oiran | yet another post about the dog

yet another post about the dog

sick, sick, sick: So, late yesterday afternoon, the dog developed a noticeable swelling on his left side. Feeling around revealed several smaller masses, also all on the left. By the time it was getting dark, he was having trouble with his hind legs, unable or unwilling to stand up.

Call from the vet this morning, after I'd already scheduled an appointment. All the cultures and tests were negative. No fungus. No infection, despite the obvious presence of some sort of infectious process, i.e., pus-o-rama. So, while my dog isn't dying from eating birdshit as I'd feared, the outlook still was not good, and a very rapidly-spreading cancer seemed likely. I went to the appointment fully expecting to have to have the dog euthanized.

After the vet visit, a rapidly-spreading cancer still seems likely. However, we're going to try a combination therapy to kill any possible anaerobic bacteria before jumping to conclusions, even though the vet doesn't really think an infection of this type is the problem. Still, a lack of response to this treatment will help us diagnose a cancer by default. A cancer that would spread this quickly isn't something that we'd treat, or even have time to treat, most likely. And, personally, I wouldn't put the dog through that.

I thought I'd be coming home from the clinic without the dog, so I'm in a better mood than I might be otherwise. If nothing changes for the better by Thursday, we're going to be having to start thinking...uncomfortable things.

Mr. Glove is still in Seattle. He offered to come home early, but I don't think he should - at least not for my sake. If he wants to do that for the dog or for himself, that's a different story. Gah. This sucks.

Thanks to all for your kind thoughts about my silly puppy.

ew, and more ew: I know no one really wants to read this kind of thing, but since Mr. G isn't here for me to share the grossness with, I have to tell someone...

So, I looked over and saw a jet of bloody pus reaching several feet across the floor, and the dog's white fur bib dripping red. There's a huge hole, lots of disgusting bloody pus and, of course, the vet is out of the office right now. Dog tried to stand up and fell, but maybe he's just as grossed out as I am, though he seemed to want to eat all the mess. I got as much of the goo out of his neck as I could stand to, since strangling the dog isn't something I enjoy even under non-bloody circumstances, and cleaned him up a little. Vet is supposed to call me when he gets back to the clinic. I need to tell someone how freaked out I am verbally, I guess.

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Oh sweetie,

I'm sending you so many good thoughts for you and your dog. I really hope he responds to some of the therapies.

*hugs*

Thank you. I hope so, too! He's on an anti-inflammatory now, and that at least seems to be making him more comfortable.

I have a harder time with animals being ill than with people - people can usually at least tell you where they're hurting.

God, that is just so scary and horrible. Poor you and poor, poor puppy.

*sending hugs and get-better vibes your way*

Thank you. On the one hand, it's a relief to know that I didn't "cause" this by having birds (and their apparently yummy poop) and a dog in the same household...but if it's cancer, then there's nothing I could have done differently. I hate that. I hate when negative things happen and it's no one's fault - I'd much rather it be my fault than no one's.

Oh dearie, I feel for you.
A friend via work just had to put her young dog down last week after a futile 3 month battle with the c word. I hope your pups' problems all work out for the best.

Not sure if you commented before or after my addition to the post re: the pus explosion, but I talked with the vet, and he considers this to be a good sign. The origin of the illness is still totally mysterious, but I can learn to live with that if it means the dog will get better ;)

oh, lady.

Hugs for you, and for your doggie, pus be-damned!

B

I'm not certain if you posted this before or after I made my addition re: the dog's neck lump draining rather dramatically, but it did, and the vet considers this a very positive sign in favor of infection vs. cancer. An infection that shows up on no known lab tests, sure, but an infection all the same. And we have pills for that, after all.

I've had enough different emotions for one day, I think.

That sounds good, really, all things considered. Once the wound is open, hot compresses are good still.

Poor you.

If I was there, I'd help. I'm pretty immune to that sort of stuff.

Since I'm not, I'll continue sending good wishes.

B

Heh. I'd like it if you were here to help, too. Then I could run around and dither instead of actually coping ;)

But thank you for the continued good wishes. We will eat them up.

*sends hugs and good-health thoughts to you and your dog*

Not sure when you posted this comment, but if it was before my addition about the change in his condition, then maybe I have your kind thoughts to thank for the dramatic ~~bloody pus-fest~~ drainage of his neck lump.

Yay! Pus! The vet says this is a very good sign in favor of some mystery infection versus cancer, so therefore still potentially treatable and curable.

Oh, man. I'm so sorry this is happening, jed. I wish I could make it better for you!

*hugs*

This day has been one of extremes. Very sad to...somewhat hopeful. Maybe that doesn't sound like extremes, but it feels that way ;)

*sigh* I keep wondering what sort of karma I've built up such that pus = hope.

Thank you for caring. I really appreciate it.

Oh no, oh no, oh NO!! This is such torture for you, and I'm so sorry. I still hope that this will go away as mysteriously as it came. Poor, poor, poor puppy!!!

Well, I'm actually feeling much better following the hideous pus-fest. And I had a long talk with the vet and we went over everything in detail. None of the testing indicates that the dog should even be sick, though clearly he is very ill. We did discuss that I'm going to just have to get over this idea that we'll ever identify a cause for this problem. That's going to be rather difficult. I like having someone or something to blame - even if it turned out to be me - rather than having it be so fucking random.

Thank you for your caring. I really do appreciate it.

Ouch - this neck explosion is a good thing, right? I'm really hoping that your dog will be alright. I'm sorry you have to go through this!

Heh. Yes, neck explosion is a good thing - the vet confirmed that over the phone. We actually said, "Yay! Pus!" back and forth for awhile (I really like my vet a lot!). Because of this, we're back to thinking mystery infection (despite negative lab tests) instead of rapid-and-virulent cancer.

And thanks for your concern. I'm having a very fragile day, and it's nice to have people tell me they care about us ;)

Oh, I hope he gets better soon, poor thing. {{{hugs for you all}}}

I hope so, too ;) Thanks so much for your concern.

Ugh. And poor Obie. So sad. And gross. Poor, poor Obie dobie. :(

P.S. I love you...and obie dobie, too.

I love you, too. And even though he's still very gross and the situation is very scary to me, the dog is sleeping now, which makes him seem less likely to explode. Me, on the other hand...I might explode. Maybe I need some wine after all.

I'm sorry for you and your poor pup!

But I do agree with the vet that the pus, despite being unpleasant, is definitely a good sign against it being cancerous. Rapidly spreading cancer may cause lumps and disfiguration but it wouldn't cause rupturing like you've described. Definitely continue with the warm compresses. Has the vet given you any sort of antiseptic solution to bath the open wounds, like Nolvasan solution? One part Nolvasan to ten parts warm water can be very soothing, not to mention disinfecting.

In any case, I'll be keeping both of you in my thoughts *hugs*

Since the thing didn't decide to burst until I got home, I've just been using peroxide. However, since I'll likely be talking to the vet tomorrow, I'll ask him about Nolvasan - I'm guessing this is something I'd have to get from him, rather than a pet store.

I've had pets all my life, but this is the first scary physical illness I've gone through personally with...anyone, human or animal. Which, at my age, makes me both fortunate and kind of freakish.

Thank you for your kind thoughts - I do appreciate it ;)

Oh man. That's tough. I used to have a cat who had issues with abscesses and it was gross and kind of traumatic (for us both, really). I sincerely hope your dog's health improves quickly, or at the very least that he suffers as little as possible. I hope you're doing okay, too. Take care, Jed.

{{hugs}} for you and the pooch -- I'm taking my silly little boy to the Vet today because he has some weird cyst thingie on his foot. *Sigh* As gross as it is, I say "yay, pus!", and hope for a speedy recovery for Obie.

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yet another post about the dog

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