Hi All

As you all know robbie my westie has been under the dermatologist for his skin problems for a few months now his skin is improving but i noticed 3 months ago when i clipped him that he had a little spot appearing on the base of his back and over the past couple of months it has grown, they said it would be advisable to do a needle aspirate to send off for culture which they did and the specialist phoned me the next day to say it has come back that he has got a cancerous benign tumour which is a trichoblastoma and that they have advised he have it surgically removed otherwise it will just continue to grow, as soon as CANCER was mentioned i paniced and though it meant robbie would die.
Well we went to our local vet yesterday who said yes it needs to come out and be sent away for analysis to check it isn't malignant he said most of these are benign cancer tumours but they cannot say for sure until the results are back, i am worried sick for him, he is booked in for the operation tomorrow and the vet said he will have to have the stitches in for 2 weeks as it is in a harder to heal area being on his back end where the skin is tighter, he said he will be sent home with ab's and painkillers and will need to have a elizabethan collar on for the 2 weeks incase he attacks the sutures, has anybody ever had these tumours before that could put my mind more at ease.
I just feel so sorry for him he is gonna have to have half of his back shaved off for the procedure but i am worried he is gonna be in a lot of pain once he has had it done as i have never had a dog go through such a big op before, he will be home tomorrow evening if all goes well.
Anybody know of any other collars around that i could purchase instead of those lamp shade that i think are awful for the dog to have to keep on.
Helen

Hi Helen

In my experience, dogs are extremely stoic when it comes to operations and pain. After a couple of days they seem to spring back into action as if nothing has happened.

This won't put your mind at ease I'm afraid but my Sussex Spaniel, Winnie, had 3 lumps removed last month, all looked pretty innocent, but after getting the results back from the lab 2 came back as mast cell tumours. She had to go back in and have those 2 re-operated on to get a bigger clear margin. The lump on her elbow came back as a low grade tunour and the surgery should be enough to deal with that, but the one on her flank turned out to be a highly aggressive tumour and she is now having chemotherapy. She is taking it all in her stride and you really wouldn't think there was much wrong with her, apart from the 7 inch scar and shaved patches.

She wore a Comfy Collar (http://www.vetuk.co.uk/veterinary-supplies-pet-medicals-c-141_438/comfy-collar-alternative-to-elizabethan-collar-p-2535) during the daytime, but at night I reverted to an Elizabethan collar because I couldn't stand her snoring with the Comfy Collar on (she sleeps in my bedroom).

I hope the outcome for Robbie is a good one, you really don't need any more grief after all the trouble you had with poor Hamish and now Robbie.

Take care
Karen

Gosh you have both been through it haven't you? Paws and fingers crossed for a good outcome.
I use a Comfi(y) collar which I bought new on a well known auction site, you slip their own collar through the loops on the inside of the collar and blow it up and that's it. My girl learnt to use it as a pilliow, much better than the lampshades. Would you be able to have him in a t shirt to cover the wound.
All the best to you both.

The vet said these are a common tumour in dogs and he said not to worry until we have to, he feels sure it will come back as benign as the needle biopsy showed a benign cancer tumour but he said not to get my hopes up until the histology on the complete lump is back which will be about 7 days time, i just feel so sorry for him he has been through such a lot this year with his skin and his lip fold is still not sorted and now this, but hopefully he will get on okay.
Thanks for the link for that collar i just don't like to think he will have to have that damn elizabethan collar on for 2 weeks as they are horrible things, could winnie still reach the wound with this on as you said you used the elizabethan one at night, his is on his back end to the right before you reach the tail and the vet thinks he may be able to reach it so will need to put something on.
Was your dog in much pain the day you collected her and the days after?

Hi

Just looked up these comfy collars but it says you can only use them twice and that they don't last forever, if i need to have it on him for 2 weeks till the stitches come out is it likely to last this long? How long did yours last you?

If I have a dog that needs to be in a collar I remove it every time I can find time to sit and watch - time consuming but it's only for a couple of weeks.

Im sorry to hear about hamish.

I wonder if he would wear a child sized teeshirt, that might help keep him from messing with the wound?

I hope his op goes well and I'm sure he will be fine with the anti-biotics and pain killers.

Hope everything goes well for you both tomorrow.

Thinking of you both hope all is well..... Healing vibes being sent your way Hamish .

Good Luck for tomorrow - we are all rooting for you.

{{{{  HUGS  }}}}

The reason Winnie changed to the Elizabethan at night was due to the fact that she snored badly in the Comfy and kept me awake!

Winnie couldn't reach her wounds as the Comfy restricts how far round they can move their heads. I did also put a childs t-shirt on her when she no longer needed the collar.

> Was your dog in much pain the day you collected her and the days after?

From the 1st op. she was just groggy and I would think this is how Robbie will be. It was only after the 2nd op. I could see she was in pain, but that was really radical surgery and she had a drain in the wound as well. But even with that after a couple of days she was demanding to go for walks and was acting more like her normal self. As I said before dogs seem to be very tolerant of pain, I'm sure if I'd had the sort of surgery Win had had I would have been laid up for weeks.

Good luck with Robbie.

Just to add, the Comfy collars last much longer than 2 uses. I've had this one for well over a year and it's been used a number of times and is still going strong.

My comfy collar split with the loops inside but that was down to my girl being determined to get it off!! I continued to use it without looping it through her collar and it lasted fine. I also used a t shirt for double protection. 

Well dropped him in at 8.45 this morning he was very unhappy that he had missed his breakfast but apart from that didn't seem bothered, when i turned to leave him he thought he was coming with me which then started tears forming and must admit i couldn't get out of there quick enough, i just hate leaving them as they don't know what is going on bless them.
They have said to phone at 2pm and he should be home by 3.30 i am worried to death it seems so quiet here without him god knows what he will be like bless him when i pick him up, hope he won't be in too much pain, don't know how long he will need ab's and painkillers for but hope he recovers soon. Have ordered a comfy collar today but they have said 2 days for delivery, the vet said he may not attack the wound as he is gonna use disovable stitches which are softer but guess it depends on the dog.
Will post as soon as i can

Most of the time he's there he will be really sleepy with the anesthetic, by the time he comes around you'll be there in no time.

Hamish how is dear robbie?  I suspect he will be very sleepy until tomorrow,vets usually give long lasting pain relief. You are probably feeling much worse than robbie is at the moment. Dogs fortunately,have no concept of what is wrong with them. Like children,as soon as they feel better, they are up and running again.  I know you will be very anxious until you receive histology report,which I hope indicates this is benign. I have a dog here who had mammary adenosarcoma in Dec. 08. We went to cancer referal centre in essex where tumour was removed and all samples came back as "clear". In Dec 09 same dog was diagnosed with rectal cancer,so, off we went to essex again for the op.,after which chemo. Each time we went the moment we let her out of car for a"wee",she was bouncing and giving "cheek". We go back every 3 months for CT scan and everything is fine. This dog is 12 years old.  I am relating this Hamish to show that even if it is not benign, there can still be a positive outcome for robbie. Will send out healing thoughts for you both. Everyone on here is with you in spirit,so take heart. Freja

Well i collected him at 3pm yesterday the op went well he has got a 3inch scar and has 11 stitches the vet said until histology comes back we won't know for sure, it was the size of a malteser the tumour. He came home and had some food and seemed a bit quiet just wandering around but not too bad, he had had a painkiller at the vets and starts rimadyl from today for 3 days then checkup on Saturday.
Last night when it came to bedtime we put the collar on him to protect the stitches and he went beserk, he sleeps in a crate which he has done since a puppy and wouldn't even go in the crate with this on so 1 of us slept downstairs with him all night but even doing this he just paced and whined all night, as soon as the collar comes off he stops whining but goes for the wound so he has got to have this on when we are not around but how we are gonna get him in the crate at night god only knows, as i say he didn't even settle being left out of the crate last night and we cannot sit up every night with him for 14 nights until the stitches are out.
Any ideas i would be very grateful for. He usually loves his crate and gets in and snuggles down no problems but with this on he just rears up and struggles like mad

Glad the op. went well.

Try giving him treats while he's wearing the lampshade and distracting him, and don't pay too much attention to his antics, he will get used to it. It would probably be easier to keep it on all the time rather than putting it on, taking it off, putting it on, taking it off....

(((hugs))) to Robbie

Its not an elizabethan collar that i am using its a bite not collar that my friend has lent me it wraps round the neck and then a strap goes under their belly but it means there head is restricted and they cannot put there head onto the floor, have you heard of this before they are on the bite not website they are made in san fransisco. I have ordered a comfy collar but will not be here till Saturday, the only reason i am not keen on an elizabethan collar and the vet agreed is because of his lip fold problem and he said also it could make his ears bad where he has skin trouble anyway, this collar means his head and vision isn't restricted but he just whines all the time it is on.
To be honest i think he is overtired he keeps trying to nod off but where his head won't go down onto the floor he hasn't thought of laying on his side, took him out for a walk earlier but he wasn't bothered just kept stopping that was without the collar on so it wasn't because of this.
He has eaten so cannot seem to think the whining is where he is in pain.
Just wish he would settle with the collar on bless him, gonna leave it on him for the day and just take it off when he eats/go out for a walk as i cannot get his lead round his neck with this on aswell
Anybody else used this bite not collars with success may put a separate post on to see

I haven't had any experience with the bite not collars but have to say they don't look the most comfortable things in the world. I think he'll find the comfy collar much comfortable.

> I think he'll find the comfy collar much comfortable.

That should read "much MORE comfortable".

None of my dogs have liked the collar when it is first put on but after a couple of days will push their head in if it is held out to them, just put it on and ignore any nonsense if & when the nonsense stops then reward.

Thanks hopefully the comfy collar with arrive on saturday, when you blow them up do they stay inflated for a while, it says there existing collar loops through it is this right?
He seems to be settling down a bit with the bite not collar on he is actually laying down now and trying to have a sleep so perhaps he is slowly getting used to it, my friend said that they told her when she bought it that it takes the dog a little while to get used to having it on.

I only had to re-inflate the comfy collar once, when Winnie got her ear fur caught in the blowing-up cap and unplugged it. You shouldn't have that problem with Robbie as he hasn't got "spaniel" ears like Win. Glad to hear he's settling down a bit with the bite not collar.

>as he is gonna use disovable stitches

Hi, do keep a very close eye on Robbies wound.  I've heard so many accounts recently of dogs being sensitive to disolvable stitches.  One of mine had a serious operation in January and his wound only finally healed in late June.  If I had twigged sooner I might have been able to do something about it but of course there wasn't much I could do about the internal stitches.

Fingers crossed for Robbie :)

He has now had the bite not collar on for most of today and i must admit that he seems more settled, he is trying to jump up on the chairs this evening so must be feeling better the vet said we must keep him off of the chairs as jumping up and down could split the stitches but he seems hell bent on getting up on them little buggar!!
Just hope he settles down in his crate tonight and we get some sleep back at work tomorrow so certainly need a few hours, think i may sleep in the same room with him again tonight though just incase he manages to get the collar off because as soon as the collar comes off he gets to the wound.
Should get the comfy collar on saturday as they are a softer collar how do it restrict them getting to there wound then as surely as they turn the collar being soft will dip in wont it?

Hi All

Just a quick update on Robbie he is doing fantastically well eating fine and has taken to the bite not collar which i am so pleased about, where he used to run a mile as soon as he saw the elizabethan 1 he comes right up to us to have the bite not 1 put on, he has been sleeping on his own in the crate as good as gold since Thursday evening and we have had no more problems with him, he went for his checkup yesterday morning and the vet was pleased with him said the wound was healing well and that he could stop the rimadyl last night as he said he wouldn't need any more, he wants to see him again the end of the week and the results should be back on Wednesday, just seems a hell of a long week waiting and hoping that everything will be okay.
He seems to be a bit quieter than normal and very clingy but i guess this could be were he just feels out of sorts and not sure if the rimadyl makes them feel a bit groggy aswell, but as i say he is eating fine so fingers crossed he is on the road to recovery.
I will just feel happier when i know either way if its a benign or malignant cancer, if its benign will it mean he is in the clear as it couldn't have spread only i am not that up on cancers?

Hello Hamish and robbie. Pleased to hear he is doing so well. If it is benign it means there are NO cancer cells,so fingers and everything else crossed for a good outcome. Even if it is cancer do not panic. Early detection pre-disposes a good outcome. I have an old girl here who has had 2 very aggressive cancers and is a very fit athletic dog. They dont have the psychological impediments to recovery that we humans have. Thinking of you - when will you get the results?

Should either be tomorrow or Wednesday seems such a long time when you are waiting for results, never had such a long week in all my life!!!
Rob just seems to be a bit quiet since he had it done, is eating fine but just not as lively as he was before the op, may mention it to the vet on Thursday see what he says

Fingers X for the best results tomorrow or Wednesday.

Don't worry about him being quiet, anaesthetic takes a long while to clear the system and he may still have a bit of pain.  Don't concern yourself too much you have started his treatment and the news will be to tell you if you have finished or if you need to continue for a while either way I am sure you will see an end shortly.

> seems such a long time when you are waiting for results

It is a horrible time waiting for results. Good luck fingers and paws crossed.

Any news yet Hamish? Everything still crossed here.

Hi All

Sorry not posted for a few days my internet access went down!!! Well the results came back and it is a benign localised cancer tumour which was called a pilomatrixoma the vet said these can be malignant and benign and in robbies case it is benign the prognosis said that complete removal is curative and that the prognosis was good, he said the tumour had ruptured when he got it out but said that this doesn't mean he will have any further affects so i am just hoping he has told me right and not telling me just to put my mind at ease as i know he knows i have been worried sick.
He said they can get more come out but it doesn't mean he will so we just need to keep an eye on him, he was pleased with it healing and said it looks nice and clean and the wound is healing great, the disolvable stitches still haven't come out yet so he said to take him back on Thursday and what hasn't come out by then he will take out.
He seems okay in himself still very quiet and sleeping a lot but is eating fine and going out for walks, the vet said it may take him a couple of weeks to get back to full fitness in himself, i just cannot believe how well he has coped with the wound he has been brilliant, just wish he was a bit more lively then i would be completely relaxed!!!

That's wonderful news about Robbie I'm thrilled for you. I'm sure his excellent healing and recovery is alot down to your love and attention to him. He's a lucky chap.

Meant to mention still having trouble with his blocked anal glands though gonna post a separate message to see if anybodys got any thoughts as it doesn't make sense to me

hello hamish, so pleased to hear the very good news about Robbie. I'm sure he will very soon be back to his old self. You must be so relieved!

It is such a huge relief was the longest week of my life i am so pleased for Robbie, just wish i could get these damn anal glands sorted then he would be as happy as larry.