[coppers-mom]

so he is very happy that he has gotten to go 3 times in the last 12 days. I am not so happy.:no:

Saturday week I took him in for his rabies shot and he got a general checkup at the same time. He had an area on his chest that was inflamed and red. the vet decided it was a bug sting and recommended I spray it 4 -5 times a day with GentaVed. He was already on antibiotics so I was to continue them. (250 mg cephalexin 2X a day). I also gave him benedryl to help with the swelling.

So last thursday the area had swelled quite a lot - about 3.5" diameter - and he threw up his breakfast so we went back. He got a shot of azimycin (antibiotic, steroid, anti-inflammatory) and more antibiotics (cephalexin 250 mg 2X a day still)and the boy felt great for 6 days. He was running and jumping and just feeling good.

Last night the area seemed to be swelling again. this morning it definitely had and was almost as big as last week and red again too.
Now the vet thinks it might be a snake bite. So....... copper gets a shot of antibiotic (Baytril?) and 10mg predisone 1X a day and 500mg Cephalexin 3X a day for 7 days.

Does anybody have an opinion on this? Does the dose seem reasonable? He seems to take antibiotics 75% of the time now that he had his spleen removed and every little thing turns into a big thing.

He had a great time there though. the vet even wanted to look at his chest!!!! That means chest rubbing to copper so he rolled right over and went to begging for some petting. the vet tech even brought him a couple of treats. Made my old dog's day.

 

[hotel4dogs]

I'm sorry to welcome you to the world of a spleenless dog.....
Is it also raised, or just red and inflammed? Meaning, is there a lump?

 

[GoldenJoyx'stwo]

I'm of no help, but I hope Copper's lump goes away soon. As for snake bites? Ugh! I'd have to move.

 

[LuckyPup]

Sorry! I am not any help either. I will keep copper in my thoughts and hope he is feeling better soon! Glad Copper enjoyed his visit though!

 

[coppers-mom]

I'll try to be a little better about the details.

Oct. 8. - about a 1" diameter slightly raised area on his chest. It is itchy and hot to the touch. I shave the area around it, clean it and put benedryl gel on it.

Oct. 10 - the lump has swelled some more, but is not too bad. He needs to go the vet anyway so we have it checked. diagnosis - insect bite/sting. Put an antibiotic spray on it 4X daily. He was already on cephalexin at 250mg 2X daily so I continue that.

Oct. 15 - the lump is now about 3.5" diameter and swollen at least .5" from the surface, maybe 1" from the surface. We trot off to the vet. copper gets a shot of azimycin and I am told to continue antibiotics for 5 more days.

Oct.22 - it looked good yesterday morning and the redness was gone. His last antibiotic had been given the day before. By evening it had begun to swell and turn red again. this morning it was back up to 3.5" diameter and protruding about an inch from the chest, so he went back to the vet.
Now the vet says maybe snake bite. Shot of antibiotic, oral antibiotics and prednisone prescribed.

I'll get a picture up here tomorrow and see if anyone has an idea of what it could be since my vet is not real sure about the diagnosis.

 

[Augustus McCrae's Mom]

It's hard to believe a snake bite or insect bite could swell, go down, and then swell back up in 2 weeks...but is that something that can be caused by the missing spleen? (I have no idea what a spleen does). When Gus got bit by a snake, he howled like the world was ending, so we definitely knew something was wrong. Maybe it's a bite/sting that got re-infected?

 

[hotel4dogs]

yes, that bothers me, too.....

It's hard to believe a snake bite or insect bite could swell, go down, and then swell back up in 2 weeks...but is that something that can be caused by the missing spleen? (I have no idea what a spleen does). When Gus got bit by a snake, he howled like the world was ending, so we definitely knew something was wrong. Maybe it's a bite/sting that got re-infected?

 

[Karen519]

Coppers mom

TERESA

So sorry to hear that Copper and you have been to vet so many times.
I bet if you google dogs without a spleen and illnesses there must be some info out there.

 

[hotel4dogs]

the spleen makes up about 1/3 of the immune system. It's where most of the anti-parasitic T-cells are produced. A lot of the cells that fight specific types of pneumonia are produced in the spleen as well.
Hence my Toby dog's ongoing battle with demodex mange.
Not long after Toby had his spleen out I called the U. of I. vet school and talked to some very high up vet about vaccinations with live, modified live, and killed viruses in dogs with no spleen because of the severely compromised immune system.
He told me flat out....we have no data on dogs without spleens. Almost all of them turn out to be cancer and the dogs don't live long enough for us to collect any data.
That was 3 years ago, and luckily my Toby was one of the ones where it did not turn out to be cancer.

TERESA

So sorry to hear that Copper and you have been to vet so many times.
I bet if you google dogs without a spleen and illnesses there must be some info out there.

 

[Meggie'sMom]

Oh Teresa - so sorry Copper is in the wars again. Poor guy! He just can't seem to stay out of the vet's office, can he? At least he's not upset about going, but gee... how strange is all this??? I would worry about the swelling going down and then back up too - and the constant antibiotics. I'm clueless about dogs without spleens as well, but wishing him and you better days ahead. Hug that sweet boy for me.

 

[Karen519]

Hotelfordogs and Coppers mom

Hotelfordogs: So glad your Toby is o.k.
Coppers Mom: When did Copper have his spleen removed?

 

[coppers-mom]

I've had yellow jacket stings cycle and flare back up days later. the doc says I am not allergic, just "overreactive". I sure am hoping something like that is going on with him.

Based on Gus' mom's information I don't believe this is a snake bite.
It sure is big for an insect bite though. I'll get a picture on here tomorrow.

I guess I just have to be happy for the fact that he is here and doing pretty well. I think I keep trying to get him back to where he used to be and I don't think that is going to happen.

That's okay. Especially since he generally is happy even if he has to turn into a couch potatoe who takes drugs all the time. He eats well, seems to digest well and most of his issues now are relatively minor. I know many people would give their eyeteeth to have that much.

 

[coppers-mom]

Sorry Karen, we crossposted.:wavey:

Hotel4dogs was my first friend on here when I joined in an absolute panic last January to get information about splenic tumors and the prognosis after surgery. Since her Toby had had his spleen successfully removed, she was a fount of information and support.:wavey:

She has given me a lot of valuable information since then and held my hand (in cyberspace) during copper's successful surgery last Feb. 6th. They removed his spleen, a stomach tumor and a fatty tumor in his abdomen. All benign!:

He was going on trail rides 2.5 weeks after that surgery and believe me, he was laid open like a frying chicken. The vet "removed and palpated every abdominal organ". TMI :yuck:

It just seems that he is constantly taking antibiotics and having problems. I know though that some people would give their eyeteeth to still have their dog and I am grateful for that. I just wish I could get/give him better care than I seem to manage.

 

[AtticusJordie]

I don't know anything about snakebites in dogs, but in people--that'd be a pretty unusual set of signs for a snakebite (partially resolving, then flaring up again). The only thing I could offer would be can the vet (may have already) given him stronger and stronger anti-inflammatory/antibiotics if the reoccurance is from the first doses not being strong enough? Hope I made sense there....

Good Luck with Toby--I hope he's lumpless in the very near future!!!

SJ

 

[AtticusJordie]

Sorry--I meant Copper--but I hope Toby is doing well, too!!!!

SJ

 

[Karen519]

Teresa

Teresa

You can tell what a VERY GOOD and LOVING MOM you are, and I am certain that you are the most wonderful Mom that Copper could ever had.

I don't know much about having a spleen removed, but as Hotel4dogs said and I just read when I googled is that it leaves dogs/people more susceptible to infection, so just keep an eye on it.

 

[BeauShel]

I dont have any idea of what it could be but we will say a prayer for Copper.

 

[coppers-mom]

I can't tell if his lump is better today or not. Maybe the swelling has gone down.......

He snuggled with me on the couch for a while and then wanted to go outside. When he didn't show back up, I went looking for him (I had to feed horses anyway). He is downstairs snoring on the couch in our dog room. I didn't wake him to give him his medicine. I will do that in a while when I am leaving for work.

He is getting 10 mg prednisone 1X a day for 7 days. Aren't you supposed to stop steroids gradually? Augghhh! I wish I had gotten a referral to his specialist. I will if he is not much, much better by Monday.

 

[coppers-mom]

I posted a picture on the main board since I am getting concerned that it might be a mast cell tumor.
I could take him back to my regular vet tomorrow, but to put it politely I don't trust his diagnosis.
Please look at the picture and tell me what you think.

 

[hotel4dogs]

that's a low dose of steroids for a short time, you don't need to worry about weaning off of them!

I can't tell if his lump is better today or not. Maybe the swelling has gone down.......

He snuggled with me on the couch for a while and then wanted to go outside. When he didn't show back up, I went looking for him (I had to feed horses anyway). He is downstairs snoring on the couch in our dog room. I didn't wake him to give him his medicine. I will do that in a while when I am leaving for work.

He is getting 10 mg prednisone 1X a day for 7 days. Aren't you supposed to stop steroids gradually? Augghhh! I wish I had gotten a referral to his specialist. I will if he is not much, much better by Monday.