I agree with Buddys Pal… if they didn't do either urinalysis or xray, I'd get them done. If you have a sick dog and the vet just sort of says "oh well, blood work looks okay".. may be time for a new vet. Something is obviously wrong.
Flame is sick :(
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Sorry a Toller is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. You can google it, my laptop died and I haven't got a chance to recover all of my pictures yet! But I will post some soon. He is doing better again this morning. When I came downstairs this morning though he barked and growled at me. I was a little surprised at that! But he is starting to cough less and his fever has mostly gone. He is acting all happy again, but he still has not ate a lot if anything at all. So I think I will boil him some chicken tonite and make some rice then he will gobble that down for sure.
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So we ended up taking Flame back to the vet's last night. My regular vet kind of blew us off, saying to bring him in in the morning and then they would take a look at him then. I said F-that and went and found a vet's office that was open. I do not mind paying the call-out fee but when a vet's office says, no we are too busy to see him now bring him in tomorrow, oh and bring a crate for him because we have nothing available here, I get pissy. I think that was the last straw and I will be looking for a new vet….possibly the one we went to last night.
So apparently all of his lymph nodes are swollen, he is lethargic, without fever, breathing kind of fast (but still good), poor appetite and no play drive. We took him back to the vet's office today, they are going to aspirate the lymph nodes and take tissue samples to send out to the lab to see if he has cancer. The vet put him back on some antibiotics which I gave him last night but he threw up. So I only gave him one this morning and he did end up eating a little bit, well almost a whole hotdog and then some liver treats. That is not a whole lot when it comes to a Toller. They are also going to end up doing some more blood tests and those results will come in sooner than the aspirations.
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So sorry to read things are not going well for flame, I was hopeful in your orginal post he would be better…let us know the results and glad to hear you're getting another vet!
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I am also sorry to hear about poor Flame– I know we were all hoping he was back to his old self. I hope the news is positive and it turns out to be something that meds can fix. I don't know if it will help Flame, but sometimes, Spencer will throw up antibiotics, too. If I hold him in my lap and rub his head and tummy for a few minutes, then get him to lie down in my lap or beside me and either rest or better yet, go to sleep, he can usually keep the bitter stuff down.
Good for you for finding another vet! I've had to do that a few times over the years. Not having time for a sick animal kinda goes against what a vet has chosen to do. Sending healing thoughts to Flame.
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Poor Flame! I do hope he's on the mend very soon, It's so hard when our little ones are not feeling well.
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I hope the vet can find out what is wrong. I hope Flame gets well soon!
Jennifer
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So just wanted to update you all on how Flame (NSDT retriever) is doing. He seems to be bouncing back with the antibiotics. I guess they got 2 really good fluid samples out of his lymph nodes yesterday and they also took a tissue sample of one as well. They had him hooked up to IV antibiotics also. He took his meds well this morning and ate his whole hot dog and some liver treats. Doesn't want to try the kibble though, he just turns his nose up at it. Tonite I will fry some ground beef and make some rice and he can have a supper of beef and rice, whoohoo!
Thanks for the warm wishes everyone!
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Wouldn't it be better to try boiling ground hamberger or better yet turkey and pour off the fat then mix with rice (and white rice is easier to digest). I have always removed as much fat as possible when the kids are sick to prevent tummy upset… and on top of not feeling well, antibotics can cause tummy upset.
Just a thought
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Thank you Tanza. I buy extra lean gound beef and there is hardly any fat in it, but I will definately try to boiling it tonite. Maybe I can boil him up some meatballs! He will be a happy puppy no matter how he gets it. The meds are very hard on his stomach. Wednesday night we gave him two antibiotics and he didnt really eat so he threw up. Yesterday and this morning we only gave him one pill and if he eats a good supper tonite I will probably give him two again and see how that works.
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Any idea of when the biopsy results come back?
Glad to hear he is improving -
So it's been a few days but Flame has been getting worse. He went in for a true biopsy today but it is just a better confirmation that he has Lymphosarcoma(?). It looks like he may only have a few days left on this earth. Not a good situation. After the biopsy today they are putting him a steroid to see if we can make his last days a little more comfortable. All of his lymph nodes are affected and we could try chemotherapy but it would only buy him months and there is a high likelihood that it would come back being that it has affected every lymph node. We are going to have to make a very big decision in the very near future and all I can say is that it does not seem fair…..he is the most wonderful dog and only 4 years old.
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Wow, I really am in awe…greatly saddened to read this and you will surely be in my prayers along with flame in this incredibly difficult time. I agree, four years is so unexplainably short..have the strength to make the best decision you can for him and know by doing that, you gave him the very best.
So sorry -
You are so correct - this is so not fair. I'm very sorry.
You and yours will be in my thoughts/prayers. -
Best of wishes to you and Flame.
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What a sudden and unfortunate turn…. I don't know that I could add anything to comfort you at this time, but you and Flame are in my thoughts.
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Oh, no– I'm so sorry to hear this! It is never easy when a beloved companion is sick and declining, and I know this is just so hard. My thoughts are with you, Flame and the rest of your pack, human and canine.
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Hugs to Flame and you. What a terrible turn for the worse. I hope his final days will be filled with love and without pain.
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I gave him his prednisone and antibiotic this morning and then forced some food down him. Hubby came home after work and Flame met him by the gate wagging his tail and looking WAY better than he has in about 10 days. This is so hard. I wonder if it is the antibiotic working or if it is the prednisone. i also looked up Lupus and the SLE form of it produces large lymph nodes. I am so confused. This morning he was looking like he wanted to give up and now he is wagging his tail and everything. I am crying as I write this because now I don't know. The whole waiting game is the hardest part. We called the vet today and he is going to press the lab to rush the results personally. But would he react to the prednisone that quickly?? He has only had 2 doses…..does anyone have prior experience with lupus or prednisone?
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Prednisone will reduce inflammation so perhaps make him feel better. Lupus is autoimmune, and the steroid suppresses the immune system. I feel for you…....it isn't easy to know what to do in a situation like this. I try to let the animal tell me if it is worth going on or not. Fingers crossed that Flame will help you decide what is best for him.
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I have no experience with lupus, but Spencer took prednisone once after a seizure and the response was amazing. He went from being listless, almost catatonic, to walking and eating within a day. I have had vets tell me there was little to no hope five times now and every time, meds, force-feeding and TLC made the difference. Sometimes, the will to live, a lot of love and the right meds will help them go on for however long they can.
Sounds like you've had all the tests, but did the vet rule out tick disease? That can cause swollen lymph nodes, lethargy, loss of appetite and other symptoms Flame seems to be having. I hope Flame continues to feel better! (If you have trouble getting food down him, Hill's critical care canned food is like a souffle and goes down easily in a syringe. It's gentle on a queasy stomach, too. That was a lifesaver for me a few months ago.)
