my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Hi everybody, my name is Dan and i'm new to this forum. It's funny how when a situation arises you look everywhere for the answer but prior to that you never give certain things a thought.....this is one of those situations and this is what has brought me to this forum. Today has been crap! now that's off my chest i was wondering if anybody could share some advice/experience etc I have a 10yr old Alaskan Malamute....she is the apple of my eye, my best friend, my child....i've been with her longer than my wife (as you can tell i love my dog). She has always been well looked after, regular vaccinations etc etc etc...when i told the emergency vet that she was 10yrs old she almost fell over and said she looked more like three....given the situation i was in that made me feel a bit better. I'm going through a stage at the moment where i am feeling i could have done something differently...for starters gotten her spayed (yes, i know some will be reading that she isnt spayed and thinking you're an idiot....don't worry! at the moment i feel like it's my fault anyway so you don't need to tell me)...walked her more, patted her more.... A few weeks ago my dog woke up in the middle of the night to let me know she wanted to go outside to the toilet...i got up to let her out and i stood in a puddle of fluid. It wasn't urine as it was sticky and had a pungent odour. Initially i thought she had lost bladder control..i kept an eye on her and it seemed to disappear save 1 or 2 drops every now and then. At the beginning of this week she started bleeding as if she was going in to season (her season is September and she went through it then) so that got me concerned. Last night i noticed she was licking her self more than usual this morning she was still licking so i lifted up her tail to find a mass protruding from her vagina. It was bright pink in colour, smooth but almost grape cluster like. Of course i rushed her to emergency, the vet looked at her and said i would be better off taking her to my normal vet which opened in an hour. I felt more comfortable taking her to her own vet as i could tell my dog wasnt calm with her as she seemed to be very nervous around her...I took her to her own vet and he had a look, said it is most likely a tumour, and she is due to be operated on tomorrow. She is home with me at the moment with a cone on so she cannot lick it. She hasn't lost weight, gotten lethargic, lost her appetite, had diaorrhea or been throwing up, her pupils are ok and her gums are normal, she still has a wet nose and it isnt causing her any pain. Has anybody had a similar experience and what was it? I know nothing supplements actual histological examination but what is the likelihood it is cancerous? Thanks everybody for taking the time to read my post.....and thank you for your thoughts. I'm going to go give my puppy a pat now and tell her it will be ok.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 There is really no way to guess at the likelyhood of something like that. What if's aside, try not to worry for now because it may be unwarranted. I hope you get good news tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOE Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I know this is going to soung grosse but when it happenened to me it was the uterus and speying fixed that. Oh dear I do hope your vet is wrong best of luck and let us know what happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meriment Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Oh dear I'm sorry to read of the bad time you're going through at the moment. Not much of a welcome to the forums is it I haven't experienced this and can offer no advice, but do hope everything will be OK with your girl tomorrow. Take care Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks Haven and Isaviz, at the moment i can't think of what to say other than thanks....when we went in this morning he seemed a bit shocked actually...he brought out a book showing us what tumour he thought it might be but i'm not a vet so i cant tell whether it is a tumour or something else....he did say it has a good blood supply...hopefully it is something other than a tumour. He apologised to me when i went to pick her up this afternoon for not being able to do the surgery today and for painting a doom and gloom picture about it being cancer this morning. Isaviz, by to you i'm guessing you mean your dog i am hoping that it is a prolapse rather than a tumour. I forgot to mention that during the day, with it being exposed to air etc, it has gone dark and shrunk a little, it's probably about golf ball size now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thank you meriment.....it's a weird emotion when your animal is not well...thanks everybody for sharing it (hope that makes sense) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOE Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Nah me told you it would be grosse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidoney Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I saw a cow with an inverted uterus once ... your description reminded me of that. But of course I am not on the spot and the vet is. Best wishes that all goes well with her and she has a speedy recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 (edited) Isaviz, i forgot to mention that she certainly will be getting spayed after this... and ouch! but it's all sorted now so that's good Edited December 1, 2005 by my_malamute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 (edited) . Edited May 7, 2009 by cavNrott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks Sidoney, i looked on the Merck Veterinary manual and saw a photo of a prolapse in a cow and it looks almost exactly the same albeit a lot smaller... Would the fact that she hasnt rapidly lost weight, is not lethargic, has a very active appetite, gums are normal coloured, eyes are normal coloured and she is healthy for a 10yr old dog work in her favour for it not being cancerous? again i know it's difficult without the histology etc and i know there is no definitive answer without it but all those current stats have to work in her favour right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintanut Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 All i can offer is to give you my best wishes for you and your dog I have no idea what it is, please let us know when you find out tomorrow, goodluck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Hi Anne, thanks for your reply....the vet acknowledged it he didn't make a comment as to the implications of it though. I didn't take her to the vets at the time....i should have....did your vet say what caused it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks Jintanut, your good wishes are truly appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 (edited) . Edited May 7, 2009 by cavNrott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks anne, your thoughts,a nd everybody elses on the forum, are very much appreciated....the odour that i smelt is best described as a fishy smell and although the discharge was clear it was kinda sticky... I should have been more attentive and dealt with it when i first noticed it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A pup Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thinking of you both; good luck in the morning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks A Pup....it's appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arianwen Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 My thought from your description would be that it is pyometra with swelling that caused a prolapse or vise versa! Prolapse is yucky and uncomfortable but she will be feeling much better after desexing. It sounds like your girl is healthy otherwise so just try to relax for now. Either way the surgery will 'fix' either problem. Tumours are usually benign! Malignant tumours are rare when you consider just how common tumours are ... especially reproductive tumours. Good luck to both you and your girl! You'll find having a desexed girl so much more pleasent anyway... no more mess and fuss It is worth the money to have them done. Give her a big hug from all of us! BTW... she obviously knows she is loved... otherwise her condition wouldnt be so good! So dont beat yourself up about it... you know now from experience dont you You and your girl can be perfect embassadors for desexing pets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my_malamute Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Thanks Arianwen.....your post is very reassuring...i'll be happy when she is feeling more comfortable....i'll be sure to keep you all posted. At the moment the vet isnt sure if he will desex her tomorrow or just remove the tumour (if it is that) and then get it examined. I have asked him to make a professional call on that but said that either way she will be getting it done...if not tomorrow then when she has recuperated from this surgery. I gave her a big hug and she gave me a kiss or twelve to pass back she certainly is loved and spoilt..she gets home cooked meals every night although she is a snob! do any other Malamute owners find their dogs can be snobs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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