I just got a call from my daughter and during the course of the conversation
she mentioned that a friend of hers 4 year old Bernese (sp?) mountain dog
was diagnosed with a form of abdominal cancer that is common to that breed.
I told her her I would ask and see if anyone knows of a support group that
would deal with this. I would like to pass along a link if possible. She
was diagnosed three weeks ago and is in pain. They (she and her vet) have
been trying various treatments without much success so far.


Kathy

"kat" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I just got a call from my daughter and during the course of
the conversation she mentioned that a friend of hers 4 year
old Bernese (sp?) mountain dog was diagnosed with a form of
abdominal cancer that is common to that breed. I told her
her I would ask and see if anyone knows of a support group
that would deal with this. I would like to pass along a
link if possible. She was diagnosed three weeks ago and is
in pain. They (she and her vet) have been trying various
treatments without much success so far.

Check out general Bernese Mountain Dog groups - there are a few
on Yahoo groups, like this big one:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Berner-l/

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

"Rocky" wrote in message
...
"kat" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I just got a call from my daughter and during the course of
the conversation she mentioned that a friend of hers 4 year
old Bernese (sp?) mountain dog was diagnosed with a form of
abdominal cancer that is common to that breed. I told her
her I would ask and see if anyone knows of a support group
that would deal with this. I would like to pass along a
link if possible. She was diagnosed three weeks ago and is
in pain. They (she and her vet) have been trying various
treatments without much success so far.

Check out general Bernese Mountain Dog groups - there are a few
on Yahoo groups, like this big one:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Berner-l/

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Thanks!

Kathy

"kat" wrote in message
net...
I just got a call from my daughter and during the course of the
conversation
she mentioned that a friend of hers 4 year old Bernese (sp?) mountain dog
was diagnosed with a form of abdominal cancer that is common to that
breed.
I told her her I would ask and see if anyone knows of a support group that
would deal with this. I would like to pass along a link if possible. She
was diagnosed three weeks ago and is in pain. They (she and her vet) have
been trying various treatments without much success so far.


As a cancer survivor myself, I can empathize. Despite all the research,
cancer survival is still quite variable. And unfortunately, with animals
you have a worse problem which is that there's no way to give the
animal any hope that there's a chance for survival. With humans, it is
not uncommon for the hope of survival to give the person the mental
strength to fight off the disease - it is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Chances of surviving a cancer that doesen't have some response within
a few weeks of commencement of treatment are not high. The vet has probably
already told the owner that it's over, and the owner is trying to reconcile
with the inevitability of having to put the dog to sleep.

Ted