# Dealing with hemangiosarcoma, any advice?



## Mantoinette (Jan 12, 2012)

Hello everybody! This is actually my very first post so I'm super new here. The main reason why I finally joined a dog forum is because of the cancer hemangiosarcoma my dog was diagnosed with. 

Sorry if my english is bad, it's not my first language. 










My 11 year old dog Picolo was diagnosed with a tumor in his spleen on the 14th of december 2011. It was that my mother was constantly telling the vet she felt a little lump in his belly that the vet finally noticed this as well. During the appointment my dog probably got his first rupture of the spleen because his gum became white and he just felt aweful. The vet made an x-ray and saw that the spleen was bigger than usual. The next day the spleen was surgical removed. His spleen was sent to the lab for research. 

The good news was that the vet didn't see any macro metastasis on the liver or intestines. But Picolo had to recover from the surgery and did pretty well in the first week. But on the 23th of december we heard the bad news from our vet, it was hemangiosarcoma. 

Now like most people I've never even heard of hemangiosarcoma until that day. I cried the whole week and the holidays were just ruined. After that week I released that I needed to do my own research instead of just relying on what the vet said. So I did some research on the internet and came to the conclusion that a diet is very important for the dog. Now in the 11 years I had my dog I've never heard my vet say anything like this. No one recommended me a cancer diet or a home made diet. 

I feel like it's my fault that my dog got the desease is the very first place. I always gave him the same food and thought "It's expensive and less commercial, so it must be healthy." I read that rice for example is just a cheap way for dogs to feel full. My vet even recommended giving my dog rice + chicken as food. 

So in the last week of december Picolo was always tired. Even for an 11 years old dog, Picolo has always been active with playing, walking and is just always around. But this time he was just constantly sleeping on the couch. I felt that we would be loosing him quickly because the way he was living now, wasn't how he was before the spleen was removed. 

Doing some research I came across the story of Ginger and Henry. Both dogs had hemangiosarcoma and Ginger lived 6 years after being diagnosed with it, while Henry is still alive after 2,5 years being diagnosed. So I switched his diet with the one Henry's getting. (http://www.caninecancerdiet.com/) I'm using every ingredient except the MMS. We started with the diet on the first of january.

On the second of january, we went to an oncologist to research him more and look if chemo was an option for Picolo. Now I always felt a bit insecure about chemo treatment, because it can have a lot of side effects and isn't very succesful with treating hemangiosarcoma. But the conclusion of the research told us that chemo was not an option for Picolo. It turns out that Picolo doesn't have an metastasis on his organs -yet-. His liver and his heart looked very good for his age. But he still suffers from the bloodloss he had from removing his spleen and he has a cyste on one of his kidneys. 

The Oncologist recommended us giving the dog 20 mg of Cardiac Aspirin on every other day. It was his little experiment because big pharmacies would never support these kind of projects because they can't make any money out of it. He already saw some positive results with two other dogs that have hemangiosarcoma. Even after a year they both were still alive. Of course he still can't conclude whether this is because of the Cardiac Aspirin. So we gave it a try and added it to his new diet.

Picolo responded very good on his new diet, the very first week of january he was becoming his old self again. Of course I'm still very skeptical and preparing for the worse but so far he's doing fine and he loves his new food. 

The reason why I wanted to tell my story is that I want to have some advice from people who have dealt with the same desease and from people who have more knowledge about a dogs diet, especially a cancer diet. 

*To summarize this story:*
- Eleven year old Westie
- Removal of the spleen 15th of december
- First week recovery good
- Second week very tired and diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma
- No macro Metastasis were seen
- 2th january full research with ultra sound and blood 
- Showed that he had no Metastasis 
- Blood was poor because of the bloodloss 
- too much blood platelets are in his blood (believes to be connected with hemangiosarcoma)
- Getting 20 mg of Cardiac Aspirin 
- Getting a home made diet based on Henry's diet. 

*Diet* based on *two* 16 pound dogs (We have two westies) for three meals:
Raw egg - 1/2 
Fishoil - 2 tablespoons
Black Wallnut hull - 2 drops of a tincture
Garlic - two cloves a week
Essiac tea - two tablespoons
Hemp Protein - 2 tablespoons
MSM - 2 pills
Vitamine C - 2 pills
Wormwood - 1 pinch
Cloves - 1 pinch
Flaxmeal - 4 tablespoons
Nutritional Yeast - 1 tablespoon
Solidago - 1/2 tablespoon
20 mg of Cardiac Aspirin - on every other day (only for included in Picolo's diet)

Vegetables and fruit (we always add three kinds of vegetables or fruit in it and steam them):
Apple
Spinach
Carrot
Parsley
Cabbage
Celery -removing the strings of course-

Meat:
Chicken -steamed-

So any *advice *on things I can add or should remove? I know for example Green tea is full with anti oxidents which is also recommended a lot for treating cancer.


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## 3doglady (Jul 31, 2011)

I am sorry to hear Picolo has Hermangiosarcoma. Cancer is such an evil disease. While I haven't had personal experience with this, I have a few friends who have. There is lots of good information on the Sumner Foundation yahoo group. You will be able to read and ask questions from those who have opted for Chemo as well as those who opted for holistic approaches. My best advice is enjoy your time with him and make your moments special. I wish I could offer more.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheSumnerFoundation/

Please don't look for reasons to blame yourself. There are many theories on why people and our pets get cancer. We all feed our dogs the best diet we can, but that doesn't mean the cancer was caused by the food. I'm sure you will find as many opinions on vaccines and cancer, toothpaste and cancer, etc etc. There are newer studies pointing towards our alleles in our genetic DNA. The point is, there is no definitive answer. You come across to me as someone who truly loves and cares about your Picolo. You provided him with a good, long, happy life. There is nothing you could have done to prevent this. 

Please give yourself and Picolo a hug from me. : )


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## Mantoinette (Jan 12, 2012)

3doglady said:


> I am sorry to hear Picolo has Hermangiosarcoma. Cancer is such an evil disease. While I haven't had personal experience with this, I have a few friends who have. There is lots of good information on the Sumner Foundation yahoo group. You will be able to read and ask questions from those who have opted for Chemo as well as those who opted for holistic approaches. My best advice is enjoy your time with him and make your moments special. I wish I could offer more.
> 
> http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheSumnerFoundation/
> 
> ...


I just wanted to thank you so much for the link, I would have never found it myself. (never visits Yahoo groups) The group has so much information about the decease! And yes I will give Picolo a hug for you! Thanks again for sharing!


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## Goldielaine (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi,

We have a 12 year old Westie who was just operated on to remove a hemangiosarcoma from his pelvis. Did the cancer diet help Picolo? I would love to speak with you - please let me know if you would be willing to talk on the phone. I would be happy to call or to give you my phone number. I am looking for alternative therapies that work.


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## Mantoinette (Jan 12, 2012)

Goldielaine said:


> Hi,
> 
> We have a 12 year old Westie who was just operated on to remove a hemangiosarcoma from his pelvis. Did the cancer diet help Picolo? I would love to speak with you - please let me know if you would be willing to talk on the phone. I would be happy to call or to give you my phone number. I am looking for alternative therapies that work.


Wow it's almost been a year since Picolo died (He died the 16th of january) and I would love to help you out on this. I don't think on the phone would work since I live in the Netherlands but maybe here are some helpful tips:

- Recently a study found out that a mushroom called Yunzhi can extend te life of a dog who has Hemangiasarcoma (http://www.petside.com/article/dog-cancer-unconventional-hemangiosarcoma-treatment)

- We went to the best cancer treatment center for dogs in the Netherlands, the doctor who helped Picolo said that a 1/4 of a cardiag paracetamol on every other day. This thins the blood which is good against Hemangiosarcoma (the doctor said it was experimental and that 3 dogs survived more than the 1 -3 months without Chemo treatment) 

- We did give Picolo the diet and I did think it helped a bit against cancer and made him a bit stronger but in the end it was too late for Picolo. 

I wish you best of luck with your pretty Westie, I think the mushroom could really help out since it an experiment that has been tested by a university. 

Last but not least: enjoy his/her companionship. Write down memories you're still creating with your dog, make pictures and love him/her tenderly.


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## Goldielaine (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi Mantionette,

Thank you so much for replying to my message. I am sorry to hear about Picolo, I know how dear our dogs are to us. I found the mushroom study in my online search as well and have already ordered the capsules. Let's keep our fingers crossed!! If you wish to stay in touch please don't hesitate to contact me via my email address: [email protected]

Goldie


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