Drake's Healing Progress - After Mass Removal From Both Left Legs

[Guest FLT]

Deirdre - thank you for the linky - that's exactly what they are looking at. We still won't have those results for at least another week, and maybe a bit longer.

 

It was a good thing we had a bandage change appointment today, because Drake celebrated the 4 week anniversary of his mass removals by chewing open the bandage on his front paw - just a nice neat opening right above the biggest hole in his paw. Silly puppy! DH had dog duty this morning and said it was fine when he fed them at 5:45am, and when he looked again at 6:45am the bandage was torn up.

 

I put a sterile non-stick pad over the opening and put a bit of vet wrap over that to keep it in place - but since it was only 2 hours before our appointment I didn't worry about it much. The surgeon said he doesn't seem to have done any damage - and they cleaned it up and re-wrapped it.

 

Evidently the tissue on the front paw is still looking like it's trying to heal - no more dead skin (yay) - now he just needs to grow a whole bunch of skin back, LOL.

 

The rear leg is "looking great!" according to both vet techs and the surgeon - they all seemed very happy with that leg, and think we may be able to get away with leaving the bandage off next time. I suggested we be conservative since the last time we tried to leave it off he immediately bashed open the wound.

 

Dr. Prostredny obviously feels my pain with time off and offered to meet me in the office on Sunday morning for Drake's next bandage change (yay!!) - that's great, because my boss is really about DONE with all the mornings off. Luckily I don't work Tuesdays or Thursdays, so today wasn't an issue. DH is the big bread winner, so we try very hard to avoid messing with his schedule much. So far I've done all but one appointment with Drake.

 

The original person who ran the biopsy report at the University of Colorado has re-reviewed the slides and gave a secondary report that is pretty much written in greek - so Dr. P is going to call her today and see if they can talk about her second review findings so he can make sure to understand them.. He is also going to check on the 3rd and 4th opinions we are expecting.

 

Thanks for the continued good thoughts.. hopefully everything is going to finish healing up quickly now - poor guy is still all bandaged up (nice deep blue again!) 4 weeks after surgery. It's crazy!

 

Cheers,

 

FL

[Guest orlacarey]

At least his back paw seems to be healing - can't wait to see him without bandages. Silly dog - but I love him anyway.

 

Orla

[Xan]

Poor guy! He's going to just feel naked after the bandages finally come off!

 

We'll be waiting on the edge of our seats - along with you, no doubt - to hear what the report actually said.

[Guest FLT]

Drake seems to not want to wait to see how he'll look without bandages, at least on the front. We had to resort to muzzling him last night (with stool guard).. at least he does not need the sanitary napkin version right now!

 

I had left the muzzle off while I was sitting right next to him, and the next thing I know he's been licking the edge of the front paw bandage while pretending to be asleep - he got it fairly wet, but I'm hopeful that because of all the layers it didn't get very deep and dried off before soaking through. It wasn't all that long before I noticed the little sneak... and then it was back to the muzzle, silly puppy.

 

Next visit is Sunday morning, so hopefully we can keep the bandages dry and intact until then!

[Patsy]

Silly Drake--trying to fool mommy! Mommies see all.

[Xan]

Oh, sneaky little boy, is he? You fixed HIS little red wagon, though!

 

I hope you guys have an uneventful weekend!

[Guest FLT]

Dr. Prostredny met us on Sunday as promised for the bandage change. The rear leg continued to be a bit oozy, so they went ahead and re-wrapped it again. Will see what Tuesday brings.

 

The front paw continues to drain like crazy - we left HUGE brown splotches all over their waiting room and got them to replace the IV bags we've been using to cover the bandages when Drake goes outside because they were nasty on the inside from the drainage.

 

Dr. P wanted to do a Wednesday bandage change, but I talked him forward to Tuesday instead - both because of the amount of drainage, but also because I don't work on Tuesdays, but do on Wednesdays.

 

Dr. P. also updated me that he had no luck at all getting the University of Colorado's biopsy expert to call him back last week - he tried on Thursday and Friday and never got a call back. He is going to be hounding them today, with the hopes that we'll find out what the deal was with with her second review of the first opinion, and where our 3rd and 4th opinions are. I get the feeling that Dr. P is VERY frustrated at this point, as am I.

 

I know that he is worried that if this really is cancer, especially in the front paw - that we are losing a lot of time that might be better served by recovery from amputation instead of waiting around. For my side, I am not willing to do something so drastic against Dr. Couto's opinion without some significant evidence that he is wrong.

 

The temptation is of course to take Dr. Couto's word as gospel, declare Drake cancer free, and move on - except that with two experts disagreeing, I just need to see what the third and fourth opinions say. Everyone can be wrong.. and since they are looking at different slides cut from the same mass, perhaps they are even looking at different sections of the mass and both answers are right! I just don't know, and I'm getting frustrated with all the not knowing.

 

Drake is resplendent in blue bandages again from Sunday's visit. They've continued to honor my "no red" wishes! LOL

 

FL

[LuvAPuppy]

I don't know Dr Couto although I know of him from his miracles on this board, but what if he contacted the Colorado pathologist? Maybe if he starts harassing too, he might get a call back or at least the original slides to look at. Maybe that's been tried, I didn't check all the posts....

[Guest FLT]

Update: Between Dr. Prostredny and myself we were able to get Dr. Powers from the University of Colorado to call back. She provided the written report as well on Tuesday evening, and I got a copy of it this morning. In her conversation with Dr. P, Dr. Powers said that she had consulted with two other experts at Colorado, and their consensus of opinion is that Drake's front paw does have a Hemangiosarcoma, and they feel very strongly about that diagnosis. Their opinion regarding the back hock is that he does have some form of cancer, but that they are not 100% sure what kind - but all the kinds they think it might be all act the same way, in that they will probably grow back locally but are unlikely to spread.

 

I have scanned the report from the University of Colorado and emailed it to Dr. Marin and Dr. Couto at OSU, and asked that they please call Dr. Powers at Colorado directly to discuss the results and see if they can come to agreement with all four experts one way or the other. If it is indeed a Hemangiosarcoma, I also need to find out if Dr. Couto and team agree that amputation is the way to go or if we should treat in some other way.

 

Lov - thanks for the suggestions.. Dr. Couto and his team do have slides from the masses and reviewed them a few weeks ago. Dr. Couto and team do not think Drake has cancer, but every other expert that has seen slides believes that he does.

 

I am honestly not sure what to do next. Hubby is going to be out of the country for almost all of July, so if we need to more forward with something like an amputation then I"ll be all alone to deal with the after care, and the very thought just makes me cry.

 

Drake is doing fine - but it is just pitiful that 5 weeks after mass removals, he still has open wounds front and back. The rear leg is ***almost*** closed - but for a pinhole that continues to want to drain. The front paw is just a mess of course, although Dr. P says it is healing well.. it's just got so much tissues to grow in before it can get close to closing that it will be a long process.

 

He has been very patient, even when his annoying sister Kaylee crams herself in with him on the sofa. She even sat on his injured front paw last night and he didn't kill her (we moved fast to get her OFF the paw!)

 

Kaylee says, I only need half a cushion!

[Guest FLT]

Update: Drake appears to now want to make it a Thursday morning tradition to chew open his front bandage.. (photo to follow eventually). I missed Dr. P before he started surgeries, so I had to wait an hour or so in the waiting room until he was between surgeries to be able to take a look and re-bandage him on the front.

 

Next appointment is Monday, and you can bet we'll be much more aggressive about muzzling his PITA-ness. He'd been so good, we were lulled into a false sense of complacency... well no more! Wretch!

 

They didn't re-bandage the rear - just left it alone. Said it should be fine until Monday.

 

Just finished up the last of the Sulfa-Trimeth (spelling?) and Cipro antibiotics now.. Drake is down to Azythromycin and Doxy now - which is the combo that Dr. Couto recommended. 2 more weeks of Azyth, and almost 6 more weeks of Doxy. Good thing Drake is so good about eating BREAD (hawaiian bread is the favorite) - we just tuck each pill into a smooshed ball of bread and down it goes.

 

Had taken my microbiology homework with me, and a classmate who works with their chemotherapy treatment specialist popped out to say hi. I had no idea she worked there, LOL. She got to meet Drake (and of course loves him now - because he has a way with the ladies).

 

While we were there I also had Dr. P look at a boo boo on Drake's left upper leg - a bug bite of some sort I thought, but now the scab has gotten hugely raised and a dark red ring (bruise) has formed around the initial wound. He pulled back a corner and got some blood to put on a slide. Going to take a look at it just in case there is something funny going on there too ::sigh::.

 

We've taken to running a tab.. which hurts at the end of the month but takes less time per visit. We settle up for the last two weeks on Monday at the next appointment - I'm guessing $450 for the last 2 weeks of the month. ($86 for the pair of bandage changes by the surgeon), and we've been going twice and three times a week - plus the cytology review of the slide - whatever that will be).

 

Dr. P REALLY wants to move forward with amputation - but I am holding out to at least email with Dr. Couto and/or Dr. Marin at OSU before proceeding.. Ugh.

[Xan]

Oh man. How frustrating and scary. At least he seems to feel pretty well, all things considered. That's good. With your schedule, and your DH taking off next month, even if you don't go forward with an amp, you've got your hands over full!! Is there help? Family? Neighbors? Adoption group friends? Anything??

[Guest FLT]

Never did get a response from Dr. Marin or anyone else at OSU last week - but I know Dr. Couto is back on Monday. I know he'll be slammed with cries for help upon his return, and compared to osteo I know that the possibility of a hemangiosarcoma in the paw isn't as urgent - but it's been 5.5 WEEKS since the mass removal, and I really am feeling stressed that if we need to do an Amp, or start Chemo - that we darn well better GET TO IT before things spread (if they haven't already). I am trying to be patient, and will not bother Dr. Couto on Monday - although if I don't get an email back from him by Tuesday morning I will be calling and re-emailing to try and reach him. My goal is to get Dr. Couto to call and talk with Dr. Powers at the University of Colorado to see if they can discuss their very different views of what was growing in Drake's front paw.

 

If we need to do an amp, I want to do it at OSU - but if they don't agree it's necessary and the other three people who looked at the slides think that it is.. well. I don't know what to do there. Ugh.

 

I mentioned last Thursday that Drake is making a weekly hole in his front bandages.. and that I took photos. I finally had a minute to spare to upload them, so they are below. Unfortunately I didn't get a good view of the actual wound, but there is some bloody looking bandages so if you don't like that sort of thing, don't look. I'll start with a photo of Drake sulking in the dirty laundry pile that was about to go in the wash after we got back from the vet's office so you have some room to not scroll down on if you don't want to see the messy stuff. Notice the muzzle? Yeah, he'll be wearing that a lot now. I'm tired of extra $86 trips to the surgeon for bandage replacements and wound checks. We are doing it often enough!

 

 

This is the close up of the hole Drake chewed in the bandage on his front paw.. very neat little hole!

 

It is amazing the amount of "stuffing" he pulled out of the little hole he chewed.. he left this pile on another dog bed, LOL.

 

[Guest FLT]

Xan - thanks for asking, and for suggesting! You know I hadn't even considered reaching out to family and friends.. how silly am I? It's so easy to get overly focused.

 

I have parents that are only 40 min away, but they are going to be traveling for most of July as well. I can call on them when they are home, I suppose - I hadn't thought of it before so thank you for the suggestion.

 

We aren't very close with the neighbors, except for one set right next to us.. but I don't trust their dog sense. The neighbors are very nice, but they leave their dog at home when they go on a couple weeks of vacation - having a dog walker in 3x a day to visit and feed and take on walks. That's a LONG time of leaving the dog at home alone!!

 

We employee a really nice dog walking service for those days when we aren't home for lunch, and for occasional dinner visits if we are going to be out of the house for special occasions. I could see if they can quote me for staying with the pups while I'm in school if necessary - that's a thought. Probably expensive, but is an option.

 

I can also send a call out for help to my curling club friends.. probably have one or two people who would be willing to come over for the occasional afternoon/evening of dog sitting.

 

Thank you!

 

Oh man. How frustrating and scary. At least he seems to feel pretty well, all things considered. That's good. With your schedule, and your DH taking off next month, even if you don't go forward with an amp, you've got your hands over full!! Is there help? Family? Neighbors? Adoption group friends? Anything??

 

[Batmom]

Drake, quit chewing holes in your bandage!

 

 

 

 

I don't expect him to listen to me. Zema never does.

 

Hope you get the answers you are seeking soon. Hugs to you and scritchies to your gallant bandaged boy.

[Xan]

Ah! Good luck lining up some help. Funny how sometimes it's the simplest things that just don't even occur to us, huh?

 

I'm gritting my teeth along with you on this cliff-hanger about what to do! If wishing and willing something to happen worked, this would all be history.

 

(I exceeded my fair access policy limit yesterday, so I couldn't look at the pics. Hope it's not too gory!)

 

[Guest FLT]

Update: Dr. Couto took the time to email me back while waiting to board a plane on his trip back from Spain to OSU. He is only going to be there on Monday before heading off to Argentina to lecture and won't be back again until the 10th of July.

 

He suggested that because they don't agree with Colorado's biospy read, he thinks that Drake's local doc and I will need to call the shots - which didn't help all that much. I returned an email asking about bringing Drake to him for an exam, and he agreed that was a good idea but mentioned he'd be gone until the 10th.

 

DH is headed overseas in early July and won't be back until late July. I emailed Dr. Couto back and said that although I hate waiting another 3 weeks to move forward in any direction, getting Drake over to see him would be my choice for next move (other than continuing the antibiotics and waiting on test results.)

 

Because he won't be back until the 10th, and I have a final exam on the 15th I suggested that we set up for a visit for Drake on the 17th (a Friday). That gives me a day to drive out there (it's 7 hours) and would only require me taking the Friday off work since I do not work on Thursdays.

 

Dr. Couto was about to board a plane, so he won't get my email until Sunday or Monday - but hopefully he'll agree to see us on the 17th.

 

Oh - and I pressed about the question of if it were Hemangioscarcoma should we amputate and he said that they have had pretty decent luck with chemo, so amputation might not be necessary.

 

What a roller coaster!

[dmswartzfager]

Ugh. Wish I could help, FL. Best I can do is offer to help some times on the weekend, and maybe some random day here or there depending on how my research/lab work is going....

[Guest FLT]

Ugh. Wish I could help, FL. Best I can do is offer to help some times on the weekend, and maybe some random day here or there depending on how my research/lab work is going....

 

That is an amazingly generous offer, Deanna. If we don't need to do the amputation, I think I'll be okay - but if we do, and you have time - I know you've got hound sense! :-D

 

I think timing-wise nothing is going to happen now until after I'm done with Microbiology.. if I'm down to just the online class, I think I'll be okay. DH will be back at the end of July, too.

 

I really, really appreciate your thoughtfulness!

 

 

[Xan]

Okay!! Well, at least you have a sense that you won't need to amputate the front leg! That's good, right?

It's all still limbo-ish, but that's a good solid bit.

 

Hope you hear back on Monday. Man, I wouldn't want to be Dr. Couto! He's quite popular!

[Guest FLT]

Update:

 

Dr. Couto once again emailed me (does that man sleep??) early this morning. He likes the idea of an in person exam on the 17th of July. I wrote him back to ask if I may bring Kaylee (Drake's littermate) along too... but otherwise I'll leave that poor busy man alone until he's done this round of travels and just look forward to meeting him on the 17th of July!

 

In the meanwhile we'll keep working on getting Drake to heal up. Next appointment is Monday, and I'm hoping against hope that the rear leg is at least closed so we can get the bandages off that leg (and halve the cost of the vet trips because of it).

 

Dr. Prostredny will see Drake on Monday, but then we'll play catch as catch can until he gets back from vacation - not sure who we'll be seeing.

 

FL

[Xan]

Can you get them to show you how do re-do the wrappings yourself?

 

The 17th seems so far away, but if Dr. Couto is comfortable putting it off that long, that's encouraging in itself. But, he's the one who was confident it wasn't cancer anyway. Augh! Well, hang in there!

 

How did the wrap-trip go today?

[Guest FLT]

Update: DH took Drake to his appointment this morning (along with a list of things to ask about and follow-up on).

 

The Bartonella titers aren't back yet, however we are continuing the Azythromycin and Doxy as per Dr. Couto's suggestion. No problems with the meds so far.

 

Dr. Prostredny told hubby that he thinks he sees signs of the tumor growing back in the front paw via a "dark spot" that has appeared. He also poo poo'd the concept that Chemo might work without amputation and pushed again to make an appointment to remove the limb. I had DH tell Dr. P we aren't doing anything more than continuing to heal him up until after I take Drake to OSU to be examined by Dr. Couto in person, and that I've arranged that exam for mid-July.

 

The rear leg continues to have a "pin hole" that won't close, and they opted to re-wrap it again to avoid compromising the progress we've made in getting it to close (which I'm in favor of - after the way Drake immediately bashed it open last time we had it unwrapped).

 

The front is of course re-wrapped as well.

 

Next appointment will be with Dr. Roa at 12:45pm on Thursday. Dr. P will be on vacation from Wednesday thru the following week.

 

I hate that I feel like we are in a tug-o'war with how to proceed. Dr. Prostredny wants to amputate the front limb yesterday, and thinks that because the University of Colorado is the "cancer mecca" that we need to take their opinions and run with it immediately. Dr. Couto doesn't think it's cancer at all, and even if it is doesn't think that amputation will necessarily be required.

 

I'm just thankful that Dr. Couto is willing to see us in person, even if both of our schedules won't match up for another 3 weeks. Hopefully the Doxy and Azythromycin will have done their work by that visit and make diagnoses easier with less inflammation around the sites of contention

 

 

 

I'm planning to get Dr. P to show me how to do the wrappings myself after he's back from vacation. I hope that by then we'll just be dealing with the front paw. Maybe I can do one wrap change a week and just bring him in for a weekly wound check and bandage change that way.

 

Thanks for checking up, Xan - you posted while I was composing my update.

 

:-)

 

Can you get them to show you how do re-do the wrappings yourself?

 

The 17th seems so far away, but if Dr. Couto is comfortable putting it off that long, that's encouraging in itself. But, he's the one who was confident it wasn't cancer anyway. Augh! Well, hang in there!

 

How did the wrap-trip go today?

[Xan]

Okay, then. I hope Dr. P is wrong about re-growth! Keeping all fingers, toes and eyes crossed that all goes well 'til you can see Dr. C.

 

Your updates are so good! Lots of detail, and very clear. I'm so impressed that you manage that along with everything else!

[Burpdog]

Sending lots of prayers!

[Guest orlacarey]

FL! You KNOW that if you need help you have only to ask! Granted I can only come by after work but I'm not going anywhere between now and Pennsic - if you need me to spend time on the couch I'm all yours!