22nd October 2007,my dog Tia, allerted me to a painless lump on my elbow which I hadnt noticed myself.
23rd October 2007, I went to see my GP,this was the beginning of investigations into my illness,NHL.
23rd October 2008, Tia [my girl] went for a scan today,as for the past week I sensed something wasnt quite right with her,the vet phoned confirming my biggest fear,the scan showed that Tia had cancer! I so I had to make the hardest heartbreaking decision of my life to let her go to sleep one final time!
For 12 years Tia has shown me unconditional love,she has been my best friend,companion and comforter in times of need basically shes been with me through Thick And Thin. She always knew how I was feeling and would react to me accordingly, she was BRILLIANT!!!! My Dad [who passed in may 2008 with lung cancer] used to always say ''Tia and I are so in tune with each other it was unbelievable'' This i know for sure was so true and still is and always will be.
Tia was a 'STAFFIE' through and through [sorry crying buckets again now have to cut it short] .
Im lucky to have been able to have 12 years of her delightful companionship.
I will miss her sooooo much, words cannot describe how I feel.
Sue
RIP Tia xxxxxxxxxxxx
FormerMember
Hi Maria,
Following on from your comment on dogs picking up on illnesses, I saw a documentary on television where they were doing it under controlled conditions. Patients with already diagnosed cancers were 'examined' - that is sniffed all over by the 'doctor' dog and the dog seemed to hone in on the site of the cancer. The theory is that cancer cells give off a different scent that dogs' sensitive noses can pick up. There may be more information on the Internet.
Dogs, as we all agree, do make excellent 'nurses', having a brilliant bed-side manner! Mind you, my dog Bonnie's idea of 'bed-side' is running up the stairs at full pelt and launching herself on the bed and giving the occupant a good licking. We have a gate at the foot of the stairs to prevent this but, if she notices the gate has been left ajar, she takes her chance. We call this experience 'Being Bonnied'.
Do think about having another dog, I know you'll never replace Tia but there are lots of new best friends out there just waiting to meet you and love you.
I have taken my own advice and Googled the question: CAN DOGS SMELL CANCER? and there's lots of information. The BBC made the documentary I mentioned, and there are a number of scientific reports quoted too. Worth a look!
I am so sorry for your loss Sue. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like without my dog (also a staffie) - she is my baby and has been great to me. It sounds like Tia was an amazing dog too. And very cute by the picture I saw on your profile. You said about Tia allerting you to a lump in your elbow, well I have a bit of a story. My cancer was in my throat and my dog Bonnie used to lay on me and would always put her nose on my neck and nudge it and she would fall asleep there. I don't know whether it was just because she liked it that way but I find it strange because that's exactly where the tumour was. It's weird thinking back to that. Hmm. Anyway, all my love xxx
What a sad story, hope your are getting through each day as best you can. I haven't owned a dog since my children were small, and they lost their husky. It was like the empty nest syndrome when our children leave home. We now have a small persian cat called Abbie and at times I am sure she senses when I am unwell as she tends to want to sit on my lap even when I have the laptop on my knees, when she would normally sit with her owner my daughter Nicole. Abbie gets really smoochie with me and when my nodes are up she smooches around my neck.
