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The biopsy of the lump on Truffle's spleen came back positive for a malignancy. Ultrasound had found no other masses, which is why we even did the splenectomy, and Histology says they think that the cancer is growing slowly for its kind.
Nevertheless, Truffle's days are numbered: we don't know what the number is. But as of this moment she is in hospice care: no more surgeries and don't talk to me about chemo, etc. Except apparently non-steroidal anti-inflammatories have a tumor-slowing effect, and she tolerated meloxican when I gave it to her for arthritis, so we'll do that. It's not heroic and it will make her feel better.
Honestly, not much has changed with this revelation. She was already an old dog who might kick the bucket at any time. Now I just have an idea what is most likely to take her out.
She's having a good time right now. She's a sleepy dog, but the sutures don't seem to hurt her except for a short time at night (i.e., how long it takes me to understand she's hurting and get a pill into her, and then how long it takes for the pill to knock her out). Her appetite is approaching normal. She's far enough along that the vet said to give her normal food, but all she wants to eat is chicken, so I guess that, since I am not exactly worrying about the long-term effects of an unbalanced diet, I'll keep giving her that. I've set out a dish of kibble for her to graze on if she gets hungry between the times I've got her chicken prepared, but she is roundly uninterested. I'll throw it out when it has sat long enough and put a fresh bowl out, just in case. But I'm boiling more chicken right now.
So anyway. Kind of sorry I broke my promise not to give her any more surgeries, but on the other hand she's already feeling better than she was just before, so maybe not. Really glad I'm not recovering from surgery myself at this moment.
Nevertheless, Truffle's days are numbered: we don't know what the number is. But as of this moment she is in hospice care: no more surgeries and don't talk to me about chemo, etc. Except apparently non-steroidal anti-inflammatories have a tumor-slowing effect, and she tolerated meloxican when I gave it to her for arthritis, so we'll do that. It's not heroic and it will make her feel better.
Honestly, not much has changed with this revelation. She was already an old dog who might kick the bucket at any time. Now I just have an idea what is most likely to take her out.
She's having a good time right now. She's a sleepy dog, but the sutures don't seem to hurt her except for a short time at night (i.e., how long it takes me to understand she's hurting and get a pill into her, and then how long it takes for the pill to knock her out). Her appetite is approaching normal. She's far enough along that the vet said to give her normal food, but all she wants to eat is chicken, so I guess that, since I am not exactly worrying about the long-term effects of an unbalanced diet, I'll keep giving her that. I've set out a dish of kibble for her to graze on if she gets hungry between the times I've got her chicken prepared, but she is roundly uninterested. I'll throw it out when it has sat long enough and put a fresh bowl out, just in case. But I'm boiling more chicken right now.
So anyway. Kind of sorry I broke my promise not to give her any more surgeries, but on the other hand she's already feeling better than she was just before, so maybe not. Really glad I'm not recovering from surgery myself at this moment.
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