UPDATE Post 26; BENIGN!!!!: Prayers for Sugar, please

As you may remember, Sugar has been wheezing for 3 months now. She has been on Clavamox and Baytril, had chest and head x rays, and had a tooth removed. While there is improvement, nothing was solving the problem. Then it came time for her second cataract surgery and the surgeon won't work on her until we resolve this issue.

So today Sugar had an appt with the vet Ear Nose and Throat specialist. After the exam, he explained how they would proceed: under anesthesia, they put a scope up each nostril to see if they can find anything; scope up from the back of the mouth into the sinus cavity for the same thing. If they find any foreign matter, polyps or tumor, they deal with it. If not, then on to the MRI to see what shows up.

The intent was that today would be the exam and return for the work. Well, they had openings and so Sugar stayed and I came home. Depending when they can get to her I may pick her up today or she may stay the night.

All during the exam, I kept telling Sugar she was staying with me. Then suddenly, they whisked her off. She was NOT happy!! I LIED to her! :eek:

I always worry when they use anesthesia, and so I would appreciate prayers for all this to be successful; and also that they FIND something and can easily deal with it!!! I HATE these "exploratory" ventures, on humans OR my pets!

Sugar is 10.5 years of age. Thanks!

Sandie,

Sugar will be in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully, it's nothing serious. If it is, they caught it in time.

((((((HUGS))))))

Donna and crew

{{HUGS}} and prayers sent for Sugar!

:( Oh No Poor Wittle Sugar.. Get Well Soon Sweatie.. Sending Lots of Huggss & Prayers.. Keep us posted ok..

Lots and lots of good thoughts and vibes for Sugar. Please let us know what they discover if anything Sandie.


(((HUGS)))
Michelle

Poor Baby :( I hope they finally find something. Prayers and (((hugs))) for you and Sugar!

Poor Sugar and poor you, hopefully they will finally find out what has been causing this. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts. I know what you mean about the anesthesia I don't like it either. God will be with her though.
Let us know how it goes.

Prayers headed out for Sugar.

Don't feel bad because she had to stay. Hopefully you'll know how to
fix whatever the problem is. Prayers for Sugar from us too.

I'm sure Sugar will forgive you, because you didn't lie to her, you just didn't know she'd be staying. She'll understand.

I'm sure they will take good care of Sugar while she's there and give her lots of ear scratches and petting. I can't help but do that for the animals that stay with us at work so they don't feel so lonely being there.

I hope they find out what is wrong with her and get her all fixed up so she feels good as new again.

I'm sorry you had to leave her there but maybe they will be able to find out what's wrong and hopefully correct it. I know you hated leaving her there. It's hard to do. I hope things turn out well and she's all better soon. Fingers and paws crossed for dear Sugar.

Sigh.

Well the surgeon has just phoned. Sugar has a tumor in the left nostril.

He removed as much as he could, did not get it all. Will send out to lab and we will have more info on Friday as to what this is and then how to treat it.

Sugar has to stay the night. I can phone after 11 AM tomorrow to set up a time to meet with him and pick her up.

Sandie

Oh Sandie - scary news.

I hope the fact that is has been there for a while - with the wheezing staying the same and not getting worse (was it?) means that removing the tumour might fix the problem.

There's everything from cryogenics to lesser means.

PT Prayers that this is something treatable for your Sugar baby! :)

I know how scared you must be. I'm so sorry. We can only hope that it's not bad news. Poor Sugar and you. I wish our dear animals could be safe from the horrible things of the world. Just doesn't seem fair.

Thank you. Since she arrived here Dec 9 2006, Sugar has worked her way into my heart and my life. This will be our first night apart since her arrival.

I've been sitting here crying since I spoke with the doc. He told me to get some sleep tonight, not much we can do until the lab results come back on Friday. He likely won't even start any meds when he sends her home tomorrow.

She knows you wouldn't leave her unless it was necessary. And she knows you'll come get her as soon as they let you in. These loving creatures forgive us everything as long as they know we love them. You're right, it doesn't take long for them to work their way into our hearts.

Prayers on the way for the beautiful little girl that she come home well.

Hugs to you.

Robin

Huge ((((hugs)))) to you Sandie and lots of prayers for Sugar. I hope the lab results bring good news.

Prayers still on the way for you and Sugar.

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Originally Posted by Karen

Prayers still on the way for you and Sugar.

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Same here

Thinking of you and Sugar, and hoping that your talk with the vet today will give you more encouraging news. I am sure she will be happy to be home with everyone again. And no more wheezing, hopefully.

:( Any News Sandie?? We are all sending lots of Huggss & Prayers for wittle Sugar.. Come on wittle one Sugar Get Well Soon..

Hello everyone and thank you SO much for all the prayers and good wishes. I KNOW they help us!

Our appt for Sugar's discharge was at 2 PM this afternoon. We (Dad came with me) met with the doc and he showed us the MRIs. I find those fascinating! It is a bit of a drive to the specialist's and what with meeting with him and all I am just now getting back on to update this

He couldn't get all of it as the space is so small and the tools can't be used well. When they DO remove a nasal tumor surgically they go in from the top and remove a piece of bone as well. He really wasn't expecting to find a tumor, as they are not as common in this breed as in some others. (Wonderful, Sugar just HAS to be unique!)

So we have been sitting here at home and Dad keeps saying how quiet it is! After 3 months of listening to her chortling and gasping, gagging and snuffling, all is silent.

She didn't even need any pain meds for coming home, she is doing GREAT!

Now we wait to learn what the lab says and that will indicate how we proceed with all this. He did warn us that 75% of all dog nasal tumors are malignant. However there are degrees and types and many of them can still be dealt with.

Sugar is doing fine, she ate all her supper (no surprise, she is ALWAYS a member of the clean plate club!) She should take it easy for the rest of this week until we have more info as to what we are coping with.

Thank you all, once again.

So glad to hear she's doing well! The bad tumor percentage is scary so let's hope that she's in the 25% part. Get well, Sugar! Fingers and paws crossed for you.

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Originally Posted by dukedogsmom

So glad to hear she's doing well! The bad tumor percentage is scary so let's hope that she's in the 25% part. Get well, Sugar! Fingers and paws crossed for you.

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I was just thinking the same thing. We will hang onto the hope that she is in that 25%! Sugar, good girl for eating all of your dinner! Now you take it easy little one and give your nosie time to heal. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dukedogsmom

let's hope that she's in the 25% part.

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Hear, hear! Welcome home, Sugar and I'm glad you ate all your dinner! (gentle smooch for healing Sugar)

BENIGN!!!!!

I feel so silly. We -- Dad and I -- took the dogs out in the back yard this morning about 10:30 for a few minutes. Never thought to check the answer machine when we came in. So I just now heard the Doctor's message: it is benign!

I left a voice mail for him and will speak with him tomorrow.

It is a polyp and, from what I can gather from the internet, it has to do with the scarring and healing from her bull mastiff attack 2 years back! I will speak to him further about this and post more tomorrow when I have all the details.

OK so here is what happened: Sugar was raised by a puppy miller BUT, she was taken to his home and was his daughter's pet. So she received better care than the average female puppy mill producer. She DID have lots and lots of litters. When she was 9, no longer producing and blind with cataracts, he gave her to SPR. From the stories I heard, he had his young daughter in the car (about 13 or 14?) she was crying she wanted her dog, and he kept saying they could go to the 'farm' and pick out a new puppy. DUH!

Anyhow, Sugar was in that first foster home, with several other bichons. And one day, the woman went to the local shelter and came home with a Bull Mastiff. Now, if you adopt a dog from a foster home, you get loads of info about the dog's temperment. But from the shelters, well, they aren't set up to give you that info. On the 3rd or 4 th day, the Mastiff attacked, pick Sugar up by the head and shook her! She was in a coma for 72 hours, in the vet's quite a while. She left the vet's wearing an e collar and having a drainage tube still in her head (I've seen photos, horrible! I am amazed she survived!) That woman no longer fosters, and all her dogs were immediately moved to other foster homes. Sugar was in her 2d foster home when I adopted her.

On my answer machine, the doc said this is benign; it is a fibroproliferative nasal decolosal polyp. I am guessing at the spelling. On the internet, fibroproliferative polyps are usually primary or secondary to healing from a severe injury. So I am piecing this all together.

Am I giving you all too much info? Sorry!

I was crying with relief for 10 minutes. Then I phoned in and left him a voice mail message. He did say we are NOT done, we need to do some follow up treatment. I will DEFINITELY talk to him about the attack to see if he feels that is related and also it may alter some of what he decides to do so I have to make sure he knows about it. It never came up in the one meeting we had on Monday.

Oh joy I will sleep well tonight!!!!

Yay!!! Sandie, could you please scoop the Sugar girl up and give her some BIG hugs and snuggles for me!

Oh that is such good news!

WONDERFUL!!!!!

Hopefully the follow-up treatment will have her feeling even better than before! And I'm sure she is happy to be breathing comfortably! :D

Oh Yay, that is good news. Poor Sugar sure has been through a lot. She is lucky she now has a home like yours to help her through all of this.

Benign is the word I was waiting to see!!!! I am so happy for you & Sugar. When you hear we are NOT done yet after hearing BENIGN it makes it much easier doesn't it. Knowing she does have a cancerous tumor makes the treatments that much easier.

Good Luck to Sugar with her treatments and do keep us updated.


((((HUGS)))) for Sandie and Sugar
Michelle

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

I'm SO glad to hear!!!

What wonderful news! I know that you must feel like a giant weight has been lifted off you! :) I had no idea how much poor Sugar had been through before she came to live with you. The story of the attack broke my heart. Now she has a wonderful home, lots of fursibs (canine and feline) and a good diagnosis. Whatever the future holds with follow-up treatment it is definitely better than her past. Feel better fast Sugar sweetie. :)

Great news Sandie!!! I know the relief you feel!! Kisses to Sugar for me please :)

All hugs, kisses and pets have been delivered; and Sugar says she will accept lots more! He hee.

She needs to have a steroidal nose drop for 10 days and then I phone the doc and give him an update. The polyp 'may' grow again, but the removal will be easy. No need to repeat the MRI.

WHAT A RELIEF!!

Thank you everyone for all the thoughts and prayers (I KNOW they work), and all the encouragement this week.

The worst is behind us!

Doc said to just let her be a happy doggie and do her happy doggie things. ALRIGHT!!!!

F A N T A S T I C ! ! ! ! !

That's the best news I've had all day. Give her a kiss for me.

Robin

SO glad to hear the report was good news! :) It's always pins and needles waiting for a report thinking the worst and such sweet relief when the report is good.

I'm happy for you and Sugar that the news was good.

I'm a little behind but very glad to hear that it was benign :D I didn't realise how horrible a life Sugar led before she met you. She must think she's died and gone to heaven. Give her some late hugs from me. I know how relieved you must feel.

Hey Sugar, I am just leaving a message for you here to read with your mummy! I am so glad you are okay and that it is nothing serious. I was thinking about you all the time and wondering how you were feeling. You must be so relieved to be home again and able to have a nice bowl of food and cuddle up on the sofa with your hoomans!

Well done Sugar for being such a brave little girl :)

Kate

Excellent!! Hugs for Sugar! :D