Pretty sure this can't all really be happening, but until I wake up, I might as well share what's going on with my Tripawds community, just like I would if I weren't having a nightmare...

Over Memorial Day weekend, Gerry started having weird episodes.  They seemed like extreme fear or anxiety with protective barking behavior the first couple times it happened.  There was also lots of frantic running around and uncontrolled peeing.  Gerry has never done much barking, except when my roommate's dog, who is the barker, is really aggravated, and then Gerry will throw in a few backup barks.  And my roommate's dog was present and not freaking out.  Still, my first inclination was that maybe he saw a coyote (we have a few in the woodier parts of the city), but it was still very light out and extremely hot, over 90 degrees.  So it was hard to imagine a coyote out and about.  

The second time it happened that night, I called the local emergency vet.  They advised that since Gerry had gone up and down stairs, among other things, during his freak out, it was highly unlikely it could have been a seizure.  So, we waited, hoping more info would present itself.

The next day, it happened again - 45 miles away.  New place, a cookout, but he knew everyone present and was perfectly content for a couple hours before he had another episode.  He was even more agitated this time - possibly because he was on a leash and more constrained.  So, rushed him to the nearest emergency vet, which was in the opposite direction of home (Waukesha, for curious Wisconsinites).  They did bloodwork, some basic neurological tests, and everything was fine/normal.  They recommended an MRI and to follow up with UW Madison Neurology.

So we went back home late that night and it happened two more times as soon as we got back.  At the end of the second one, he hid in a corner in the basement and barely responded to my roommate and I.  We both had the thought that maybe he wasn't even recognizing us.  He eventually came out of it enough to get him in the car and go to UW Madison for an emergency visit.  At the vet, he was his usual self.  There, we learned that not only were all the neurologists there and everywhere at a conference all week, but UW Madison's MRI was broken and wouldn't be up and running until next week.  The closest MRI was back in Waukesha, where we had come from that night.

So back to Waukesha ASAP, a couple days later.  On UW Madison's advice, also had chest x-rays and abdominal ultrasound done, along with the MRI.  Meantime, Gerry's diarrhea had returned (thought to have been caused by coccidia, which he tested positive for a couple weeks early and was treated for).  So, I also took a fecal sample, which he was due for as a recheck.  The chest x-rays, ultrasound all came back looking great.  The MRI also looked normal to the vet on duty, but to be sure, it was recommended a neurologist look at it - once they're back from the conference, that is.  The fecal though was negative for coccidia, but positive for tapeworm!  To my dismay, all vets I've talked to have assured me that a tapeworm would not have cause Gerry's scary freakout behavior.  So that remained a mystery.

At this point, still waiting for the neurologist consult.  May hear back on that tomorrow, but could take until next week.  Gerry got his pill for his tapeworm a couple days ago, but since then two things turned up.  A bump near his nipples that was not another nipple.  At first I thought it could simply be an outie belly button, irritated by being shaved.  I described it to Gerry's vet in an email and she suspected it might be a skin tag.  The other thing that turned up was diarrhea again, so as long as I needed to bring in another fecal, I brought Gerry in too to have the bump looked at.  It was aspirated and, now, finally we get to what was promised in the topic title - a mast cell tumor.

Fortunately, the vet we saw can fit him in tomorrow and my saintly, soon-to-be former roommate is postponing her trip to her new home on the east coast so that she can take Gerry in for me tomorrow morning.  (Work is crazy right now and my supervisor was already really flexible with me last week for all the other stuff, so I was so relieved she could do that for me, because I was not looking forward to begging off work again).

So, it's still pretty small.  Just a bit bigger than one of his nipples.  They won't know what grade until next week some time - maybe longer, I'm not sure.  It has to be sent off to a lab to be diagnosed.  I forgot to ask how long it takes to get the results.  Vet told me a 1 or 2 grade, as long as they get it out with clean margins, won't require any additional treatment. Higher is bad - we'd probably be off to an oncologist to talk chemo and other options.  

So yeah, that's where we are today.  Surgery tomorrow.

The vet asked if we had a cone collar already.  Ha.  Have two. 

Oh, and yeah, at this point, since there didn't appear to be any sign of cancer on the MRI (though still waiting on the specialist) - this diagnosis still doesn't illuminate those heartbreaking freakouts at all.  He hasn't had any since.  I'm most suspicious of the Vectra 3D that my roommate applied to her dog that weekend.  Gerry also got his Frontline.  But while it wasn't the first use of Vectra 3D by her on her dog, she hasn't used it many times.  I certainly can't say it was for sure the cause, but definitely be wary if you're going to try it.  Take any out of the ordinary behavior your pup shows very seriously.  And read the box carefully for instructions and warnings.  That's my unsolicited advice on that issue.

By the way, we were this close to getting Gerry started as an official therapy dog:

Handsome in his uniform, ain't he?