Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hazel is a 10 year old staffie cross that had one of her front legs amputated just over 2 months ago due to MCT.
She was on prednisolone on a tapering dose for a couple of months but then we got the call that the MCT had returned about a week ago. This meant we started her back up on a high dose of sterioids (4 x 5mg tablets once a day).
She's been on this new dose for about 5 days and very suddenly deteriorated overnight. She had laboured breathing, she toileted in her bed (diarrhoea) and then couldn't stand up or move out of the mess, she just lay there. She's been refusing food today too so I can't give her piriton to help. She's since vomited small amounts of bile too.
Has anyone elses dog experienced these issues when when on prednisolone? Or is this the MCT cuasing her to deteriorate so quickly?
Any information you have will help,
nyoom
This must be so scary. How is she doing today?
I know that Prednisolone side effects can include GI upset but I'm wondering if she could have eaten anything to make her stomach so upset?
It's hard to say what this could be. Please let us know what your vet says OK? I'm sorry I'm not much help!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
She's honestly bounced back so well, you wouldn't know from looking at her that she was so ill only a few hours ago.
My vets can't see her this evening but they've told me to make an appointment for tomorrow morning.
Honestly now I'm more confused than anything else, what could come on so quickly and severely but also leave just as fast? It was a scary 3 hours but she's back to her normal self now.
I'll update after her vets appointment, at the very least it's comforting that they haven't said to take her to an emergency vet.
nyoom
Woah that's kinda crazy, but good that she's normal again!
OK let us know what the vets say tomorrow. Give that girl a big ol smooch from us, we are so glad she's OK.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm just seeing this- I'm sorry she got so sick, how scary!
What do you mean the MCT has returned? Is there a new tumor or did they do a test and see internal spread?
Is she on benadryl and pepcid or something for her stomach on a routine basis?
The mast cell cancer itself can cause stomach issues because of the histamines and other junk it can dump in the system all at once (which is why I was told my dog had to stay on pepcid). But I never experienced such a sudden illness that came on then resolved so quickly in either of my Pugs who had multiple MCTs.
It seems weird that she was very sick and recovered so quickly, you would think if it was the pred then she would stay sick until it was out of her system?
Is there anything she could have eaten?
I'm glad she is back to normal now. Keep us posted on what the vet has to say.
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
Thanks for the support 
I'll try my best to answer all your questions:
Before Hazels amputation they saw spread from the tumor to one of her lymph nodes which they removed when they did the amputation, but obviously couldn't say for sure that it hadn't metastasised somewhere else already. I say the MCT has returned as just over a week ago we took Hazel to the vets as she had sudden swelling and bruising accross her shoulder and chest, the vets took a few needle aspirates of the swelling and a few spots around that found mast cells in one of them.
She was on omeprazole previously but she's been off that for a few weeks, I could easily start her back on that again to try and help with the tummy issues.
It's definitely been a very strange day. I'm certain she hasn't eaten anything out of the ordinary either. I'm starting to think maybe she was affected by the heat? She was probably also stressed out because she basically never toilets in the house and when she had done in the past (about 2 years ago, I was working a lot of overtime 
) she would always act so upset and withdrawn...
It's certainly a mystery for now,
nyoom
Hmm, well I think between the Omeprazole and the stress of heat, and pooping accidentally, she just had a mental meltdown. It's understandable for sure.
Just so glad it's now in mystery status and not something serious. WHEW!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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