Need Happy Thoughts

Post by **spuzo** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:59 pm

So - we had to take the puppy to the vet and leave him there today- they are going to put him under the knife. They are going to knock him out and explore this lump he's had for a couple months now - the antibiotics didn't really help, the steriod shot worked for a little while.... it got small and we thought it was going away but it shrinks and grows from day to day, so she is going to knock him out and see what she can find. Man, dropping him off was the saddest thing I have had to do in awhile. I couldn't feed him this morning either - he had to fast before the procedure...so I felt like a really bad mom....no food and here, I am leaving you in a stainless steel cage, surrounded by cats with strange people....on an empty stomach.

I felt kind of silly posting this, but I just wanted some comfort (so NO horror stories allowed please!!) that vets know what they are doing.

I mean, he's too cute to die!

Post by **diggum** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:02 pm

Good thoughts comin atcha.

Don't worry too much. My puppy got his stiches out yesterday from the exact same thing. He's doing OK & you're little man will be just fine too.

Post by **Artsay** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:05 pm

He is a cutey...

Where's the lump? How big is it (size of: rice, black bean, almond, grape, etc.)? Have they looked tissue cells yet or is that what they're doing today?

Post by **spuzo** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:20 pm

It is on the left side, below the ear - it originially was thought to be a s p i d e r or scorpion bite of some kind, it swelled to almost softball size with adema under the neck, you couldn't touch it at all or he cried...a steriod shot zapped it and it went away completely. About a week later it came back, harder though and it didn't seem to bother him at all, but it was about baseball size....so we went back and they gave him 10 days of antibiotics and more rymidal (doggie pain killer, anti-inflammatory) and it softened up some and shrunk some, kinda moved around a little....but never went away completely. So now it will shrink down on its own to almost gone....but then the next day it will be big again, never really bigger than an egg, but around that size. He only yelps if he hits it (he banged his head on the door while romping and playing one day and yelped cauz it hit the lump) and he and Joe were playing the other day and he yelped...so we called the vet again. I thought because it grew and shrunk it might be a gland...but she thought maybe it was draining into his throat and he was just swallowing it, which would explain some of his snorting, coughing and snarfling lately. Man I wish dogs could talk.

SO - if she needs to, she will send out tissue to be tested, but is hoping to find a drainage point and be able to fix him right up.

We got him from the shelter in Vegas and he is just the best dog. We couldn't imagine that someone just threw him away to a shelter. We've had him since Jan.

Post by **diggum** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:26 pm

He is really really cute. Love the freckles on his ear!

Hope everything goes ok. You're a good mommy for sure.

Post by **spuzo** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:34 pm

thanks!

Post by **dipsi** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 6:15 pm

Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts! Love to the puppy! Love to the Spuzo! Love to the Joe! Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts!

Post by **spuzo** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 6:43 pm

It was a Foxtail!!! For those of you that don't know what they are and might have your pets where there are foxtails....you should look at this web page:

http://rubyglen.com/pets/foxtails.htm

They are a big problem out here and Spike has suffered with one for two months now! It made its way into his saliva gland.

Thanks everyone for your happy thoughts. We appreciate it. Now I just have to wait till 4 to pick my puppy up!

Post by **Crankmas** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:04 pm

Hope this is a relief to you! Sorry you have to wait to bring him home. I think he is telling you he wants to live in KY

Post by **Meadows** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:06 pm

Here's a happy thought to distract you from your woe: I just saw someone wearing a t-shirt that says, I LOVE MY PENIS. I really don't know what to think of this so I thought you could take a break from your sadness and ponder this for me.

P.S. Your dog looks just like Joe - who let him reproduce??!!