Canine Lymphosarcoma

Question
Our 5 year old golden has been diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, showing up as BIG lumps under jaw and both front and back legs.   She had one chemo treatment  on Thursday which made her really, really sick.  The estimate was with chemo maybe 6 months, without as short as four weeks.  My inclination is not to put her through any more chemo, I have a two week old baby and am devastated.  Do you have any comments on just letting nature take it's course?

Answer
Oh Sally, my heart goes out to you and yours.  I completely understand the predicament you are in.  Although chemotherapy proves to be successful in many animals, it's a different situation that you're in. The chemo is making your dog very ill and will only make her life 6 months longer.  It's hard to see her so sick during these 6 months.  Did your veterinarian feel as though she may benefit with the chemo and go into remission?  If not, I do think that your inclination to not put her through any more chemo is a healthy decision.  If there is a chance of remission, the chemo would then be worth it.  Reglan injections help tremendously with an upset stomach, as do Famotadine.  This would definitely be beneficial treatment will illness brought on my chemo.
If you do permanently decide to just let nature take it's course, pain medication would be your very best bet.  It would not only keep the dog comfortable, it would also be much more fulfilling for the dog and your family to see her in her final stage of life being calm, comfortable and in no pain.  Torbugesic is the most excellent pain medication in which I would highly recommend.  It will make the rest of her precious time with you and yours, enjoyable time, which is definitely very important. The thing with cancer patients, is that their appetites become non-exsistant.  I can give you a few pointers with this.  Prednisone, which is a steroid in pill form, increases appetite and works very well.  Boiled chicken and hamburger (minus all bones of course) also stimulates appetite, as well as baby food.  In case this problem occurs, you have some ideas of what to try.
I truly hope this helps, as much as possible in a situation like this, and my thoughts will be with you, as I understand this situation all too well.  I have recently lost one of my cats to cancer.  I too, tried chemotherapy with her, but it made her so ill.  I finally cornered the vet that I work with and asked him to tell me the truth.  Is this curable or not? He said definitely not. That's when I decided to just take her home for good and keep her comfortable.  She lasted 4 very happy and painfree months with me and I wouldn't have changed any way that I went about this.  I hope this story helps you.  If you need anything, to vent, to chat, to ask questions, please feel free to write me again and again.  I'm here for you and hang in there!
Hilary