So we are catching up on Sammy’s journey. He is taking it in stride while I feel like a fish out of water. September he broke his calcaneus. It was misdiagnosed as an acl tear. My vet caught it when he came for surgery. So x-rays showed the pathologic fracture of the calcaneus. We biopsied and casted it and arranged the amputation prior to the results based on an oncologist recommendation. I am an Orthopedic Surgical Nurse so it was not completely foreign concepts for me to deal with. I got a holistic vet on board. Started a raw diet and supplements. Amazingly his hearing returned after 8 months of being deaf which the vet confirmed. This brought so much optimism…he was looking good and feeling good. Unfortunately the pathologists had ridiculous amounts of trouble finding the tumor in the leg and giving a diagnosis. This was foreign, in a human operating room we can get a preliminary diagnosis or reading in a half hour. Sammy’s took 2 months and a review panel of 10! So I went to a veterinary oncologist. Right as a final staining of the initial biopsy finally showed t cell lymphoma. We were all optimistic that the lymphoma might have been confined to the leg we took off. Everything else was perfect. But then his eyes turned red..he does have allergies every spring. I wasn’t at all alarmed it was January but exceptionally warm for wisconsin. Sammy has always had lumps small skin lumps and fatty lypomas. But one on his neck was getting large. So our 6 week check up brought bad news. He had lymphoma in the eyes and the big neck lump we aspirated. So our first dose of elspar went in and two days later we tried lomustine. The Tumors shrank Sammy looks great. We breathe a sigh of relief
Sammy! Looking great there buddy! And you have your own set of wheels,too!!
Go on! You’re gonna beat this!
Keep us updated, sweet Sammy!
all the best
tina & Manni
Ohhh my gosh I was so scared when I started reading about the diagnosis you (finally) got. YAAY for the chemo working, that is wonderful! Sammy’s strong spirit and your pawsitivity obviously makes all the difference. You all look so hoppy.
Cheers to Super Sammy! Keep on hoppin my friend.
Unfortunately there is more to the story. I am working up to it slowly.
P.S. Thanks for teaching us about the calcaneus, we had no idea that even existed. Next time someone’s vet says their dogs has a ccl rupture and needs surgery I’m going to point them here. Sammy’s vet rocks!
The calcaneus is just a fancy name for his heel bone..I forget other people don’t use the correct anatomical terms too. His vet is awesome! I probably drive them nuts because I am very picky now. But his name is Dr. Brad Osgood at Brentwood Animal Hospital in Oak Creek wisconsin.