Thursday, November 09, 2006
Laurey
We went to the vet yesterday. About 3 weeks ago I noticed a small lump above her left leg on her chest. It had more then doubled in size since then and felt very deep. I didn't have enough money to take her right away to be seen. Dr Armstrong felt the lump and said that we should have it removed. He said that most likely is a Mast Cell Tumor.
I did some research on MCT's today online:
http://clubs.akc.org/fcra/healthmanual/mast.html
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1638&articleid=461
http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/mct.htm
Basically the sites say that the tumor should be removed ASAP and take a lot of the area around them. And then hope it is stage 0 or I. The estimate the vet's office gave me is for $340.00 but I know it will end up being more since the estimate doesn't include the biopsy or antibiotics, I'm expecting $400.00
I scheduled surgery for Monday 11/20. I'll drop Laurey off between 8/8:30 in the morning and then can call around 2 to see how it went. She should be ready to go home by 4-4:30. They will have to shave her chest, they always shave a huge patch that's all crooked and uneven. And she'll have stitches. The cut will be football shaped and when her fur grows back you shouldn't be able to see the caved in scar too much.
My poor dog! This will be her fourth operation in her eight years. She was spayed at five months and then had a femoral head and neck excision on both her hips, right side first, when she was two. She has been asleep with anesthesia five times, for the three surgeries she has had and to have x-rays of her hips done to confirm hip dysplasia and again to have her right hip re-stitched again after she pulled them out 2 days after her first operation.
Between the self-inflected 'hot spots' she has given herself over the years by licking her legs too much and how she would go after her stitches on her hips, she has spent many many hours and days wearing her cone/lampshade/c-collar.
I love my Laurey. I don't have a human child but I do have her and she is as much of a child to me as possible. I am so scared. I don't have the $400 for this surgery but somehow I will find it. I don't have money if she needs another surgery or needs cancer treatments, but I will find it if she needs it. And now I just have to wait until Monday, 11/20 so I can take her home from her operation. And then a week later we should have the biopsy results and I will know her future and my future. L, E
I did some research on MCT's today online:
http://clubs.akc.org/fcra/healthmanual/mast.html
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1638&articleid=461
http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/mct.htm
Basically the sites say that the tumor should be removed ASAP and take a lot of the area around them. And then hope it is stage 0 or I. The estimate the vet's office gave me is for $340.00 but I know it will end up being more since the estimate doesn't include the biopsy or antibiotics, I'm expecting $400.00
I scheduled surgery for Monday 11/20. I'll drop Laurey off between 8/8:30 in the morning and then can call around 2 to see how it went. She should be ready to go home by 4-4:30. They will have to shave her chest, they always shave a huge patch that's all crooked and uneven. And she'll have stitches. The cut will be football shaped and when her fur grows back you shouldn't be able to see the caved in scar too much.
My poor dog! This will be her fourth operation in her eight years. She was spayed at five months and then had a femoral head and neck excision on both her hips, right side first, when she was two. She has been asleep with anesthesia five times, for the three surgeries she has had and to have x-rays of her hips done to confirm hip dysplasia and again to have her right hip re-stitched again after she pulled them out 2 days after her first operation.
Between the self-inflected 'hot spots' she has given herself over the years by licking her legs too much and how she would go after her stitches on her hips, she has spent many many hours and days wearing her cone/lampshade/c-collar.
I love my Laurey. I don't have a human child but I do have her and she is as much of a child to me as possible. I am so scared. I don't have the $400 for this surgery but somehow I will find it. I don't have money if she needs another surgery or needs cancer treatments, but I will find it if she needs it. And now I just have to wait until Monday, 11/20 so I can take her home from her operation. And then a week later we should have the biopsy results and I will know her future and my future. L, E
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Oh, Erin, HUGS!!! Our furry friends may not be human but we love them all the same. I know I do and I know you certainly do. I hope Laurey heals quick after her surgery!
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