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My 10 year old Dober had surgery a month ago to remove a tumored spleen which was bleeding out in her abdomen. She had never been ill a day in her life, and fortunately the tumor was benign.
A month later and she's been active as a puppy - until yesterday. While on an outing she got real quiet, and by the evening she was in exactly the same shape as before her surgery -- bloated abdomen, not eating, not moving around. A trip to the vet this AM and a blood test showed she is dangerously anemic with elevated white count and low red count. Unfortunately my company closed down and I'm surviving on unemployment (her surgery cleaned me out of savings), so I can't even pay for further x-rays or more surgery.
Anyone have an educated idea what this could be and what my options are without funds? This dog is like my daughter, and I'm sick with worry.
This is really, really tough. You need to make the decision yourself. But this sounds like something that could potentially recur repeatedly, and become financially unbearable eventually. You need to watch out for your girl, but make sure to do the right thing for yourself too. Hoping for the best news possible and that things work out.
Your baby has lived a long life and I am sure the best you could give her. There is nothing you could do for her now than more surgery, more pain and more medication which is unnatural in the animal world. Don't feel guilty, love your baby and help her to pass to the next world.
Talk to your vet, and let him tell you the options. It is possible that its an easy fix, not a repeat of the past, and you can afford it. It's also possible that the vet would be willing to perform a followup at reduced or no charge -- maybe it is a result of some oversight? Anyway, get her to the vet. If the only course of action is to make it her last visit, at least you will know you did everything you could do.
God bless you with strength to care for her though to the end, regardless of what that turns out being.
Was the tumor malignant? If so, it is possible it has metastasized to another area and is doing the same thing. I was at the vet yesterday and the owner of a Golden was telling me her dog had a very similar problem. I sincerely wish you and your dog the best.
Did they send the tumor off to see if it was benign or just make an educated guess to save money? Hemangiosarcomas are common there, especially at that age. Your dog is exhibiting all of the signs of this, and I would venture to guess that the original tumor your vet removed might not have been complete, but without the report from the lab, who knows? If it is hemangiosarcoma, it is not an easy nor inexpensive thing to recover from at all. We would remove the whole spleen, not just a tumor. Take your dobie to the vet and let them draw some fluid out of the abdomen. They'll know right away. And you'll know what to do. I'm sorry. It doesn't sound like anything that isn't extremely serious.
Did they send the tumor off to see if it was benign or just make an educated guess to save money? Hemangiosarcomas are common there, especially at that age. Your dog is exhibiting all of the signs of this, and I would venture to guess that the original tumor your vet removed might not have been complete, but without the report from the lab, who knows? If it is hemangiosarcoma, it is not an easy nor inexpensive thing to recover from at all. We would remove the whole spleen, not just a tumor. Take your dobie to the vet and let them draw some fluid out of the abdomen. They'll know right away. And you'll know what to do. I'm sorry. It doesn't sound like anything that isn't extremely serious.
The whole spleen WAS removed along with the tumor, and the vet said from his visual inspection when she was opened up the other organs appeared quite normal. The sections of the removal which were tested were all benign.
Today her gums are whiter than yesterday, but she appears to be more active since starting Prednisone last night. Her abdomen is less swollen. She's at least taken about 2 ounces of chicken breast with rice - a vast improvement. Water consumption is way elevated. The vet is checking her again today to evaluate her reaction to the medicine.
It's heartbreaking to see her try to behave normally -- asking for her belly scratching, wagging her tail rapidly -- but at such a reduced activity level. Now I'm hoping she's just plain old under the weather and it has nothing to do with her previous problem. I have more than the faith of a mustard seed. Thanks so much to all for blessings!
I really hope it wasn't hemangiosarcoma!! We had some of our best client/patients that did everything possible....going into the thousands+++ trying their hardest to overcome it, treatment/surgery early, etc. Very heartbreaking. Sending dobie love from us!!! (My dog'o'choice!! ) Keep us updated and do consider the abdominal tap. They can learn so very much from those!!
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Not cancerous
) Keep us updated and do consider the abdominal tap. They can learn so very much from those!!
