Caring for a senior dog with lymphoma

Hello! My sweet dog is 13 years old and was diagnosed with lymphoma in March. I’ve been worried about him not only due to his illness, but because he becomes very anxious when I am away, as well; I will not return home from studying abroad for another 30 days. He’s in my mother’s care right now and taking Prednisone. Lately, he does not want to eat regardless of what the food is or how it is prepared. He seems to only give in when he gets too hungry, but still doesn’t finish his meal. My dog has also struggled to walk at times, and has begun to turn around to go home sooner when he is taken outside. The other day when he went to pee, he ended up not being able to balance and fell as he was doing so, soiling himself. I am aware that he is not going to last much longer, although I worry a lot about him passing and feeling alone and scared without me. It’s only four weeks until I fly home, although I am unsure if he can hold out until we are able to meet again. Is there anything at all that can be done to prolong his life until then? I want to believe that there is more that can be done aside from just watching him deteriorate. My mom has told me that she doesn’t care anymore and I honestly believe she’s wanted to be rid of the responsibility of caring for my dog for a while. If I’m honest, I don’t trust that she has elected to pursue the most effective care for his illness, especially because I am not there to hear what the vet has to say. She is always dismissive when I ask about the vet’s opinion and treatment options, often telling me that “cancer is incurable” and “your grandfather was treated for cancer and died anyway.” I know that my dog’s lymphoma cannot be cured; I am simply seeking to extend his life because he cannot understand why I have been gone for so long and I don’t want him to feel abandoned when he eventually passes. His name is Mo, he is about 12lbs/5.5kg, and he just turned 13 two weeks ago. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and offer assistance. I appreciate you a lot :-)

Hello and I'm so sorry to hear that your old dog has lymphoma.  I beleive that there are good chemotherapy options available for many canine lymphoma patients, with an acceptable range of side effects.  However, you would need to speak to your vets in order to know whether or not a) this has been offered and b) is a viable option in Mo's case. It sounds as though your mother has had difficult experiences with chemotherapy, so it is unsurprising that Mo's illness is difficult for her to think about.  The costs of treatment are not just financial and time-related; for her the emotional cost of going through chemotherapy with Mo could be much higher than we can imagine. In order to move forward, I would reccommend a phone conversation with your vet (assuming that you are the registered owner).  I hear that you feel powerless because of the distance between you and wonder whether online grief counselling could help.  There is an online charity called the Ralph Site who may be able to offer reccommendations. Wishing you, Mo and your mother all the best.