Any help for nasal tumours?

I need to ask if anyone has any experience with nasal tumours in dogs.  I've just found out that my 13 year old Golden Retriever has a tumour, it was thought at first that he had aspergillosis but test for this have proved negative. He's had blood tests done and his liver and kidneys are fine, also no sign of diabetes.  I'm totally shattered by this news, this is now my third dog to be diagnosed with cancer, (one Goldie with throat cancer, one Dalmatian with bone cancer in her shoulder).  I have read about CV247 and wonder if this would help Gyp, he is having problems with his breathing through his nose whilst asleep.  He is still fairly active, (still insists on going for a walk even though it is a very short one) and loves his food and a potter round the garden.  My vet has got him on Metacam but I am not keen on giving this to him as I like to keep to a natural approach to treatment if at all possible.  I already feed my dogs a natural diet of raw meat and veg and don't vaccinate my older dogs any more.

My vet has said that there is a chance the tumour could break a blood vessel as it grows and Gyp already has had some nose bleeds.  I just don't know what to do for the best, my husband is thinking that having him put to sleep would be the kindest thing and if he had other health problems, (with his kidneys or anything) I would agree, but I am relectant to do so without trying anything else.

What is it with my dogs, three in a row, and I've got three more apart from Gyp, I'm beginning to think that I must be doing something wrong when I am trying so hard to get it right.

Any advice would be very gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Margaret Ansell 

Also posted on the Think Tank Blog 

I have experienced nasal tumours in dogs from both sides of the consulting room table, so to speak, and they are certainly a very distressing form of cancer. I would totally agree with the advice your vet has given you about the possible effects and course of the tumour. Nose bleeds are a very common consequence of tumour growth within the nasal passage. Once a patient starts to have nose bleeds, the outlook is not at all good.

            I appreciate your desire to follow a natural course of treatment, but do please bear in mind that your vet prescribed meloxicam for pain relief. For any patient, the desire to spare pain is paramount and especially for those with cancer. Pain affects so many aspects of everyday living so changes in demeanour and appetite are two common ways of assessing for pain. It may be that meloxicam relieves the pain now, but may not as time goes by. Fortunately, there are other weapons available to fight pain, and alleviation of pain really must be your top priority. Pain definitely depresses quality of life – believe me, I have been there myself…

 Alison Logan, vet