I can't believe it took me over 24 hours to start to google. I have the pathology report and now I must learn. My search does not find much specifically on Gingival Hemangiocarcoma, but there is more than I want to know on other varieties of Hemangiosarcoma. Sadly, I am finding very little hope in all that I read. Hemangiosarcoma is a cancer of blood vessels it can occur anywhere in the body that has blood vessels - duh. The dermal (skin) hemangiosarcoma is a little more hopeful for longevity but there is great concern for spreading to the internal organs. If tumors start on the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, etc, they have potential to rupture and cause internal bleeding. That would cause great suffering and pain. Oh, and it can spread to the brain too. One Dr. suggested euthanasia before allowing the disease to get to that point. I can certainly understand that thinking but making that kind of decision when your dog is not suffering is torture. How long can you put off the decision before it is essentially 'too late'. Can we go one more day? Did we wait a day too long? The good news is that we are not to that point....yet....that we know of. The x-rays were clear but they won't pick up the microscopic beginnings. I wish I was saying that being hyper protective but it was a point in a number of articles.
This is the primary reason I will want to see an oncologist. I would like an ultrasound of the belly. It might help in knowing if there is anything growing internally at this point. There is no cure. Chemotherapy is a possible treatment to slow the cancer growth but it does not work on all varieties of Hemangiosarcoma.
Glamis had to spend the night in the kennel to minimize movement. When he gets up, he is a little stiff and sore. There is a little blood on his t-shirt but it has dried. The pressure wrap is completely out of place so I cut it off and get a good look at the incisions. The little one looks very good. The long one has a bubble swelling at the base. This is where the bleeding had been coming from. I have seen this before and am not too concerned. As long as it doesn't get bigger, it is not a problem.
Before we put on a clean shirt, he goes outside to do his business and I take some photos. I can see the small purple spots the Dr. talked about. As he is walking, I notice the skin is jiggling oddly in the shaved area. He stops and I touch....I am NOT supposed to touch the dogs...I always find bad stuff. I poke around and this is clearly fluid build up. It is not quite close enough to the incision for me to automatically say surgical fluid, it will reabsorb. It is more the location that concerns me. Of course, I had been reading about internal bleeding and now I am a bit paranoid. And then I think of Arri and the fluid in his chest.
I will wait to call the Dr. See if the swelling increases, moves or decreases. Listen to his breathing pattern and just in general, analyze him closely.
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| I added purple dots to indicate where the potential new tumors are. |
I wait...10 minutes...20 minutes....probably and hour and a half before I grab the phone and call. I knew Dr Mike was not going to be in the office but I call anyway. I will feel better looking like a paranoid hypochondriac than ignoring it and feeling like I neglected my boy. Dr. Mike calls back within half an hour. We talk about the details and he would rather take a look than assume it is edema from the surgery. We will drop by to see him later tonight or tomorrow morning.
For the time being, we will change plans and adjust schedules to give Glamis some extra quality time. In a few days, the incision should be healed enough to allow for trips to the park. Glamis is going to grow to hate the camera.
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| This pretty much captures his personality - not particularly intelligent in appearance but always happy. He is alot like Eyore with a positive perspective. |
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