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Chloe & Me
Our Shared Journeys Through Cancer

My cherished dog, Chloe, and I shared so much together, including our journeys through cancer. We were similar in that neither of us showed any symptoms of this devastating disease, which claims millions of lives each year. Only through routine screenings, my yearly mammogram and her annual dental check-up, was our cancer discovered. Hearing the words, “You have cancer,” is a surreal, life-changing moment. It forces you to confront your own mortality and shatters your sense of normalcy. I was blessed to have been surrounded by so much love during this time, but it was Chloe who always seemed to know just how to comfort me. Dogs are known to have a sixth sense, an intuition that tunes into our emotions and knows when something is wrong. During many of my sleepless nights, Chloe would seem to magically appear and curl up next to me. It was as if she sensed I needed her by my side.

A few years later, our roles reversed when Chloe was diagnosed with oral cancer. This news was especially shocking since she had just received a clean bill of health at her annual wellness exam a few weeks earlier. It felt as though lightning had struck twice; my husband and I were devastated. Chloe’s initial prognosis was poor; the cancer had already spread to a nearby lymph node and her vet said oncologists were booked out for months. It was the spring of 2022 and specialty clinics were overwhelmed with patients. As dismal as it sounded, we never gave up hope. Anyone who knows me knows I’m relentless when I’m on a mission, and saving Chloe, who meant the world to us, became my sole purpose. 

We were advised that the standard of care for Chloe’s type of cancer was removing a section of her jaw, which seemed extreme. The specialist said dogs adapt, but as we learned more about this procedure, it sounded daunting. The surgery’s significant side effects included drooling and potential difficulty with eating. We were willing to do anything to save our precious dog, but we knew this wasn’t what Chloe would have wanted. We had to explore other options. 

I learned about a cutting- edge, non-surgical therapy called stereotactic radiation surgery (SRS), which has been successful in treating humans and is also available for pets. Unlike traditional radiation, SRS delivers highly precise radiation to a specific target area in a single treatment session. Typically, one to three sessions are required, each lasting between five to fifteen minutes. This seemed to be a viable option for Chloe, so we held on to hope that it could put her in remission. She did remarkably well with SRS and seemed unfazed by the treatments, greeting me after each one with her tail wagging. After her final treatment, she came home and burst into her zoomie mode, running the entire length of our house several times in a row with an energy I hadn’t seen since she was a puppy. I was elated and hopeful; the treatments seemed to be making a difference. 

Chloe’s treatment plan also included a chemo pill, Palladia, and her specialists felt she could survive up to a year. She did well for nearly four months, but then began experiencing episodes of congestion, which her specialists believed were side effects of the radiation. When she didn’t improve within a few days, I had a sinking feeling this was more than just a side effect. A CT scan revealed the heartbreaking news that her cancer had advanced. We knew it was time to let her go, as painful as that decision was. 

When faced with the decision to let our pets go, we're often overwhelmed by grief and the urge to hold on. As much as we wish for more time, we must put aside our own pain and think of what’s best for them, not us. Letting them go is the most compassionate and loving thing we can do when it’s clear there is no hope. We were holding on to the specialists’ projections that we would have several more months with Chloe. It was devastating to discover her cancer had progressed so soon despite all our efforts to save her. Still, I view the time we had together as a treasured gift. Every moment we shared was a testament to the strength of our bond, a bond that I would soon discover is eternal.