…as told by his owner Ruth. Latest update 14 May 2026.
So 2025 is coming to a close and I thought some readers might be interested to know what happened to Digby, our beloved dog who was diagnosed with a nasal tumour in July 2024.
It has certainly been a rollercoaster of a year.
January
Back in January, Digby had a scan of his head and the nasal tumour had ‘significantly reduced’. Elated, I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing. I cried with happiness. We started him on a chemo drug with the intention of reducing the remaining cancer and even possibly eradicating it completely. Unfortunately, that was not to be.
The chemo drug made Digby very unwell, he lost a lot of weight and was extremely tired. With the vet’s advice, we stopped the drug.
Head of the pack Digby with little sister Frieda (L) and 7 month old brother, Benson.
March
In March, Digby had a further scan and very sadly the tumour had started to regrow. We were heartbroken once more. The decision was taken to put him on palliative care with all the pain relief he needed to keep him comfortable. The vet said he had a couple of months left.
August
Over the following months, Digby started to lose the sight in his left eye as a result of the tumour’s growth and very sadly he lost his vision in that eye altogether back in August.
However, Digby is proving to be an amazing fighter with each milestone he reaches:
- He reached his 11th birthday in July, a day I thought he’d never see.
- He passed 12 months post his initial diagnosis in July this year.
- He’s survived 14 months from the end of his Radotherapy treatment when the average survival is 12 months.
Each day he lives is a true credit to him.
November
Knowing what I know now, it was absolutely the right treatment for Digby. Yes, the prognosis is the same and we know we’ll lose him one day, but this extra year was one we thought we’d never have and we’ve cherished every single moment.
There will be the inevitable update when it happens, but I’ll leave it to Freya to let you know. Meantime, Digby’s still enjoying his walks with his sister Frieda and new brother Benson, the Australian labradoodle.
Latest update
Well it’s now May 2026 and Digby is still leading a full life. Sadly, he lost sight in one eye and has limited sight in the other, but enjoys his walks with sister Frieda and brother Benson. Ruth is delighted to have her ever faithful Digby by her side. He is on regular pain relief but as long as he is happy to be here, she is still cherishing every moment.
You can read Digby’s full story here
My dog’s radiotherapy journey: Part One
My dog’s radiotherapy journey: Part Two