Chylthorax

[Karen]

Does the University, as a teaching hospital, have any way you can work to offset the cost of tests? Or "scholarships" for such matters? It does sound frustrating, I agree.

[Catsnclay]

Our cat had Chylothorax, and lived. Any animal having this does not have a good chance at surviving. Sorry. But those are the facts.


Chylothorax is fluid in the chest. It has nothing to do with the heart or any other organs (not cancer either), although if enough fluid builds up, it will push on the walls of the lungs, and that is where it can be dangerous.

The Idiopathic, just means they have no idea how it got there.

Was your dog hit by a car? That is the most common way for dogs. Our cat is an indoor only cat, and we still don't know why, but with the help of an Internist he did get better.

My first thoughts for you is to find yourself a Veternarian who specializes in Internal medicine. Either ask your own vet, or look it up in the phone book.

Please do NOT do surgery on your dog. All that is most likely needed here, is for the fluid to be drained from her chest, on an hourly basis if needed. They can do this at the ER or in the doctors office. That is what they did to our Lucky. It took a week or 10 days I really can't remember, but it was interesting plus expensive at best.

If you Google : Chylothorax (the correct spelling) you will get a whole bunch of information. Although this is still concidered one of those "mysterious" things for animals, that is why they do not have a good solution, nor do too many people, including vet's know about it.

If you read up on it, they you could possibly tell the vet what you want done, or at least understand more about this disease.

Good luck........please keep us all posted.

.......sorry for the grim facts.

[Catsnclay]

Any new updates on Genie?????

[Dawn53094]

she had to go back in yesterday to have the fluid drained..it was about 2 liters. it was much thicker this time and they had to actually put her under.

they couldnt get it all so we can tell she isnt as back to her old self as the first it was drained out.
The University called yesterday and said if they determine the surgery could help her they will do it as early as Friday morning. I think I am comfortable with that because watching her struggle to breathe is heartwrenching. And we have an answer either way--she will have a chance at beating this or have to be put down. She cant live like this and either can we. We are hoping because she is young and overall healthy she can beat it.

[Catsnclay]

Please keep us updated on Genie and surgery!!

Good luck ...... all fingers & paws crossed here for good luck!

[Catsnclay]

We need an update on Genie......................please!!!!




Thanks!

[Dawn53094]

OH man we've been on one emotional roller coaster here. We picked her up from the University on Saturday and not only does she have Chylthorax but she has a mass and they beleive its a thymoma a slow growing cancer that is invasive. They feel it may be the cause of her fluid leakage. We left there feeling like her odds were not that great. They wanted to do surgery that was set up for Wedesday. They would attempt to get the mass, AND ligate her tube to see if the leakage would stop plus get all the cancer out. By last night we decided NO we wernt doing surgery and we were going to have her put down once she fills up with fluid again.

Today my husband called them to say we decided against the surgery. The Doctor seemed surprised and asked why. They began to talk and what it comes down to is he feels the odds are 50/50. He also said he himself has never seen this...this type of tumor where it is with the fluid leakage. I asked because of this rarity is there funding or help from the University,,,of course he says no.. then I asked if they could cap off what we feel we could afford--he will ask the Director that. He then said what if she needed more time in recover and it came to 500 or 800 more---I said well ask the Director if we could have a year to pay that. He feels they would do that. So it would be about 3000 now--and some time for the other. We are feeling like 50/50 odds are hopeable...we also feel like because this is so rare--we want to see if she can beat it. It would be great publicity for the University which many could be a bargaining tool later...but i doubt that. It looks like we may be doing the Surgery after all. Crazy--huh?