The circum-anal tumours grew bigger and
bigger till the dog screamed one night.
Euthanasia or no another surgery?
It was heart-breaking for me to
see the old Shih Tzu with larger
circum-anal tumours. "Why didn't
you come for neutering and when
the tumour started growing?" I
asked the man in his late 30s.
"Neutering would have removed the
testosterone that helps the
circum-anal tumours to grow. Also
an anti-androgen injection and
follow up 2 months later. It
would be much less expensive and
less risky of anaesthetic death.
But you didn't turn up." The
tumours look inoperable now.
"I am not the one taking care of
the dog," the man said. "The
caregiver did not want any surgery
as the dog was eating and behaving
normally. Till last night when he
suddenly cried as if in pain. The
caregiver wanted euthanasia but my
wife and I requested surgery."
This dog nearly died at the first
surgery and therefore I did not
perform the neutering at the same
time. I advised neutering 2 weeks
later but there was no response.
I got the circum-anal tumours
excised as much as possible
(isoflurane gas only). I had to be
careful not to rupture the rectum
or destroy the anal sphincters. It
was a lengthy surgery. The tumour
cells appeared fatty in nature and
were no longer in discrete
encapsulated lumps as in previous
surgery. No histopathology was
done due to economical reasons.
The vet fees had to be as low as
possible.
2 days later, I neutered the dog
(Domitor 0.5 ml IV, isoflurane gas
top up, Antisedan 0.5 ml IV).
Delmadinone acetate, an
anti-androgen injection of 1.4 ml
SC was given 2 days later.
Painkillers and antibiotics were
given daily. The circum anal
wounds did not heal normally and
stitches broke down. The old dog
was eating normally.
Chinese New Year2010 falls on
Valentine's Day. It would be in 4
days from today. I sent the gentle
dog home to spend time with the
family as the anal wounds would
take more than 4 weeks to heal and
he needed not stay at the Surgery.
This was the dog which a
vet some years ago had said would
not live longer than the
circum-anal tumours and therefore
advised no surgery.
Well, vets are not Gods. This dog
is still alive and kicking. A
client recently consulted me about
his dog. He wore an orange
T-shirt, bought from Bangkok. It
had the words "Still alive and
kicking" in front. I think
this phrase is an appropriate
title for this report. The dog was
certainly much alive after 3
anaesthesias. Kicking? Well, I am
sure if he were a horse, he would
be kicking as he was an active
senior citizen.
I suspect he would live longer
than any veterinary prognosis now
that he was neutered. It is
extremely hard to predict
longevity in a dog with tumours.
In this case, check up with the
operating vet 1-2 monthly after
surgery is advised.
toapayohvets.com
Be Kind To Pets
Veterinary Education
Project 2010-0129
TOA
PAYOH VETS
