March 1, 2011
Charlie has not been his usual self a couple of days prior. We assumed he was not happy with his food as he was not eating much and so we tried other types of dog food. We also started heating his food in the microwave. On this day, we noticed he was really not well, and so we brought him to his vet. He was in the vet's office 5 months ago when we noticed that he wasn't as active as he was before. I asked the vet if it was his weight (he was overweight). At that time, bloodwork was done and the vet suggested glucosamine supplements. I feared hip dysplasia but the vet said it was arthritis. The supplements seemed to have helped him. This time, after checking Charlie, the vet did an x-ray on him and it showed a mass in Charlie's abdomen that seemed to be in his spleen. He also said that Charlie was very dehydrated and had to be put on IV asap. Bloodwork had to be done too. It pained me to see Charlie being poked again and again (being dehydrated, his veins kept collapsing and so they had such a hard time, first in putting in the IV needle and second, in getting blood from him). The PCV test done on him showed a very very low red blood cell count as well, which meant that Charlie could be bleeding internally. The vet was telling us that the mass could be benign or malignant and surgery needed to be done to take out the mass as well as to determine that. All these information were like hollow echoes banging in my head....my head was spinning, I was reeling...and I ended up crying unashamedly at the vet's office. I was silently shouting inside my head "I lost my Dad to cancer...Am I going to lose my beloved dog to cancer too????!!! This is so unfair!!!"
I did not want to leave Charlie at the veterinary hospital that night, and so they offered an option that we can go back at midnight and they'll see if we can bring Charlie home. We did go back at midnight, Charlie had already finished the volume of IV needed but we had to bring him home with the IV needle still in as he was going to have IV therapy again the next day. Charlie could not sleep and kept crying the whole night.....I was the same....
NOTE: If your dog's gums are pale, he seems to be lethargic and his tummy seems big to you, do not attribute that to old age or obesity even if your vet says so. Opt for an on-site x-ray and PCV test right there at the vet's office and ask that they do laboratory work (Chemistry panel and CBC) immediately.
I did not want to leave Charlie at the veterinary hospital that night, and so they offered an option that we can go back at midnight and they'll see if we can bring Charlie home. We did go back at midnight, Charlie had already finished the volume of IV needed but we had to bring him home with the IV needle still in as he was going to have IV therapy again the next day. Charlie could not sleep and kept crying the whole night.....I was the same....
NOTE: If your dog's gums are pale, he seems to be lethargic and his tummy seems big to you, do not attribute that to old age or obesity even if your vet says so. Opt for an on-site x-ray and PCV test right there at the vet's office and ask that they do laboratory work (Chemistry panel and CBC) immediately.
March 2, 2011
Charlie had another round of IV therapy. Laboratory results arrived. Results showed low RBC, low platelet count, abnormal CPK, AST, ALKPHOS. An ultrasound was also done on Charlie's abdomen, which showed that the mass was encapsulated inside the spleen. We discussed the operation scenario with the vet. I inquired about Charlie's very low RBC and low platelet count and was told that those factors pose risks during the splenectomy (removal of his spleen) and what they can do is have blood plasma ready on hand while operating. I asked if a blood transfusion prior to surgery would be better and was told yes, but it would be an additional expense. We opted for that safer route - for Charlie to get blood tranfusion prior to surgery. Blood would be ordered that day and Charlie will have surgery the next day. This was another sleepless, tearful night, watching over Charlie. It was obvious he was in pain, not just from the IV needle in his leg, but also from his swollen abdomen. Hearing him moan and sigh in pain was the worse part of this ordeal...
March 3, 2011
Day of surgery. We brought Charlie back that morning and was told the blood plasma for the transfusion had not arrived yet and so we waited for a bit with Charlie. I asked the vet what kind of anesthesia would be used on Charlie as I was so afraid of the effects of some anesthesia on an older dog like him. After hearing Charlie's vet assure me that they would use isoflurane (I researched on dog anesthesia and this was noted as the safest, though a bit more expensive than the others), I felt relieved. After he had been prepped, the vet told us that we can leave and they will call me. Before leaving, I hugged Charlie, looked him in the eyes and said "Be brave for Mama, be strong, I'll give you steak when you wake up. Make sure you wake up love!", and I kissed him and hugged him tightly. About 30 minutes after, I received a call and they were saying that it turns out Charlie's tumor is not in his spleen, but is in his kidney (the vets explained that it was too big and was behind the spleen and so on the ultrasound it seemed that it was in the spleen). They also said that one portion is attached to a major artery and if they touch it, Charlie might bleed to his death on the operating table. We rushed to the veterinary hospital (about 5 minutes from our house), and the 2 vets performing Charlie's surgery told us that they are leaving the decision to us: if we want the surgery or if we want for them to put Charlie down, as his chances of surviving the surgery is only about 10%-15%. I could not believe what I was hearing...put Charlie to sleep??!!!...euthanasia??!!! I rushed past the vets and went inside the surgery room, saw Charlie with his abdomen open, with oxygen, an oxymetry machine, IV and other attachments, and I told them "you already have him open, give him that 10-15% chance!" I did not care if I sounded or looked silly, I broke down in front of them...I said that Charlie is not just my dog, he is my other child!!..and I asked them to please please do the very best they can do for him!! They promised me they would do their best. We walked to the nearby Starbucks and waited....and waited....
After what seemed like long tortured hours of crying and sighing, and numerous cups of tea and coffee, my phone finally rang. The vet said "It is done", which made me panic, and made me say "What do you mean it is done??!!" I calmed down when he said, "Charlie is resting now, he survived the operation, you can come see him now." Seeing Charlie was a joy...although he was still sedated, woozy and in pain from his surgery, he raised his tail and wagged it twice when he saw us....my brave baby took that minuscule 10-15% chance and grabbed it by the tail !!! (pardon the analogy). I looked into Charlie's eyes and whispered, "Get well baby doggy, your steak will be ready when you can eat one already."
Charlie survived the surgery, they took out one of his kidneys, taking this 2 pound tumor out in the process....we surpassed this harrowing day....but I knew this was just the beginning of our journey.....
After what seemed like long tortured hours of crying and sighing, and numerous cups of tea and coffee, my phone finally rang. The vet said "It is done", which made me panic, and made me say "What do you mean it is done??!!" I calmed down when he said, "Charlie is resting now, he survived the operation, you can come see him now." Seeing Charlie was a joy...although he was still sedated, woozy and in pain from his surgery, he raised his tail and wagged it twice when he saw us....my brave baby took that minuscule 10-15% chance and grabbed it by the tail !!! (pardon the analogy). I looked into Charlie's eyes and whispered, "Get well baby doggy, your steak will be ready when you can eat one already."
Charlie survived the surgery, they took out one of his kidneys, taking this 2 pound tumor out in the process....we surpassed this harrowing day....but I knew this was just the beginning of our journey.....
