Guest Hoolyghans Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 About a week ago, we noticed Spike was looking a little skinny. Seemed fine otherwise, just a little more ribby than usual. He's never been a chow hound and we honestly thought he was forgetting to eat. I went back to work (after 4 years off) the end of August, kids are back in school. Thought he might be a little depressed since he's used to someone being home almost all the time. Bumped up his treat ratio, put some extras in his food to tempt him. Earlier this week, saw he was losing more weight and very reluctant to eat but still eating some. Thought probably worms, wasn't having luck witnessing him poop so we could grab a sample (and be sure it wasn't Abba's). We were in the middle of a serious family issue so not as attentive as we should have been. Wed noticed belly looked a little swollen, didn't eat his dinner. Told Jeff he had to get serious about poop watch. Last night, no dinner but would eat cookies but belly looked bigger. Seemed unhappy but not in distress, decided he'd go to the vet today for sure..sample or not. Today brought vomiting and the big D, wouldn't even take treats. Went to vet. Vet didn't like the feel of belly, probably worms but wanted x-ray to make sure. X-ray came back with very large abdominal mass. Looked about the size of a softball to me but I'm not an expert. Vet said most likely on liver or spleen. Aside from whatever it is causing him to feel crappy, it is also putting a lot of pressure on his stomach (and other organs) so hard to eat. He sent us off to the big vet because he felt whatever this might be, it certainly needed an U/S and possibly emergency surgery. Big vet's U/S techs had left for the day (it was after 6 at this point) The vet there didn't feel anything had ruptured so not an emergency situation. She did do a needle biopsy of the fluid to make sure it was fluid not blood (yes) She found suspicious looking cells that she sent off to the lab. Kept him overnight to observe, iv fluids & pain meds. He was getting more uncomfortable as the afternoon wore on. He's in their ICU unit so he'll be closely monitored all night. U/S will be done tomorrow. She said there are some other possibilities but cancer is on the top of her list. Good thoughts would be appreciated. If anyone can think of anything I should ask or anything I should know, I'd welcome the suggestions. I'm going to give them the anesthesia protocol to be on the safe side. Thinking about tumor on spleen got me Googling and I came up with Hemangiosarcoma. Does anyone know if this is plausible? If so, is the prognoses as dismal as I'm reading? My wallet is cowering in fear. We are going to fix him if it's fixable. If it's a situation where it's a very aggressive cancer and' we'd only be buying a few months, I'm afraid we will have to let him go. I can't stand this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Swifthounds Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Having lost a hound to hemangio, yes, it's not a great prognosis. That said, there are plenty of masses, particularly splenic masses, that are NOT cancerous and once removed, the hound is back to normal. Lots of good thoughts, prayers, and white light that it's just a mass and nothing more serious. For you and Spike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greytluv Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Spike :candle I don't know anything about this, but I'll keep you all in my prayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DustysMom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 (edited) We lost our Beth to hemangio. By the time we noticed anything at all, she had multiple tumors in her lungs. It generally starts in the liver or spleen from what I recall. She did not have an enlarged belly. Her appetite was not good for a few days but then she started to eat better. The first sign to me that something was strange was her not sleeping in bed with us. I think she just didn't have the "lung power" to make the jump. A few days later I noticed her breathing was heavy. She became emaciated very quickly even though she had started eating again. The outlook is dismal unless it's caught "by accident" very early. Beth went to the vet on Wednesday due to the heavy breathing and was diagnosed by ultrasound Thursday. By the week end we knew we had to let her go. She left us that Tuesday. Praying you get a different diagnosis for Spike. Edited September 18, 2010 by DustysMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TeddysMom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Spike will be in my prayers that it is not cancer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FastDogsOwnMe Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 He's so young I'm so sorry this is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Hugs and prayers :hope Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreysAndMoreGreys Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I really wish I could come up with something other then what was mentioned. Hemagio is not one of the most treatable cancers unless it's the dermal kind. What your talking about is not. But on a side note, with my girl Weenie, when they went in with a scope to take a needle biopsy it was hard for them to say for sure that it was Hemagio because it's a very tight packed cell and hard get a proper sample without actually taking a chunk of something out. I chose not to go that option and went with the pred and diuretics to help drain the fluid that had built up. We had a good comfortable month of quality life after DX. Tons of prayers and thoughts headed your way :hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zoolaine Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Sending hugs and good thoughts for sweet Spike. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Javasmom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 More hugs and more prayers. I hope it is not Hemagio, he's so young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggiespet Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Prayers for Spike. Hugs for you. Quote http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g240/mtbucket/siggies/Everyday-2.jpgJane - forever servant to the whims and wishes of Maggie (L's Magnolia of JCKC) and Sam the mutt pup.[/b] She's classy, sassy and a bit smart assy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandysMom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 No advice, just sending prayers for Spike. Quote Beverly. Missing my happy toy-flinging boy Sammy (Where's Mandrill), (8/12/2009-9/30-2021) Desperately missing my angel Mandy (BB's Luv) [7/1/2000 - 9/18/2012]. Always missing Meg the Dalmatian and Ralph Malph the Pekeapoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlies_Dad Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I am sorry to hear about Spike. He is so young. If it is hemangio, unfortunately options are limited. An operation can remove the tumour however it has spread, then prognosis is poor. We will be hoping it's something else and treatable. Good thoughts for you and Spike. Quote Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge. Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 No advice, but Spike is in my thoughts and prayers. My wallet cowers every time we pull in to the vet's parking lot, so I know that feeling too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChasesMum Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 no advice but lots of good thoughts heading your way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hoolyghans Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 He does. Either Lymphoma or hemangiosarcoma, it's on both his spleen and his liver and it's huge per the u/s. Vet was amazed we only noticed something off about a week ago. Honestly it's true, he was at the dog park 2 weeks ago running around like a loon and eating with no problems. This hit like a runaway truck. We are going to say goodbye later today. The vet said realistically even with surgery and chemo we'd probably only get 3-6 months since this is obviously very aggressive. That's not enough to put him through all that. I can't believe we have to let our baby boy go. We got him as a 7 week old oops puppy. This is so unfair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Swifthounds Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I'm so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teri_d Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 how heartbreaking -- i am so sorry and will keep spike and his loved ones in my thoughts and prayers -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 What a heartbreak for you -- I'm so sorry. Give your beloved a kiss for me, too. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dante2zoe Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I am so very sorry. Keeping everyone in my thoughts and prayers today. Quote Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart The flame that burns the brightest, burns the fastest and leaves the biggest shadow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 This is heart breaking. I am so sorry. Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I'm so sorry. This sux. Praying for a peaceful crossing. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I am so very sorry -- so unbelievably unfair to lose one to cancer so young. Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KahluasMagic Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I am so sorry. It's just wrong. He's only a baby. My prayers are with you today. Quote Lynn Missing Pepper,Magic,Kahlua, Hobbit Ziggy Jasper and Bella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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