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5-20-14 - (update from Amy) It's not good news, the cancer has spread to his spleen. I have made a decision, but I am choosing to keep it private, sharing only w/ family and friends. I want to thank all of you for your support it means so much to us all. Please Shop and share 50% of proceeds will go towards his medical bills, If you would like to contribute to the fund w/o making a purchase please send us an email and we'll send you our address. Please pray for all of us, this is much harder then I ever imagined.
5-19-14 - (update from Amy) We're back from VCA, they took samples from spots on spleen, but everything else looked normal for his age. We'll have results tomorrow. She said he could play once it starts to shrink from being on the steroid. I am still unsure about treatment. I'm concerned about Quality of Life, I don't want to keep him w/me for selfish reasons, but I don't feel right about putting him to sleep when he's still wanting to eat, drink and play. Aside from the cost of treatment, I am really concerned about the side effects given his age and the fact that he has a sensitive stomach as it is. I truly want what's best, but don't know what that is. With treatment his odds are about 60% but there are no guarantees we wouldn't be right back here in 6 mo. or less. Please Shop and share 50% of proceeds will go towards his medical bills. Please pray for all of us, this is much harder then I ever imagined.
5-15-14 - The mass cell is back and its not an easy fix this time. It is under My right armpit and is the size of a grapefruit, b/c of the location, surgery is not an option. The vet is recommending a scan to make sure its not involving my organs. Our options are chemo, targeted treatment, (neither is a guarantee) do nothing, or the alternative.I am retired now and am no longer working for my Amy. My leg's swollen and I limp, I'm tired, but in no pain. I still want to play and my tail still wags! Amy still doesn't know what she's going to do, but she has promised that whatever happens we'll face it together and she won't be selfish- she will put my needs ahead of her own, just like I have done for her for the past 8 and a half years.Help us raise funds for me and my care. I need some costly oncology visits and tests, the first of these is on Monday. Amy's on a fixed income, 50% of profits will go to this cause. Shop and share.
1-4-14 - I was very nervous walking into the vet's this morning; I did an unsolicited lap to Amy's mom who was sitting in the corner of the exam room. Turns out I was nervous for nothing, my doctor said all of my Lipomas (benign (noncancerous), soft easily manipulated, freely movable, relatively slow-growing, fat-filled tumors located in my undercarriage, the chest/abdomen) have stayed the same, appear normal and are not disconcerting. My epithelial neoplasm has also remained the same and we didn't find evidence of additional MCT's, which means the Benadryl’s doing its job! Also good, I lost between 6.5 and 7lbs, since we started trying to get my weight down and I'm now at a healthy weight. For now, Amy decided not to do the complete cancer screening...We'll have another check-up in six months and hopefully all will still be well. Yay for us!
8/9/13 - The most recent biopsy results of the mass on my left cranial neck, revealed a benign epithelial neoplasm (noncancerous mass of tissue resulting from an abnormal growth or division of cells), such as a Trichoblastoma (abnormal growth of the hair follicle) or Adenoma (abnormal growth of the hair follicle gland which helps to lubricate the skin) with mild Anisocytosis and Anisokaryosis (variation in the size of the nuclei of the red blood and other cells that are present). This is good news for us though I’ll need to be monitored to make sure the size of the neoplasm does not change (these masses can increase in size and cause pain as they grow). On another related note, Amy continues to treat my incision site with cold compresses and has decided to start me on a Benadryl regimen for my MCT. she’s also considering a complete cancer screening just as a precautionary measure. That’s all for now, we will continue to keep you up-to-date on any new developments. As always we thank you for your continued support and prayers for healing.
8/5/13 - The jury is still out with regard to the lump on my jowl as the first biopsy results came back inconclusive and my doctor had to perform a second biopsy of the site. She also removed my stitches and drained my incision site again. We have decided to forgo putting in a drain for now and Amy has to continue to treat the area with cold compresses. I feel so much better now that my stitches are out, but I wish that my warden (Amy) would let me play, but my doctor asked that we avoid running and jumping for at least another week. These two are torturing me, they won't let me have any fun, but I know it's for my own good. Thanks for your continued support and please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers. TTFN - ta ta for now :)
8/1/13 - Met with my doctor again because I developed a seroma or a swelling of the incision resulting from the accumulation of fluid under the skin (not unusual after surgery) which she drained and told Amy to treat with cold compresses until my stiches come out Monday. Monday can’t come fast enough, I have been a bad patient and a disappointed one at that, all we can do is walk when all I want to do's play. She says we can’t, no matter how sad my eyes look. Then I have been jumping on the couch and I'm not supposed to do any jumping right now plus I'm not allowed on their couch at least not while they are home, but when the cat’s away...) The good news is my MCT results came back on the low end of the grade II spectrum and it appears they got it all thanks to my doctors efforts during surgery. However, I may not be out of the woods yet, because when I was getting my incision looked at, they found a hard, pea-sized lump underneath the skin of my jowl, that they biopsied and we hope to have the results Monday. I’m not worried and Amy’s trying not to be, because I am doing so well, but prayers would still be appreciated.
7/26/13 - I went in for my 5 hr. Lumpectomy and dental cleaning where my tumor came off clean and there was no muscle involvement. My doctor went deep and gave me a long incision (at least 2 inches) to try and get rid of all my cancer. I came through my surgery with flying colors, but I did whine and pace a lot in recovery and after, which is common for dogs that are bonded to their owners. Amy and I share a bond so special that I came to find her to say “see you soon,” all on my own and I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t going with me.
7/25/13 - The results of the biopsy revealed that the mass was a malignant mast cell tumor (MCT) that I’d need to have removed. These are very common in dogs, accounting for approximately 20% of all skin tumors in dogs. They can arise from any skin site on the body, and can have a variety of appearances. Amy discovered mine one day as she had me roll on to my belly so she could perform a routine check of things.
7/22/13 - I went in for my annual physical and to have a 1.5 to 2 cm skin mass (which was pink, hairless and round) on the right side of my chest biopsied.
5-20-14 - (update from Amy) It's not good news, the cancer has spread to his spleen. I have made a decision, but I am choosing to keep it private, sharing only w/ family and friends. I want to thank all of you for your support it means so much to us all. Please Shop and share 50% of proceeds will go towards his medical bills, If you would like to contribute to the fund w/o making a purchase please send us an email and we'll send you our address. Please pray for all of us, this is much harder then I ever imagined.
5-19-14 - (update from Amy) We're back from VCA, they took samples from spots on spleen, but everything else looked normal for his age. We'll have results tomorrow. She said he could play once it starts to shrink from being on the steroid. I am still unsure about treatment. I'm concerned about Quality of Life, I don't want to keep him w/me for selfish reasons, but I don't feel right about putting him to sleep when he's still wanting to eat, drink and play. Aside from the cost of treatment, I am really concerned about the side effects given his age and the fact that he has a sensitive stomach as it is. I truly want what's best, but don't know what that is. With treatment his odds are about 60% but there are no guarantees we wouldn't be right back here in 6 mo. or less. Please Shop and share 50% of proceeds will go towards his medical bills. Please pray for all of us, this is much harder then I ever imagined.
5-15-14 - The mass cell is back and its not an easy fix this time. It is under My right armpit and is the size of a grapefruit, b/c of the location, surgery is not an option. The vet is recommending a scan to make sure its not involving my organs. Our options are chemo, targeted treatment, (neither is a guarantee) do nothing, or the alternative.I am retired now and am no longer working for my Amy. My leg's swollen and I limp, I'm tired, but in no pain. I still want to play and my tail still wags! Amy still doesn't know what she's going to do, but she has promised that whatever happens we'll face it together and she won't be selfish- she will put my needs ahead of her own, just like I have done for her for the past 8 and a half years.Help us raise funds for me and my care. I need some costly oncology visits and tests, the first of these is on Monday. Amy's on a fixed income, 50% of profits will go to this cause. Shop and share.
1-4-14 - I was very nervous walking into the vet's this morning; I did an unsolicited lap to Amy's mom who was sitting in the corner of the exam room. Turns out I was nervous for nothing, my doctor said all of my Lipomas (benign (noncancerous), soft easily manipulated, freely movable, relatively slow-growing, fat-filled tumors located in my undercarriage, the chest/abdomen) have stayed the same, appear normal and are not disconcerting. My epithelial neoplasm has also remained the same and we didn't find evidence of additional MCT's, which means the Benadryl’s doing its job! Also good, I lost between 6.5 and 7lbs, since we started trying to get my weight down and I'm now at a healthy weight. For now, Amy decided not to do the complete cancer screening...We'll have another check-up in six months and hopefully all will still be well. Yay for us!
8/9/13 - The most recent biopsy results of the mass on my left cranial neck, revealed a benign epithelial neoplasm (noncancerous mass of tissue resulting from an abnormal growth or division of cells), such as a Trichoblastoma (abnormal growth of the hair follicle) or Adenoma (abnormal growth of the hair follicle gland which helps to lubricate the skin) with mild Anisocytosis and Anisokaryosis (variation in the size of the nuclei of the red blood and other cells that are present). This is good news for us though I’ll need to be monitored to make sure the size of the neoplasm does not change (these masses can increase in size and cause pain as they grow). On another related note, Amy continues to treat my incision site with cold compresses and has decided to start me on a Benadryl regimen for my MCT. she’s also considering a complete cancer screening just as a precautionary measure. That’s all for now, we will continue to keep you up-to-date on any new developments. As always we thank you for your continued support and prayers for healing.
8/5/13 - The jury is still out with regard to the lump on my jowl as the first biopsy results came back inconclusive and my doctor had to perform a second biopsy of the site. She also removed my stitches and drained my incision site again. We have decided to forgo putting in a drain for now and Amy has to continue to treat the area with cold compresses. I feel so much better now that my stitches are out, but I wish that my warden (Amy) would let me play, but my doctor asked that we avoid running and jumping for at least another week. These two are torturing me, they won't let me have any fun, but I know it's for my own good. Thanks for your continued support and please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers. TTFN - ta ta for now :)
8/1/13 - Met with my doctor again because I developed a seroma or a swelling of the incision resulting from the accumulation of fluid under the skin (not unusual after surgery) which she drained and told Amy to treat with cold compresses until my stiches come out Monday. Monday can’t come fast enough, I have been a bad patient and a disappointed one at that, all we can do is walk when all I want to do's play. She says we can’t, no matter how sad my eyes look. Then I have been jumping on the couch and I'm not supposed to do any jumping right now plus I'm not allowed on their couch at least not while they are home, but when the cat’s away...) The good news is my MCT results came back on the low end of the grade II spectrum and it appears they got it all thanks to my doctors efforts during surgery. However, I may not be out of the woods yet, because when I was getting my incision looked at, they found a hard, pea-sized lump underneath the skin of my jowl, that they biopsied and we hope to have the results Monday. I’m not worried and Amy’s trying not to be, because I am doing so well, but prayers would still be appreciated.
7/26/13 - I went in for my 5 hr. Lumpectomy and dental cleaning where my tumor came off clean and there was no muscle involvement. My doctor went deep and gave me a long incision (at least 2 inches) to try and get rid of all my cancer. I came through my surgery with flying colors, but I did whine and pace a lot in recovery and after, which is common for dogs that are bonded to their owners. Amy and I share a bond so special that I came to find her to say “see you soon,” all on my own and I couldn’t understand why she wasn’t going with me.
7/25/13 - The results of the biopsy revealed that the mass was a malignant mast cell tumor (MCT) that I’d need to have removed. These are very common in dogs, accounting for approximately 20% of all skin tumors in dogs. They can arise from any skin site on the body, and can have a variety of appearances. Amy discovered mine one day as she had me roll on to my belly so she could perform a routine check of things.
7/22/13 - I went in for my annual physical and to have a 1.5 to 2 cm skin mass (which was pink, hairless and round) on the right side of my chest biopsied.