Is it time to say goodbye to my old faithful?

Hi all,
I am at my wits end with my dog Amber and don't know what to do. 3 years ago she had an aggressive malignant tumor on her hind leg and I had it removed, always worrying that it would come back. Luckily she has been clean up until a couple of months ago when I noticed a lump on her back. I kept an eye on it and nothing changed but in the last few weeks another appeared on her abdomen so I took her to the vets. She is 12 and a half years old and the vet said that mast cell tumors are very common in staffies of this age so didn't want to take my money from me for a biopsy as she knew it would most likely be malignant and she wouldn't want to operate on a dog of this age. This just confirmed what I already thought. She did however give me some Loxicom anti inflammatories for her joints because they are old and painful. She has been going on her normal walks everyday. But now she has started wandering round in circles and bumping into everything and hurting herself. She has broken one of her nails and it keeps bleeding. She keeps rocking from side to side but that is probably due to the broken nail and one of her ankles looks swollen, and is also going into corners and trying to push her way through things like she is that frustrated she is trying to get away from something. I'm not sure if she is in pain or if she is losing the plot. Either way I don't think this is much of a life for her, even with the drugs. I've ran out of Loxicom because I've had a delay getting her prescription from the vets and then when I went to order online I had to do a full registration and pay before I realised that they wouldn't accept an emailed prescription so I've had to go to the vets tonight for a hard copy and post it off. It probably won't get there til Fri now and at the best the loxicom be posted straight off to me and I might get it Saturday. I have given her half an 8/500 cocodamol this morning and half tonight but she is still doing the hectic rounds bumping into everything. Do I keep giving her cocodamol until the Loxicom arrives and watch her batter herself all over the place for the next few days and then hope the Loxicom gives her relief or do I take her to be put to sleep? I can't bear to watch her like this and I live alone so have to leave her all day while I go to work. I'm sure her head has gone and the behaviour has nothing to do with pain but I would just like some advice from anybody who has experience of this kind of behaviour. What would you do in my position? Thanks in advance.

Ah Kev, this is a hard one to answer. If it were me, I would do anything I could to help my girl which I'm sure you will too, however, the real question is "Quality of Life". If Amber is hurting and not getting that quality of life then you have to make the hardest of decisions.

If you think Amber can have a continued good life then you have to do all you can to make that happen.

Ultimately Vet advise is the way forward but you will know in your heart what is best for Amber, you know her best. I feel your pain and this must be a hard time but see what the vet says.

Thanks Ian, I've given her half a paracetamol this morning. Think I'll wait until her Loxicom arrives, then see how she goes on that for a week. If she keeps battering herself against things when she's got that back in her system then I don't think that's a good quality of life and I'll take her back to the vets. I can't watch her suffering. Thanks again for the advice mate

We had to make the decision with our old boy just over a year ago. Like Ian said, it's quality of life, not quantity. Floyd went down hill pretty quickly, and the meds they put him on just doped him. It was as if the meds were for our benefit and not his, if you know what I mean.
Ultimately only you know Amber, when you get her back on the Loxicom you'll be able to make a more balanced decision.
Pete

Agree with Pete and Ian, such a hard decision to make, but you know her best. Little bit concerned about you giving her human painkillers, I'm pretty sure dogs can't take paracetomal or codeine, this could be harming her, or making he worse. Can your vet not give you a small dose of the other med until your prescription comes through?

Yes I know what you mean Pete about the quality. I'll see how she goes after a couple of days when her script gets here. To be fair I don't think she'll improve much, she's even gone off her treats and no longer wags her tail, it's like she's not there anymore. I agree Rachel about the human drugs, that's why I reduced from cocodamol to paracetamol. It's just a last ditch attempt to keep her comfortable. The vets have been awkward with the prescription purposely I think, to force me into doing what you say. I did think about it but tbf I don't think the loxicom is going to solve things. I was just wondering if anyone has experience of how she is behaving and if they knew for definite whether she is in pain or just gone senile. I think she's very confused

I feel so sad reading this. I feel for you. Can I just ask this, did Amber start getting confused after being on Loxicom anti inflammatories ?

Must be one of the hardest decisions someone has to make is there an option to take her to another vet perhaps get a second opinion

I know of a staffie who did the same thing, would bash it's head at the doors, walls table and spin for hours on end, turned out to have brain cancer, if she's had cancer before maybe it's a a strong
Possibility?

Staffy lover wrote:I feel so sad reading this.  I feel for you.  Can I just ask this, did Amber start getting confused after being on  Loxicom anti inflammatories ?

She was already changing very rapidly and had stopped doing things she normally does, ie wagging her tail, whining, going upstairs. So I couldn't be sure if the loxicom was causing her to be more confused or not. However, she went for about 4 or 5 days without it and she just kept deteriorating.

bullsmommy1 wrote:I know of a staffie who did the same thing, would bash it's head at the doors, walls table and spin for hours on end, turned out to have brain cancer, if she's had cancer before maybe it's a a strong
Possibility?  

Thankyou Bullsmommy1 that is the answer I was looking for, it was like she was trying to get away from something all the time, really hectic. When the lumps started appearing again I thought they're only the ones I can see, what if she has lots more on the inside! My brother said to me she could have one on her brain which is confusing her or she could have them internally pressing against nerves and messing up all her system. Anyway, I had to make the decision last Tuesday, she had been at it all night. After I had rang the vets and made the appointment to put her to sleep she was in a right state, had ripped the front off of another nail and there was blood everywhere because she had been wandering around in circles, had a cut on her nose too. I knew I had made the right decision then. Couldn't bear to see her like this anymore. R.I.P. Amber x

I don't know if I mentioned earlier but her eyes were also deteriorating rapidly, so either way tumors, blindness or just plain old confusion, her quality of life was no longer one for a happy dog

So sorry for your loss rest in peace amber

im sorry, I know your pain. RIP amber. xx

Sad news mate. How's the pup handling not having her around?

So sorry to read your sad news but you know in your heart when it's the right time. Rest In Peace at rainbow bridge Amber

Rest in peace beautiful Amber...run free xXx