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  #391  
Old December 21st, 2010, 03:30 PM
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Regular xrays might show you a shadow, but we didn't find them particularly useful in Priscilla's case. Her xrays showed a shadow in an inoperable place but no other details. If it were us and we'd decided to spare our dog the chemo, we'd pass on the CT as an unnecessary expense. I'd think a bit about the endoscope/flush, though--although it's probably unlikely that there's something in there that can be flushed out, there's the off chance that he has a grass awn or some other foreign body up there that might be removable that way.
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  #392  
Old December 24th, 2010, 09:26 AM
abs914 abs914 is offline
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Ok, well enough is enough. I can't deal with not knowing anymore lol. This is causing too much anxiety. I have a call into the vet to talk about getting the CT scan and scope, if necessary. We still won't do treatment, but for my own sanity, i NEED to know what's going on with him.

While sleeping the past two nights, more often than not, his body shakes whenever he inhales. That's what really got to me. It doesn't seem to bother him, but it's had me up since 3am.

I really hope he's okay.
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  #393  
Old December 24th, 2010, 03:15 PM
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Hope you get good results, abs!!!
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  #394  
Old December 28th, 2010, 07:53 PM
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He's going in for bloodwork on Friday and the CT scan/scope that Tuesday. I'll report back with the results.
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  #395  
Old December 29th, 2010, 06:58 PM
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Good luck, abs914! I'll be thinking of you!
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  #396  
Old January 4th, 2011, 07:36 PM
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WELL...the vet called yesterday saying Cody's liver enzyme level is high. He said we should do an ultrasound of the liver prior to doing the nose testing. We did just that. Turns out, his gall bladder and intestines are inflamed and thickened. Plus, there are enlarged lymph nodes in the area which might be a sign he has lymphoma.

Sooo plans changed for today. We did send off lab work to see if his nose issues are fungal related. Tomorrow, my family and I are going to have a conference call with the vet to talk about what needs to be done (granted, everything he says might not be financially possible.) I think in order to find out if he has lymphoma, he'd have to get an endoscopy.

I'm reallyyy overwhelmed right now.
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  #397  
Old January 6th, 2011, 08:57 PM
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Oh, no...not what I was expecting to hear and I'm sure it wasn't what you were hoping for! What did the vet suggest yesterday?

Thinking of you
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  #398  
Old January 6th, 2011, 09:45 PM
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We are going to wait for the fungal results and use this time to decide what we want to do. The vet thinks he's losing weight because he's not able to absorb his food normally due to the thickness of his small intestine. Plus, they found a stone in his bladder and one in his kidney during the ultrasound. He had surgery maybe 5 years ago to remove a lot of stones he had in his bladder and urethra, but supposedly the current ones aren't causing problems just yet. The first time around, he was peeing blood...this time, there has been no sign of stones. The vet sent me a long email detailing everything that's wrong with Cody, so I was able to forward it on to my family members to keep everybody informed. I'd post it here for opinions on what to do, but it really is a LONG email!

Hopefully, we have the fungal results early next week. And hopefully, we are able to somehow come to a decision by then.
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  #399  
Old January 6th, 2011, 09:57 PM
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We had a dog with inflammatory bowel disease that also lost a lot of weight. They did need an intestinal biopsy to diagnose the problem--the symptoms are nearly identical to lymphoma and hard to distinguish without the biopsy. However, as I recall, the treatment for both was similar...or at least started out the same, with prednisone. If he's not up to, or you can't afford the biopsy, maybe discuss just treatment without knowing the cause. If it's lymphoma, it might buy you time--if it's something like IBD, he might actually rally!

It's a good thing you're waiting till the fungal tests come back before deciding, though. Fungal infections and steroids aren't a good combination.

I sure hope they can do something for Cody!!
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  #400  
Old January 7th, 2011, 03:36 PM
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Yep...it was also said that his intestinal issues could be caused by IBD.

Five months ago it's lung cancer...now there's the possibility of nasal cancer and lymphoma. I just don't think it's fair to him to put him thru ALL this testing. I don't know. At the moment, I'm thinking that we should do the CT scan and that's it. Just find out what's going on with the nose and then put him on any pain meds, etc that he may need. But I still have time to change my mind lol. Right now it just seems that we'd be fighting an uphill battle. His lung cancer will probably be coming back at some point, as well. Although, that isn't definite.

For all we know, he has a fungal infections and IBD...which I guess would be great? Although, my vet did say these aren't necessarily easily treatable.
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  #401  
Old January 8th, 2011, 05:16 PM
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Vet called. Fungal tests came back negative. Damn.
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  #402  
Old January 10th, 2011, 10:28 PM
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I'm sorry to hear that, abs914
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  #403  
Old January 14th, 2011, 05:38 PM
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CT scan was done today. The tumor basically fills up the left nostril and it also spread a bit into the right one. It is starting to eat away at the bone (forget what it's called...some type of plate) that protects the brain.

He's being put on 2 pain meds, and I think Predisone.

Probably won't have much longer with him

Gotta go pick him up at the vet soon.
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  #404  
Old January 14th, 2011, 05:43 PM
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I am so sorry abs914
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  #405  
Old January 14th, 2011, 07:56 PM
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I'm so sorry you got such bad news, abs

Please keep us updated on how he's doing. Cherish each good moment....we never get enough time with them.

You're in my thoughts and prayers.
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  #406  
Old January 14th, 2011, 08:18 PM
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Thanks for the good thoughts.

Question. So the vets have been talking a lot about quality of life, which is understandable. At what point did you decide that it was time? My vet said some people would just put them to sleep now. The real problems he currently has is with breathing at night time, the bleeds every so often and the weight loss. I do not want it to get to the point where he has to be rushed to the vet with an emergency, and have to get euthanized in those conditions. I want the family there, etc...so I'm just trying to figure out at what point I should really be considering euthanasia. This is my first dog, so I don't have much experience in this department! Thanks for any help.
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  #407  
Old January 14th, 2011, 08:31 PM
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That's such a tough decision to make. How does he seem otherwise? Is he still playing and taking joy in life? Do the good moments outweigh the bad? How frequent are the bleeding episodes?

Quality of life is so much more important at this stage of the game than quantity of life. If he's still enjoying himself then you likely have some time left. Go day by day and reassess each day, weighing good moments against bad. If you get to a point where you're hanging onto him for your sake, not his, it's time to say goodbye.

With Priscilla, she never seemed to lose her enjoyment of life. The pain meds kept her comfy and she was actively playing, eager for walks, eating, peeing, pooping right up till the end. On her last day the nose bleeds were almost constant and she began to show signs of lethargy--probably from anemia... We called and made an appt for the vet to come to the house that night on her way home from the clinic, but the big bleedout came before that and the vet made an emergency visit to help ease Priscilla over the Bridge. It was quite traumatic for us but seemed quite peaceful for Priscilla and she left as she had lived--on her own terms. If I'd had my druthers, though, I wish we'd had that appt a little earlier...

Such sad and difficult times for you. Give him a big hug for me, k? And keep one for yourself
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  #408  
Old January 15th, 2011, 07:38 AM
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Cody does seem pretty okay. He still plays, eats, and drinks normally. He may sleep during the day a bit more than usual, but that could be because he's not getting much rest at night.

The breathing issue is the biggie for me. Our vet said he's only able to use like 25% of his nose to get oxygen. Weight is also an issue. When I pet him now, I can feel his spine. He was weighed in at 17 lbs yesterday. Healthy Cody is about 19.5-20.

His first nose bleed since April was on Nov 29, then he had one on Dec 16, and the most current on January 5. (mark the dates in my blackberry). If he's kept calm, they last maybe 5-10 minutes.

I think the good times do outweigh the bad. But at the same time, for all I know, he hates his life right now. We should be getting the radiology report back on Monday and that will tell us how close the tumor is to the brain. If it's close, we have some serious thinking to do. I really don't want it to get to the point where he has a seizure. For his sake, and my own. I'd freak out lol.

Sometimes, I do think he he looks a bit sad. But generally he's pretty happy...enjoying car rides, begging people for food, hitting me with his paw for a belly rub, playing with my other dog. That's why when I found out the news over the phone yesterday, I was an absolute mess...but the second I saw him come running to me at the vet's office last night, all was well again. But, all isn't well...and that absolutely sucks big time.
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  #409  
Old January 15th, 2011, 10:18 AM
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It sounds like you still have some time left to make a few more good memories with Cody, then. Just take it a day at a time. Once the radiology report comes back, you'll have a little more information to go on. Don't be afraid to ask your vet for advice, either--they can sometimes spot signs you might be missing. A good vet won't tell you what to do, but will give you the information you need to make the decision.

Listen to your head, but make your decision from the heart. There are no hard and fast solutions here. You can only do the best you can with the limited information you have. It will be the right decision.

And you're right--this absolutely sucks big time.
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  #410  
Old January 16th, 2011, 12:11 AM
abs914 abs914 is offline
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Radiology came back. The tumor already broke through the bone and is right near the brain. We don't want him getting seizures, suffering, etc, so we'd rather be safe than sorry. Cody's getting put to sleep on Monday.
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  #411  
Old January 16th, 2011, 12:20 AM
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Just a little more time, then. My heart aches for you.

It's hard, but be strong if you can--he'll pick up on your sadness. Will the family be there? Your love will ease his way.

You're in my thoughts and prayers.
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  #412  
Old January 16th, 2011, 07:00 PM
abs914 abs914 is offline
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I'm sitting next to Cody in his bed right now. Leaving soon to get him a burger for dinner.

Last night, I did not get a second of sleep. I've been up since 8am yesterday and somehow don't feel tired.

I keep reading online that I need to be calm. Not sure if I'll be able to do that, but I will try my hardest. I'll be popping quite a few anti-anxiety pills before the appointment.

My dad, both of my brothers, and my sister-in-law will be there. The room will probably be a bit crowded. I'm wondering if I should be bringing my other Bichon? Or just leave him at home?

We're trying to decide what to do about his body after the fact. The whole cremation thing doesn't sit well with me. Tomorrow morning I'm going to place some calls to some pet cemeteries. If that doesn't work out, I think I'm going to just bring the ashes with me to Florida. My mom is buried there, so I'll stick em right next to her. Not really sure if I'm supposed to be doing that lol. Nobody in my family wants to keep the ashes....so that's our only thought.
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  #413  
Old January 16th, 2011, 07:17 PM
abs914 abs914 is offline
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I'm copy/pasting a tiny portion of an email my vet sent. She basically summed up what the radiology report said since I could barely understand anything it said.

"To summarize the medical jargon for you, the tumor goes from the front to the very back of his nose. It has eroded through bone on the sides of the nose, the bottom (top of his mouth), and the bone that separates the nose from the brain"
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  #414  
Old January 17th, 2011, 12:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by abs914 View Post
I'm copy/pasting a tiny portion of an email my vet sent. She basically summed up what the radiology report said since I could barely understand anything it said.

"To summarize the medical jargon for you, the tumor goes from the front to the very back of his nose. It has eroded through bone on the sides of the nose, the bottom (top of his mouth), and the bone that separates the nose from the brain"


It's so good that you'll have family there--both for you and for Cody. I think I would leave your Bichon home, though, unless they're really dependent on each other or unless the vet comes out to the house. In our experience, dogs are often not impressed with death. The vet came out to the house for Evan, and Priscilla showed no interest at all. But she also was a very independent girl.

Another option for the ashes--if there was some place that Cody loves to go play at or hike through, maybe scatter them there? Not sure what the cemetery would say about burying Cody's ashes there, but if it were my dog, I'd sure want them near! My take is, what the cemetery doesn't know won't hurt them.

I wish you strength through your ordeal tomorrow. You are giving Cody the best farewell gift of all--an easy passage, surrounded by family, carrying their love with him to the Bridge. It's the best last gift we can give any of our loved ones.

You, your family, and especially Cody, are in my thoughts and prayers tonight!
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  #415  
Old January 17th, 2011, 11:57 PM
abs914 abs914 is offline
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Well, my baby is gone. He died in my arms.

I'm kind of scaring myself, though. I thought I would be a legit MESS for like the next month. I'm doing okay so far. Well, when we did arrive home, I had to run into the house and throw up. But since then I've been okay. Not many tears. Just kind of content, but miss him a lot. It's either because it just really hasn't hit me yet, or it's because I truly knew it was his time and I'm just glad he's no longer suffering. I guess I'll find out the answer to that over the next few days.

We did decide on the cremation, and I'll be bringing him to my mom. Not sure if I just sprinkle em on her or put some in the dirt next to her? Guess I'll figure something out when I'm there.

Thanks for your help with all this.
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  #416  
Old January 18th, 2011, 02:03 PM
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You did good, abs. Such a difficult thing, but what an incredible gift to Cody, to have you there and be able to feel your love. That love binds you forever to each other--you'll carry him in your heart always.

If it suddenly hits you and you need to talk, you know where we are. We can't take away your pain, but we understand it and can empathize.

Stay in touch, okay?

Cody
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  #417  
Old January 27th, 2011, 05:12 PM
AKALynzie AKALynzie is offline
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So So Sorry ABS

I feel so terrible for your loss...I know what you went through having gone through it. Losing My Tyson was the hardest thing ever for me and it sounds as if it was for you too. I'm thankful for finding this thread and being able to communicate with such kind and understanding people.
Our babies are at peace and we must keep going until we get to see them again.....
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  #418  
Old April 29th, 2011, 07:19 PM
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Omg

My dog (a siberian husky too) has the same symptoms that your dog had :-(, I keep taking him to different vets but they are useless ... how long he lasted after the diagnostic?
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  #419  
Old April 29th, 2011, 07:39 PM
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Hi, gailad. Welcome to the board, though I'm sorry to be welcoming you under such circumstances.

Have your vets scoped your husky's nose or tried flushing his nasal passages? Sometimes bleeding can be from irritation of the tissues up there--from a grass awn, for example.
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  #420  
Old September 25th, 2011, 09:41 PM
Malibu'sMom Malibu'sMom is offline
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Nasal tumor/growth issues

Hi Everyone,

i found this blog because I was looking to answer questions about my own husky's symptoms and sadly I think it is similar to many of the previously mentioned problems with your beloved pets My husband and I have an 8 year old husky, Malibu, the best, most loving and fun dog you can imagine.

We've only had him for a year (we adopted him from a family friend who could no longer take care of him) and earlier this year, he started sneezing a lot and would have bad nasal drip and occasionally had blood in this nasal drip or when he sneezed, not a lot, but some. When we took him to the vet they said it was likely allergies and we'd likely need to give him benadryl. We did that and it has helped but we chalked it up to what we had heard about dogs with longer snouts having breathing issues. This is both my husband and my first dog together and I'm alarmed after reading this blog at how lightly we seemed to have taken this diagnosis. Well, last week my husband noticed a bump on Malibu's nose so we immediately took him to the vet who said instantly that it didn't look good. She said they could do bloodwork to see if it's an infection, if not is was likely a malignant growth but we'd be referred to a hospital to do a CT scan or something like that (but that even then X rays aren't conslusive). The bloodwork confirmed it's not an infection and now I'm torn with what to do. My husband is at school full time and I'm not starting work until next month and I don't know if we can afford all the tests, we definitely can't afford the radiation treatment. I'm sorry this is so long I just need to vent, I just can't stand looking at him and thinking he won't be around to meet our first kid (my husband and I just got married last year). I completely agree with everything everyone has shared about quality of life, I'd rather be sad and know he's not suffering than prolong his life just for our sake and know he's uncomfortable or miserable in any way. My question is, are there any next steps you all would recommend I take? We're calling the vet tomorrow and I'm going to ask about meds he might be able to take that can help his breathing or maybe the swelling of the tumor if that's even possible - what would you do?

My heart goes out to anyone currently dealing with this or who has dealt with it in the past It just seems unreal that things can change so suddenly and I wish there were more options for our pets.
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