Was told my dog had cancer, but actually it was just a UTI

[mc_squared]

Has this happened to anyone else?

My dog started peeing blood on Saturday while I was at work. Thankfully my housemate and gf were home and observed the symptoms and let me know. I left work and we met at the vet.

The vet did a physical exam and said it could be anything, basically. We did some X-rays and the ER vet told me there is a spot on her X-ray and that he was so sorry and he patted me on the back and gave me chemo meds and paperwork on transitional cell carcinoma—an aggressive, inoperable type of cancer. We went home that night thinking our 5 year old dog was dying of bladder cancer.

But then, the next day, the radiologist looked at the X-rays and said, “that’s not a nodule, that’s a cluster of veins”. We did an ultrasound and it was 100% normal. We did a urine culture and it turns out the blood was being caused by a UTI.

The dog isn’t dying. The dog had a gnarly UTI. But the ER vet jumped the gun and told me my baby had cancer. And I believed it for a night and a day before they called back and told us the rest of the results.

Has this happened to anyone else? I’m still kind of reeling. I’ve been trying to get her records from the vet for the last 24 hours so I can have another vet look at them.

I’m relieved but also dude what just happened?

 

[reborndestiny]

@mc_squared Unfortunately yes.

My dog had a paw injury on the right hind leg...but the vet only focused in her left hind leg. Diagnosed it with an aggressive bone cancer... she'll be dead by the weekend. Forget about the right leg.

We got calls about how cruel we were not to put her down or that we were idiots for hesitating to amputate the left hind leg. The back leg was allegedly so brittle it would explode any second.

Could not do any biopsy unless we amputated. Which with the right leg injury that NO ONE CARED ABOUT - how the fuck would she get around? Mind you that amputation would not extend her life span but actually shorten it because the cancer would be more aggressive post op. But it was for comfort and pain management.

Got a second opinion, second vet could believe it was the dog in the charts. But she also suspected bone cancer and we went into palliative care with pain meds for pain management...prognosis max 2 months.

2 years later - she's still here.

Now she has a limp in her from right leg - it's been deteriorating alarmingly fast since November. We are again in the same position - likely a cancer of the nerve sheeth. Too close to the spine to operate. We are once again, entering palliative care and pain management.

I hate to say it - but this time feels real. She wasn't in pain before. But this time, she's lethargic, she has trouble getting comfy at night. We went to a neurologist and did all the scans - can't biopsy for sure - but this time it feels like the right diagnosis.

Last time we could NOT wrap our heads around the vets diagnosis and reality.

We have been living on borrowed time - I feel greatful but very sad our road together is winding down.

Please give your dog extra pets for me.

 

[mc_squared]

@reborndestiny Oof this post hits hard. I’m so sorry you are having to deal with this situation, and that your poor pup has to deal with this situation. I am here with my dog, giving you both the best vibes we can shoot your way. Dogs are too good for this world.

 

[garyb3278]

@reborndestiny Nerve sheath cancers are awful - just feel so helpless in addressing them. Went through similar six years back. Give your dog extra pats from me!

 

[l86]

@mc_squared Found a small lab pup she was skinny, small, and pooping blood. I took her to the emergency vet, and they said she'd be dead by morning. No hope she's dead wouldn't treat her. I took her to another emergency vet across town, and the vet said, "Let's get her on treatment now," started treatment that night and 2 years later she's the best dog I've ever had a beautiful brindle lab named lily.

 

[mc_squared]

@l86 You literally saved a life. That’s super cool!

 

[nae64]

@mc_squared This is why medical practice is multi-layered. Believe it or not is a good thing this happened, because it shows it worked in your case. I understand the apprehension it has caused you though. A second opinion is the right thing to do.

 

[happyhorsefeathers]

@nae64 Yes the difference between a vet and a radiologist. I had this happen to me , was told I had stenosis needed surgery went to another Dr his radiologist saw the mri and xrays and said no not stenosis you probably injured muscles along spine , pt for 6 weeks and I was better

 

[mc_squared]

@nae64 Thank you.

 

[snowdernsons]

@mc_squared I took my dog in for coughing, a seizure, and panting when he was 8. Vet told me he had liver failure, heart disease, and neurological issues and that I should consider putting him down. He gave me all these options for end of life care and pamphlets for euthanasia. I was so devastated. I’d been taking him to that practice for 3 years every 6 months for check ups and they always told me he was super healthy. So I was shocked when he suddenly took a turn for the worse.
Obviously I got a second opinion. I found a new vet and took my dog in and he showed no signs of any of the symptoms the other vet was saying. In fact, the only real issue at the time was my dog was very overweight. I had no idea, and my last vet had always said he was healthy and to keep up what we were doing.

Got my dog on a weight loss diet, and all his problems went away. The coughing was due to extra weight pressing on a collapsing trachea. (Which we didn’t have to treat until many years later) panting and seizures all stopped after a month on weight loss diet.

He lived to be a well loved boy who lived 16 adventurous years. And the vet that we got a second opinion at is forever on our Christmas card list and love them like family.

 

[mc_squared]

@snowdernsons Dude, my old coworker (who was a vet tech in a previous life) said “imagine how many pets are euthanized for incorrect ER diagnoses”.

I’m so glad you got a second opinion, and that your pup lived a good long life

 

[faithmotion]

@mc_squared Yep similar thing happened to me. I spend some time of the year working abroad. Dog got pancreatitis while abroad with me, we caught it early and they recovered quickly. Did another blood test just to be on the safe side, vet saw some abnormalities in the results but they explained it was in line with what they would expect from a dog who was recovering from pancreatitis.

Travelled back to the UK and needed the vet sign a consent form that my dog was ok to do physio therapy. I was in a rush, didn’t think anything of the appointment as it was just a formality. Went there, gave them the blood test results with a comment along the lines of “this is just for your records, my dog was unwell but is fine again”. This vet looks at the blood test, asks me if anyone had explained these “extremely concerning” results to me and that it meant my dog had cancer.

They did another blood test and arranged an appointment with the oncologist. I was absolutely beside myself and crying so much. A few days later I get a call back from yet another vet to update me on the blood test results. Nothing had changed and this vet tells me to just keep an eye on her to make sure the pancreatitis really is gone. I ask: “but what about the cancer ?”. Their response: “what cancer? Why do you think she has cancer?”

So this vet did also not interpret the blood test as cancer. but said we should do another test in 4 weeks time. I spent those weeks sick with worry. The new blood test came back completely fine and all routine blood tests since did the same!

So I really feel for you and know the distress you had to go through. But SO pleased that your dog will be fine!

 

[km2018]

@mc_squared The simplest answer is usually the right one, and cancer is obscenely common in dogs. If 9 times out of 10 something that looks like that is cancer, they're going to tell you that it is. Unfortunately medicine still requires a lot of educated guessing. At least it wasn't the other way around.

 

[shela710]

@mc_squared Conversely, I had a very sick doggo and after 6 vet visits (and being sent home with antibiotics etc) I decided to go to a different vet. They diagnosed her with metastatic cancer in 20 minutes. My dog died 2 weeks later.

Over a decade later, I'm still furious at the old vet for his incompetence.

 

[mc_squared]

@shela710 Oh my god, I would have been so pressed I’m so sorry you and your doggo had to go through that. RIP sweet baby

 

[reborndestiny]

@mc_squared Your radiologist is a true MVP. I wish a radiologist would have taken a second look at her tests 2 years ago.

 

[dewayne777]

@mc_squared My vet told me my 12-year-old rottie had bone cancer (osteosarcoma) based on an xray. We trusted her, and have no reason to think it was not cancer. We put her to sleep a few weeks later, as it advanced rapidly. She would whine in pain all day (and she was stalwart, never whined even when her stomach was perforated and fluid was leaking into her gut due to an ulcer a few years prior...she just stopped eating).

So...she was in pain, was 12, had cancer. We said goodbye and I've never been so gutted (no other dog or human has ever compared to her). We never considered amputation because of her age.

I'm not saying the vet was wrong, but we didn't confirm anything further, because she was in such bad shape. Every so often I have a rather intrusive thought that maybe it wasn't cancer...maybe it was something else...

I'm wrong, and this isn't helpful, but I'll never lose that intrusive thought...what if we made a mistake?

 

[icantplayguitar]

@dewayne777 This may not help you....but I put my 16 year old dog down about 6 years ago. She had kidney failure, was blind, almost deaf and had dementia. She was literally incontinent and got to the point she was anxious all of the time. I still have the same thoughts.....maybe I didn't need to put her down yet? I should have tried harder. She was good to me for years and I should have done more. So maybe it's just our guilt and the what if's creeping into our heads? Even tho their was likely nothing we could have done........or was their?

 

[dewayne777]

@icantplayguitar Thanks for this...this happened in 2019 and it still haunts me. I still remember having the mobile euthanasia vet some to our house and how Navy (the rottie) was so excited to see a new person, she tried to get up and then started excitedly chewing on her favourite toy at the time (it was a stuffed manta ray).

But then I remember her pain...I know it was the right decision, but it's a decision I will never, ever get over or forget.

I still keep her bandana she was wearing when she died, it's pink and tied to my work breifcase.

 

[icantplayguitar]

@dewayne777 That's adorable, you carry a part of her with you every day. She sounds like she was very friendly. I love dogs so much. They got me though some rough times in my life.
I buried my girl under a pear tree in my back yard with her favorite blanket. I have 2 senior dogs right now, 15 and 14 (14 year old is her daughter actually) and I am reeeeally hoping to not have the same regrets or feelings I had with her. I might have a harder time letting go this time. I don't think it ever gets easier or the feelings ever go away.