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Old December 24th, 2010, 03:00 PM
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dbg10 dbg10 is offline
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Posts: 496
Raggs has been dx'd with Hemangioma or Hemangiosarcoma

Raggs is now 13 years old and has been diagnosed with a probable hemangiosarcoma in his spleen. But there is a slim possibility he only has a hemangioma which is slightly less lethal. My vet and I decided that we would only put him through blood work before deciding whether to do an Ultrasound or Surgery. His complete blood count came back very suggestive of a hemangiosarcoma. However my vet did say that there is a slim possibility it is an hemangioma. My vet also said that his platelets, though low, were not as low as she would expect to see in hemangiosarcoma.

Because his gums are very pale and his hemoglobin very low, I started him on cooked liver and a multivitamin compound. I'm hoping that the liver will help his anemia.but have wondered (as in my other post) whether the liver should be given to him raw for the best absorption of the nutrients.

This all started back in the spring when I noticed a hairless tumour increasing to the size of an egg, today, on the lower part of his chest, midline. I had talked to the vet at the time and she did a needle aspiration and found fat cells in the tumour. In the last week he had 2 episodes of vomiting seemingly caused by a new treat he didn't particularly like. After that he had returned to normal until he injured his front left paw when he fell on the ice outside. His front paw was lame following the fall and because his hind legs are weak normally he lay around for the better part of 24 hours. I had to reposition his hind legs before he was able to get to his feet. He was still limping when we finally got him to the vet this last Monday.

My vet examined all his joints especially the ones in his front legs and checked the bones in his feet as well. She examined his entire body and noticed his gums were very pale and that's when she suggested we do blood work to confirm or rule out cancer. She did a complete blood count only because she told me it would tell her if any further testing was indicated. After getting the results I decided not to put him through anything more testing as it would become evident in a very short period of time if she was right. As much as I love him to bits, I have strong beliefs about the treatments for cancer. I decided to try some alternative therapies. However when I read about the individual herbs I found they were not recommended in anyone with potentially active bleeding so I settled on liver and a high dose of multiple vitamin and mineral product for dogs.

If anyone has any other remedies they have tried or heard of that work, I'd love to know what they are?

I have also looked for information on the complete blood panel results when the tumour is a hemangioma, not cancer, unsuccessfully.

I know there are those of you who would give chemo or have surgery to remove the spleen but I think it will not provide him with a better quality of life even if it does prolong his life.

Another thing I've wanted to know, is if either tumour is painful for the dog. Raggs does not appear to be in pain but I wonder if I'm just not seeing it.

Either way he has really grabbed my heart strings in the year I've had him, and I'm am really hoping that my vet is wrong and the liver I've added to his diet will help him live a lot longer than she forecast of one day up to a month but no longer.

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Willing Slave to: Sam 17 yrs; Bailey 14 yrs; and Smokey 10 yrs.
R.I.P. Raggs 1997-2012 ; Pepper 1997-2009 ; Tiger 2000 - 2014;
"Please do not breed or buy while shelter pets are left to die"
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