10 Tips for Dealing With a Cancer Diagnosis

Posted by Clare Bristow

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A diagnosis of cancer brings with it a roller coaster of emotions, and one of the strongest is the feeling of hopelessness.

Your dog will now be dependent upon you more than ever to make the right decisions for him, so here are 10 tips for dealing with your dog being diagnosed with cancer.

1. Take Charge of the Situation

A cancer diagnosis does not mean a death sentence for your dog. Many cancers are curable and for those that aren't there are treatment options that can give your dog many months, sometimes years, of good quality life.

Don't deny your emotions, but resolve to take charge of your dog's care and do whatever you can to give him the best chance of recovery with the minimum amount of pain and suffering.

2. Assemble Your Team

You will need a medical team and an emotional support team.

Your medical team may include your veterinarian, a veterinarian oncologist, veterinarian nurses, and any other specialist you think will be necessary. If you are going to use your vet to treat your dog, an oncologist is a good addition to your team because they will have knowledge of the most up to date information and treatments.

Make sure that you feel comfortable talking with all the memebrs of your team - you'll go through a lot together, and you need to feel that you can talk open and honestly with each other, and that they will listen and respect and act upon your wishes.

Your emotional support team will be just as important, and may include family, friends, and dog cancer support groups either locally or on the internet.

3. Sort Out Your Finances

The last thing you want to be worrying about whilst your dog is being treated for cancer is how you are going to pay it.

If you have an existing pet insurance policy, contact the insurer as soon as your dog has been diagnosed to confirm what expenses will be covered and the procedure for making claims.

If you will be paying for all your dog's medical expenses yourself, discuss with your vet the potential cost of the treatment, and then work out how you are going to finance it.

Should you need to arrange a bank loan, discuss a payment program with your vet, apply to a charitable foundation for assistance, or organize a fund raising, do this as soon as you can.

Be honest with your vet about your finances, and work together to devise the best treatment program for your dog.

4. Knowledge

Find out as much as you can about the type of cancer your dog has, how advanced it is, the treatment options available and their potential side effects, whether there are clinical trials being undertaken that you can participate in, and find other dog owners whose dog's have had a similar cancer and discuss with them their experiences and the treatment options they used.

Don't be afraid to keep asking questions until you understand, and write everything down.

Once you have a greater understanding of the type of cancer and the treatments available to you, you will be able to make decisions with a lot more confidence.

5. Keep a Log

Keeping a daily log of medications prescribed, side effects, what your dog is eating, how often he eliminates, any unusual behavior, and any non prescription medications you give your dog will help your vet with the ongoing treatment of your dog.

6. Keep Your Dog Looking Good

Don't forget to continue with your regular grooming, bathing, teeth cleaning and other routine check ups. Not only is it good to keep your dog to his normal routine but it will help you spot any changes to your dog's condition, such as the development of further tumors and sores that aren't healing.

Discuss with your vet what your normal routine encompasses, and they will suggest any changes you may need to make to take into account your dog's health and treatment.

7. Diet

There is scientific evidence that diet plays a major role in the survival of a dog with cancer.

A study was done on dogs with lymphoma who were fed Hill's Prescription Diet Canine n/d. The food was shown to prolong the life of these dogs; although this food hasn't been tested on dogs with other forms of cancer, it's presumed that the results are similar.

Discuss with your vet the options for using a homemade cancer diet, or purchasing a packaged food such as Hill's n/d.

Broadly, diets that exclude carbohydrates and are rich in fatty acids are best for dogs with cancer.

8. Be Open Minded

Be willing to try natural remedies and treatments, new treatments and medications - you don't know what may help your dog.

Remember that our knowledge about cancer and its treatment is continually advancing, so your dog's oncologist may suggest treatments that you haven't read about beacuse they are on the cutting edge of cancer treatment.

9. Remain Cheerful

Keeping a positive attitude will be difficult through all the ups and downs you and your dog will undoubtedly go through, but it’s important for your dog that you do.

Dogs are able to sense their owners' feelings and reflect these with their own behavior and emotions.

Take time to simply be with your dog without thoughts of cancer. Be happy for the time he has been with you, and because he is with you now.

10. Trust Yourself

You will have many important decisions to make, including what treatments to undertake, which diagnostic examinations to perform, how to deal with any side effects from medications and treatments and, ultimately, when the time has come to stop treating your dog.

Nobody knows your dog better than you, so trust yourself that any decision you make is the best one for your dog.

Do not spend time regretting decisions or thinking about the 'if onlys', they won't help you or your dog - just trust yourself to make the right decision.

Sources:
10 Tips from HelpYourDogFightCancer.com
10 Things from WhenYourPetGetsCancer.com

In the next article I'll look at some of the cancer treatment options available.

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