Can anyone give me some ideas of the symptoms their dogs had with lung mets? I hope I am overreacting, as we cancer pawrents are prone to do. First some background…

Yesterday I parked my car, with Tai in it, next to a car with another dog. For some reason they took an instant dislike to one another and, through half opened windows, let each other have a good dose of growling and very ferocious barking. Shortly after the "fight" was toned down Tai started hacking and coughing to the extent that she made herself sick. This sporadic gagging/hacking/coughing continued all the way home for 20 mins. She then ate her dinner like a champ, went for a paddle, slept on the sofa and did all the normal things with no further noises. This morning she hacked a few times before breakfast then nothing. I wetted her food and she ate great. She is not panting or having obvious trouble breathing and before yesterday's "woof-down" was fine.

I wonder if she stressed her lungs a bit yesterday with being so vocal – kind of like how I feel after doing more intense cardio than I really should and then coughing for several hours after. She is not scheduled for lung xrays for another couple of weeks so to avoid a trip to the vet does anyone have any suggestions?

She is quite happily sleeping in the sun right now with really slow rhythmic breathing but perhaps that's normal even with lung mets?

I hope I'm just being paranoid but if I need a dose of reality I'm ready to hear it…well sort of.

Laura 

Laura and Tai,

I'm not sure if those are symptoms that you have to worry about or not. I guess if she's feeling good otherwise and eating her food and all, I wouldn't be too concerned about seeing the vet earlier than your next appt. But if she does start loosing her appetite, hacking out blood or has problems breathing and her gums become pale, well that's another story. It also depends on whether you have decided to do anything about it if she does have lung mets. Many tripawds have lived several more happy months after their lung mets were diagnosed, while others began another chemo therapy. You can always call your vet if you're worried. But I really hope it's nothing and Tai continues to do well…

Angel Jake's Mom

I'm so glad to read of Tai's excellent report!  Yay!  Off to get the treats …

Tazzie said:

great new avatar, Hopalong!

That's great news about Tai! Excellent!! You must be so relieved!  You mention that Tai is on Cytoxin and that you're doing a urinalysis.   Is the urinalysis part of the routine check up every month? Just curious, Mackenize is on Cytoxin too and she was also prescribed a diuretic (begins with an L Lasix?- forget the name) to help prevent UTI's.  We have to do blood work every month but haven't been told about doing a urinalysis – I'm assuming only if she seems symptomatic? (she had a UTI recently and she showed no symptoms so you got me.) Anyway, keeping up with all of this sure can be confusing….

Again, congratulations on your news! It sure is a happy day!

Kami (Mackenzie's Mom)

Laura and Tai,

Some of us are just slow to get back to the computer and in June it will be worse. However, we are just a thrilled as possible to hear of your great check-up. I am not going to tell you not to worry over these type of incidents, because we all know how impossible it was for any of us. I will tell you to share a hug between the two of you from us, enjoy this day for the grandure of being together, and ride these highs just as far as you can. Above all, I would say that you both did great during this "scare". Always keep your head about you, take as detailed notes as possible, seek any common experience from this community, then talk to Tai's care giver with all this in hand.

I think that a mini (or maxi) PAWRTY would be called for under the circumstances. Sending Pawsitive Thoughts.

Spirit Cherry's Dad