I've had a rotten weekend, not because of RA, but because we found out that our lovely little staffie, Tessa, has cancer and a very aggressive cancer at that. She has been off colour for a few days and we took her to the vet on Friday and after blood tests and other investigations, we got the news on Saturday that we were expecting but dreading. We have had her since she was a few weeks old and she is now nearly 15 so we are lucky in that we have had such a long time with her but it doesn't make this any easier, in fact it is just about unbearable.
After a long talk with the vet, we are proceeding with chemo which apparently works very well in dogs (without the side effects that humans suffer) and she had her first injection this morning along with a prescription of steroids. She is just brilliant, no barking or whining, she just takes it all in her stride. The chemo normally has a dramatic effect so we hope so much that it will do just that for our very special dog. We know that we do not have much longer with her but it is so very very difficult. I am sitting here typing with tears streaming down my face and I was a blubbery wreck at work this morning.
She has been fantastic all her life and it is so sad that staffies get such a bad press. She's there first thing in the morning waiting for me to come downstairs and get her breakfast, there when I get in from work with her tail wagging and desperate for her walk in the woods and she knows when I'm happy or sad, she never grumbles and shows unstinting loyalty.
I love my little Tessie - I don't know what we will do without her....
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Mags126
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Mags. I lost my beloved staffie Tag last September. She too had cancer. She'd had a mammary tumour a couple of years back and it came back in her lungs. The vet said we'd know when the time was right and we did...
I have two beautiful new dogs now - a white and black staffie called Domino who is 11 months old and a staffie/lab cross called Fudge who is 8 months. They are lovely and I adore them both but I still miss my Tag so.
I agree with you when you say their bad press is unfounded. Tag was the gentlest, kindest and sweetest dog you could ever meet. She didn't have an aggressive bone in her body. Even the local cats used to get the better of her!!!
When I was ill she wouldn't leave my side and always knew when I needed a cuddle. The day we said goodbye was the hardest of my life but we knew it was what was right for her. She was 13.
My heart goes out to you.
Bxxxx
Hi Mags, I'm so sorry to hear that Tessa is poorly and I can totally understand how upset you must be. I have a 12yr old lab and we've had her since she was a pup too. She's like another child to me and I love her with all my heart. It's brilliant that she's had such a long and happy life with you and you're doing all you can to help her now. I hope the treatment helps her and she feels better soon.
How sad. It's really awful seeing your dog suffer. My last dog went at 15' and although we knew it was coming it didn't make it any easier. One of the few times I've seen my OH cry as well as me. So loads of sympathy, and I really hope that the treatment gives you some extra time and helps Tessa. Pollyx
Am so sorry to hear that. We had that cancer visit and took our last dog. We get so attached to our dogs and would do anything for them. It was a very sad day when we had to get put to sleep as cancer was leaking oout of her wound. Shd had it before and had an operation but it was so severe on her i would not put her through that again.
Will be thinking of you. Cancer is a terrible illness to all.
Hi Mags, I guessed as soon as I saw the title of your blog what it was likely to contain. So sorry. Staffs get bad press because of how some people have used and abused them.
We're on our 4th dog in about 30 years. All of them have been rescue dogs. First was a stray lurcher, second was a no runner greyhound, third was another rescue lurcher and our present dog, a jack russell terrior is again a rescue dog. Each one has brought us so much pleasure and love.
It took us a long time (years) before we rescued the jack russell as we felt we couldn't go through that loss again.
just read your blog about your staffy tessa and i felt i had to reply i myself have 2 staffys one is a 3 year old called molly and the other is 7 and his name is alfie,molly was purchased through breeders alfie was purchased from druggies he was 5 months old and in a terrible state but i looked after him and he is now a stunning looking brute,staffys are given a really bad name but they have a good nature if treated correctly its the owners that are at fault not the dog,i hope tessa has good results from her treatment and is around for years to come its heartbreaking when you loose a pet of any kind but tessa is lucky to have such a caring owner who is prepared to give her the chance hopefully to recover,i unfortunately had to have my old collie cross splodge put to sleep last year due to her failing heart as her medication started not to work it was heartbreaking as i had had her her since she was 5 days old she was pulled out of the back of a box that had been thrown in the refuge truck so i took her on and gave her a good home so im thinking of both yourself and tessa and keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out ok, mildyxx
Oh Mags,
This is so sad. Staffies are such loyal family dogs and my heart broke when my Indi lost her battle against cancer.
My thoughts are with you at this very difficult time.
thinking of you mags, i have a staffie, she will be ten this month, she is my baby,so i now how you feel. take care, Joanne.x xxx
Like others here I could immediately relate to your situation. We took our terrier on 3 years ago thinking we'd be his nursing home for a few months as he was aged & in poor shape. He'd been abandoned & we found out from his chip that he was 14 years old. He soon got to the point where he could walk all day up hill & down dale - an amazing & loveable character. He's now 17- still going strong some days but his health is failing & I find it extra hard to cope with the thought of losing him since I've been ill.
Terriers are just such tough little critters, aren't they? I do hope that Tessa pulls through, all the best to you and Tessa, Christina xx
Oh my goodness, don't we all love those four legged little friends. So sorry to hear about your little one. I lost my two golden retrievers a few years ago, one at 13, his back legs just would not work any more, and one year later, the other one went the same way. We were just so upset, we did not want ever to go through that sorrow again. A few months later I looked after my neighbours little king charles spaniel whilst she went on holiday, and I knew I had to have a dog in my life again.
Word got around, and we were soon looking after other people's dogs whilst they were away, but only one dog at a time, so that we could give them our full attention.
We have had quite a few staffies, and all of them have been really sweet and affectionate, so they do not deserve any bad press at all.
We are so busy caring for a variety of breeds now,that we do not need to have our own dog, and on the whole, all these dogs are just lovely, which goes to prove, a good owner invariably has a lovely dog. It is the owners who need to have the bad press, not the dogs.
I am so sorry about Tessie - Staffies are such lovely dogs, (and get a lot of undeserved bad press), we had 2 and my sister still has one named Bunty. I still miss my boy Ben (not a Staffie) every day - its been over 6 years since he went and it was the worst day of my life. I now sponsor a dog with Dogs Trust - Shane - and he's gorgeous! I really miss having a dog in the house but I can't cope physically with one now - so I'm going to get a budgie! (I've had a few budgies in the past and they can be real characters - I love them). Love to Tessie xx
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