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Sweet cocker spaniel lost his leg to t cell lympho

Sammy’s good eye.

Sammy’s right eye was doing fine. The left was blind and red. But the right was clear and white. Untill a week and a half ago. Then his third eyelid started to peek out of the corner of his eye. The picture above is two days ago. So we start my off week with the rounds of the vet visits. I am a wreck thinking about him losing his vision. I know it must be a tumor pushing his eyelid up. As fast as things are growing will he make it two more weeks? First is a suture removal with his normal vet. I also called the ophthalmologist about his swollen eye. They asked me to have my vet check the pressure of the eye etc. Dr. Brad is nice and competent. I also ask his opinion on the mustargen. I don’t want to give it but feel there is a chance for it to help and need to assuage my guilt.Dr Brad thinks there is no tumor under the eye it is just swollen conjuntiva. He thinks Sammy’s incision healed very well. He thinks preserving Sammy’s quality of life is more important than trying the toxic mustargen. He spoke with the ophthalmologist and now we add prednisone eye drops to the every 6 hour 5 eyedrops schedule. The next day is the oncologist visit. She thinks Sammy has an infected oral gland since his breath is terrible and he has lumps all along his jaw one busted open. So Amoxicillin is twice a day. I ask for elspar instead of the mustargen. I just want to slow it down give him a little more time. He sleeps alot now! Thursday finally the 6 week ophthalmologist visit. He seems shocked at how bad the lymphoma has gotten. He finds an ulcer on the right eye..no more prednisone in there tobramyocin instead. He breaks the news that it is probably a tumor behind his eye restricting blood flow causing the swollen conjuntiva and pushing the eye out. He feels Sammy would be fine blind.I think he is nuts about that! Sammy still spends his awake time looking for his people. He wants to make sure we are all there, it is his comfort to see us near. Now I need a chart or a graph as the eye meds are so convoluted. Left eye right eye both..one every 48 hours most 6 or 8 hours. Good thing I went to nursing school. Luckily the elspar has managed to shrink his giant neck lump. His right eye still looks terrible. I know the elspar only works a few times. So I hope to get a few more weeks with him. He is getting weaker and having problems with his ramp. He sleeps alot. But otherwise he is acting fine wagging and eating. He didn’t get the memo telling him he is supposed to be sick and hurting. His eye looks so painful it breaks my heart. But he doesn’t seem in pain. No rubbing or any sign. I have off in two weeks and hope to see him go then. I need time to handle it with out work. I am going to give him all his favorite foods and never leave his side. I hope he isn’t suffering and want to prevent it so bad.Β 

4 Comments

  1. benny55

    SAMMY! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! You have a beautiful Soul that just radiates all of your wonderfulness from within! And btw, I love the little white marking on your nose! It just adds an extra sparkle to your dynamic self!!

    I havenq gotten to respond to every lost, but Ive certainly been following your journey and cheering for you and your Mom!! What a spectacular team you two are!! πŸ™‚

    Nope, Sammy is not eading any of those “reports” from the Vets. Based on what you’ve said, he certainly has some good quality going on and has no intention of going anywhere anytime soon! He doesn’t seem to be in pain and being tired and less active certainly isn’t painful either!

    You are absolutely doing a stellar job of caring for Sammy!! He is soooo loved, and he knows it too!! You have so many conflicting opinions and you are a full time care giver for your Sammy on top of everything else! Goodness knows, you are doing EVERYTHING possible for that cutie pie!!

    And I imagine Sammy is using his powerful nose to keep track of you more than you realize! I doubt that his eyesight is that great now anyway and he probably has already created ways to adapt that you aren’t aware of.

    Try not to fast forward beyond the present. And right now, Sammy is with you in the present. Continue to make EVERYDAY SAMMY DAY!!! And yes, spoil with all the forbidden foods he shouldn’t have….ice cream, cup cakes, a couple of M&Ms!

    Just as you are right by his side, we are right here by yiur side, okay? Stay connected! This part of the journey isn’t easy on us humans….but all Sammy cares abput is all the loving and spoiling you are throwing his way!!!

    Keep these pictures and updates coming! He’s as cute as can be and we adore him!! πŸ™‚

    Love and hugs

    Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

  2. otisandtess

    I am so sorry to hear of all these issues. It is probably not a consolation, but we had a dog that went blind from diabetes and did just fine. Her other senses were so sharp she behaved just the same as when she could see. And we had other dogs, so she took cues from them as well. Of course, we never again moved the furniture out of fear that it would disturb herπŸ™‚, although she probably would have been just fine.

  3. charliebear

    Sammy, Sammy, Sammy: you are just a major, majestic, handsome, wise, loving, and loved, loved, loved fella!!! My goodness what an adventure you have been on as of late! As far as that eye, well Sammy, shhhhhh…we here have a feral cat who has had the same issue for almost 6 months. We cannot get him to treatment but, on the other paw, he does not at all seem to be in pain and that is what we want to share with you. 6 months, no pain, and eating and chatting and burbling just fine ( he is a cat so…). So you do what you want to do on Sammy Time but, apparently, eyes don’t guarantee seeing the world with love and blindness does not stop one from seeing what is true in our hearts either. Best wishes, huge hugs, and massive PyrPaws all around!

  4. jerry

    Awww Sammy, what a fighter you are! So strong and brave, you are a role model for us silly humans. I’m sorry to hear about the eye situation, that’s tough.

    You know Sammy better than anyone else so only you can make that call about his quality of life. But I will tell you this: we’ve had a few blind Tripawds (who went blind after amputation) and they did fine. I know it seems daunting. I’m not sure what I would do. But I just wanted to put that out there. Hop over to the forums if you want to talk about it OK?

    Sending lots of hugs & love to you both.

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