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Our 10-year-old baby
Tattoo -- all 135 pounds of him -- was
diagnosed today, August 8, 2003 with lymphoma. A
week ago on July 30 we brought him to the
vet concerned over a case of infected eyes and
swollen glands. Our wonderful vet immediately
suspected lymphoma but gave us a strong
antibiotic to give to him in the hopes that
Tattoo simply had an infection that was related
to his infected eyes.
However, a week later the eye infection was gone
but the vet wasn't happy that the glands hadn't
reduced in size. So, he took samples of the
lymph nodes and a day later the results
confirmed our worst fears.
We're optimistic the cancer is in the early
stages although it is most likely growing quickly
and we have decided on chemotherapy as the vet
thinks it offers great hope, as well as good
quality of life. There is always the chance of a
full remission and with the treatment there is
also a good chance of prolonging Tattoo's
quality of life for another year or even more.
At this stage we are waiting for the vet to plan
out a course of medical action. I just wanted to
write this as a silent prayer and I take
strength in reading about all the other Rotties
who battled this cancer and their families who
loved them. Knowing we are not alone gives me
great courage.
Tattoo is really my husband's baby and has been
since he was rescued at age two from an abusive backyard
breeder. Talk about loyalty ever since!
After we
married, Tattoo came to live with us and our
baby son. Tattoo is the calmest (except when
there are airliners streaking high across
the sky - at which he barks non stop) and he is
so dainty the way he crosses his front legs when
lying down. He's got an appetite that would
rival a raccoon and he loves to chase rabbits
and squirrels.
We're sure that he is comforting us much more
than we could ever show him how much we adore
him.
Update
from Erin...
It's been a few years now and our hearts still ache for our
Rottie, Tattoo, who died on September 2,
2003 of lymphoma. Less than a month after
his cancer was diagnosed by the
veterinarian, Tattoo passed away in our
home.
While we initially discussed the option of treating Tattoo
with chemo with our vet, my husband decided
he didn't want to prolong our dog's
suffering especially since he was older. He
had lived a good life for 10 years. So
our vet perscribed Prednisone to give Tattoo
a little more time but it wasn't long before
his health began to decline quite rapidly.
Tattoo was very determined to keep up with us despite his
increasing fatigue and weakness as well as a
loss of appetite over the next month. It
wasn't long before he could no longer climb
the stairs to our bedroom so my husband and
I slept downstairs to be near our dog. And
our usual long walks were reduced to the
backyard.
It's been difficult for my husband to deal with Tattoo's
death since they were so close. He can't
talk about it even now, almost two years
later. But it does give him some comfort to
my husband knowing that his beloved dog
quietly passed away lying by his side. I was
in my home office working, listening to
Tattoo's labored breathing. My husband had
fallen asleep on the futon in the living
room. Tattoo lay on the floor by his side. I
remember listening for a moment and I could
no longer hear anything so I went into the
living room and discovered that our dog had
passed away. I believe deep down he waited
for my husband to fall asleep before he gave
up to the ravages of his cancer.
What a sweet baby he was. He can never be
replaced. I treasure the happy times we all
had and what an important part of our family
he was. Tattoo has not been forgotten and he
never will be. My hope now is that progress
in canine cancer research is being made so
that future dogs don't have to suffer like
Tattoo did.
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Rottweiler
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