appt at 2pm today. damn NVA traffic... took us an hour and half to get the 38 miles to the oncologist and took us 2 hrs to get home, 1.5 hrs there.. we are beat.
After review of all Shelby's blood work, urine sample, and chest xray... the oncologist said: "its just so hard to diagnose at this point, i have a feeling, there is a 60% chance its lymphoma....but 40% says its not... and other factors says its not.."
for one, Shelby's other lymph nodes are not enlarged... and the "tumors" the vet spotted, are not tumors, they are lymp nodes... which had become slightly enlarged. trouble is, their location. the worst spot they could be for an aspiration of one to check for lymphoma... they are right by the heart, where the two air passageways split into the lungs.. the procedure to aspirate one is very very risky.. they have to use a scope, and got through one lung to get to a lymph node there...the chance of nicking a small artery is good, as well as a lung collapse or leaking air... i said immediately "given this stage, no way.........no way...that procedure is out of the question".
doc agreed.
factors in favor though of not being lymphoma cancer:
1. no weight loss.
2. no loss of appetite
3. no fatigue, no exhaustion
4. blood work normal (cancer related factors in blood).
5. urine sample normal...
6. bowels normal.
and the fact that we have no previous xray to compare the current one with..since Shelby is adopted...and we rescued her as a stray, there is a chance those lymph nodes might have always been that size.
now, if it turns out to be lymphoma...that is the best type of cancer to have if you have to have it.. curable? no... treatable for a good quality of life, yes... and Shelby is 11...
so here's the plan..
we came home with an arsenal of antibiotics... there is a good chance there is some kind of hidden infection that made the nodes swell (hell, ive had that happen to me). after 2 weeks, we are going to get another xray of the chest and the nodes... if they are the same size or smaller... we keep up the antibiotics and xray again in another two weeks... smaller or same size after that? xray at 3 weeks... then cut meds... xray at 2 weeks.. same size or smaller... mission accomplished, no cancer. now.. if they nodes get bigger... sonogram of stomach to make sure nothing is going on there.... then on to chemo.....and if another lymph node swells thats accessible to aspiration, get it done immediately for diagnosis... life can be extended by 3 months to 3 years..sometimes 4 with good treatment...depending on the aggression of the lymphoma..
and like the doc said "I have to admit, I just don't see this dog as cancerous right now..."...
untreated after diaognosis..lymphoma can kill in 3 months... but symptoms are present... and get stronger each day, as the cells can double overnight....
so..........
we are very encouraged, very hopefull.....and very thankfull.
thanks to all of you that said prayers Shelby's way when I posted.....
been a long afternoon, gone 6 hrs from the time we left till we got home... Im whipped, wifes whipped, and Shelby acts like nothing happened... LOL
After review of all Shelby's blood work, urine sample, and chest xray... the oncologist said: "its just so hard to diagnose at this point, i have a feeling, there is a 60% chance its lymphoma....but 40% says its not... and other factors says its not.."
for one, Shelby's other lymph nodes are not enlarged... and the "tumors" the vet spotted, are not tumors, they are lymp nodes... which had become slightly enlarged. trouble is, their location. the worst spot they could be for an aspiration of one to check for lymphoma... they are right by the heart, where the two air passageways split into the lungs.. the procedure to aspirate one is very very risky.. they have to use a scope, and got through one lung to get to a lymph node there...the chance of nicking a small artery is good, as well as a lung collapse or leaking air... i said immediately "given this stage, no way.........no way...that procedure is out of the question".
doc agreed.
factors in favor though of not being lymphoma cancer:
1. no weight loss.
2. no loss of appetite
3. no fatigue, no exhaustion
4. blood work normal (cancer related factors in blood).
5. urine sample normal...
6. bowels normal.
and the fact that we have no previous xray to compare the current one with..since Shelby is adopted...and we rescued her as a stray, there is a chance those lymph nodes might have always been that size.
now, if it turns out to be lymphoma...that is the best type of cancer to have if you have to have it.. curable? no... treatable for a good quality of life, yes... and Shelby is 11...
so here's the plan..
we came home with an arsenal of antibiotics... there is a good chance there is some kind of hidden infection that made the nodes swell (hell, ive had that happen to me). after 2 weeks, we are going to get another xray of the chest and the nodes... if they are the same size or smaller... we keep up the antibiotics and xray again in another two weeks... smaller or same size after that? xray at 3 weeks... then cut meds... xray at 2 weeks.. same size or smaller... mission accomplished, no cancer. now.. if they nodes get bigger... sonogram of stomach to make sure nothing is going on there.... then on to chemo.....and if another lymph node swells thats accessible to aspiration, get it done immediately for diagnosis... life can be extended by 3 months to 3 years..sometimes 4 with good treatment...depending on the aggression of the lymphoma..
and like the doc said "I have to admit, I just don't see this dog as cancerous right now..."...
untreated after diaognosis..lymphoma can kill in 3 months... but symptoms are present... and get stronger each day, as the cells can double overnight....
so..........
we are very encouraged, very hopefull.....and very thankfull.
thanks to all of you that said prayers Shelby's way when I posted.....
been a long afternoon, gone 6 hrs from the time we left till we got home... Im whipped, wifes whipped, and Shelby acts like nothing happened... LOL
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