apparently dogs with forebrain tumors tend to circle in the direction of the tumor (she kept spinning to the right).

It’s amazing how much you can learn and how quickly about a disease when your pet is sick

[khall]

We lost our beloved hound X to what was probably a brain tumor, it was gradual onset though, not sudden, culminating in a seizure at 5 AM where I finally convinced my DH to agree to euthanize him. It had been a 6 months struggle with him losing weight, not wanting to eat, severe separation anxiety and then the seizure. He was almost 13, hard decision to make but a necessary one.

So sorry OP for the loss of your beloved Chi, never easy to let them go.

[Pookah]

I had a somewhat similar experience in November with my Dane, who was almost 8. She was in great health for her age - lots of general age related infirmities and slowing down, but nothing major. Over the course of about a week, she had three episodes of what we later realized were seizures - she would be perfectly fine, then act like something had bitten her, panic, and bolt to the car, her bed, etc. The first one happened at the barn and actually I assumed she had been stung by something. A few days later she was at a horseshow with me, and I have to wonder if on some subconscious level something seemed off to me, because she was scheduled to be taken to my parents’ house by a friend, and I decided that she was doing well and would just stay with me at the show. That afternoon, she had a grand mal seizure in the parking lot, with zero warning. She came out of after several minutes and seemed fine, if a little shaken up, and I took her immediately to NCSU since we were across the street. They gave a very likely diagnosis of a brain tumor, but as this dog was absolutely petrified of the vet, I declined any further testing or treatment. She basically didn’t leave my side for the next 10 days because I was terrified she would have another seizure - she did have a few small fly bite seizures the following few days, but nothing more. I took her to one of her regular vets, who started her on a terrific anti-seizure medication as well as Tramadol. I would love to say that we did some great bucket list, but this dog had massive anxiety her entire life, and very severe separation anxiety, and so she spent her last 10 days exactly the way she would have wanted. I dragged my mattress out onto the living room floor, moved furniture as much out of the way as I could, and we hung out at home and accepted visitors. She definitely began to have some issues related to what I have no doubt was a brain tumor - lack of coordination, etc. But it didn’t overly concern her, in part because she was very well-medicated. She ended up developing lymphoma on top of the brain tumor, and I had her euthanized when a tumor began pressing on her trachea and making it difficult to swallow.

Hugs - I had never heard of brain tumors in dogs before her diagnosis, and like you, did a very fast crash course in them. Everything I have learned since has made me endlessly grateful that I did not pursue absolute diagnosis and/or treatment - although some dogs respond great, just spending so much time at the vet would have made this dog’s life a living hell, and I don’t think I would have gotten a day longer with her. It’s an awful thing to go through, but I have to say that a few months out (she was euthanized on Thanksgiving Day), it was probably one of the “best” deaths I’ve been through with one of my pets. She didn’t suffer, she went downhill quickly which I think is harder for the humans but easier for the dog, and she didn’t die a long painful death of old age. Obviously I was still absolutely devastated, but living in a second floor apartment with a giant breed dog, I had been terrified of a worse end for her. I have pretty obsessively read up on brain tumors since, and although I think there are some claims about causes, none of them other than genetics seem very science based to me, and I am choosing not to worry about it specifically for the Dane that I adopted after she died. Partially because it’s very unscientific, but I know a LOT of dogs, and had never known one to die of a brain tumor before, and I figure lightning is unlikely to strike twice. I am so so sorry you’re having to go through this, it’s always awful to lose one and especially unexpectedly. But if it’s any comfort, it sounds like you made the absolute best choices for her, and she had a wonderful life with you.

[Pookah]

I had a somewhat similar experience in November with my Dane, who was almost 8. She was in great health for her age - lots of general age related infirmities and slowing down, but nothing major. Over the course of about a week, she had three episodes of what we later realized were seizures - she would be perfectly fine, then act like something had bitten her, panic, and bolt to the car, her bed, etc. The first one happened at the barn and actually I assumed she had been stung by something. A few days later she was at a horseshow with me, and I have to wonder if on some subconscious level something seemed off to me, because she was scheduled to be taken to my parents’ house by a friend, and I decided that she was doing well and would just stay with me at the show. That afternoon, she had a grand mal seizure in the parking lot, with zero warning. She came out of after several minutes and seemed fine, if a little shaken up, and I took her immediately to NCSU since we were across the street. They gave a very likely diagnosis of a brain tumor, but as this dog was absolutely petrified of the vet, I declined any further testing or treatment. She basically didn’t leave my side for the next 10 days because I was terrified she would have another seizure - she did have a few small fly bite seizures the following few days, but nothing more. I took her to one of her regular vets, who started her on a terrific anti-seizure medication as well as Tramadol. I would love to say that we did some great bucket list, but this dog had massive anxiety her entire life, and very severe separation anxiety, and so she spent her last 10 days exactly the way she would have wanted. I dragged my mattress out onto the living room floor, moved furniture as much out of the way as I could, and we hung out at home and accepted visitors. She definitely began to have some issues related to what I have no doubt was a brain tumor - lack of coordination, etc. But it didn’t overly concern her, in part because she was very well-medicated. She ended up developing lymphoma on top of the brain tumor, and I had her euthanized when a tumor began pressing on her trachea and making it difficult to swallow.

Hugs - I had never heard of brain tumors in dogs before her diagnosis, and like you, did a very fast crash course in them. Everything I have learned since has made me endlessly grateful that I did not pursue absolute diagnosis and/or treatment - although some dogs respond great, just spending so much time at the vet would have made this dog’s life a living hell, and I don’t think I would have gotten a day longer with her. It’s an awful thing to go through, but I have to say that a few months out (she was euthanized on Thanksgiving Day), it was probably one of the “best” deaths I’ve been through with one of my pets. She didn’t suffer, she went downhill quickly which I think is harder for the humans but easier for the dog, and she didn’t die a long painful death of old age. Obviously I was still absolutely devastated, but living in a second floor apartment with a giant breed dog, I had been terrified of a worse end for her. I have pretty obsessively read up on brain tumors since, and although I think there are some claims about causes, none of them other than genetics seem very science based to me, and I am choosing not to worry about it specifically for the Dane that I adopted after she died. Partially because it’s very unscientific, but I know a LOT of dogs, and had never known one to die of a brain tumor before, and I figure lightning is unlikely to strike twice. I am so so sorry you’re having to go through this, it’s always awful to lose one and especially unexpectedly. But if it’s any comfort, it sounds like you made the absolute best choices for her, and she had a wonderful life with you.

[GraceLikeRain]

A good friend of mine fostered a greyhound who ended up having a brain tumor. He was surrendered because of urinating in his crate. The rescue later suspected he likely was having seizures during the day that went unnoticed. His quality of life declined rapidly over a period of weeks despite intensive care at the state vet school and they decided to let him go peacefully. It was very hard for everyone involved as he was such a gentle soul.

I am so sorry for your loss. The suddenness must be so hard to process.

[yellowbritches]

So sorry. It is so hard when they go.

My mom’s little old lady terrier had a suspected brain tumor. She did not have the acute onset like your little dog, although she did deteriorate rapidly. She managed for awhile, but her last morning, she was so bad she couldn’t even stand with support (she’d been doing ok if she was helped to her feet).

Big hugs.

[Impractical_Horsewoman]

@Pookah–that does make me feel better about not pursuing more intensive treatment. After I took her home her tongue seemed permanently stuck out of her mouth and she did not seem eager even to take the water I was injecting her with via mouth using the syringe, much less food.

That’s interesting about the ‘bug bite’ reaction. My dog, every now and then would also react to what seemed to be nothing by squealing and running away. This was for many, many years, nearly half her life though. She’d also always circle a couple of times, quite often, before lying down. It’s so hard to separate what is just ‘quirky dog behavior’ versus something that is worrisome. Over the past few months she was also somewhat less responsive when I called her but I attributed that to maybe some slight hearing loss due to old age.

@GraceLikeRain–that is heartbreaking that the dog’s urinating in the crate was likely due to his tumor. My dog, even at 15, was so good that when I walked in the house and saw the fact she’d lost control of her bowels before I saw her, my first reaction was not to be mad but to be worried because that was so unlike her.

@yellowbritches–it is very hard, the house feels very empty without her. You don’t appreciate how much of your routine revolves around them until they are gone.

Thank you everyone. I hope no one has to go through this again–if only medical science could find a cure! I guess the fact that it affects every dog so differently is part of the problem with spotting it early.

[HannahsMom7]

I am sending hugs to you from me and licks from my chi cross. I am so sorry about this. I have had no experience in anything like this. how horrible. remember the good things.

[Ladylexie]

[QUOTE=Impractical Horsewoman;8616868]
@Ladylexie

Yes I’m smitten with Chi’s now! Never thought I would after my awesome big GSD’s but I’m in hopeless love with them.

[SquishTheBunny]

First of all, I’m very sorry…it’s never easy to lose a pet.

Second…I have a lot.of experience with this, as I MRI many pets with intracranial disease. Thirdly, my own girl is growing her own friend in her brain.

It’s a blessing it happened quickly. There ARE other things it could be, but at that age there are strong suggestions towards neoplasia or severe inflammatory disease, neither which have a relatively good prognosis.

Some tumors are slow growing, and have little effect on the dog until it reached a threshold point where the dog starts circling, seizuring etc. It’s usually the inflammation around the tumor that causes the signs so sometimes we see some response to steroids. Usually fairly short lived though.

Sounds like your ultimate decision was kind for your dog. I will soon too be making that decision. It’s the last kindest act we can offer to our pets. Hugs.