Lump(s) found...

Johnny, I wish I had some advice, but I am sending lots of vibes to you & Tessy (& Sadie, too).

(((hugs)))

In the final wean off and the weeks after Billy blew out with ALL KINDS of crap.  That was exactly when he got pancreatitis AND hepatitis **at the same frigging time**. 

The way Dr. Demers explained it to me the body has been battered by these drugs and now the difficult time is for the body to begin to throw off the toxins and return to normal.  It takes a LONG time ... and right now the inflammation has been pushed so *deep* into the body that you don't see as much 'easy' stuff as just a UTI but you start seeing more systemic stuff like lymph infections and infections in organs (like pancreatitis and such -- and I know she's already been thru that as well).

You may seriously want to look into homeopathy at this point -- even someone who does a long distance consult like Dr. Chambreau would be a good option for you - that can help get Tessy detoxed properly -- you can't just administer a detox when a dog has been thru something THAT deep.  YOu have to detox very carefully.  I've got her email if you are interested.

Johnny, did you find anything out?  It could be a number of things so although it is so hard try not to panic.  Willow did have enlarged lymph nodes while on Prednisone-they told me if she had lymphoma there would be definately signs in her bloodwork, like off WBC numbers. Also, they look for enlarged nodes in other places besides the neck too-I don't remember where they are but there are a few areas on dogs were they nodes are located.

**IF** it was lymphoma i'd guess it to be a "Stage 2, substage A, Multicentric Lymphoma"

willowchow

if she had lymphoma there would be definately signs in her bloodwork, like off WBC numbers

This is why i assumed or am guessing lymphoma.  Her wbc has always been a little high...specifically her neutrophils.  Her platelets have always also been high.  There is growth so that worries me also...enough to notice in 2 days!

Anyhow, like i was saying though this is just random guessing and likely me thinking of worst case scenarios.  Could be an infection or something else for all I know.

Brutus is *almost* off pred.  He's taking 2.5mg every third day.  Shortly after going to that dose both of his prescapular lymph nodes swoll, literally, overnight.  I took him in, & the vet took samples.  He didn't find cancer cells in his samples.  Then he took them to one of our human hospitals to have a pathologist look at them.  He said that it was a "reactive lymph node."  We also sent slides to the lab to confirm the pathologist's diagnosis, & the lab's pathologist diagnosed the same thing.  All of that info was sent to the internist who handles Brutus's case.  He opted to put him on antibiotics for 2 weeks, & told me not to stress over it because "long term pred causes some strange things."  We're on day 9 of antibiotics, & his lymph nodes are back to their normal size.

Hopefully, Tessy is having a similar issue.

BEVOLASVEGAS

Brutus is *almost* off pred.  He's taking 2.5mg every third day.  Shortly after going to that dose both of his prescapular lymph nodes swoll, literally, overnight.

That is sooo interesting because I was wondering today if it had anything to do with Tessy's recent pred reduction from 5mg daily to 5mg twice daily.  I noticed them a couplw days ago...about 2 weeks after the reduction!  Hers are the submandibular lymph nodes.  Both are irregularly enlarged and growing by the day it seems...there also seems to be an extra lump right between the two nodes!

BEVOLASVEGAS

Hopefully, Tessy is having a similar issue.

In honesty my concern would be that she needs antibiotics ... (sorry -- the rest of the world doesn't know you and I have been emailing about this)

calliecritturs

sorry -- the rest of the world doesn't know you

Maybe perhaps it's just the lymph nodes and the way they are.  I'm just not sure what it is if anything.  I'm looking at the suggestion of lymphoma as a WORST CASE scenario is ALL and hoping for something like an infection.  I do a lot of rambling at night when I'm tired and usually that's when I worry the most.

SORRY in advance for future ramblings and being a worry wort.

Ramble away...thats what we are here for.    Continued good thoughts for you and your girl. 

Johnny&Tessy

SORRY in advance for future ramblings and being a worry wort.

  I'm queen of the worry warts.   Jessie was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis last year, and also developed pneumonia several months later as a result of a bronchial lavage. Rough for a dog at any age, but she was almost 11 at the time and I was sooo worried. Everyone here was super supportive and I can't express how much their support meant. We get it; our dogs are family. Sending good vibes for Tessie that this is nothing more serious than a reaction to lowering the pred  (((hugs)))

Lumps always scare me.  HOney had two removed that were nothing---the 3rd one was grade 2 mast cell tumor.  I nee r take a chance with a lump on my dog!  Hope all is fine with your little girl.

Well, I was able to get Tessy in to see the doctor thisevening to have the lump looked at.  I'm feeling even worse now than I did before going.  The doctor said that she can't guarantee anything without sending a sample out.  She said that in her opinion though it doesn't look like it would be an infection...basically said it didn't look good.  Her first thought was also lymphoma but she made sure I knew that she could be wrong!

So she gave me some options....both of which I can't afford at the moment.

First was a fine needle aspirate and cytology....cost would be $191 total.

Second would be a punch biopsy which would involve putting her under using dexdomitor.  She said that MAYBE the doctor doing it MIGHT be able to get away with using a local anesthesia.  This would also be sent away for a histology.  ... cost would be $435

Now, I haven't a clue what either of these are really and putting her under for tests kinda makes me nervous.  She also said that the aspirate could give false results or may not be accurate.  Not a recommended choice but a choice non the less.

I've got some antibiotics to put her on in the meantime.

Anyone have any advise or experience with the options above???

 All I have for you is on dexdomitor. They used it several times, on Emma, the Queen Of Sensitive. It has a reversal. You give them the domitor, they  go to sleep. You give the second shot, they're awake. It's awesome.