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Lymphoma?


Guest Kryspen

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When we adopted Pebbles about a month ago, we noticed that the glands at the base of her neck were a little swollen. She has bad teeth as well, which we thought might be the problem. We talked to the vet, who told us that pet insurance won't cover dental work, and that the swollen glands might be caused by lymphoma. He gave us some antibiotics for her, and while she was taking them the glands went down. The course ended and they are up again.

 

Could this be lymphoma? Would there be other symptoms if it was? She's such a sweet, cuddly girl we'd hate to lose her so soon, but if it is, and she suffers, we'll do the kindest thing.

 

Any and all advice welcome. We'll be back to the vet this week.

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Can she not have a dental to get rid of the bad teeth?

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 Illinois
We 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.

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Can she not have a dental to get rid of the bad teeth?

Well, yes, she can, and she will, but being disabled and living on benefits it's taking time to save up the several hundred pounds it's likely to cost.

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What will you do if your dog has a serious injury or urgent illness? Injuries at least can happen at the drop of a hat with greyhounds. It is problematic to adopt an animal with out being prepared to pay for veterinary care. Teeth bad enough to be causing systemic issues are very bad indeed.

 

In the U.S., every greyhound (that I know of) has a dental before it is adopted out. If you adopted from a group, can they help you? It is not responsible to knowingly adopt out an animal that immediately needs an expensive procedure like a dental.

Edited by PrairieProf

With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)
And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad

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Hoping the adoption agency may be able to help. Good suggestion re discussing with your vet, using antibiotics until the dental can be done. Best thoughts for you and your pup!

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 Illinois
We 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.

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Guest Kryspen

Emailed the RGT centre she came from to ask this but no response yet. Took her back to the vet today. Glands all over her body are up, so it's very likely lymphoma. Have to decide whether to put her through a biopsy or not but I'm pretty down at the prospect atm. Got some more antibiotics for her.

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Emailed the RGT centre she came from to ask this but no response yet. Took her back to the vet today. Glands all over her body are up, so it's very likely lymphoma. Have to decide whether to put her through a biopsy or not but I'm pretty down at the prospect atm. Got some more antibiotics for her.

I'm sorry. I don't think we needed a biopsy, just lots of blood work, but anytime you spend 6 hours at the oncologist, it's a bad day and memory blurs, maybe they did a needle biopsy and I forgot. I'm hoping that your vet is wrong, but if it is Lymphoma, please feel free to pm me with questions about the experience or ask here.

 

Eta: I think you need to hit 50 posts to PM.

Edited by PatricksMom

Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know.

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:( Keeping up the prayers that it is infection and not lymphoma.

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 Illinois
We 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.

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If all her glands are swollen now, you are most likely dealing with lymphoma. While a biopsy may be the standard method, a diagnosis can also be made using a fine needle aspirate, which would cost less and be less invasive. That is how my greyhound Beanie was diagnosed. I had to wait until the next day for confirmation from the lab, but my vet was able to look at the cells under a microscope and tell me before I left that it looked like lymphoma.

I'm sorry that you are probably dealing with this so soon after adopting, but you really need to rule out this diagnosis quickly. Even if you don't do chemo, which I understand, you need to realize that depending on the type, once it has gotten to the stage that all glands are swollen it advances very quickly without treatment and death can from it can be horrific to put it mildly. I know this from my own experience with this disease.

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Guest Kryspen

Thanks for the information. I had a phone call from the RGT centre offering to take Pebbles to their vet to have her teeth done, which I've accepted. I'll ask about getting a fine needle aspirate either at the same time, or from my vet.

 

I'm not putting her through chemo, we're going to treat with steroids and we've agreed that when she starts to suffer we'll send her to the bridge.


In the meantime we're going to enjoy having her for as long as possible.

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I'm so glad the RGT can help. Please keep us posted.

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 Illinois
We 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.

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Thanks for the information. I had a phone call from the RGT centre offering to take Pebbles to their vet to have her teeth done, which I've accepted. I'll ask about getting a fine needle aspirate either at the same time, or from my vet.

 

I'm not putting her through chemo, we're going to treat with steroids and we've agreed that when she starts to suffer we'll send her to the bridge.

In the meantime we're going to enjoy having her for as long as possible.

Please let us know what you find out, and, and if it helps at all, we went the steroids, have a lot of fun, and let Murphy go before he was suffering, and while it sucked for us knowing what was coming, it was the right decision for Murphy. We can also give you a lot of tips on helping with the steroid related issues, like weight loss and keeping her eating.

Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know.

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Guest Kryspen

Well, I'm taking Pebbles in tomorrow. Her teeth will be done on Thursday and we'll collect her when she's recovered. And I know there's a chance she won't wake up. It would almost be a blessed relief if she didn't.

The vet said she had a 'typical strong greyhound heart'.

 

Thanks for all the prayers and advice. I'll let you know what happens and then I'll be back for all the advice you've offered.

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Best thoughts for your girl! You too.

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 Illinois
We 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.

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Adding our own good wishes for a successful dental. Your love for Pebbles will ensure her life will always be happy, whatever the length.

siggy_z1ybzn.jpg

Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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Guest Kryspen

Well, she had her teeth out this morning. Don't know how many, yet. Just talked to the centre who are doing it for us. She's had the op but is still drowsy. They are collecting her from the Vet at 3 (UK time) and I can fetch her home tomorrow morning.

 

BTW, if she's got no teeth, does that affect what we should feed her?

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Until she heals she should have hard items like Milkbone dog biscuits. But eventually she may end up being able to eat almost anything. I did have a girl with no teeth. She did fine with dry kibble but I don't think I ever gave her a big dog biscuit again. I think I tried to keep it softer or small.

 

Scrambled eggs are terrific for the first couple of days after losing so many teeth.

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Guest Kryspen

Pebbles is home again. She had 5 teeth removed and she seems a lot better as a result. I wasn't sure how she'd be feeling, or how to feed her when I got her home. Folk at the RGT centre told me I should soak the meal (kibble for those across the pond) before I gave it to her. I did, and when I put the dish in front of her she cleared it. Then she went and cleared up the unsoaked meal Mac had left :hehe

 

She really showed me she was back to normal when I was making myself a sandwich for my dinner. I turned my back and when I turned round again the bread was disappearing down Pebbles.

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Wonderful! Give that girl some scritchies from me! Or maybe just share your lunch :lol:wub: .

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 Illinois
We 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.

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