Natural treatment for fibrosarcoma in dogs

The importance to act quickly

It was during my move that I realized something was wrong because it had grown substantially seemingly overnight. I have now been informed this type of tumor is the most rapidly growing. My only regret is that I did not act sooner. In just eight short months this tumor has grown rapidly. 

I made a veterinarian appointment the first week I moved here and was sent to oncology. The choice to have Roger put to sleep to have a surgical biopsy last week was difficult as I do not believe animals should be tampered with medically unless it is absolutely necessary.

 Keeping your animal comfortable during treatment.

I made certain Rodger had the absolute BEST veterinary dentist to do the surgery. The man literally had a plane to catch to go home two hours after he did Roger’s surgery which he did beautifully.

Today I was told that I have a choice to make. I either get Roger radiation therapy (IMMEDIATELY), which involves putting him to sleep 8-10 days in a row minimum at the cost of roughly $6000. This may buy him anywhere from a year to five or... if a miracle occurs, his full lifespan. Or, I continue to clean up blood every night and keep him comfortable until he can no longer eat.

There has not been a single night that I have not stayed up through the night with Roger cleaning up his blood from his mouth. Yet, his doctors say that he is in no pain, only a slight discomfort because of the location. He is also eating a full plate of food and wakes me up with his leash in his mouth to go for a run. He wags his tail nonstop and is a happy sweet boy. He is also not an elderly dog but around 6 1/2 years of age.

Projections over my dog's deformed face.

I want to share with all of you something I have observed over the last seven months of watching something deform my dog's face.

I have seen so many people put their projectile vomit towards my dog and also look at me as if I did something wrong. When Roger first got this growth I was right about to move six hours away from my former address. I remember coming home and seeing a small amount of blood on the floor and thinking he either had been stung by a bee or that Louis and he had been roughhousing and something happened.

I want to say this to anyone who projects onto any animal (or human) with a facial deformity, disability, or another hindering factor, Shame on you! I have told my dog how beautiful he is every moment of every day and have had very little self-care for myself over the past three months in particular because I do not want to take the risk of him over bleeding with me leaving the house.

If you see an animal in a shelter that may not be perfect, has a growth on them such as a tumor-like Roger had when I first rescued him five years ago or any type of facial deformity please don’t pass them by.

Roger has been the sweetest dog I have ever had. There is not a day that goes by that he doesn’t let me know how unconditional his love is, how big his heart is and how much he loves his mommy.

For the love of God please stop judging people from their outer appearance! From someone who has constantly been judged on my appearance my entire life, I can honestly say that people projecting their negative fear-based thought process while playing it off as overly empathic when looking at my dog over the last few months has woken me to recognize the beauty of his deformity.

I want to say one more thing if you have had a dog that has had successful radiation therapy PLEASE tell me your story below. And if you are in the market for a new dog I beg of you to go to a high kill shelter and rescue an animal. I promise you you will not regret it.

I don’t give up on the people I love nor do I give up on animals. We are humbly asking for more prayers.

Fibrosarcomas arise from the fibrous tissues of the oral cavity. They commonly invade the adjacent tissues but only about one-third will spread to other organs.

What causes this cancer?

The reason why a dog, cat, or any beloved pet may develop this, or any tumor or cancer, is not straightforward. Very few tumors and cancers have a single known cause. Many seem to be caused by a complex mix of risk factors, some environmental and some genetic or hereditary.

Fibrosarcomas are typically seen in larger breed dogs, with Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers being the most commonly affected. They are more commonly seen in middle-aged to older dogs. My dog Rodger is a small breed dog (an affin pincher). He only weighs 22 pounds.

What are the signs that my dog has this type of tumor?

Lesions or lumps may appear as swollen areas arising from any location within the mouth. They frequently ulcerate (break open) and bleed and may also become infected. These tumors may look small but may extend deeper into the tissues than expected, invading the underlying bone. In Rodger's case, I have had to clean up his blood almost nightly.

Oral Tumors in dogs

The signs your dog may exhibit depend on the location, size, and presence of spread. Swelling inside and outside of the mouth as well as oral pain is usually apparent, especially in dogs with tumors that have invaded the underlying bone. Your dog may exhibit signs such as bad breath (halitosis), excessive drooling, panting, discomfort while eating or dropping of food, lack of appetite, reluctance to be touched (the desire to be alone), and facial swelling. In Rodger's case, his face swelled and he got serious growth coming out of his mouth all due to the growth on his snout. His face became deformed very quickly.

How is this cancer diagnosed?

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) may be performed, but usually cannot accurately diagnose these types of tumors. In Rodger's case, a fine needle aspiration failed to properly diagnose a fibrosarcoma! FNA involves taking a small needle with a syringe and suctioning a sample of cells directly from the tumor and placing them on a microscope slide. A veterinary pathologist then examines the slide under a microscope.

For a definitive diagnosis and prediction of how the tumor may behave (grow or spread), a biopsy is required. A biopsy is a surgical excision of a piece of the tumor. Your veterinarian may remove a small piece of the tumor or the entire tumor for diagnosis. Pieces of the tumor are then examined under the microscope by a pathologist. This is called histopathology.

How does this cancer typically progress?

These tumors tend to behave aggressively by invading the local and surrounding tissues, with a lower tendency to metastasize (spread to other organs). About 30% of cases will metastasize. Some fibrosarcomas will look non-aggressive (low grade) when observed under the microscope; however, they will behave aggressively. Intense therapy with any diagnosis of fibrosarcoma, regardless of suggested behavior, is recommended.

Full staging (searching for potential spread to other locations in the body) is highly recommended for malignant tumors, as they tend to spread. This may include bloodwork, urinalysis, X-rays of the lungs, and possibly an abdominal ultrasound. Rodger's fibrosarcoma has not spread to his lymph nodes. If lymph nodes, particularly those located under the chin (mandibular lymph nodes), are enlarged or feel abnormal, further sampling by FNA may be pursued to determine if the spread is present.