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My Great Dane Zeus has Acute Lymphocytic Lymphoma

by Elizabeth
(Atlanta, GA, USA)

Zeus

Our 4 year old Great Dane, Zeus, was just diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Lymphoma. This happened very suddenly, over a week, and he went downhill very fast.

Zeus has always been a happy, bouncing, friendly Dane and one day last week, he just stopped eating and would find a spot where he could be alone in the house and would go there to be away from everyone. This is VERY uncommon for Zeus as he is so friendly and loves to be around us. He wouldn't sleep in his bed anymore and wouldn't come to us when we called. He just started moping around.

I noticed the lymph nodes under his neck were swelling as well and he started having trouble getting up to go out. Diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting and fever were also present.

After about three days of this odd behavior, I took him to the vets and x-rays, blood testing were done. His blood work came back showing acute lymphoma that was in the marrow and very advanced. He also has an enlarged spleen as a result. He stayed on IV fluids at the hopital for two days over this past weekend and I just picked him up and brought him home.

The vet told us this morning that his cancer was so advanced that even with aggressive chemo, his chances of survival were extremely slim.

So, I brought him home, with a big bag of pain pills and antibiotics that he will take twice a day (8 pills total) till the time comes. We don't know how much longer we have with him. Could be a month, could be two months, could be a week. The vet expects about a month.

Grief is an understatement. We have cried until there are no more tears. The best thing is to keep him as comfortable, happy and pain free as we can here at the house until the cancer overtakes him and he leaves us. He will always be in our hearts. WE love him so much and can't believe this has happened.

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Feb 26, 2024
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Bran
by: Donya

I had to put my 7 year old Dane, Bran, to sleep yesterday due to lymphoma. We are devastated. I am so sorry for all of the loss in these posts, and hope it will become more bearable as time moves on. 💙

Sep 10, 2022
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Harlie
by: Anonymous

We just lost our 7 year old Dane to lymphoma. It caused a tumor on her spine and made her paralyzed. I am so lost in grief. We tried steroids but she didn’t even have a chance to finish them before the cancer took her. We raised her since she was 6 weeks old. I miss her terribly!

Nov 04, 2019
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Lymphoma in Great Danes & Suffering
by: Jimmy

I like your approach in treating Zeus, (a big bag of pain pills) & antibiotics to lessen his suffering & discomfort. Great job!

Oct 11, 2017
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Cancer sucks
by: Anonymous

I have a 10 year old lab Dane mix and we just got this diagnosis today ! I am so sorry for your bad news as well ! Maybe our dogs will meet at the rainbow bridge.

Prayers to your family!

Apr 24, 2015
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Emily
by: Hazel, Site Editor

Hi, Tonia,

So sorry to hear about your Emily, but I think you did the right thing by setting her free. She was suffering and seemed very sick...

Treasure the memories you had with her, and know that even though she is not there with you physically, she will always be in your heart.

Take care.

Apr 24, 2015
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Our Emily
by: Tonia Jones

I posted a few days ago about our Dane. I have read others' stories. I feel very Blessed to have kept our Emily 11 years. Her lymph nodes aren't going away, she can hardly get up and down from the porch, arthritis in hips, nose running blood and blood in urine...

We have decided to let her rest. Prayers please - this is a very hard decision.

Apr 21, 2015
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Great Dane
by: Tonia Jones

We have a female Dane; she turned 11 on March 23rd. She has arthritis in her hips and has been getting worse for about a year now. The last couple months her lymph nodes swelled. The vet put her on steroids which seemed to help at first but now the nodes are really bad. She can hardly get up and down off our porch anymore. We are really going to miss her. Not sure how long she will last but can't stand to see her suffering either.

Jan 06, 2015
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So sad..
by: Milo's Mom

Just yesterday 01/05/15, we took our 5.5 year old male Dane to the vet due to lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, and swollen glands. Vet said it was either an infection or Lymphoma. Due to his age and placement of the largely swollen gland, the common diagnosis is Lymphoma. We are devastated at the possibility and can't imagine a home without Milo. He's on antibiotics now in the hopes that he just has an infection. Our hearts are breaking.

Jul 24, 2014
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My baby Brody
by: Brody's Mom

Today I found out my Brody may have lymphoma. He is a 6 1/2 year old Mantle Great Dane and my heart and soul. You don't know what it's like to feel truly unconditionally loved until you have a Great Dane. I haven't stopped crying since I left the vet.

I noticed his glands were really swollen and he just hasn't been his normal high spirited self and I'm praying harder than ever for it to be something else. I'd give 10 years of my life for just 1 more with him.

Thank you for sharing,
Brody's Mom

Mar 17, 2013
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My tiny puppy Boo
by: Lor

Our Dane was a 200 pound force of nature and we've been lucky to have him for 10 years.

In the last month he's lost 50 pounds and has the typical lymphoma swellings. It seems to be a disease that is just part of owning a Dane these days. I wish there were a way to cull that gene out of the Dane gene pool (much like the deafness gene in Dalmatians) but I doubt that anyone is really working on it.

I cry every day knowing that I'm going to have to have the vet come out and send Boo across the bridge for me because he still wags his tail, still eats my supper, and still jumps in my lap if he hears thunder. My grief at losing this magnificent dog doesn't even compare to my own diagnosis of my own cancer.

Mar 10, 2013
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Our Great Dane Blue
by: Jessica

Our 4.5 yr old Great Dane, Blue, was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma this past week. This story helped me realize that his symptoms were much more serious than a just a short illness. My children are heartbroken, as are my husband and I. Everything has happened so quickly. We can relate to your heartache.

Oct 06, 2012
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Truffles
by: Gail

My 8yr old Dane Truffles has also just been diagnosed with Lymphoma. It was diagnosed after going of her food and then taking a fainting spell. She had blood tests and scans then her spleen removed all in one day. Some of the spleen was sent of for biopsy and that's when it was confirmed.

She is now home with me with steroids and iron tablets. Her eating is a bit hit and miss but she is not in pain and comfortable.

Truffles has only been with me since January 2012 as she is a rescue from the Great Dane Adoption Society and I am her Foster Carer but I don't regret a minute of taking her into my home.
She is beautiful and loving and I feel honoured to have had this time with her. X

Aug 28, 2012
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In the same dog house
by: Theresa

OMG, we just found out today that our 6 1/2 yr old Great Dane, Bullwinkle, has Lymphoma. Like you, he was fine a week ago, then all of sudden, swollen glads and stopped eating. Bull still wants to be around us, but you can tell he is not well. He was at the vet mid June for his 6 month check up and was fine. When I took him last Friday, he had already lost 12 lbs. We too have the pills to make him as comfortable as possible.

Your story has helped me, and my heart goes out to all of you.

Jul 18, 2012
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So sorry
by: Anonymous

I am lying here on the floor with Moses, our mantle great Dane. He has Wobblers and is lying here paralyzed and heavily sedated. I just wanted to say how sorry I am this happened to you and I know how you felt. It is a shame these things happen to our beloved dogs.

Sep 28, 2010
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Blue had high grade lymphosarcoma
by: Dolly and Blue

My Catahoula Leopard, Blue, showed the same symptoms. I had also noticed his groin lymphnodes were swollen as well as the lymphnodes under his neck.

I am a vet assistant and took Blue in to vet and he had a biopsy but went downhill so fast that before we were able to get his stitches out from biopsy, my girls and I decided to let him go (had him put to sleep). We didn't want to remember him in the pain and suffering he was in.

Blue was only six years old - this type of cancer hits between 6-9 years old. He was so active - it was heartbreaking for us - he just laid and wagged his tail, could no longer get up and rarely made it outside to potty, vomitting was often for him.

I chose to try a more natural approach with diet and supplements. This was in 08'. I have since had him tattooed on my back with his favorite toy-chucket. He is with us in our hearts and spirit. His ashes were on our shelf and we light a candle almost every night.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

Dolly Dee

Sep 28, 2010
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Zeus
by: Tam

I am so sorry to hear this news about your baby. You have given him a wonderful life and I am sure he has done the same for you as mine have. Im sure he knows you are grieving with him.

This is so hard to go through and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Tam

Sep 27, 2010
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Zeus
by: Anonymous

Hello Elizabeth,

I am so sorry to read about Zeus. I know what you are feeling - I lost my girl Boxer two weeks ago today & I just came home from the vets office with my boy (also a Boxer) and he might have a mast cell tumor on his foot.

During my many hours on the computer researching natural supplements, I came across a product that many dog owners are swearing by. Its called K-9 Immunity Plus. According to the blog I read, there are many dogs that have had their cancers go into remission, and many of them with advanced cancer like your Zeus. Please research it. I just ordered it for my boy.

I also give him the following supplements and herbs that have cancer fighting properties and anti-oxidants:

Turmeric (shown to reduce tumors), Bromelain, Selenium, Pau D'Arco, Cats Claw, Shark Cartilage, Milk Thistle, fish oil, CoQ10, MSM, Red Clover, Alpha Lipoic Acid, L-Glutamine, Green Tea Extract (decaf), Grape Seed Extract, Echinacea, Vitamins E, A & and Resveratrol.

Its a lot but its all good for them!
I hope this info helps a little.
I will keep Zeus in my prayers!

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