Snowie has had a rough year. I haven’t wanted to write about it because it makes me sad. But I find myself here unable to sleep after listening to him gag several times tonight. It’s a recent thing and I’m hoping it’s just an inflamed larynx or trachea. But it could be laryngeal paralysis or a tumour if I am to think the worst.
In brief, the year started with him going downhill. Turned out to be an enlarged and infected prostate. Successfully sorted out with antibiotics and a Suprelorin implant. Became a young dog again.
But his front paws were problematic. Swollen and itchy. Constantly having to bathe them in antifungal shampoo. Wears two pairs of towelling baby booties for walks, plus an extra rubber sole for mountain walks. Thankfully he totally accepts them, but “getting him dressed” for a simple walk is tiring for me.
Constant ear infections. He hates the ear cleaner, so it is always upsetting having to treat him.
Then a few months ago his skin got terrible. Itchy. Inflamed. Apoquel wasn’t touching sides. Took him to the vet for a lump I didn’t like on his leg. Vet immediately took him off apoquel, put him on prednisone for a week and a cytopoint injection. Immediate improvement. Acting even younger! Vet took a needle aspirate of the lump. Nothing, suspected it was just a pressure sore. But all his lymph glands were up. Sent needle aspirates for tests. Came back as “reactive” meaning not lymphoma but most likely related to his inflamed skin.
10 days later, leg swollen up, rigors, great big pussy weeping wound where the lump was. Antibiotic injection plus 3 weeks of antibiotics. It’s now been almost a week since we stopped the antibiotics and he still has a big hole in his leg (back hock) plus another wound has started on the inside of the hock, and very red around the area. We clean it with antiseptic three times a day. Vet visit once week to monitor. Vet says it looks like a cyto-toxic wound, perhaps a spider bite. But says he really doesn’t know. Says no point taking a biopsy as the tissue is necrotic and he says that he feels any invasive intervention could make it worse. He said Snowie is free to lick it cos it helps drain it and keep it clean. But the problem is that after licking it, he gags. Lots of saliva while licking.
The gagging sound is horrible. And I think he gets distressed by it. About 4-6 gags at any one time. I get very distressed and sad. Is this how it all ends?
Next vet visit is Wednesday.
Snowie has had allergic skin issues his whole life. I’ve tried everything natural I can think of. Plus a ton of vet intervention. I guess it’s amazing he’s reached almost 13 (in Jan) with all his issues (including seizures and back problems). I’ve also recently felt warts and lumps sprouting up in various places and I wonder if the apoquel has caused worse skin issues. Vet has needle aspirated them, clear. Perhaps I’ve rushed to the vet too often, unnecessarily? Perhaps I’ve worried too much his entire life? But the gagging worries me now more than ever. Although since I got up 30-40 mins ago (it’s now 4.20am), Snowie has been sleeping peacefully!!
A pic from Sunday. You can see the wound on his left back leg. It looks much better than it did a few weeks ago, when it was black and pussy and a deeper hole.
In brief, the year started with him going downhill. Turned out to be an enlarged and infected prostate. Successfully sorted out with antibiotics and a Suprelorin implant. Became a young dog again.
But his front paws were problematic. Swollen and itchy. Constantly having to bathe them in antifungal shampoo. Wears two pairs of towelling baby booties for walks, plus an extra rubber sole for mountain walks. Thankfully he totally accepts them, but “getting him dressed” for a simple walk is tiring for me.
Constant ear infections. He hates the ear cleaner, so it is always upsetting having to treat him.
Then a few months ago his skin got terrible. Itchy. Inflamed. Apoquel wasn’t touching sides. Took him to the vet for a lump I didn’t like on his leg. Vet immediately took him off apoquel, put him on prednisone for a week and a cytopoint injection. Immediate improvement. Acting even younger! Vet took a needle aspirate of the lump. Nothing, suspected it was just a pressure sore. But all his lymph glands were up. Sent needle aspirates for tests. Came back as “reactive” meaning not lymphoma but most likely related to his inflamed skin.
10 days later, leg swollen up, rigors, great big pussy weeping wound where the lump was. Antibiotic injection plus 3 weeks of antibiotics. It’s now been almost a week since we stopped the antibiotics and he still has a big hole in his leg (back hock) plus another wound has started on the inside of the hock, and very red around the area. We clean it with antiseptic three times a day. Vet visit once week to monitor. Vet says it looks like a cyto-toxic wound, perhaps a spider bite. But says he really doesn’t know. Says no point taking a biopsy as the tissue is necrotic and he says that he feels any invasive intervention could make it worse. He said Snowie is free to lick it cos it helps drain it and keep it clean. But the problem is that after licking it, he gags. Lots of saliva while licking.
The gagging sound is horrible. And I think he gets distressed by it. About 4-6 gags at any one time. I get very distressed and sad. Is this how it all ends?
Next vet visit is Wednesday.
Snowie has had allergic skin issues his whole life. I’ve tried everything natural I can think of. Plus a ton of vet intervention. I guess it’s amazing he’s reached almost 13 (in Jan) with all his issues (including seizures and back problems). I’ve also recently felt warts and lumps sprouting up in various places and I wonder if the apoquel has caused worse skin issues. Vet has needle aspirated them, clear. Perhaps I’ve rushed to the vet too often, unnecessarily? Perhaps I’ve worried too much his entire life? But the gagging worries me now more than ever. Although since I got up 30-40 mins ago (it’s now 4.20am), Snowie has been sleeping peacefully!!
A pic from Sunday. You can see the wound on his left back leg. It looks much better than it did a few weeks ago, when it was black and pussy and a deeper hole.
and lots of 
for Snowie
