My dog has cancer :(

[channy3232]

My sister found a dog about 8 years ago wandering along a major highway. She looked for an owner for weeks and never found them. So she had him neutered but he didn't get along with her dog. We fell in love with him and took him home. He was a handful. He was obviously an outside dog, wasn't house trained etc. He got into and ate anything he could lol When I got pregnant, I was concerned with how he would be around a baby since he's a very dominant alpha dog. My parents took him to their house when I went into labor to watch him while I was in the hospital. They have a huge yard with a fence so they ended up just keeping him. My Mom was about to retire and they ended up putting their dog down shortly after so I'm glad my Mom had Scout to keep her company.
She texted me tonight to say she took him to the vet because she found lumps under his neck. He has cancer of his lymph nodes. I'm so torn up. I've dealt with the deaths of many animals over the years but I guess because he was MY dog its harder. He was the first pet my husband and I had. And my son loves him so much. I'm just really upset. My parents aren't going to treat him. Chemotherapy is like $2000 per treatment. Of course I knew the day would come, but it's still hard.
And how will I explain to my 3 year old why the dog isn't there anymore when he goes to visit my parents?

 

[TattiesMum]

I'm so sorry Hon

I lost one of mine last October and it's soooo hard

I would honestly explain that the dog is very, very poorly and old and that the dog doctor can't make him better. I'm a great believer in not shielding LOs from the harsher realities of life and all of my children learnt about death from the loss of pets. You will be surprised at just how resilient they are

 

[channy3232]

I'm so sorry Hon

I lost one of mine last October and it's soooo hard

I would honestly explain that the dog is very, very poorly and old and that the dog doctor can't make him better. I'm a great believer in not shielding LOs from the harsher realities of life and all of my children learnt about death from the loss of pets. You will be surprised at just how resilient they are

Thanks hun. Rocco understands so much. I'm just afraid if I tell him the dog is sick and the doctor can't do anything, he will think that will happen to him iykwim?

 

[Miss_Bump]

That's awful so so sorry hun

My cat had cancer on his nose and we had it operated on and after that he was given 6 months but lasted a further 2 years until the cancer came back.

It's so hard and I totally understand what you are going thru xxx

 

[Loui1001]

hun x

 

[Chris77]

I'm so sorry hun. It's so awful. Pets are truly part of the family and it's heartbreaking when something happens to them.

 

[HazzaB]

I'm so sorry hun. But at least he has had a brilliant life with you and your mum. Think what could have happened if your sister didn't see him.x

 

[TattiesMum]

I'm so sorry Hon

I lost one of mine last October and it's soooo hard

I would honestly explain that the dog is very, very poorly and old and that the dog doctor can't make him better. I'm a great believer in not shielding LOs from the harsher realities of life and all of my children learnt about death from the loss of pets. You will be surprised at just how resilient they are

Thanks hun. Rocco understands so much. I'm just afraid if I tell him the dog is sick and the doctor can't do anything, he will think that will happen to him iykwim?

Yes, I can understand that worry

That's why I suggested including that the dog is very old - perhaps work his age out in doggy years and explain that dog doctors aren't as good as people doctors? My experience has always been that young children just accept things - it's when they are a bit older that their imaginations run away with them and make them scared

When my eldest DD was about Rocco's age we lost a pet rabbit (not the same as a dog I know) and she became fascinated by death, but in a very matter of fact way ... to the extent that she had a highly embarrassing conversation with my Nan that went something like this:

C: 'Old Nanny? ... Are you very, very, very old?'

Nan: 'Yes C'

C: 'How many more sleeps before you die?'



Thankfully my Nan thought it was highly amusing

 

[Armywife84]

So sorry to hear about your pet.

Perhaps you could just tell your son he went to doggie heaven. There is that old children's film, "All Dogs Go to Heaven" he can watch.

 

[RileysMummy]

so sorry hun
xxx