Good News/bad News - Waiting On Path For Kebo Again

[Guest greytkidsmom]

You guys have to be sick of hearing about Kebo by now but posting helps keep me sane by putting the worry and anxiety into words.

 

He had his mouth examined today - the mucosal flap seems to have healed and there is no sign of infection. The dentist called my vet's practice this Monday and offered to pay for any x-rays they did today. They did them and have decided to do them no charge as a professional courtesy to him. Pretty classy on both sides I have to say. I think I will drop a little note in the mail to the dentist. He was consulted to do a procedure, explained the risks/benefits/complications to me, and explained that he might leave the roots and why. I consented for him to do it. There was a complication but it was one of the possible complications we discussed and although it caused a great deal of chatter amongst clinicians he stood behind his choices. He was faced with having to make a decision based on Kebo's anatomy and the risk vs the benefit of leaving the roots. I appreciate that he exercised his professional judgement in the best interest of Kebo's health and safety and whether I agree or disagree, you can't ask for more than that from any healthcare provider.

 

Hopefully this is the last chapter in this story.

 

The new story is these two little masses that my vet found last week. One was on the inside of his left knee - it was cystic and fibrotic and suspicious looking. She thinks she got it all out. The other was wrapped around his semimembranosus muscle (one of the hamstrings) and very friable. She excised as much of it as she could. Neither looked like the hemangioperiocytoma that he had in his left front wrist. She is more worried about a sarcoma. For now, it is pain medication, TLC, and waiting for histopathology. Lord help me until then. She thinks it will be okay for him to travel to GIG next weekend so if anyone is there, feel free to come over and meet my sweet fella and give him some lovin'.

 

Will post again when there is news. I go pick him up in an hour or so.

[Charlies_Dad]

Good thoughts for Kebo. Give him some special hugs from me please.

[Remolacha]

[greytpups]

Hope this isn't anything serious. We're going to GIG and I sure hope we get to meet Kebo.

[LuvEarsies]

Hugs and kisses to Kebo. Keeping you both in my good thoughts

[galgrey]

Sending good thoughts for your sweet boy.

[tbhounds]

Never "sick of Kebo updates"! I'm glad his surgery is over and his oral issues are resolving-thank goodness. Fingers crossed for a positive path report. I'm not attending gig but, maybe I'll see Kebo at ghs rock????

[GreyPoopon]

[HoundHeavenAZ]

Best wishes for a good outcome and recovery. This must be very stressful for you.

[4My2Greys]

Definitely never tire of updates or if you need it someone to worry along with you. Please give Kebo some lovin' from me. I'll be hoping for good news on the path report.

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Thanks everyone. He is so pitiful. Because one of the masses was at a muscle he is really sore. He just stands there like "why does it hurt when I move?" We have tramadol and carprofen and I'm to call the vet tomorrow for gabapentin if his pain doesn't seem controlled. He is tolerating cold compresses as well so we do that every couple of hours. On the bright side, we have the go-ahead to get soft toys back out so purple bear is on the job.

[tbhounds]

Hopefully, the purple bear will work his magic :-)

[Guest FawnFan]

Sending good wishes and lots of healing thoughts Kebo's way. Have safe travels to GIG next weekend!

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Rough night last night but doing much better today. I slept downstairs on the couch so he wouldn't be alone. He just couldn't get comfortable and at some point it escalated to all-out panic. I remember the surgery resident at NC State telling me he did something similar the first night after his maxillectomy. They treated him with trazodone which we keep on hand now for car trips. Gave him one along with a tramadol and he finally settled down. Glad I had the day off today to sleep in a little.

[sweetdogs]

Glad to hear he settled. Anesthesia really does a number on some of them.

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Well its cancer.

 

Most likely fibrosarcoma although the path report is a little vague.

Will send tissue to Ohio State and to NC State for opinions.

Recommended treatment if it is fibrosarcoma is limb amputation.

If the second/third opinions confirm this I think it is time to stop.

 

He greeted me at the door tonight with his purple bear - the first time since his dental extractions back in February.

 

I'm not sure I can do this.

[Houndtime]

I am sorry to read this diagnosis. Just wishing you both the best outcome.

[4My2Greys]

[sweetdogs]

Hang in there until you hear from OSU. I'm glad he's feeling well.

[Riverhound]

Damn! That just pisses me off. The two of you have been through so much. I'm sorry.

[tbhounds]

I understand you feel defeated but, please wait until you hear back from da pros. I do know of a golden that had fibro incompletely resected-it was located in the stifle region-they opted for radiation and their boy sailed through it--my point is there are options besides amp.

I'm glad he's feeling better-purple bears always help :-)

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Thanks TB Hounds -

 

Just got an email from my vet. She got the following response from the pathologist who dictated the report. It offers a glimmer of hope. She is working on the arrangements to have tissue sent ASAP. I am definitely waiting for the pros before making any definitive decisions. I am open to alternative therapies just very wary of amputation.

 

This appears to be a low-grade sarcoma. I suspect fibrosarcoma but the cells are somewhat densely associated and mitoses are not seen and thus it does not seem particularly proliferative but because similar cells are in both locations, it gives me concern. I mention the differentials because of the density of the cells and because the cellular arrangement and structure of cells is not a typical fibrosarcoma. I was suspecting possibly that the mass formed from smooth muscle cells of a vessels or perhaps glomus cells (which are in the distal limbs; however, the cells in this mass are likely too elongate for a glomus tumor). I could have mentioned special stains to better determine the cellular origin of the mass, but I am not certain that it would be helpful. I would suggest smooth muscle cell actin to rule out a leiomyoma or leiomyosarcoma.

I hope that this is helpful. It simply has an atypical morphology in my experience and difficult for me to classify.

[tbhounds]

Anxious to see what Dr Couto and the Osu pathologist's say. Fingers crossed. Oh how these ghs can age us but, how we love them so. Kebo has a greyt person!

Forgot to ask--I'm assuming they got incomplete margins???

Edited April 23, 2013 by tbhounds

[Guest greytkidsmom]

Anxious to see what Dr Couto and the Osu pathologist's say. Fingers crossed. Oh how these ghs can age us but, how we love them so. Kebo has a greyt person!

Forgot to ask--I'm assuming they got incomplete margins???

 

Yes, incomplete margins for both masses. One was at the proximal tibia and didn't have much tissue around it to begin with and the other was very friable and around a muscle belly. Wonder if the intralesional 5 FU would work here as well? Right now I'm just thinking plain 'ol FU if you know what I mean

Edited April 23, 2013 by greytkidsmom

[JJNg]

If it's a soft tissue sarcoma, I would definitely consider 5-FU or radiation before amputation. Dr. Couto has had very good results with 5-FU in situations like this, and he said if it was his own dog, he'd use 5-FU instead of radiation. Unfortunately, his 5-FU data isn't published, and most oncologists are more familiar with radiation therapy which is supported by the published studies. I just recently corresponded with him about this since I'm facing a similar situation with my whippet Ollie.