Monday, February 13, 2017

Tour De House Detour - Chloe (Don't read if you don't like dog medicine stuff)

I have a post ready for the den but I need to detour a bit here.

I just returned from the vet, I had to leave Chloe there.  She had what appeared to be a severely swollen anal gland.  She regularly has bladder infections so she is in the vet's office every 2 or 3 months.  Her "anatomy" is such that she has folds.  And bacteria collects in the folds which enter the system and cause the bladder infections.  Short of cutting the skin folds off, we deal with the bladder infections.  I watch her and catch them as early as I can.  I have several vet cousins so I have a supply of her meds and can  medicate her myself after all these episodes.

Other than that in the last few years, Chloe has never been sick or needed much vet care.  She has always been hale and healthy.  (how's that for a college word!)

But this is different.  Anal glands.  She has never had problems with those guys.  And now the vet, Dr. Steven Lee, says that the reason the anal gland was a problem at all is because there is a mass in the tissue in her leg pushing it into the rectal area.

I knew it immediately when he came into the room with the voice that has told me, Glen,Bonnie Doon has mass cell cancer; Dutch's leg is osteosarcoma; Pepsi has mast cell cancer.

Although he didn't say the "C" word, it was implied in his voice.

It could be just a fatty lymphoma, she has many of them on her.  Bassets are prone to them.  And they are basically harmless.  DiNozzo has a bunch of them, too.  You can see them sticking out on his skinny long body.

We got Chloe 13 years ago as a year old basset girl.  She was given to Carrie by the infamous boyfriend -from-hell.  He threatened to hurt the pup he had given Carrie if she left him.  She started realizing his terrible power over her.  Chloe moved (temporarily) to our house with the Swissys and Carrie got rid of the boyfriend-from-hell.  She eventually met Andrew and the rest is a good  history.

Chloe never left.  She became the first dog to claim Frank.  Every other dog we have ever had has been "my dog".  Mostly because I have trained and shown them in various sports and in my dog classes.  But Chloe is all Frank's.  Frank called Carrie after several months and told her Chloe was his now; she wasn't getting her back!

And she has ruled the house ever since.

I will get a call from the vet this afternoon.  So I wait.


5 comments:

  1. We are all thinking good things here in Iowa for you.

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  2. NO. Just NO. The call MUST be positive. I am sending intense energy your/her way.

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  3. Oh, Glen, after all the trama of the last few months, this must be immensly difficult.
    Prays and hugs that all is well.

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