Wednesday. In the evening, our dog, Shadow, who had been quiet most of the day, came to us, and we noticed that his mouth was swollen. His lower lips were swollen and turned out at the back, and his throat was puffy. He had been a little quieter than normal that day, but nothing to frighten us, just something to note.
We rushed him to the emergency vet at the dog hospital, who felt his throat that we had been too scared of causing pain to touch, and found a large lump. Shadow also had a temperature. We said goodbye to him, and he was taken into the hospital.
The vet said to be aware that it may be cancer, but that the increased temperature made that unlikely. He gave Shadow a couple of injections - one was a tranquiliser. I warned the vet that the pills we had once been given for Firework's Night had not worked at all.
Later, the vet called. He had done a needle biopsy, and there was no bacteria in the lump, blood work had been done, and these showed no bacteria either. There were lymphocytes in the lump, but none were observed to have split.
The house was too quiet.
Thursday Shadow was X-rayed and scanned, and an operation was done on his throat, as his breathing was being affected. A drain was put in his neck, as the lump contained fluid. Part of the lump was sent for histopathology, and smears were done.
Shadow is a big shedder, but I found myself unable to hoover his hair off the floor. We had a visitor, who came in looking confused "My goodness! It's quiet in here." before she noticed that Shadow was not there.
Friday, we were advised that the lump and smears had arrived where they were to be tested, and that we would get the results on Monday. The vet began to talk about chemotherapy in a more detailed way. The drain was removed, as no more fluid was draining from the neck. We stayed up very late talking about the chemo, and talking through whether Shadow should be put through it. We suffered from various sympathetic pains in our throats and neck over a few days as we battled to absorb what was happening.
Saturday we visited the vet for a one hour consult about Shadow. We were told Lymphoma was 90% likely, and that the chemo was a 6 month course, and that we should not expect it to extend Shadow's life for more than 6 months. We were told that the lump was still causing breathing problems, but was too close to the jugular to remove. We agreed to the chemo starting, and that went ahead immediately. He received vincristine through a 24 hour drip. Even though the prospects did not look good, the thought of Shadow being strangled by the lump was simply unbearable.
We went home and explained things to the children.
Sunday, we collected Shadow from the vets, a lot of pills (steroids and anti-biotics), a yellow clinical waste bag, and a short written advice paper, written in basic clear language, except for the word "inappetence".
Sunday and Monday, Shadow slept, on his bed. It was as if he was too exhaused to interact with us. He wanted to eat- even when he had just eaten his dinner, he was licking his lips looking for more - he had returned to us thinner than he left us. He was constantly drinking. We were told not to walk him for longer than 10 minutes. At first his eyes were flat and dead looking, but by the first evening that had improved. His poo, wee, and any other bodily fliuds are toxic for 48 hours following treatment, so we have to bag poo in the clinical waste bag to be returned to the vets, and sluice down or scrub away other fluids.
The lump was deflating daily, and the vet had warned us that the dead tissue in his system would make him feel bad. He looked like he felt bad. He was breathing fine by the time he came home though.
Monday the results of the histopathology came back - Lymphoma. The staging showed the cancer to be intermediate - an earlier stage than the vets had thought. The vets now predicted Shadow surviving for a year, and said that there was now the merest, slightest, best not counted on possiblility that Shadow would never go out of remission. Monday night he showed signs of wanting to play.
Tuesday he was more lively, barking at noises in the street, and coming up to us for strokes. He even chased his rope a few times when we threw it for him. He is sticking close to us. The carpet is again thick with his black hair, but now I wonder when I see it if he is shedding more than normal - if he is in fact losing his hair.
Today, he is still hungry. I cannot stop myself giving him odd treats. I know this is not too good for him so I give him small treats. We also recieved a vets bill today for over £1,700. Through an oversight we have not yet contacted the insurance company.
We rushed him to the emergency vet at the dog hospital, who felt his throat that we had been too scared of causing pain to touch, and found a large lump. Shadow also had a temperature. We said goodbye to him, and he was taken into the hospital.
The vet said to be aware that it may be cancer, but that the increased temperature made that unlikely. He gave Shadow a couple of injections - one was a tranquiliser. I warned the vet that the pills we had once been given for Firework's Night had not worked at all.
Later, the vet called. He had done a needle biopsy, and there was no bacteria in the lump, blood work had been done, and these showed no bacteria either. There were lymphocytes in the lump, but none were observed to have split.
The house was too quiet.
Thursday Shadow was X-rayed and scanned, and an operation was done on his throat, as his breathing was being affected. A drain was put in his neck, as the lump contained fluid. Part of the lump was sent for histopathology, and smears were done.
Shadow is a big shedder, but I found myself unable to hoover his hair off the floor. We had a visitor, who came in looking confused "My goodness! It's quiet in here." before she noticed that Shadow was not there.
Friday, we were advised that the lump and smears had arrived where they were to be tested, and that we would get the results on Monday. The vet began to talk about chemotherapy in a more detailed way. The drain was removed, as no more fluid was draining from the neck. We stayed up very late talking about the chemo, and talking through whether Shadow should be put through it. We suffered from various sympathetic pains in our throats and neck over a few days as we battled to absorb what was happening.
Saturday we visited the vet for a one hour consult about Shadow. We were told Lymphoma was 90% likely, and that the chemo was a 6 month course, and that we should not expect it to extend Shadow's life for more than 6 months. We were told that the lump was still causing breathing problems, but was too close to the jugular to remove. We agreed to the chemo starting, and that went ahead immediately. He received vincristine through a 24 hour drip. Even though the prospects did not look good, the thought of Shadow being strangled by the lump was simply unbearable.
We went home and explained things to the children.
Sunday, we collected Shadow from the vets, a lot of pills (steroids and anti-biotics), a yellow clinical waste bag, and a short written advice paper, written in basic clear language, except for the word "inappetence".
Sunday and Monday, Shadow slept, on his bed. It was as if he was too exhaused to interact with us. He wanted to eat- even when he had just eaten his dinner, he was licking his lips looking for more - he had returned to us thinner than he left us. He was constantly drinking. We were told not to walk him for longer than 10 minutes. At first his eyes were flat and dead looking, but by the first evening that had improved. His poo, wee, and any other bodily fliuds are toxic for 48 hours following treatment, so we have to bag poo in the clinical waste bag to be returned to the vets, and sluice down or scrub away other fluids.
The lump was deflating daily, and the vet had warned us that the dead tissue in his system would make him feel bad. He looked like he felt bad. He was breathing fine by the time he came home though.
Monday the results of the histopathology came back - Lymphoma. The staging showed the cancer to be intermediate - an earlier stage than the vets had thought. The vets now predicted Shadow surviving for a year, and said that there was now the merest, slightest, best not counted on possiblility that Shadow would never go out of remission. Monday night he showed signs of wanting to play.
Tuesday he was more lively, barking at noises in the street, and coming up to us for strokes. He even chased his rope a few times when we threw it for him. He is sticking close to us. The carpet is again thick with his black hair, but now I wonder when I see it if he is shedding more than normal - if he is in fact losing his hair.
Today, he is still hungry. I cannot stop myself giving him odd treats. I know this is not too good for him so I give him small treats. We also recieved a vets bill today for over £1,700. Through an oversight we have not yet contacted the insurance company.
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