SabrinaMN
Boxer Booster
Hi all. I'm new here, but am going to just jump in.
Two weeks ago we lost our white Boxer, Isis. I had gotten her years ago for my dh's college graduation. I had no idea about colors or much about the breed in general. I knew the basics and a few rumors.
Isis lived to be almost 8. She died just 2 months shy of her 8th birthday. It was very fast and unexpected. At age 5 she had a cancer mass removed from her vulva. At age 6.5, she had a cancer tumor removed from her outer thigh. She had a non functioning thyroid and took medicine daily. She was always fed good dog food, but I went grain free after she had her first cancer removed.
Two weeks ago Isis started having bouts of excessive drool and foaming at the mouth. At first I thought she had gotten into the trash or drank out of a dirty toilet. (kids, what can I say
Other than this, she was acting fine. She was eating, active, playing and had no behavioral changes. The episodes would last 1-2 minutes. This went on for 2 days. I then started to think she had an abscessed tooth or ulcer. She then started to drool/foam and it did not stop for 10 mins. At that moment I rushed her to the emergency hospital. She drooled the whole way in the car. Oh and I should mention that she started pacing and panting at this time. They took her right back. I waited with my 2 year old son for 25 mins when the vet called me back. She said that it was something in her brain. This is when everything started to feel even more surreal. She said it was either a lesion on the brain or a tumor. She said we could do a spinal tap the next day at a dog Neurologists, but it would 5k and more. She then said it would only tell us what she was already suspecting. My husband showed up and talked with the vet 20 mins later. We went out to the car and cried, trying to figure out the next step. At this point we had decided to bring her home and take her to the Neurologist the next day. That's when the nurse came out and said she was seizing and going down fast. My husband went in and the doc said she was in the middle of her second seizure and no meds were helping her come out of it. She said she was going down very rapidly. It was only a matter of time. We opted to Euthanize her then. They got her calm enough to bring to my husband. He held her head and her chest. He told her how much we loved her and then her heart began to race. The doc said she could hear him. (I was in the car with our 3 kids at this point) He then felt her heart slow and stop.
I forgot to add that the vets at the hospital had spoken to the Neurologist about her and he agreed that it was likely a brain tumor.
She was cremated and home the next morning.
I talked with her regular vet and he said we did the right thing. It was likely the same cancer she had already had, but this one popped up in her brain.
She was the single best dog I've ever had. We decided to get a new puppy right away. More for the sake of our children and our daughter was turning 7. So, we now have a male flashy fawn named, Chaucer. He is 7 weeks old and adorable. Isis will never be replaced, but the house was empty. Even with 3 kids, 2 adults and 1 dog, the house was empty. Amazing.
Time can do amazing things for the heart. I can talk about her without crying now. I still have her poop in my garden. It's hard to believe she's been gone this long and that is still out there. Weird, I know, but still odd to me.
Anyway. I just wanted to share this to inform others of our experience with our Boxer's cancer. I know this was long, but I hope it's informative to someone. I look forward to chatting with you all as we rear our new little man.
Sabrina
Two weeks ago we lost our white Boxer, Isis. I had gotten her years ago for my dh's college graduation. I had no idea about colors or much about the breed in general. I knew the basics and a few rumors.
Isis lived to be almost 8. She died just 2 months shy of her 8th birthday. It was very fast and unexpected. At age 5 she had a cancer mass removed from her vulva. At age 6.5, she had a cancer tumor removed from her outer thigh. She had a non functioning thyroid and took medicine daily. She was always fed good dog food, but I went grain free after she had her first cancer removed.
Two weeks ago Isis started having bouts of excessive drool and foaming at the mouth. At first I thought she had gotten into the trash or drank out of a dirty toilet. (kids, what can I say
Other than this, she was acting fine. She was eating, active, playing and had no behavioral changes. The episodes would last 1-2 minutes. This went on for 2 days. I then started to think she had an abscessed tooth or ulcer. She then started to drool/foam and it did not stop for 10 mins. At that moment I rushed her to the emergency hospital. She drooled the whole way in the car. Oh and I should mention that she started pacing and panting at this time. They took her right back. I waited with my 2 year old son for 25 mins when the vet called me back. She said that it was something in her brain. This is when everything started to feel even more surreal. She said it was either a lesion on the brain or a tumor. She said we could do a spinal tap the next day at a dog Neurologists, but it would 5k and more. She then said it would only tell us what she was already suspecting. My husband showed up and talked with the vet 20 mins later. We went out to the car and cried, trying to figure out the next step. At this point we had decided to bring her home and take her to the Neurologist the next day. That's when the nurse came out and said she was seizing and going down fast. My husband went in and the doc said she was in the middle of her second seizure and no meds were helping her come out of it. She said she was going down very rapidly. It was only a matter of time. We opted to Euthanize her then. They got her calm enough to bring to my husband. He held her head and her chest. He told her how much we loved her and then her heart began to race. The doc said she could hear him. (I was in the car with our 3 kids at this point) He then felt her heart slow and stop. I forgot to add that the vets at the hospital had spoken to the Neurologist about her and he agreed that it was likely a brain tumor.
She was cremated and home the next morning.
I talked with her regular vet and he said we did the right thing. It was likely the same cancer she had already had, but this one popped up in her brain.
She was the single best dog I've ever had. We decided to get a new puppy right away. More for the sake of our children and our daughter was turning 7. So, we now have a male flashy fawn named, Chaucer. He is 7 weeks old and adorable. Isis will never be replaced, but the house was empty. Even with 3 kids, 2 adults and 1 dog, the house was empty. Amazing.
Time can do amazing things for the heart. I can talk about her without crying now. I still have her poop in my garden. It's hard to believe she's been gone this long and that is still out there. Weird, I know, but still odd to me.
Anyway. I just wanted to share this to inform others of our experience with our Boxer's cancer. I know this was long, but I hope it's informative to someone. I look forward to chatting with you all as we rear our new little man.
Sabrina
