Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hey everyone, I’m Petra’s mom, she is 13 days out from surgery, I’m feeling worried, overwhelmed, and a bit defeated. In the last several days, Petra has developed a area of swelling near the incision which is weeping pinkish fluid (pic below). We saw the surgeon for a recheck yesterday, he’s not super worried about it (the fluid is not coming out of the incision) and advised rest and no licking with a follow tomorrow if needed. He thought maybe she fell on this area? It’s really stressing me out because he did not know and I had been assuming it was a harmless seroma . Any thoughts/experience with this in the group?
And then just an hour ago I got a call from oncologist with pathology report. There were squamous cells in the lymph node behind her knee on amputated leg. We discussed the options for further treatment including just monitoring. I really do not want to do chemotherapy and I’m heartbroken that there was evidence of spread. I just don’t want to put my girl through the wringer. I’m already sad and worried about this swelling and how it is lengthening her recovery, etc, and that feels unfair to her. I’m tired and a little depleted.
thanks for letting me get this off my chest, I welcome your thoughts.
Jill
oh and here is a silly pic of Petra lounging in the sun today:
Jill I am in the Tripawds Chat right now if you want to talk. Back in a sec with some feedback..
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Ok first, look at that hoppy girl! She isn't worried or feeling defeated. She wants to know why you are so upset. After all, she really is healing, and she's making the most of being outside. What a face!
I know it's hard not to feel down. But honestly, what I see there sure looks like it could be a seroma . It's good that your vet examined it. Remember, they see many healing complications and would have told you if Petra's was one of them. If it is not warm to the touch, causing her a fever, or leaking blood or the skin isn't coming apart from the incision area, I would bet that it's just a pocket of excess fluid. That happens a lot, it's not uncommon at all.
If it continues to concern you, ask the oncologist to sample the fluid if they haven't already. That would probably tell you if it was more than a seroma .
Lastly, remember that chemo is optional and there is nothing wrong with opting out. Every situation is different. As long as you go with your heart and have her best interest in mind, that's the best medicine there is!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi. I am sorry that you are having to worry about the area near her stitches. Its hard not to worry, but Petra looks really happy, so it doesnt seem to be bothering her. I will keep you all in my thoughts and hopefully it will start to go away in the next few days! Keep us posted!
Pam
Hi Jill,
First off- Petra looks really happy in that picture, hang on to that when you are feeling down.
I totally understand feeling defeated at this point. When my Pug Maggie lost a rear leg to mast cell cancer I though the amp would be curative. I also got that call from the oncologist telling me the lymph node in her removed leg was full of cancerous mast cells. I went from thinking we were done with treatment to a prognosis of 6 to 9 months WITH chemo. Devastated was an understatement, it reinforced my thought that I had made a terrible mistake by choosing amputation.
I don't know what cancer cells in the lymph node means for Petra's kind of cancer- I would discuss with the oncologist what the prognosis is with and without chemo, what chemo they would recommend and what the protocol would be. It doesn't mean you have to chemo, but having all the information helps me make decisions.
I did chose chemo for Maggie, her prognosis without chemo was a few months. She tolerated it pretty well overall. We were very fortunate that Maggie far outlived her prognosis. There is no way to know if it was the chemo or not, and in fact she passed from a second cancer.
I have had two other cancer/chemo decisions to make. Maggie developed a second cancer and her little sis Tani developed mast cell cancer. In both instances I chose not to do chemo because it wasn't right for them at the time. One thing that helped me decide was writing out a pro & con list and then documenting my decision process.
Hopefully that bump is a seroma - it sounds like it. 13 days in is still pretty early so make sure Petra isn't overdoing things and once that heals up ramp up activity slowly.
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, all, your support really helps. The swelling is down a bit but not as much as I'd hoped and it continues to weep. Vet saw pics yesterday and said he wasn't worried but wanted pics again this Tuesday to reevaluate and decide when stitches can come out (she's 15 days out today). She continues to eat well and seems chipper although today she is sleeping more than usual. Hopefully the rest will help move the healing along!
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