Prayers and Thoughts for Zak - Please
Posted: 11 Nov 2017, 19:18
Hi Everyone,
As you may remember Zak was diagnosed with lymphoma in April which was found purely by chance when he went to Liverpool Animal Hospital with Horners Sydrome and the CT scanner happened to go a bit further down on his chest than normal. Zak had no symptoms of Lymphoma on physical examination and so had the scan not picked this up and given he was at stage 5 they said it had been a lucky find as Zak would have died within weeks.
The only option was for Zak to undergo a 25 Week course of chemotherapy which although would not cure him could put him in remission and give us another 8 to 10 months. We agreed on the basis that if Zak's quality of life was affected by this at anytime we would stop it. Luckily Zak's quality of life was unaffected by the chemo and other than an odd time after he had it, he may have been off his food for a day. Plus he always went off with the oncologist quite happily never looking back at us, although we did suss out the reason, was that he always got chicken after his chemo.
Last month he finished his final chemo and when re staged we got good news his Lymphoma was in full remission but they said there was small nodule on his spleen nothing to do with the Lymphoma and quite often these are benign tumours and common in older dogs so they took a sample which was inconclusive and said to be on the safe said they wanted to re scan and do another biopsy in a month.
Zak went back Thursday and yesterday we got the most devastating news that the tumour was an aggressive cancer, they said it was so unusual with it being in the spleen which our vet also confirmed and that it was just so unfair for him, we are gutted and heartbroken as he's doing so well and enjoying life. The only option available is to remove his spleen and then he would have to undergo chemo which would be far more intense than the one Zak had for his Lymphoma and again would maybe only give him 6 months.
Having weighed everything up and given Zak is 13 in two weeks time we have decided it would be unfair to put him through this and we have to think what's best for Zak, he's happy at the moment enjoying life and even runs to me for a biscuit when out, bless him and so we are going to enjoy every precious day left with him and when the time comes and his quality of life starts to deteriorate we will do the right thing and let him join his Bruvs Milo and Little Max at the bridge, whom we still miss dreadfully.
Our vet said Zak could even have maybe a couple of months but whatever time will be happy times and we are hoping when his new little Bruv Fynley (a little chocolate lab) comes along in 3 weeks time who we decided to get with the intention of helping to mend broken hearts not knowing they were about to be broken again so soon and hope he will also give Zak the extra zest for life.
Sorry for the long post but please can we ask you keep our beloved Zak from now in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you all again
Love Amanda and Jim xx
As you may remember Zak was diagnosed with lymphoma in April which was found purely by chance when he went to Liverpool Animal Hospital with Horners Sydrome and the CT scanner happened to go a bit further down on his chest than normal. Zak had no symptoms of Lymphoma on physical examination and so had the scan not picked this up and given he was at stage 5 they said it had been a lucky find as Zak would have died within weeks.
The only option was for Zak to undergo a 25 Week course of chemotherapy which although would not cure him could put him in remission and give us another 8 to 10 months. We agreed on the basis that if Zak's quality of life was affected by this at anytime we would stop it. Luckily Zak's quality of life was unaffected by the chemo and other than an odd time after he had it, he may have been off his food for a day. Plus he always went off with the oncologist quite happily never looking back at us, although we did suss out the reason, was that he always got chicken after his chemo.
Last month he finished his final chemo and when re staged we got good news his Lymphoma was in full remission but they said there was small nodule on his spleen nothing to do with the Lymphoma and quite often these are benign tumours and common in older dogs so they took a sample which was inconclusive and said to be on the safe said they wanted to re scan and do another biopsy in a month.
Zak went back Thursday and yesterday we got the most devastating news that the tumour was an aggressive cancer, they said it was so unusual with it being in the spleen which our vet also confirmed and that it was just so unfair for him, we are gutted and heartbroken as he's doing so well and enjoying life. The only option available is to remove his spleen and then he would have to undergo chemo which would be far more intense than the one Zak had for his Lymphoma and again would maybe only give him 6 months.
Having weighed everything up and given Zak is 13 in two weeks time we have decided it would be unfair to put him through this and we have to think what's best for Zak, he's happy at the moment enjoying life and even runs to me for a biscuit when out, bless him and so we are going to enjoy every precious day left with him and when the time comes and his quality of life starts to deteriorate we will do the right thing and let him join his Bruvs Milo and Little Max at the bridge, whom we still miss dreadfully.
Our vet said Zak could even have maybe a couple of months but whatever time will be happy times and we are hoping when his new little Bruv Fynley (a little chocolate lab) comes along in 3 weeks time who we decided to get with the intention of helping to mend broken hearts not knowing they were about to be broken again so soon and hope he will also give Zak the extra zest for life.
Sorry for the long post but please can we ask you keep our beloved Zak from now in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you all again
Love Amanda and Jim xx