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Keeping a dog after cystectomy
Greetings,
I am scheduled to have a cystectomy in Dec that will include an ileal conduit diversion (i.e. external bag). I live alone and was planning (before this news) to adopt a small dog to replace my long time companion cat who died. Now I worry about caring for the dog if he/she needs attention at night, as I will be tethered to a large urine apparatus at night. I believe the dog could provide some excellent emotional therapy and would help ensure that I walked each day. Does anyone have thoughts .. pro or con about having a pet dog in these circumstances. Of course, I would look for a dog that is suited for being primarily indoors.
Thank you for presence on the web.
Betsy -
7 Replies
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I vote for the dog!
If you are alone, then wait a few weeks until you are recovered enough to enjoy the dog. If you have a partner with you then start looking for that dog NOW!
The dog is the Best therapy in the world. They make you smile every time you look at their smiling face.
I had the best time during my recovery with my dog. I stayed downstairs on a small bed and Hemi never left me. He usually slept upstairs in our bedroom at night, but during my recovery he never left my side. Even after a walk to do his business, my wife said he just wanted to turn around immediately and come home to me. When they came to remove the surgical staples he was right there watching. When I made a noise during one particularly knarley staple removal, He jumped right between the visiting nurse and me, as a protector. What a Dog!Yes! I vote for the dog.
George
Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
Light a man ON fire and he’s warm forever.08/08/08…RC neo bladder
09/09/09…New Hip
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New Man! [/size]One more thought. I had to wait until I officially retired to get a dog so in the meantime it was a fun activity to look at what breeds I might want, size, age, etc. I used this site a lot which included all of the dogs from local rescue groups – https://www.petfinder.com – And I went to various sites that summarized the characteristics of each breed. I even set up a Pinterest board with my daughter called ‘Doggerist’ when I found dogs I liked – in my case they had to have hair and be smaller than 25 lbs (now that I have a dog I would probably narrow the range from 10 to 15 lb because my 11 lb is perfect size – easy to carry and big enough to see so they don’t get stepped on :)
So have fun looking and I wish you a fast recovery after December.
Cheers, Linda
Hi Betsy, Will you have someone that will be able to help you with the dog if your recovery takes a little longer than you anticipate. I have not gone thru what you are going thru’ but I think if you had a dog you would need someone that could step in and take care of it if you would need them to.
Good luck what ever decision you make. Rocky
Hi and welcome,
I had a radical cystectomy with an Indiana Pouch 6 weeks ago. i have a wonderful dog, who is a rescue, who is estimated to be about 9 years old. She is very comforting to have around and doesn’t jump on me, but she does pull when we walk. Lately I have had to rely on family and neighborhood kids to walk her as I don’t feel steady enough yet. So I am looking forward to the early spring when we can walk together again.
So I am going to echo what you have heard from others. Get a great new dog in the spring when you feel ready to do some walking, and choose an older dog if possible. Good luck on your recovery! Wishing you the best.
PLK
PLK in NJ
A dog can certainly be a great companion but they do require some physical activity on your part. Once you have recovered from your surgery and have your strength back, a doggie search could begin. Springtime would be a nice time to add a new member to your household.
A dog will give you a reason to get up in the morning and someone to love. Choosing the right match for temperament is important as well, and a dog usually will fit themselves into your routine quickly.
Note to lindaofsb: Your dog is the cutest!!! Love the costume… I can tell that you both have a great sense of humor!
Best wishes… CatherineTURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
Vanderbilt Medical Center
Nashville, TNI was diagnosed with bladder cancer in March of 2014 and last spring (2015) finally got a dog – something I have wanted to do for 60 years! Since I never smoke and had a very healthy lifestyle before BC I suspect that stress from my job was a contributor to getting cancer. I finally retired and the dog is a huge benefit for feeling happy and relaxed. But I agree with the comments that it is very important to get the right dog. Mine is a teenager with terrier in the mix so she gets me up at 6am and must be walked at least twice each day. An older dog makes sense but I think you should also consider a therapy dog who has training specifically for what you need.
Good luck!!
Hi Betsy and welcome. I would definitely go for a dog, but take some advice from the rescue centre or vet as to what dog would best suit you. I would guess a puppy or very young dog would not be suitable, but maybe an older dog would be better suited. If it were me, I would wait until you are recovered from the surgery before bringing the dog home, and that would give you time to find the right one, and start to see how you both get on. Some rescue centres are happy to let you “foster” a dog before committing to adopt, as it is in the dogs best interest that you are suited to each other and that it·s new home is a Forever home.
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