I haven't had many dogs and I don't know as much about them as cats but man am I learning. The kind of things like, cats are prone to getting abscesses because they heal so fast and if you don't take them right away, it can be expensive. Dogs, man. I found out my dog had cancer on Friday (for sure) and he died on Saturday. He had started limping way back in the spring. I thought he had hurt himself and it would go away. It didn't. (I can just remember him going on walk with me and walking so slow and stopping and me thinking he was just being lazy and was fat and thinking now he must have been in pain). It's so sad. I knew something was wrong with him and took him to the vet in July right after I got back from Maui. They said he was "morbidly obese" and he had to go on a diet and took two x-rays of his front legs (2 views each leg). Told me to feed him green beans and hi-fiber stuff. He didn't stop and I was able to find a place on his shoulder where I could touch it (I'm moridified I did this) and he would cry. Took him back to the first vet. She felt him, couldn't find anything and told me to go to a surgeon. Went to the surgeon. Mind you I told both her and the people at the first vet I thought it was cancer. He's too young. He was not yet 3. She takes a few more x-rays and some fluid from his joints cause she things he might have an infection from a tick or something. Nothing. Scheduled arthroscopic surgery. Now granted she told me it could cost it up to $3500 so I was freaking. I sold a bunch of silver back to my parents. Now I hope they can sell it. I don't know who still uses silver. I used a different set all the time when I lived in Germany.
Back to point.
Did the surgery. It cost $2400 (I think. I'm going have to look). Took him home. Kept him still and on pain pills for a week or so. No activity. He was so glad to see me after his surgery. He really didn't get any better. Took him back for rehab meeting and to get his stitches out. Physical therapist notices a lump on his shoulder while she is massaging him - up where he was shaved high on his shoulder - says it feels like a lump. Doctor feels it. Says she can either aspirate it now or just take some xrays (without knocking him out which would meant that they couldn't get exactly the view she wanted. He was to mobile and tense. I take him home - we agree to think it is a sore muscle and I'm going to watch it more). Start him on pain pills again. Gets worse. Temporarily schedule a x-ray. Dr. calls my home number and not my cell phone (my fault - I didn't make that clear to them. Ya know where my cell phone is now? With me. Wait a week. Schedule more x-rays and aspiration. WEDNESDAY, October 17th get them done. She tells me right away it doesn't look good. The view she took when he got his staples out is completely different from the ones she takes today. She tells me she is worried. She tells me about Cat scans and biopsies. She wants to make sure I have some pain medicine. I do. She goes out of town to a conference and tells me she will call me. She calls my cell (which I made sure she had) and leaves me a message that she called. I call her back. On Friday at work she calls. She tells me he has cancer. She is not sure what type but she thinks it was Hemangiosarcoma (takes over your blood vessels) and Osteosarcoma which is bone cancer as well. It's my weekend to work Friday, Saturday and Sunday. My co-worker is out of town translation I HAVE to be at work. Thursday night Basti cries a lot during the night (he was in pain). Friday, October 19, I have Max take Basti to get a stronger pain medicine patch. Saturday a.m. I get up and he is just laying in the hallway by the front door. He doesn't stand up, he doesn't move. He lifts his head and wags his tail. I offer him some Boar's Head roast beef. He doesn't want it. I pet him. I go to work.
A few hours later my son calls crying and telling me Basti is dead. Grieve.
I get permission from my boss and thankfully, two wonderful co-workers step in and cover for me. I had Max and my mom take Basti to the vet. I want to see him but I also want a necropsy done. I go to the vet. Cry, cry, cry. I think I'm already loaded up on at least 3 Ativans. Drive up to CSU and drop him off for the necropsy. Thank you so much to N who went with me, even if she was a back seat, front seat driver.
The pathologist calls me on Monday and tells me he had a HUGE Osteosarcoma that was on his shoulder blades and had spread to his lungs. He thinks he had Hemangiosarcoma as well. Would it have made any difference if I had found it sooner? There is no way they could have amputated as it was right on his neck/shoulder area. Would I have treated him differently and enjoyed him more and made his life even better and most importantly, been able to assure that he would not die in pain or experience it? HELL YES.
My parents are telling me I should get some of the money back from the vet who did the surgery, that was unnecessary, but I figure it was unfortunately, a learning experience for her as well as for me. When I explained this to my parents they said, but you had to pay for it. Yeh, I paid for it. I put some of the blame on the first vet's who didn't do more x-rays and more investigation.
I have learned that when I think something is wrong with my pets, there is something wrong. I have learned that canine cancer is terrible, terrible, terrible and strikes a LOT of dogs, not just old ones. I have found a new favorite charity, besides the Red Cross, who I am eternally thankful for the cot they provided me in Maui when I couldn't get back to my condo. It is http://www.wearethecure.org/
Please give your dog a big hug and extra love today and enjoy all your pets as much as you can.
Classic Risotto
6 hours ago
