April 30, 2012

Darbi

Just found out.

Darbs most likely has cancer.

I think we caught it really early, so that's the good news.  The lumps are the size of peas.

The one lump came back as a tumour, and it was inconclusive whether it was benign or malignant.  Chances are it's malignant as it's very hard and irregularly shaped.  The other two breast lumps came back as inconclusive entirely, so we're taking them all out.

And it sounds like the leg lump is of no concern, which is good news.

I told the vet I wasn't planning on spaying her as she was old and only had one heat cycle per year.  He told me that the chances of her developing pyometra after 8 years old is 75%.  That's all I needed to hear to decide to spay her the same time the lumps are taken out.

Surgery booked for this Thursday.  She'll be out for awhile, obviously, recovering.  Spaying is VERY hard on an older bitch, and I saw that first hand with Miikka.

But trials, schmials...I need to look after sweet Darbs and I don't care if she runs another trial again.

So, moral of the story...do regular breast exams on bitches older then 6, especially if they have not been spayed until after their second cycle.  I think her daily tummy rubs may have caught this before it turned into something very bad.  Let's hope anyways.

2 comments:

Blazingstar said...

I tried to comment on your last post about Darbi, but it didn't go through. Mammary tumours are usually very easily dealt with and one of the "better" diagnoses. Lupine had a low grade mammary sarcoma removed last year and she is doing fabulously. I know of several other bitches that have been fine for many years once they have been removed. We have spayed all of our girls as they age - I've heard too many pyometra horror stories.

Good luck on Thursday - I'm sure Darbi will come through it all with flying colours, she's a tough girl!

Marcy said...

Thanks for the encouraging news Liz. I can get to over-googling and scaring myself in these circumstances.
Glad to hear Lupine is doing so well!!

One of Darbi's lumps has tripled in size and ulcerated a bit. That has me worried, but I'm hoping it's because of an inflammatory response due to the aspiration.

Let's hope...