Losing a Pet - When Your Dog is Diagnosed with Cancer

Well this is not my normal breastfeeding article. I have been somewhat absent from my blog and publishing some guest posts in my absence recently.

Our family has been through a lot the last few months. Starting in October we prepared to sell our home after putting a contract on a new home. With three children under five and a dog in the house at the time it was kind of difficult! I even wrote a post on my other blog about keeping my home show ready with young children in the house.

We sold our home quickly (Thank goodness!) then proceeded to live with good friends for a few months while our new house was built.

During the time period between selling our house and moving into our new house my dog, a terrier named Ozzy, developed some weird symptoms of illness. He was losing weight and vomiting occasionally, but I really attributed it to the stress of moving, being in strange places, and being a dog who was eating way too much food dropped by the children.

I took him to the vet a couple of times and we ran all the tests which all came back normal. There was nothing obvious there.

The week before we moved into our home my daughter came down with an illness on her 6th birthday, the day of her party, and my dog started throwing up again. Between the two of them it was a tad stressful to move. My daughter ended up being sick all week the week in our new home, and my dog was progressively getting worse.

I realized the day after our move I needed to take him back to the vet. They ran more tests and saw nothing. Then after looking at X Rays they saw something. But were not sure what it was. An ultrasound later and tons of bills.. we found out there was a mass in his intestine. This is what was causing the vomiting and weight loss. It looked like surgery was the only answer and we went for it.

The surgery itself carried major risks. The vet warned me he may not make it, and even for the week after the surgery he was concerned that Ozzy might end up right back at the vet.

Well over a week later it seems we got through the surgery, Ozzy is doing well and obviously feeling better. I spend the last week hoping the biopsy results from the removed mass would come back benign but it did not. I have received the news that he has cancer, it has spread, and he probably only has three weeks to three months to live. Obviously not the news I was hoping to hear.

I got my dog shortly after I bought my first home. I had a condo, I was living on my own for the first time (previously with roommates), working, had a boyfriend (now my husband) and I got my dog. I have always loved pets and had dogs growing up but this one was mine.

He's been with me through several moves, including out of state and back, with me on uncountable road trips to the beach and the lake, with me when I got married and he was no longer the only guy in my life, and with me through the birth of my first baby and subsequent second and third baby! He adjusted to it all without any issues. He's always been a happy go lucky kind of guy and he loved my kids.

So, this is pretty devastating.

We always know when we get pets they will leave us one day. I wasn't really prepared for this though. I didn't see it coming even though the signs were there. I've also been distracted with moving and other daily life for a family of five.

I have no idea how much longer Ozzy will be with us. I am trying to make it nice for him. I've seen the doggy bucket lists and I have a small one of my own. Nothing crazy like traveling, but maybe we can hit some of his favorite spots, and food. And cuddles..lots and lots of cuddles until it's time to say goodbye.

Have you lost a pet? Please let me know your tips for getting through it if you can.