Living with a stomach tumour
Not a galgo but our blind podenco Bo (Bocelli) who we adopted in 2022. In 2023 he had a small tumour removed from his stomach. We were warned it could return. He is the third of our Spanish hounds to suffer from stomach cancer. Galga Sahara had an inoperable one many years ago and galgo Bracken had one in 2021, not long after our return to the UK after living in France for 19 years.
In February 2025, 2 years later after diagnosis. Bo's stomach started to swell again. A scan at the vets confirmed our worst fears - the tumour had returned and this time it was judged inoperable, as it could be attached to either the spleen or the liver.
In himself, Bo was his usual happy cheeky self, eating normally, playing with our other podenco. But as his stomach swelled, he hadn't the energy to go on the long walks of previous years.
The vet could not give us any idea of how long Bo might have left to live and there was no treatment for this terrible vile growth taking over his stomach. So we decided to make the most of the previous time we had with our beloved dog.
He doesn't show any signs of pain, just finds it difficult to get comfy lying down with this 'football-sized' ball in the way. I have him on CBD oil - or hemp oil, which I use as a natural pain killer on my dogs. He is sleeping more now, but still his usual happy cheeky self when going out into the garden to the toilet. He has 2 dog bed cushions so he has plenty of padding to help him get comfy.
We have had dogs for over 70 years and know when it is time to make the ultimate decision Bo's time has not come yet. We are making the most of every day we have left with him.
Article on stomach cancer in dogs
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