Bad News

Shadow has his cancer back - at least, that's the strong indication. On Saturday just after lunch (and just after the vets close for the weekend) I stroked under his chin and felt soft marble sized bubbles where there should be no such thing.

I phoned the emergency vet and he said to bring Shadow in Monday morning, as he did not know what protocol Shadow's vet would want him to be put on. We could have taken him in to have his glands checked, but as we KNEW what the problem is, and there was nothing that would be done, we did not go in. Obviously, if he had become ill, or had begun to have trouble breathing, we would have taken him in, but he was bouncing.

We had Shadow sleeping on our bed that night - a first, but something I wanted to do, and something he really enjoyed. We got lots of kisses, and a few kicks, as he was so excited about it, but all in all he was very good. He didn't move about too much, but he does snore!

I knew that I had a morning bed cuddle with Shadow two days previously, and had taken the opportunity to feel him all over, and he was fine then, and of course I was berating myself for not feeling him down on the Friday - even though I worked a 7 1/4 hour shift and was running about sorting childcare, and shopping, before coming home and packing presents.

Shadow went into the vets Monday and we didn't see him until 6pm. He had been given one chemo. His bloods have been taken and some sent off for staging, some is being checked for his blood count. We were just pleased to have him back for Christmas day - though we had forgotten how tired he was after his first chemo, and thus unprepared for how flat he was.

The kids have taken this news quite lightly, I am sure they think that he will have the same treatment as before, and be fine, as before. We haven't spoken with them about the situation at all - we need to have a long talk with the vet once the results are back before that. My hubby is wondering if we should put Shadow through another round of treatment, but I am not prepared to think about that yet. It was only on Friday that someone asked about Shadow's health, and I was giving an upbeat answer.

Shadow is due a check up - and I keep thinking that we might have picked this up earlier if I had taken him in - but we were so busy in the run up to Christmas. I keep kissing his dear head. I have no aversion to him, as I did when he first was diagnosed - this event has made me familiar with cancer - I was fearful of it in itself before.

He is so tired he won't even get up for a treat - and he is back on the steroids. Last time it was only a few days and his lumps went down dramatically - they are not doing that this time. We heard the day before I felt the lump that the puppy we have been waiting for has been born. As if the puppy IS Shadow's replacement.

Finger's crossed that somehow Shadow is okay.

How he was

I see I have not posted here for a while. Shadow has been really well - his coat had gained its lustre and softness, and begun to grow - he has had more energy. About 6 weeks ago we had a check up and he had blood tests, which indicated that things were going well. I was suppoed to take him back in 4 to 6 weeks, but with christmas stealing time I had planned that we would take him in between Christmas and New Year.