Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I have been to two vets and neither can determine what the issue is (besides doing exploratory surgery), details below, PLEASE HELP save the life of this wonderful companion.
Lyon, Flat Coat Retriever, 9 years 11 months old, male, intact.
About three weeks ago he began excessively drinking and would get up 4-6 times at night to pee. Shortly after he stopped eating his dry food, the same one he loved just a week prior. He lost interest in all food, but would still beg for his morning Greenies dental chew and the occasional human food. He went from 74 lbs to 70 lbs in the first week, but has been stable at 70 lbs for two weeks. He now rejects his daily vitamin, fish oil, and glucosamine/MSM. To get him to eat, we have been feeding him boiled chicken or salmon with rice, but he would only finish half portion.
He still looks forward to walks, but moves at a sluggish pace and would stop to rest. He would vomit white foam (happens about 2 nights a week), and is generally tired. In the past week, he appears to be constipating. He has a round lump of mass about 2x1 inches around the left bulbourethal gland that does not go away - cytology report found some histiocyte, round cells, but no obvious indicator of cancer - and ultrasound found it to be a mass inside the abdomen cavity and not a gland. He has been on antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole) for a week.
The vet ruled out Cushings, Addersons, diabetes, and said his prostate is slightly enlarged due to age but not abnormal. Please, if you have any advice on what he could be suffering from, or what to do next. We feel surgery is too premature until we have a better idea of what we are dealing with. THANK YOU.
Values from his blood work that are abnormal:
albumin 2.3 (range 2.7-4.4)
A/G ration 0.7 (range 0.8-2.0)
Alk phos 195 (range 5-131)
magnesium 1.1 (range 1.5-2.5)
precisionPSL 159 (range 25-140)
WBC 22.5 (range 4.0-15.5)
platelet count 524 (range 170-400)
neutrophils 19800 (range 2060-10600)
monocytes 900 (range 0-840)
Urinalysis:
yellow, clear, pH 6.0 (range 5.5-7.0), but protein is high at 1+.
Negative on crystals, ketones, WBC, etc.
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Best wishes for Lyon! We just wonder, what brings you to Tripawds? Nothing seems to indicate any sort of limb cancer or suggest amputation may be necessary...
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
He is beautiful. Hope you find an answer soon. What are the vets recommending? Just the surgery? Have you consulted with a specialist? Or perhaps a university if there is one near you?
Otis - 106 pound lab/Dane mix, lost his right front leg to osteosarcoma on Febuary 9, 2016. Four rounds of carboplatin completed in April, 2016. Lung mets August 25, 2016. Said goodbye too soon on September 4, 2016. Lost his adopted sister, Tess, suddenly on October 9, 2016. likely due to hemangiosarcoma.
Wherever they are, they are together.
So very sorry your sweet boy is having these issues. As noted, he is a very, very, handsome boy!!
I have zero insight and wish I coukd be more help. Clearly you love your boy and you are doing EVERYTHING possible for him!!
Obviously (I guess), the mass appears to be causing the issues and possibly pressure making it hard for him to have an easy bowel movement..maybe?
Maybe a dumb question, ut is it something that the Vets can say with some certainty they can remove the mass and feel like his issues will be cleared up?
And ditto Christine, is there a teaching University or some other type Specialist??
Ankther ssuggestion, you can post under ASK A VET forum and see if our volunteer Vet has any additional insight.
Please stay connected and let us know any updates when you can. And we would love ro see more pics of your handsome boy!!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Flat coats are very prone to cancer in general. His white count and lipase are up which could indicate either pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. Did they ultrasound his entire abdomen? His liver looks big on the lateral abdominal view and on the VD view all of his intestines are pushed caudally and to the right which suggests a mass effect. He needs an ultrasound (maybe by a radiologist) tp adequatley examine the pancreas.
Pam
As a fellow flattie owner with 2 male littermates, 3 years old. We discovered a bump on Red's right, rear hock in late October 2016. After 2 vets' opinions, tests and x-rays we were sent to UW Madison, WI a teaching vererinary clinic. Excellent care; above and beyond information was offered. Phone calls to ask how he was doing during recovery once we got him home. Always return phone calls with concerns and questions. It is a solid 2 hour drive, we are happy to make for our flattie, Red. Headed to UW tomorrow for round 4 chemo. Red is doing fantastic with little to no symptoms so far.
Hi there msmona940 & Red, thanks for joining. We're so glad Red is doing well! Please consider starting a new topic so we can follow along with your journey. Can't wait!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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