Lucy's mama Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Lucy was diagnosed with nasal cancer last September. She has good spurts and not so good. She was on meds but they tend to thin the blood and her nose bleeds were out of control, so no more meds. At the moments she has been slowly dripping blood for 4 days. Last time I took her back to the vet she had been bleeding more heavily for 24 hours and he was of the mind if it stops - great -if not, it may be her time. The next time I took her back because she was bleeding a lot was when we took her off the meds. No treatment will make the bleeding stop. Anyway, this time the bleeding is much slower, but quite drawn out. I'm tossing up weather to take her back in again because I'm sure he will still tell me there is nothing he can do, but maybe some supplements will help keep her feeling better? She seems a bit lathargic but that isn't unusual for her in winter. I guess she seems o.k, but I just feel worried because bleeding over several days could not be good for anyone. I know people need extra iron when losing blood. What about dogs? If it helps, she is fed puppy kibble, chicken frames and lamb flaps. We tried billinghurst raw but she didn't like it and her stools were very soft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Daisy Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I'm sorry I don't have the experience to answer. I just wanted to wish Lucy some good thoughts and hope she feels a bit better soon. Big hugs to you and Lucy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danielle Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I cannot advise you on this but I would like to say that I'm very sorry to hear ur doggy isn't doing very well. I have one with a brain tumour and I know how gutwrenching it is. Big hugs to you and Lucy. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I'm with Crazy Daisy and Danielle, Lucy's mama. I have no knowledge, but just wanted to send you and Lucy sympathies and big hugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 A piece of raw liver every day or there's a dog vitamin that you can buy that has iron in it. She might need a PCV soon though, just to check she's ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 She might need a PCV soon though, just to check she's ok. What is PCV, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 She might need a PCV soon though, just to check she's ok. What is PCV, please? It's the measurement of packed cell volume. A very small sample of blood is spun in a centrifuge and then the amount of red blood cells is measured. It is expressed as a percentage and represents the portion of blood that is made of red cells - normal is 35% - 55% in dogs. A dog with chronic bleeding should have it checked occasionally to monitor them for anaemia. we also check it routinely in dogs prior to surgery and it is part of most routine blood work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 It's the measurement of packed cell volume. Thank you. (Personal interest as my mother died from Idiopathic Thrombocyopenia.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 (edited) Oh poor Lucy.... I have thoughts but with something like this I don't want to go giving you half-ar$ed advice. I'd suggest you call one of the natural/holistic vets - or two or three. The people at Herbal Treatments are good ETA I also found these folks invaluable when I was dealing with a dog with cancer dogcancernet They are happy to talk with you on the phone. Edited June 28, 2010 by spottychick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moselle Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 (edited) So sorry that Lucy has this illness. It has been 9 months since she has been diagnosed and I was just wondering if the vet recommended radio therapy? I personally would not be putting my pet through radiotherapy unless I was absolutely certain that it had not spread to other parts of the body and even then I would be a little sceptical as I would not want to subject my pet to pain. A diet that is often recommended for both people and pets alike is a diet LOW in carbohydrates. I have researched the subject of cancer and have stumbled across this information on quite a few occasions. I would opt for a BARF diet, namely raw chicken mince, raw chicken frames, chicken necks....basically any kind of raw meat. Pentavite (a vitamin supplement used for human toddlers and found in pharmacies) is very good and also acts as an appetite stimulant; there is a Pentavite with iron available. All the very best, LM. Edited June 28, 2010 by Moselle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbreedlover Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 (edited) Has your vet talked about administering Vitamin K at all? I dont know about any long term ill effects but I do know that this vitamin is used to stop blood flow in animals which have been baited and have extensive bleeding. Edited June 28, 2010 by stonebridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy's mama Posted June 28, 2010 Author Share Posted June 28, 2010 Thanks Staff'n'Toller. I will ask the evt about the pcv and give her some liver. Moselle - yes, we try to keep her diet low carb, higher protien and fat, hence the small amount of kibble that she does get is puppy rather than adult. I will start adding the pentavite, she is not a big eater and has lost a little weight (nothing worrying yet) so that will be good. We spoke to a vet at the specialist centre about radiotherapy and decided against it. She would have to have had a general anesthetic every week day for two weeks, and the generals she had for biopsys/xrays etc during the diagnosis really knocked her about, and it would only bring her life expectancy to around 15 months. Stonebridge - I asked the vet if we could give her something to help her blood clot when she was still on meds and he felt it was dangerous as it could cause blood clots. I don't know if vit. k would though - I thought it was pretty safe. Will check on that when we go for the pcv. Spotty chick - I'm about to head out so will check your links later. Thank you. Everyone else - thanks for your warm thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I'd be replacing blood with blood, just from first principals. I'd be feeding her lots of red meat (not chicken), maybe try her on some blood sausage if you can get it at a good price. Vit K is used for rat baiting because the rat bait contains something that interferes with vitamin K - not sure if your vet will want to give vit K for bleeding from a tumour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee136 Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Vitamin K is used in humans who o/d on other drugs as it fills the receptors that the drug they took binds too, less available receptors means more of the drug floats around the body unable to be used and is eliminated from the body without causing as much harm. Possibly given to baited animals to stop side effects (such as bleeding, convulsion etc) of drug. Would have no effect on an animal bleeding who has not been baited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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