Sorcha

This is a follow-up to the previous thread http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=235052. Tuna, who prefers to ride in the trunk (with the back seat down, of course!). Nola's pathetic "worried" look (in the examination room). Well, I now have more questions than answers and $300 less in the bank. With Nola, the vet did a cytology with fine needle aspiration and the results were the lump is fatty (and it's 5 cm). Vet said it does not need to be surgically removed for medical reasons, unless I want it removed. she said to keep an eye on it to see if it grows any larger, if that happens then it will need to be re-evaluated to see if it should be removed. So, I need to consult with my regular vet who told me it does need to be removed at the size it is. For now, surgery is on hold so the bloodwork was not done. With Tuna, two chest radiographs were taken and both were clear. Their scale has her weight as being 45 lbs. All the while Tuna is panting (it's very raspy). I showed the vet a video of her coughing at night, and the vet listened to her chest. I asked if it could be her airway and she said the only way to know is an oral exam where she would be put her under anethesia and a scope would go down her throat, I don't like that idea because Tuna does not do well under anethesia and the vet also mentioned having to manipulate her neck which is a problem because Tuna has disc issues. So, I need to consult with my regular vet who felt pretty sure she could have some sort of cancer. In the meantime, the animal hopital vet put her on 5 days of Prednisone 20 mg once a day and Doxycycline 100 mg per day (one tablet split in half twice a day) and told me to let her know on Thursday if her coughing stops and if she's eating better. The thing is, it's not that she does not want to eat, it's that she starts eating and coughs up her food so I imagine she feels like she can't breathe when she eats so it scares her and she stops eating. Can you see the lump sticking out on her neck, below the collar? Tuna, panting away as usual.

Tom, I must have missed this last week (sorry) ... my deepest condolences on Jed's passing.

Thanks. No, it was golfball size back in March when the vet said to continue to keep an eye on it. Now it's more the size of a large plum (doubled in size).

Thanks. The IG's name is Harkan. Thank you... and again thanks to everyone for their support.

Thank you. Yes, Nola is one of the "borzukis". Thanks, tell Khan that Nola is going to be just fine. She's only 5, so whatever this is she will battle it. Thank you and thanks again to everyone who posted here for keeping the girls in their thoughts.

The time to say goodbye to Tuna is coming soon, the vet is willing to come to my house when it's time. For now I am keeping her comfortable and spoiling her rotten. Thank you, Robin. Thanks again to everyone. This is hard going through alone.

Indeed, and my English setter is also not well (age related and also she has been having seizures and head tremors).

Thanks for good thoughts. Here's a picture taken a couple of weeks ago, hanging out in the sandbox with their IG brother ...

Tonight was going to be an annual visit to the vet for Tuna the greyhound, age 13, and Maxie the English setter, age 16 (no shots). I ended up leaving Maxie home so I could instead bring Nola the borzoi-saluki, age 5, because a growth has been getting larger and I wanted it re-checked (the vet last looked at it in March). The vet is sighthound-savy and is more of a "country vet" (has his own one-man practice). Tuna is a frail, old greyhound who has hind-end weakness. She recently started having issues with swallowing and also heavy (freight train) breathing and panting, as well as sleeping with her mouth open and having little coughs as though trying to get air. She had not been able to eat all of her dinner due to the troubles swallowing (she has never chewed food, just swallows it so I have always wetted down her dry food to make it into mush). She is down to 49 lbs. The vet took a listen and her chest sounds very "dense". I can't remember what all else he said, something about she does not seem to be oxygenating well and he suspects cancer. A chest x-ray is scheduled for next Monday (I have to go to a nearby animal hospital for that). Meanwhile, back in March I discovered a mass on the front of Nola's neck. I immediately took her to the vet, he calmed my fears and advised me to keep an eye on it and if it increases in size to bring her back. Well, that happened and now the vet is alarmed and said it has to be surgically removed. So she will have a pre-surgery visit on Monday night (at the animal hospital) and then surgery will be scheduled.

The above suggestions are all great. Another one my vet suggested when all else failed ... Cheerios (in place of rice / pasta / potatoes).

Robin, my deepest condolences on Loca's passing. I wish you comfort and hope that memories of better times you shared with her to help you through this difficult time.

The bandage on her tail seems fine, there's no swelling and her tail does not feel cold, although it does not feel warm either! I put a very light bandage on her leg for the time being, covered with a sock that has the foot cut out. Once the swelling in her paw goes away I will put on a proper bandage and vet wrap. How long should it take for the swelling to go away, by morning? Unfortunately I cannot stay home with her tomorrow, I have to go to work so I want to be sure she's okay before I leave.

UPDATE I went to take Tuna outside and discovered that the paw on the bandaged leg was very swollen. I immediately started taking the bandage off while calling the animal hospital. I was told to indeed take off the bandage to restore circulation and then do water treatment (soak paw in lukewarm water). I have done all that, now keeping an eye on it for the swelling to go down. I will lightly bandage for now, until the swelling goes away completely and then I will put on a proper bandage,

She is a professional sitter, licensed / insured. It certainly was not her fault, but she insisted that since it happened while Tuna was in her care that she would not let me pay the vet bill, not even half.

That's her "quit taking photos an give me my dinner back" face!!

Thanks for the well wishes for Tu. Here she is bandaged up, yellow just is not her color! (I moved her bed to the kitchen while she was eating dinner, she wanted no part of standing up to eat dinner so I gave it to her laying down). I am not sure what store (s) to get the dogsitter gift card (s) for, I do not know where she usually shops! I have to think about that.

I was out of town the past couple of days and this morning I woke to the dogsitter calling to say Tuna had taken a fall down the 3 concrete steps going outside. The dogsitter said she had a gash to her upper leg and was bleeding, but she cleaned it and stopped the bleeding and then bandaged her up. I decided to cut my trip short and get ready to head home (I was 2 hours away), as I am packing the dogsitter calls back to say that she just discovered that Tuna also injured her tail in the fall, it was split open at the top, down to bone. She said she was taking Tu to the animal hospital for medical care (I tried calling my regular vet but there was no answer, it was only 7 am so I know he was not open yet so I called the animal hospital to alert them that the dogsitter was on her way with Tu). They sutured Tuna's tail wound and the wounds on her upper leg and sent her home with notes for me and Clavimox. I am home now, I have not seen the wounds because the are bandaged and the vet's note says to change them in 3 days then repeat until she comes in to have her stitches removed in 10 days. Tuna has had a history of hind end weakness the past year or so (she's 13) but the dogsitter does not feel like that was the reason for the accident. She explained that as Tuna was headed outside, one of my other dogs tried to run past her and knocked her unsteady which spooked her and led to the fall. Here's the thing, the vet bill was around $250. The dogsitter insisted on paying, would not even let me pay half of the bill. She said this happened on her watch and she was responsible. She also said she would take Tuna back in to have the sutures removed, but I told her I would take care of that. Of course I want to do something to somehow repay the dogsitter, maybe a gift card to somewhere and send it in a thank you note? Any ideas?

In older dogs, yes - but Nola's only 5. That still seems young to me! My 13 year old greyhound has had small (dime and quarter size) fatty cysts since she was around 10.

No, he examined it by touch and sight. He never said anything about testing it. Should he have aspirated it now, or wait and see if it grows larger and then aspirate? By the way, this is not an animal hospital. He's more of a "country vet" running a small practice. He has experience with sighthounds.

UPDATE! Back from the vet and he said he does not think it's anything to worry about, that it is probably just a fatty cyst, although a pretty large one. Nola recently slimmed down, dropping 4 lbs in the past year (she was carrying a little extra weight), vet feels that it's been there but that with her "extra padding" before that's why I did not notice it. Now that she has shed some weight, it's more noticeable. He said she is at an ideal weight now (53 lbs) and to just keep an eye on it and let him know if it gets bigger.

Hey Beth, thanks for the offer, you are welcome to come along if you really want to but I have myself convinced this is nothing serious! Not like Ailish serious at least if you know what I mean. We should figure out a time to get together one of these days.

Well unfortunately with my work schedule this week I cannot get her in during the day, I could get out of work early and be there around 4:30 but those appointments are already booked, the first available evening appointment was Thursday.

I spoke with the vet and moved her appointment up to the next available evening which is this Thursday. Thanks for the well wishes.

My greyhound has several fatty deposits and cysts that the vet has all ruled nothing to be concerned about. The lump on Nola is completely different, it's like she has a plum under her skin and seems firmly attached.

Nola is my 5 year old saluki-borzoi who has always been healthy. I was brushing her this morning and discovered a large (plum size) lump on her chest, just off center under her neck. How have I missed this before? I already have her annual visit scheduled for March 17, should I be worried and move up the appoinment?