Oh NO!  How awful!  I am so very sorry to hear this.  Please, please, please don't forget that there are many dogs on here that live a LONG time after lung mets were found.  I am so happy to hear that he is happy and still enjoying life.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Sue and Queen Nova

I'm so sorry to hear about Xander! But as I'm sure you've already read from all the posts on Tripawds... that so many dogs can live many, many more happy months with their lung mets. Just look at Jerry Dawg!

All I can tell you for right now is to cherish each and every single day you have with Xander (I'm sure you've already been doing that!). Take lots of pictures and videos... do special things together...

Sending you and Xander a big fat hug!!

Angel Jake and Wolfie's Mom

Xander's Mom,

Again, please don't forget how often our vets "lowball" survival times. I know first hand that the numbers the vet gives you are total BS. 26 months ago Nova's oncologist told us it would be a miracle if she made it to a year, and we'd be lucky with 6 months.  Well we are over TWO years now, 26 months. Plus, I have no clue whether my girl has lung mets or not.  We haven't had xrays in a long, long time. I hope and I pray that Xander proves your vet WRONG.

Hug your boy, love your boy and be strong for him.  He will tell you when it's time. It is clearly not now! It's so unfair when they are young like Xander, it just plain sucks.  God, I wish I knew what to say to comfort you.

You are constantly in my thoughts and prayers.... there is a very special place there for Danes! Non-Dane pawrents cannot ever totally understand the bond we share with these big kids, but I do.

Licks and Leans,

Sue and Nova

I need to add my concurrence to all the great advice that you received above. Luckily, I NEVER discussed life expectancy with any of Miss Cherry's care teams. It was always about the quality of life. Had we ever had such a discussion, I am sure that I too would have been told such a short time because of many additional complications in her prognosis. I NEVER had the courage to take additional lung xrays looking for Mets. I also knew that my response to her and my devotion to my time with her would not change regardless of the outcome of any such diagnostic. Please - stay as upbeat around Alexander as you possible can. I know that this can be a very difficult thing to do, but Alexander will enjoy his time better if he feels that you are enjoying it also.

One last thing about "Life Expectancy". My sister is an MD, who never wanted anything more than to heal people. Unfortunately, her son Alex, was diagnosed at the age of ten with inoperable brain tumor. With his prognosis, his life expectancy was less than a year, with less than a 10% chance of making it for two years. She was able to keep him for nearly three years and he was able to make the trip from Chicago out here to the Bay Area just two months before we lost him. I know that it is so unfair - I know that it is so unjust - I know that it is maddening beyond all reasonableness. However, for the sake of the enjoying the best quality of life you can give Alexender at this time, do not focus on how short it may be, but rather focus on how full you can make it.

Spirit Cherry's Dad

Im SO sorry to hear the news. Having recently gone through the same thing I know all too well how devastating this is to hear. I made my mantra "when you start missing what isn't gone, you lose what's left". I also adopted the idea of "not today and not without a fight". Tai was a trooper with the lung mets and still had a very high quality of life, she still swam and ran around and played. She didn't have as much stamina as before but other than that it didn't seem to bother her much. I also anguished over knowing when was going to be the right time to concede the fight. As far as a prognosis, my Vet wouldn't give one. And when I asked my Vet what I should do about the lung mets, on first diagnosis, her answer was simple "Love her up".  In the end the decision was taken from me as she developed another ostersarcoma tumor in another leg. 

It's difficult to "be happy" but I think in the end, although it was a struggle, it was of tremendous value to us both.

Enjoy every day, take lots of photos, spend as much time as you can together and make every minute count. In short "Love him up".

On a more practical note, and sadder one, I would also recommend making some plans for when the time comes to say goodbye. I made a preemptive call to a Vet who does house calls and got information on home euthansia etc. Although it was a hard call to make it did provide some comfort in having a plan.

Big hugs coming your way and lots of lab licks.

Laura (Angel Tai's Mum) and Kali

I am very sorry to hear your news.

Without any more information, 4-6 weeks sounds like a ball rolling on the ground, not just a low ball. Were these routine x-rays, or did Alexander have some symptoms that led you to have the x-rays done? As Jerry said, was there something about the x-rays that led them to give such a figure?

I remember (okay, this is memory so blame me and not the good doctor if I have it wrong) Pam saying something like dogs on chemo on average (only an average) get lung mets after 7-8 months, and then live about 4-5 months.

In any case, it seems most dogs on this site with lung mets have continued a few months and many for much much longer than that (hence Paris, Fortis, Jerry, and so on). Tika, Yoda and Caira Sue were probably around the usual time frame of a few months, but they romped, played, hunted rabbits (poor rabbit), chased frisbees and generally lived hard and well even after they started to have bouts of symptoms (but felt pretty darn good between those bouts).

Once Tazzie had a met growth on his leg, the vet would assume this really dark look that indicated he did not have much time. I had no idea what she was thinking, maybe days or a week or two (rather than months), for he was perfectly happy and hearty. It seemed to take a couple of months after the met showed up before she realized that he was truly happy and engaged in life, and stopped looking so dark. Maybe vets are just afraid that we will prolong things after the dog is uncomfortable, but I sure wish they'd help us do our best to embrace the dog's zest for life while it is there. As the owner, we can tell when they lose their interest in continuing.

For now, I like Laura's advice to 'try not to miss what isn't gone'. Tazzie was the one who could cheer me up when I had those brooding thoughts, just by watching him play and realizing he was still completely happy.

We hope you have many more happy times with your beautiful Alexander.