Muppy was diagnosed with bladder cancer on June 20th. As I write this on January 8th, I am very pleased to tell you that Muppy is still with us, and our journey continues.
Since about 25% of dogs may develop cancer, and the risk rises to 40-50% over age ten, I believe sharing my story can help others facing similar journeys with their dogs. I hope my experience makes your path a little easier.
My earlier column emphasized my concern over how my grief would affect Muppy [ FMI–How and When We Grieve Matters, Finding Joy at a Stressful Time ]. At the same time, I was also concerned about how my grief would affect me, my wife, my employees, and my friends. When my Golden Tikken passed, I was a wreck. For all concerned, I decided to start seeing a therapist, and it has been invaluable. Never be afraid to seek out professionals to help with your mental health.
I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can give our pets is to end their suffering when the time comes. Over my 68+ years of life, I have been exposed to situations where I felt people euthanized a pet too soon or allowed a pet to suffer for too long. I am determined not to do either with Muppy. My family, friends, employees, and a team of trusted veterinary professionals understand my desire, and I am confident they will tell me what I need to hear. In other words, Muppy and I are lucky that we are not taking this journey alone. That gives me great comfort.
Within days of Muppy’s diagnosis, I developed this list to assess Muppy daily to help determine if she was suffering. Since I live where I work, over the 12+ years Muppy has been part of our family, I have been able to interact with and observe her behavior almost every day. The fact that she is a “daddy’s girl” and that she likes to keep me company helps. Where I erred was assuming anything negative in the list was a 5-alarm fire.
Excited to greet the day – I treasure Muppy and the enthusiasm with which she greets each new day. Physically, she still acts like she did when she was five as shown in this photo.
Seeking out interactions with us – Muppy has always been emotionally connected to both Paula and me. Any change in this behavior could indicate that she is not well.
However, that intense emotional bond can cause us to affect one another. In November, when I hurt my back, I was obviously in pain. I now believe Muppy picked up on my discomfort. She seemed to insist on staying closer. During this same time frame, there were days she would not eat, and she would get me up in the middle of the night. That, in turn, made me more anxious about her, and it became a vicious feedback loop until I became less obsessed with seeing 5-alarm fires.
Showing signs of pain or discomfort – It’s normal for a person or dog to show signs of pain and discomfort throughout his life. A temporary illness does not necessarily mean that Muppy’s cancer is getting worse.
Eating normally and maintaining weight – Muppy has always wolfed down her meals except when she's not feeling well, and again, I overcompensated. Yes, she occasionally chose not to eat but has maintained her weight.
Going to the bathroom normally – One of the symptoms of Muppy’s bladder cancer is that she feels like she constantly needs to pee. Thus, her new normal is to urinate and then attempt to urinate anywhere from three to six times before she is ready to go back inside. That means we are taking her out every 40 to 90 minutes during the hours she is awake. This requires constant attention and can be exhausting, but we both know we are there for one another.
Sleeping well – Throughout her life, Muppy has always slept well at night, though she occasionally does not when she is feeling ill or worried about me.
Lessons Learned – At 14+ years of age, Muppy is going to slow down. I need to consider everything on my list and not panic when one or two little things aren’t quite right. Patience and acceptance can help you feel more grounded as your pet ages.
Muppy takes every day as it is and makes the best of it, and I need to remind myself to do the same. Both she and I will benefit when I do.
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). A Pet Professional Guild (PPG) member, Don serves on the Board of Directors, Steering Committee, and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and Shock-Free Coalition. The opinions in this article are those of Don Hanson. ©2026, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved