Sophie went back to the vet this week. She had starting sneezing those abnormal sneezes again. They’re like potato chips– you can’t have just one; Sophie can easily sneeze 12 times in a row. I get tired just watching.
We had started to worry that the cancer had returned. There was the sneezing, an almost constant dripping from her nose and then an afternoon when she seemed off-balance and maybe dizzy.
The scan came back with good news; there’s lots of scar tissue in her nasal cavity but no signs of the cancer. The radiation has damaged the cartilage in her nose, making her less resistant to colds and other irritations. As the oncologist pointed out, this is the new normal. She can prescribe antibiotics if Sophie is truly sick but her energy level and appetite indicate that she feels fine.
There was just one worry: Sophie had a seizure before the scan. It’s possible that it was a reaction to the anesthesia but we can’t be sure.
I don’t know if you can see from the photograph, but the hair that she lost after radiation has grown back– and it’s white!
January 30, 2008 at 11:53 am
Hi there,
I just came across your blog about Sophiedog and couldn’t resist writing a comment. I am a Chondrosarcoma survivor myself (removed from tibia 1995, further surgery 2001) and also the UK co-moderator of a (free) Chondrosarcoma Support Group.
If you want to join the group you would be most welcome (we have the owners of a dog with conondrosarcoma as members at the moment – and sadly another dog, Shoob, died recently from the disease).
The group offers support, information and advice about Chondrosarcoma – and although it was set up for humans, pets owners are also welcome to join. If Sophiedog is at risk of getting a recurrence it may be good for you to have advice available on the very best type of treatment etc. you would be able to comunicate with the other dog owners online.
In the meantime – I’m going to read your blog thoroughly and make it a favourite!
I wish Sopiedog the very best of health – she is very lucky to have such a caring owner.
January 31, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Hi – my puppy (Honey, age
was just diagnosed with nasal chondrosarcoma. We have our first appointment with the radiologist this afternoon, and i was just poking around to see what i could find on the subject before we went in. Its really great to hear Sophie is doing well, it’s actually made me stop crying for the first time in about 5 days. Please give her a kiss for me.
February 1, 2008 at 5:55 am
seizure is a sign the tumor spread to brain.
February 1, 2008 at 6:11 pm
You’re right; seizures will occur when the cancer crosses the blood-brain barrier. But the scan results didn’t show any evidence of that the barrier has been broken.
The vet was fairly confident that the seizure was due to the anesthesia. But any seizure is cause for concern.
February 5, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Howdy,
I’m very sorry that Sophie has been battling such serious illness. I was doing some canine medical research for a friend of mine & stumbled upon your website…and about fell out of my chair. You see, I too have a dog named Sophie – and she looks almost identical to your Sophie! They are almost the same age & look similar in size (27lbs here). Their fur is almost identical, except your Sophie has a bit more wave going down her back and my Sophie has a bit more spatterings of white. I saw one of your photos playing at the beach & my first thought was ‘how did a photo of my dog get on the internet’??? I swear they could be related, except I adopted my Sophie in Texas. LOL
So, I just had to type you & say thanks. It’s great to know there’s another beautiful mystery-mutt out there almost exactly like mine. I wish I could send you a photo for you to see & get your opinion!
Anyway, I wish the very best of luck to you & Sophie. Take care, Kd
February 8, 2008 at 2:13 am
I am so pleased and relieved for you that Sophie’s tumour has not returned. I also want to say a big thank you for your web site. Sadie, our border collie-x, finished her course of radiotherapy on Christmas Eve and has been progressing well but this week took a turn for the worse and has been sneezing a lot and having a lot of discharge, increasingly with blood in it. On her check up at the hospital this week we were told she was progressing well but it is still really worrying when you see blood. It was reassuring to read your update about Sophie. Like Sophie, Sadie has lost most of the hair on her nose and we were told it would eventually grow back white. She is on a high protein diet that I prepare myself – she loves meal times! She has lots of energy and plays all time. Thank you. Looking forward to your next update.
February 9, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Thank you so much for your blog. Everytime I am researching about my furry child, Sophie’s blog is the first to pop up. I have a 9 year old golden retriever who was suddenly diagnosed with an aggressive nasal chondrosarcoma. There was never s symptom in my otherwise healthy girl. One day I noticed a bump above her eye that was never there before. Make that long story short it led us to weekly palliative radiation, since hers was too far along, we were only buying her time. We started in October & finished the day before Thanksgiving. We were assured that the tumor would stop in its tracks for at least 3-6 months. Unfortunately as I am sitting here writing today 11 weeks later, she seems to be taking a turn for the worst. Two weeks ago we were enjoying our wiffle ball games & today she can’t do anything but sleep, because she is so dizzy. We have an appt on Monday, but I dread what they will say. I just wanted to say that I’m delighted that Sophie is doing so well, cherish every moment that you have with your furry baby. I know that I do. Thanks again.
Jessica,
Bristol,Rhode Island
February 11, 2008 at 6:05 pm
My dog has nasal cancer too. As far as I’ve read, the radiation does not prolong their life anymore than the prednisone. We opted not to go with radiation because of the risks, the cost, and the fact it doesn’t do much but make the dog sick and uncomfortable. My dog was diagnosed in June and is still going strong in February.
February 12, 2008 at 8:20 am
Well I lost my girl last night to her nasal chondrosarcoma. I read the below comment & would like to say I am happy for your great results, and hope they continue for a long time. My girl was not able to take prednisone, she was sick on it. When we started radiation she was already experiencing bloody noses and leg tremors. She never had any side effects to her radiation aside from fur loss at the site. After another scan we learned it had stopped growing and actually shrunk slightly. Her nose bleeds & tremors never came back. 2 days after her first treatment she was wearing me down at the beach. If it wasn’t for her radiation we would not have been able to spend these last months with her. So I will say maybe radiation isn’t an option for all cases but it sure was the best in hers. Continued good health in all our furry friends.
~Jessica
February 12, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Jessica: I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. I thought about you and your puppy all weekend and hoped that you would have happier news. I’m glad that you can take comfort in the extra time that radiation provided– it really is a gift to spend those extra days together.
Please take care of yourself– I can’t imagine your grief today, but I hope that you’ll be able to remember the happier times soon.
February 27, 2008 at 7:36 am
Winston, my border collie/cattle dog who is sixteen, was exhibiting the typical symptoms for chondrosarcoma, which very slowly worsened over a 5 year period. The first vets I took him to told me that it was “just a backward sneeze” and nothing to worry about, since the x rays at the time of his chest didnt show anything at all. Now, 5 years later, I recently took him to my new vets and was told that the likelyhood of nasal cancer was very high because of the mucoid discharge with blood, partial bone loss at the infection site, accompanied by a cyst that had grown in the nasal passage–all of that making it very hard for him to breathe. The vet did a complete set of xrays, blood work, rhinoscopy, and tried to remove most of the cyst at that time.
The doctors told me that we had the choice of getting a CT scan to reveal the cancer more thouroughly, and then radiation treatments if we chose to. At age 16, after what I had read about other gaurdians and thier pets with radiation, we decided not to put him through the misery.
Winston is now on antibiotics for the secondary bacterial infection, benedryl every 4 hours for the mucous, and we are feeding him a home-made diet consisting of high protein organ meat (cooked) with raw pureed veggies, supplemented with kelp, spirulina, pro-biotics, and Omega 3 Fish oil.
After only 4 days of this new diet and antibiotics, he seems to be responding with increased energy & the mucous has stopped coming out of his nose, which are both positive signs.
My one concern at this point is that his breathing at night has not improved yet. He is still struggling for breath and is mouth breathing. Benedryl seems to help his symptoms but administration at 4 hour intervals is making us exhausted.
Any advice on antihistamines that work well and for longer than 4 hours at a time is apperciated, as well as home-made food recipes or tips for cancer.
Thanks to you all, and hang in there with your best friends, they deserve us to fight with them for as long as they have.
March 4, 2008 at 1:24 pm
How bad were Sophie’s side effects from the radiation? Honey’s entire face is scabbed and raw. She’s on a lot of pain meds, and this stage is only supposed to last a week or two, but Every chance she gets (through an e-collar) she rubs her face agains something or paws at her nose and it starts bleeding again. I’m constantly doing laundry.
also, I’m not sure if Sophie was able to breathe through her nose before she started treatment? Do you know when her tumor started responding to the radiation? Apparently the week after treatment ends is the week this starts, and its Tuesday and I’m freaking out a bit becasue she still can’t breathe through her nose.
March 25, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Hi Sophie’s parents. I have question. My little man Henry has just been diagnosed with the same tumor that Sophie had. He’s a 14 year old 30lb terrier, and in terrific shape and spirits for an old man. Fortunately, the tumor is in only one nostril. And he doesn’t have the bleeding and discharge side effects..so it’s relatively early. We have the choice of palliative and definitive by a really great oncologist and oncology center here in Los Angeles.
I’m assuming you did definitive on Sophie.
My first question is how old was Sophie (best guestimate, I know she was a rescue) when she started treatment.
My second question is how extensive was the nasal tumor? One nostril, two nostrils? Was it moving into the eye cavity, or brain cavity, or lymph nodes?
My last question is, how is she doing today?
Thank you for your reply in advance, I know you totally understand how difficult it is to make these decisions for your best friend.
Thom in Los Angeles
March 25, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Sophiedog,
I understand this is not a blog to tell you of my loss but know that your dog does give hope to others. Unfortunately, my Windsor is gone due to his nasal tumor as of yesterday. Please give Sophie a great big hug and kiss from a fellow dog lover.
In addition, Jessica, I am so sorry for your loss. The depth of this valley seems to go on forever but I know that it has been worth it to be loved so unconditionally.
Regards,
Colleen
March 27, 2008 at 1:41 pm
This is a wonderful site! My 12-ish beagle, Nellie, was diagnosed with nasal tumors 21 months ago and, like you, her cancer has dominated much of our lives the past two years. We opted not to do radiation, but instead have used a combination of piroxicam, benedryl and antibiotics to keep the tumor reduced in size. In late December the piroxicam stopped working (after 18 months) and she’s been on prednisone. The pred has done a great job — almost all of her symptoms are gone right now — but the side effects stink. You’ve captured so much of life with a dog with cancer, both the struggles and joy we get from our dogs. It’s also made us appreciate our vet — she is amazing. These years have been difficult, but she’s stayed her happy self throughout and we’re thankful.
April 13, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Thank You for your support. I wanted to share this quote with everyone, as I have found great comfort & pride in it. Take care.
He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me… whenever… wherever – in case I need him. And I expect I will – as I always have. He is just my dog.” – Gene Hill
November 10, 2008 at 11:57 am
Althought the last post here was April ‘08, I thought I would give it a try. Like everyone else here, we have something in common. First of all, I hope Sophie is ok though once again, there hasn’t been a post here in a while. I hope for the best but know if the worst has happened, Sophie has only made your lives so much better by simply being a part of it.
My dog, Shmooey, is a 12 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. He started sneezing and reverse sneezing the same time his annual allergies began at the end of August. He occasionaly has thick discharge from the right nostril only when he sneezes. On occasion, it sounds as if he is having difficulty breathing. Other times, he seems perfectely fine. Playful as a puppy with a great appetite. He was on antibiotics which did not help. He is currently on Atarax which he takes every year in the Fall for his allergies. He has also been on Prednisone for the past week and coming off of that. Not himself on the prednison at first. His follow up apointment is this Saturday and to say the least, my family and I are scared. The next step will be xrays and possibly a CAT scan. My wife is worried about the anesthesia though.
I wish all of us the best. We all love our pups as unconditionally as they love us.
January 1, 2009 at 8:22 pm
My 11 yo sheltie, Cayman, was diagnosed with nasal cancer two months ago. I am trying to find an active forum. The vets have limited information and I really could use some support/info from someone who has been through this process.
Any information would be most appreciated.
Eryn
January 5, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Eryn,
Check out this forum: http://www.city-data.com/forum/dogs/287668-nasal-cancer-19.html.
It’s been helpful to me.
Erica
January 12, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Dogs name is Jessica..110lb 6/7 year old Golden Retriever/Mastiif
Nasal tumor found.. Proir to that, THREE vets diagnosed incorrectly.
Vet gave 2 months to live..4 months max.
Jessie is still with us 9 months later.
Radiation was out..Chemo was totally disregarded..So we was on my own..
Went to the Internet and found “Essiac”(plug the word into Youtube.com search engine)..It is an Old Indian (Ojibiwa) herbal mixture sipped like a tea or coffee.But go here FIRST http://www.essiac-canada.com/rene_caisse.htm
The tumor on her nose is the size of TWO large apples(together)..The tumor has been “killed”(broken down)and now I need to find a technique to drain this dead tissue and tumor fluids and the Essiac mix from the area..I do recommend that animal lovers look into this..
This story of its existance and the efforts by Governments with assistance from Medical and Big Pharma involvement is material for a Hollywood movie.
It was actually developed(grown)for human cancer victims.
I will be publishing a report and lots of pics on the progress of our Jessie on my Website as soon as I know for certainty that she will be okay
troedyrhiw-greenmeadow.blogspot.com
January 12, 2009 at 9:12 pm
I forgot
I thank you for your stories sad or not so sad,they were ALL life inspiring.
Do anybody know what may have happened to “Sophie” and owner ?
Thanks again
Ps…to Dave above(Dai in Welsh)..Your post I believe was in November..Hope everything is working out for you..Go to my site anyway as there is some stories,not on dogs(yet) but on the Welsh and the place where St David,the patron “Saint of Wales” ..and yes,the same place as “St Patrick” was born…. “Pembroke” in Wales
..