Earlier this week (Monday, the 18th), I found out that my best bud, my 8 year old chocolate Lab had cancer.
We had just had a tumor removed from his mouth and the biopsy result told us that he had malignant canine melanoma. Our vet couldn't even spit it out directly.
That night...I came home and there he was wagging his big ol' tail so hard is whole body was swaying. He was a little woozy from the meds from the surgery, but he was all there...My Duke.
Later on that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, we went for our nightly walk. He had a spring in his step. Probably because he didnt have that damn tumor in his mouth. When we got home, I hugged that big stinky dog...and cried.
I promised him I'd find a way to fight with him through this. But honestly, I still don't know what the hell I can do. I don't want chemo, or radiation therapy. I don't want to make his life worse. But then again, I don't want him to suffer at all...I don't want him to know pain....I don't want him to slowly decline.
There's a vaccine out there that helps to keep the cancer at bay somewhat, but I'm at a point where I couldn't even fully pay the vet for the surgery. Hell, I'm living paycheck to paycheck just trying to support the Family, never mind being able to afford this vaccine.
But what kind of owner would I be to let my buddy suffer...Fuck, I don't know what to do.
