Keli's Reverse Sneezing Diary- Mast Cell Nasal Tumor FINAL UPDATE 29/01/10.

[Mel]

Well he's been ok most of the afternoon. He had one "fit" as I'll now call them without coughing and gagging which lasted about 5 minutes max.

He is still so sleepy, but I guess he's worn out now. He's only had one day without the reverse sneezing since the middle of August.

I know this can't be fixed, but he can be comfortable, that I do know. There is quite alot of meds which can be given to ease symptoms including ephodrine to open the airways. He doesn't have to suffer like this.

I know this sounds daft, but I have crystals and animal healing essences and the guy at the local crystal shop is going to start giving him remote healing. I know mad, but I'll try anything.

I'm going to pick up more Baytril from the vets tomorrow and I'm sure they will be most miffed to find nothing has changed. I think Preds can make the dogs very lethargic sometimes.

Smartietopdog, I am really hoping he'll turn a corner too. I'm hoping to give you all some good news.

Sorry if I'm rambling in my posts - you know how it is, you just gotta say stuff.

[Mel]

I'm covering Day 4 and 5 in this post.

Last evening, Keli had a visit from my brother who he adores. Little bit of RS and then settled with a lovely cuddle from the Bro.

Eating well now, but not too much, also drinking is just a little over normal. Night wasn't too bad I think he had once RS and I briefly opened my eyes and stroked his head as he was lying next to my bed at the time, but nothing serious.

Today pretty similar really. I went to the dentist and when I got back he was so excited after his treat he had a fit for about 30 minutes again - again wagging his tail, so I can only assume he's not getting too much pain if at all.

I have signed up at another vets who are closer to me. For various reasons I think it would be helpful if we had one closer in an emergency as the emergency vets for my current practice is about an hour and a half away. I spoke at length with them as they are the ones my friend works for and they said they were happy to be the emergency vets and to give a second opinion. I obviously didn't tell my vets I was getting them to give a second opinion, but I have got them to fax the notes through to the new practice. They also feel it's sensible to have an emergency vet nearer.

While I was picking up the Baytril from my vets, the vet came out and spoke to me. He felt Keli would benefit from taking the Preds at one every other day for another 6 weeks. He said it can take some weeks for severe inflammation to be reduced, especially as he will obviously RS quite a bit, and he hoped over time that the RS would reduce. He felt Keli may need to be on Preds for good and he needs to be monitored for heart and lung troubles which could arise from the strain of the RS. He needs to lose a couple of kilos, actually being slightly underweight will help him.

We are reducing the Preds to one every other day from Monday.

Strangely I feel this news is good. It's a plan for the future and we know where we are going. 

It's also good news he is not drinking loads and not eating loads too. I am going to find out if there are any complimentary medicines or herbal suppliments that help protect the kidneys. I know Denes Greenleaf tablets do but maybe some of you know of other things?

However, a second opinion may offer alternatives so we shall have to see.

[smartietopdog]

A second opinion is a good idea. Let us know how you get on. Hugs for Keli (and you!!) x x

[Mel]

Weekend rather like then end of last week really. A bit more settled I guess.

Today is the first day of Preds one every other day. He's still quite sleepy. I think the attcks are slightly less violent at the moment, however, he seemed more congested with the heating on last night.

To be honest, I actually feel rather ill today so I'm hoping for a quiet one.

Nothing much to report. Let's hope it stays quiet.

[JennyBee]

I don't blame you for feeling ill with all this worry - here's hoping things continue to settle

[smartietopdog]

Hope things continue to get better, and you feel better soon too x

[Mel]

OK Monday to Wednesday this week:

Oh dear! Since Monday night we have had squeeking, bubbling, snorting, reverse sneezing, a noise that sounds like a very large cat purring, forward sneezing and mouth breathing. I admit he's getting very proficient at it but I'm so damn tired!

Oh b***** just realised I had to go out for a flu jab early this morning and the poor sods not had his Pred! Scuse the profanity 

I'll just do that - sorry!

Oh dear - talk about cocker up of the week! 

OK that still doesn't take into account the bad night Monday and yesterday. It's more bubbling and mouth breathing with the occasional RS at night but the bubbling actually sounds like he has gunk in his nose which gets into his mouth which he then seems to swallow. He's also making a sound like we would if he rolled the back of the tongue/soft palette - give it a try, it's a bit scary at 3am!

My mother is off for a months respite on Sunday, and pardon me for being a little selfish here, but I need rest and recuperation and not sleepless nights from Himself. I'm a little at my wits end. I thought once he had had the 7 days of Preds and it was in his system, it would be rather an easy transition from 1 a day to 1 EOD.

He seemed to be improving on one a day however maybe he needs to get used to the change in dose.

He has his first appointment with the new vets tomorrow so maybe they can suggest something. His breathing is quite noisy, not rattley like some one with a bad chest, but more like a partially blocked nose.

However, he was extremely cheerful this afternoon and played for ages with me and a treat.

The poor ole fella keeps trying to lay his head down and has to keep lifting it to mouth breath every so often. His 3rd eye lids come up at that time and are demon red.

Still I guess it's early days though.

Eating and drinking ok, motions fine, no accidents. Apart from when he's attempting to sleep he's very chipper and bright.

I don't care what anyone says, I think he gets irritation up the nose which makes him unable to breath through his nose properly and I'm sure there must be something that can be done to help.

I really ought to try and video it a put it on YouTube! Between him and mum we could have a complete orchestra of strange noises, shouting and sleepless nights!

[Mel]

It's almost 2am and he's still unable to settle and is mouth breathing tonight. I'm finding it very distressing, he just looks shattered. Because mouth breathing is so foreign to dogs, the noise he makes is a bit creepy - almost like someone on a respirator. When he gets up and walks around he breathes fine, it's just when he is lying down he seems to have the troubles. And currently he keeps rolling on his back for a tummy tickle which isn't helping him.

Anyhow, I'm going to try and get some shut eye now.

[smartietopdog]

I so wish I could either take him for the night for you, or come and sit with him, so you can sleep. At least you have a rest from your Mum (I didn't mean that the way it sounds, oh, you know what I mean!)
I'm not a vet by any means, but I'd take the fact that he's lively in himself as a good sign? Poor, poor boy, and poor you. Are you on your own? Is there an OH to give support?
Take care, and I hope you manage some sleep, it must seem 10 times worse at night x x

[brownsugar]

What a worry you have with him, really feeling for you and your boy too. Keep my fingers crossed your new vets come up with something to help him. And make things more bearable for you both.

[Mel]

Well we eventually got some sleep last night and when mum went to the day centre I grabbed a couple of hours as did Keli.

We went to the vets at 4pm and met the new vet. She's so nice and to be honest, I think Keli was quite good with her. He hates vets - period but you'll see what I mean it in moment.

He used to like Arthur because Arthur could flush his tear ducts without putting him under. I am pretty sure he likes Berghit, (pronounced Beer-git), because she did something today which I thought he would go nuts about.

She checked him over and was really pleased with him. She said he was great for a 12 and a half year old cocker, limps and bumps included. However, his lymph glad on the left side was raised and she wanted a biopsy. Keli just sat there while she did it without any troubles. We dicussed this could be a mast cell tumour and where it is is inoperable on such an old dog. This could be why we had mast cells in the nose. She was concerned it hadn't been noticed by the other vets last week and if it wasn't there when they examined him, it needed investigating. She explained if it is cancer, it's not curtains. There is new and very effective treatment for mast cell tumours and it is by no means the end of his road. However, she was pragmatic and stated he's an old boy and effectively if it's his time, there will be nothing we can do except make life comfortable. She also said if the lymph gland had mastacised it would be through the body.

However, the better side of this news is that she feels that the RS IS a foreign body from the fact that there is no bloody discharge from the nose. She felt a mastacised lymph gland that raised would have started to cause this and it would be very evident he had bloody discharge in a thick nasal mucus. A lymph gland can raise with excessive inflammation and even though he has been on the Preds, because this has been going on so long now, the whole nasal/throat area would be very sore.

When I told her about the bubbling and loud purring and stuff she agree he would have post nasal drip and mucus in the throat because of inflammation.

We discussed the laryngeal paralysis and she said this is in it's infancy in Keli. She tested the pulse in the legs to check the minor heart murmour was not causing a lack of blood flow and she then explained that The longest nerve in a dog is the laryngeal nerve running from the brain, half way down the back and back up the the larynx. The second longest nerve in a dog is the sciatic nerve. When laryngeal paralysis is in it's later stages, not only hast the laryngeal nerve packed up but also the sciatic nerve starts to go. She explained this was a very long and drawn out process and would not be considered life threatening for about 5-7yrs. She then laughed and said a 17-19yr old cocker spaniel is very rare, so she was not actually very worried about this condition.

Strangely, Himself is a lot quieter today. He had a bit of a bark in the car whilst I was settling for the pathology but he's been quite good.

I'm quite calm about this too, which is unusual. Of course Berghit wouldn't commit herself to stating anything about the biopsy - and it would be wrong of her too - but even after that she still felt he had something stuck up his nose.

With regard the mouth breathing she said "Well, I wouldn't worry - the main issue he is breathing and he's not wincing in pain. If he needs to mouth breathe, he'll deal with it - please do not worry dogs are tougher and more adaptable than you think. Better he breathes than not!".

I like this new vet. She put me at ease without making me feel I was a pain in the posterior. I am happy to agree with her that we are better off knowing what we are dealing with and treating him accordingly.

Such a different attitude from the other vet's who are scratching their heads over this.

I soooooooooooo hope this is infammation of the lymph gland due to irritation and NOT a mast cell tumour. But if it is the big C, I'll do the best I can for my man by way of treatment because we may have caught this early. Dunno how I'll afford it but I'll have to find the money from somewhere. And even though I had to pay for the pathology itself, the whole consult, including checking the tear production in the eyes and performing the biopsy was free! My friend told her about me being a carer and she will help cut costs where we can - i.e. she told me to get some Viscotears lube or Lacrilube for his eyes from the chemist as it's a third of the price of the vets. And she is up for handing out scripts and me getting stuff off the net. She is also up for althernative treatments too.

Biopsy results due on Wednesday.

[elaine.e]

I'm so pleased that you've got a second opinion and, by the sound of it, found a vet who is taking a great deal of care and consideration in the way she's examining and diagnosing Keli.

I hope the results are good next Wednesday. In the meantime, look after yourself as well as looking after your mum and Keli. I hope you manage to get some proper sleep. Take care 

[smartietopdog]

Oh wow, that sounds sooooo much more positive than before. I feel relieved for you!!
And this new vet sounds totally for the dog, and not just money, and I think it's really important to find a vet that cares for you, not cash.
I'm so pleased for you, really!! Lets hope its all good from here x x

[Mel]

Feeling a bit low today. Spoke to a couple of friends who know about Keli and one said she had the same with her dog and it was in the spleen already and each set of tablets cost her £100 let alone the injections. She thinks I can't afford to treat him. My other friend said, "oh dear well he just seems to be getting worse doesn't he? I'd just prepare for the worst as I think it's over."

My OH though we don't live together or are married or anything, is I think been having some sort of nervous break-down due to the suicide last year of one of his mates. He had a row with me on Sunday and I've not heard anything since. We are supposed to be spending a week going out places as he's on holiday the week after next, though I guess that's all off now.

Keli is very sleepy today. I got the Preds days wrong, he should of had it yesterday not Wednesday - but as it was very late I guess it wasn't too bad. He's not having one til tomorrow. He's up for treat eating but even his mornings walk was a bit of an inconvenience today for him. I've heard of mast cell tumours going bad in 2-4 weeks - I just hope it isn't that. Though I am guessing it may well be cancer because if it were an infection it's treated with antibiotics - he's coming up for two weeks on Baytril now and if it is just inflammation it's generally treated with Preds - this is the second week of them now.

I am prepared for the worst, but actually feel quite alone in this. Everyone is telling me I must not get another dog because when mum goes I need to be free to work and get on with my life. I will have to move as mum rented this place and everyone is predicting I'll have to give another dog away because I won't be re-housed with an animal. I would rather live in a dustbin than upset a dog by giving them away.

Sorry I'm just having a bad day.   And this shouldn't be about me it's not my diary.

[brownsugar]

Sounds like your going through a really bad patch; don't know what to say, except to take of yourself and hoping things will take a turn for the better soon.