Dobermans among top five cancer breeds
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Trupanion pet insurance looked at their cancer-related insurance claims and discovered breeds that were frequently affected. Dating back to the year 2000, they found that boxers, golden retrievers, german shepherds, rottweillers and dobermans were the breeds more prone to cancer.
The National Canine Cancer Foundation doesn’t share good news either. They state that one in three dogs will develop cancer at some point in their lives. Furthermore this disease is claiming the lives of roughly half of those diagnosed with cancer.
To protect your doberman or pet dog, have regular vet check-ups. Some cancers if caught early can be successfully removed and treated. Having personally lost a much loved doberman to lymphoma cancer, I encourage everyone to educate themselves on dog health concerns and support continued cancer research.
Luckily, I live near the Guelph Veterinary College and was able to give my doberman some chemotherapy treatment for her lymphoma, although in the end not successful. The treatment did extend her life but in the end the cancer returned and the chemo treatments were too difficult physically for her and mentally for me. I made the awful decision to let her finally rest. It was a heart breaking year but I felt some consolation knowing that my dog had a great doctor and vet team treating her. I like to think that we also contributed to dog cancer research by trying the chemo and drug protocol options available.
Have you lost your pet to cancer? Please share your personal experience in the comments below.
January 7th, 2011 at 3:13 am
We lost our 10 year old black female doberman to bone cancer on November 12, 2010. We were not familiar with cancer in dogs until this happened and we have learned a lot since dealing with making Angel as comfortable as possible until the pain medications were no longer an option once her hip swelled up and her leg finally broke from the evil cancer cells eating away at the bone in her left hip.
We finally had to make the difficult decision to put our beloved doberman to rest once we were no longer able to keep her comfortable. We got her when she was 3 years old right when we got a house and got married so she was part of our beginnings as a married couple, Amy and I. We saved her from the Detroit Humane Society. The previous owner was actually en route with Angel when we were asked about her and he turned around and brought her to us instead of DHS. Whew! That was close and we were lucky to have her. She represented the Doberman breed with class, sweetness, beauty and the proud looks of a sleek guard/family dog that only the Dobe can give!
Some say “once a dog owner, always a dog owner” and we believe this to be true for most. We did not like our home without the presence of a dog and we searched for different breeds but the Doberman always seemed like the best breed for us. We got another black female on Dec. 5, 2010 and it has helped us overcome the sadness of losing Angel.
The staff at the animal hospital where we take our new pup Jade say that they have been seeing more and more doberman pups coming in for ear croppings so the breed is making a comeback at least in the metro-Detroit area!!
Live, love and share in the joy of the breed. Dobies are really great dogs.
January 7th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
thankyou for sharing this Jeff, it sounds like Angel was a great dog and we feel your sorrow.
October 17th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
We lost our Atticus (blue Dobe) to cancer this week. He was only 7 years old. It seems so unfair that such an amazing breed is at such a high risk for cancer, but after having researched so much information online, I fear it must be true. Dobermans are my preferred breed, I’ve had two in my lifetime and even now I dream of having another Doberman in my home. I find no other canine so completely fills a home, protects and guards in quite the same fashion, or shares the rare blend of poise, grace, confidence and loving nature as does a Doberman. That being stated, after this profoundly sad experience, and with knowledge of the propensity for cancer in the breed, I don’t know if I have the room in my heart for another gamble on such an untimely death as was Atticus’. He was a soldier to the end. Just one more quality I love about the breed. Such an amazing breed.
October 17th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Veronica I am so so sorry for the loss of your Atticus. I hope all the wonderful memories he gave you brings some comfort to your heart. He was a lucky boy to have you as his owner/caretaker.
October 29th, 2011 at 3:10 am
2 DOBERMAN mis primeras perritas (imperiales)marrones, mis amores. Una de ellas contrajo tres tipos de cancer, lamentablemente el veterinario que inicialemente las atendía no les dio importancia a sus dolencias.
Una de ellas comenzo con problemas en el caminar, la llevamos, le hicimos ecografías y cuando no podía hacer pis (el veterinario que siempre las atendió me abandono) me dijo que con 12 años ya era vieja y que todo lo que pasara de aca en adelante podía ser rapido para su muerte. Lamentablemente confie en este veterinario, cambié y cuando la lleve estaba agonizando ( se le habia estallado la vegiga), tuve que operarla de urgencia, lo peor es que cuando le sacamos la sondita detectamos una masa entre la vegiga y la pelvis. La operamos, pero su cuerpito no soporto y al otro día fallecio de un paro cardiaco.
Me quedo su hermanita, pero la mala experiencia de haber confiado en un medico veterinario que no valia la pena.
Cambie por su puesto de medico, pero nadie me devuelve a mi gordita.
Alguien que me explique porque le dan un titulo a cualquiera…
No se. Para mi todo lo que tiene vida, siente, sufre….es importante.
January 7th, 2012 at 3:48 am
We lost our 6 year old boxer, Daisy, to lymphoma. She was totally misdiagnosed for the first 6 months, even though she had textbook symptoms. By the time it was caught, chemo would only have given her a couple of months. We decided to maintain quality, not quantity.
We now have two dobermans. Hopefully, they will not be part of a statistic.
January 7th, 2012 at 4:24 am
My beautiful blue dobie, Eva, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at only 4years old. She had the (front left) leg amputated and 4 cycles of chemotherapy. I was told the 12month survival rate with this treatment was 30%. My stoic, determined (read stubborn!) Eva lived til 11.5years old. Unfortunately she developed a new osteosarcoma in her back hip which fractured – not treatable and she was in a lot of pain her last 2 days so I had her put to sleep last year. It truly breaks your heart, they are with you through good and bad, everything. I miss her hugely.
)
However I now have my 4th dobie – a beautiful black 6month female Helvi who is just such a joy – not a replacement, she’s special in her own way. It has helped with the loss of Eva too – not for everyone but it helped me
January 7th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Our six year old Dobie girl “Isis” (Ravenswood Starr of the Sea)….died from neurofibrosarcoma in her cheek. We did metronomic chemo, palliative radiation, cancer diet and holistic Chinese herbal therapy. We had her almost a year after diagnosis. We had to put her down as the tumor had encroached on her eye, and jaw, she was starting to suffer….something I vowed I would never tolerate.
Sweet Isis, you will live in my heart forever….you were my “heart” dog and the bond of love we shared will always live in our hearts.
We have since adopted two Dobies…..we just cannot be without a Doberman- they spoil you for any other breed.
January 7th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Our amazing 10-year-old black female Dobe Gimmel was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when her right front leg fractured while running in the back yard. Horrible day, but after 3rd and 4th opinions, we opted to amputate and were told she’d have 6-9 months before the metastasis in her lungs would mean the end. Well, she live 15 wonderful months… loss of the front leg made for much shorter and more tiring walks but she loved them to the last. I didn’t think I’d get another dog, but not having that dobie energy around the house was too much… after 4 months, I spotted the sweetest red-girl dobie face on Petfinders and now Jersey melts my heart. A very special breed.
January 19th, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Our red girl will not see the spring…
Kate will turn 3 in February. But the cancer that caused a toe to be amputated last spring has returned on another toe. We knew she was not completely cancer-free because her appetite was never the same and she throws up if she drinks more than a couple cups of water.
We already miss her…
March 2nd, 2012 at 8:16 pm
It’s been over a year now since we lost our Ammo to osteosarcoma, Feb 2011. He was just shy of his 6 year birthday. Diagnosed in November of 2010, we opted not to amputate or do chemotherapy. We thought it was the best decision for Ammo. One of the hardest decisions we have made as a family. We treated with pain meds and acupuncture. He was given 3-5 months. He eventually fractured his leg and we put him to rest. A very sad day because Ammo was my baby boy, my first real baby:) I loved him so much and never thought I could love a dog more. I usually don’t call him a dog-I call him a kid, because he was truly amazing and so smart. He was my protector and the protector of our 2 girls. Our second daughter was born right before he was diagnosed and she was 4 months when he passed. I have not felt the same since he passed. I can barely type this without crying. Dogs in general hold a special place in our lives. I’m sure we all have/had an Ammo.
With this being said, we will be proud parents of another red Dobe tomorrow. We are all so excited, especially our 4 year old!!
March 2nd, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Thankyou for sharing your story. It made be a bit tearful reminding me of my Xena.
And Ammo is a fantastic name!
March 11th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
I lost my dog moriah to cancer in her cheek,I was not. Aware or ever informed this ways a dobie trait.the disfigured face it left her with was heartbreaking.she would look at you with a why can’t you help me look,can you stop this,and when she would lose her bladder,her look of sheer embarrasment broke your heart for her.I can only remember the sheer joy she brought our family in the 7 short years we had the pleasure of her company.she was a pistol.put a soup bone through my mothers hutch,loved to put the cats head all the way in her mouth for a joke.knew every word my mother said to her.l love dobermans.they look mean,but have hearts of gold.
April 23rd, 2012 at 3:05 am
My wife and I had to make the tough decision March 24 2012 to put
Our beloved Gunnar down due to osteosarcoma. He had broke his leg last
October and wasn’t diagnosed until January with cancer. We decided against
amputation due to him having wobblers also, so we treated him with pain
meds and no chemo. We are advocates of quality not quantity. Gunnar lived
His last 5 months in a leg cast on his front right. He lived up to his name Gunnar
meaning brave warrior in German. He was such a great boy from the only
breed for us. He was my second Dobe and my wife’s first. My wife was
actually apprehensive at first but now she won’t have another breed. We have such
a emptiness in our lives right which hopefully be filled soon. We put a
deposit on another black. Gunnar will always have a special place in our heart
that will never be replaced but we want to give another Dobe our love.