Kebo Update...what Else Can Go Wrong?

[Guest greytkidsmom]

To update you on the saga of Kebo's dental extractions...

 

Kebo had his lower canines out on 2/20. At followup the right looked infected. My vet cleaned it and closed the socket with a mucosal flap. Today it looks like the flap is breaking down in one spot. She posted his case to a vet discussion board and it has apparently unlocked a $#!% storm of commentary from vet dentists from across the country (including the president of the association). The predominant opinion is that the dentist who did the first surgery shouldn't have left the roots and that the literature he quoted was outdated and from a very small sample size. Of course that dentist is also on the discussion board so it apparently hasn't been pretty. We go for another recheck in 2 weeks.

 

To make matters worse, she noticed two small soft tissue masses on the inside of his left leg. We noticed that he had been having trouble sitting and going into the down position and I thought it was his left hip or back. She ultrasounded them and they aren't fluid. She did needle biopsies of both and they weren't very telling. If they aren't better in 2 weeks, she will try to excise them and send them for path. She mentioned sarcoma in her differential diagnosis (including fibrosarcoma). He has had recent bloodwork and a chest x-ray that were both normal so it seems reasonable to try to get it out.

 

On the positive side, Saturday marks his 2 year anniversary from his maxillectomy at NC State. We are so happy he is still with us and despite all of the crap he has gone through he is still happy to finish his dinner quickly and to patrol his fence.

 

I talked to her about undercharging us for his most recent procedure and she said that her boss told her to only charge that much. Needless to say, Kebo brought all of his girlfriends breakfast from Panera this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LuvEarsies]

Awww Kebo is so thoughtful. He's been through so much but it sounds as though he still enjoys all the things he likes. Hugs to Kebo <3

[DesiRayMom]

Hugs to Kebo.

And let me say, as a veterinary hospital employee, it is OUR pleasure to spoil and coddle patients as sweet as Kebo must be.

Best wishes that the next checkup is a better one.

[JJNg]

Sorry to hear about Kebo's additional issues, although I'm glad he's feeling good! Hopefully, everything heals up with his mouth and no further procedures are needed. And sending good thoughts that the masses on his leg are nothing serious.

Based on your previous thread about his lower canine extractions, I'm not surprised it stirred up a bit of controversy on the vet discussion board. On the suspicion that it was probably VIN, I looked up and read through the discussion. Very interesting, and I'll have to say that it was pretty civil compared to some discussions I've seen on that board. The vet dentists have some pretty strong opinions... LOL

[racindog]

For Kebo:

[greytpups]

Poor Kebo. Will the vet leave the roots now or will Kebo need more surgery?

[PrairieProf]

Poor brave boy. Gentle hugs to him.

 

My friend's 9 year old greyhound had two sarcomas removed from his outer thigh last summer and while it took a good while for the deep surgical sites to heal (mobile area, stitches ripped and it mostly had to heal by granulation) he's been fine since.

[sweetdogs]

Poor Kebo. They keep taking so many pieces away, there's not gonna be any Kebo left! Glad to hear it bothers you more than him & best wishes that everything heals up quickly.

[Charlies_Dad]

Good thoughts for Kebo, one of my favourite GT hounds.

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Sorry to hear about Kebo's additional issues, although I'm glad he's feeling good! Hopefully, everything heals up with his mouth and no further procedures are needed. And sending good thoughts that the masses on his leg are nothing serious.

 

Based on your previous thread about his lower canine extractions, I'm not surprised it stirred up a bit of controversy on the vet discussion board. On the suspicion that it was probably VIN, I looked up and read through the discussion. Very interesting, and I'll have to say that it was pretty civil compared to some discussions I've seen on that board. The vet dentists have some pretty strong opinions... LOL

 

Glad to hear that it was pretty civil. My poor vet was just horrified. She really was just looking for some guidance. She said that she would be talking to him to tell him how the flap looked. I feel pretty bad for her.

 

Poor Kebo. Will the vet leave the roots now or will Kebo need more surgery?

 

Hopefully nothing more. The roots have been drilled down so far that there is nothing to grab on to if they need to be removed. At present the plan is to re-examine on 4/17 under sedation where she can x-ray again if needed. This will give her the opportunity to do excisional biopsies of the masses she found in his leg.

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Poor Kebo. They keep taking so many pieces away, there's not gonna be any Kebo left! Glad to hear it bothers you more than him & best wishes that everything heals up quickly.

 

I agree - I hate that bits of him keep getting carved away. I just don't know what the endpoint is. Every one of his tumors has been locally aggressive but slow metastasizing and it seems wrong not to treat them. He has just been through so much and he hates to travel. His bloodwork and chest films show that he is otherwise healthy and he still seems to enjoy his job on this Earth as our sweet protector so I guess the best thing is to just take each thing as it comes and to try to make the most educated decisions I can. That's why I keep coming back to this forum - your insights help a lot.

 

Poor brave boy. Gentle hugs to him.

 

My friend's 9 year old greyhound had two sarcomas removed from his outer thigh last summer and while it took a good while for the deep surgical sites to heal (mobile area, stitches ripped and it mostly had to heal by granulation) he's been fine since.

 

Thanks - hopefully this will be the case for Kebo. I am already trying to figure out how to make a t-shirt fit over his hind leg to keep the area covered.

[JJNg]

I am already trying to figure out how to make a t-shirt fit over his hind leg to keep the area covered.

 

A friend of mind has a greyhound who had surgery on his back leg. She used a pair of sweatpants, cut off one leg, and used velcro to make a strap across the top to go around his waist. It worked really well. I couldn't find a standing photo, but here's one of him lying down. Hope you can see enough to get the idea.

 

[Guest greytkidsmom]

A friend of mind has a greyhound who had surgery on his back leg. She used a pair of sweatpants, cut off one leg, and used velcro to make a strap across the top to go around his waist. It worked really well. I couldn't find a standing photo, but here's one of him lying down. Hope you can see enough to get the idea.

 

 

Perfect, thanks!