Hi jetred,
From your post a year ago… this is exactly the type of information I'm searching for, "I know this might not be survivable for her but I can't find any advice on how to get a dog through cancer, what to look out for, when is she truly in pain, what spindle cell does over time and when is enough for her and time to set her free."
So I am wondering, what was your plan with Luna? How did you make decisions? What information did you learn that you think is important to know about the spindle cell cancer disease process?
I have a 15 yr old girl (aussie shepard mix) who is in good spirits, enjoys slow short walks, putting her nose in the wind, eating, etc all normally. We've had two surgeries already to debulk the tumor on her rear leg. One in 2013, and the second recently in June from which she recovered well for her age. Though it returned quickly (3 mos) and larger this time. It's now an open lesion. I am both astounded and perplexed at how she acts pretty normal given this! My vet (who is a new vet to us as I just moved) initially discussed end of life decisions and then also offered amputation as an option to consider. I would so appreciate any thoughts you have and/or hear more about your story.
Thank you.
Today's Vet Visit
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Today we took Trinity to the new vet - this one is the male doc (the female & male vets work only certain days). My husband wanted to take his little girl in, so I walked Denver around the trails. We returned to the lobby & as I was chatting with the gal at the desk, I heard Trinity scream - loud. No, no, no - not her too! She's never bad! Turns out the vet tried to pull her to the table by her collar - ah-ha! She hates that & so do I. Anyway, the doc invited Denver & I into the exam room & explained to me that Trinity has vulva fold dermatitis & we need to keep an eye on her situation & clean her up with baby wipes - so, always loving a second opinion, I am wondering if there's anything wrong with using baby wipes, or is there something more suitable for her? I'm not just talking about her outside either…
As for Denver, he pretty much ignored everyone but took the treats with no problems. By the time we were ready to go, he was all sprawled out on the floor eating the lollypop treat thing the vet gave him & refused to move. This vet was way cool & very laid back. He knew about Denver's deal & invited us to swing by & hang out in an exam room whenever. I'm going to see if he'll work with Denver, as it seems like he wants to see my dogs - he had admitted to not seeing a whole lot in his practice &, well jeez, everyone knows Bs are the coolest canines! So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed... -
Glad that Denver had a nice positive experience at the vets! Sorry can't help you much with Trinity's issue, but there's probably a couple folks around who have dealt with something similar before.
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Glad that Denver had a nice positive experience at the vets!
Thanks! I forgot one of the biggest moments while we were there - I was at the front desk with my back turned to the exam room doors, when all of a sudden I heard a lady exclaim 'oh my gosh'! I turned to see a big black lab nose to nose with little Denver. :eek: They had exited the exam room & the lab was nose to nose before the owner even made it out of the door. I waited to see what would happen - I didn't want to startle the dogs with my panic. And yet they just stood there, sniffing one another. It was a good visit indeed!
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Awesome news. I am glad Denver and Trinity had a good visit. I am sorry to hear about Trinity's problem. If you could, get some unscented baby wipes, less to irritate those delicate little parts..
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I use the "Wet Ones", they're extra gentle and for sensitive skin. They're fragrance and alcohol free made by Playtex. Hypoallergenic too.
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Thanks for the advice. I bought a small pack of unscented, alcohol-free Pampers wipes - so far, so good. If the Wet Ones are safe to use, then I'd like to try those - I use those everyday anyway (I'm a germ-a-phob). And as always, Trinity is so compliant - totally helps the process!
