Sassi has a mass

Well from what I see my old pals are here and I need your HELP!
The mass has doubled in size since Jan it is between the major aorta and the myocardial so they can't get a needle in and she is 12 so surgery is out. I am at a loss I can't PM yet and I need help! Rona please email me anything that might help her I know you have experience with your babies! mom23pugs@yahoo.com an one else from PV please help us!

sassismom wrote:Well from what I see my old pals are here and I need your HELP!
The mass has doubled in size since Jan it is between the major aorta and the myocardial so they can't get a needle in and she is 12 so surgery is out. I am at a loss I can't PM yet and I need help! Rona please email me anything that might help her I know you have experience with your babies! mom23pugs@yahoo.com an one else from PV please help us!

and more

Sorry this is happening to Sassi. I have to ask why are you excluding surgery? Certainly extra care needs to be taken with surgery on seniors and it should never be undertaken lightly, but it should never be automatically excluded either.

Hi Charla, good to see you here but I am so sad for the reason.

I've certainly had experience with treating with chemo, but not with the mass you've described. It sounds like difficult surgery if it has been given as an option, due to its location, but if they have suggested surgery, don't rule it out. Imi is 12 and had two MAJOR surgeries this year and came through beautifully. And LouLou was 13 when she had her MCT surgery and follow up chemo. If they have recommended chemo I would without question go ahead. Dogs handle chemo so well, much better than us humans do so don't think for a moment Sassi would be suffering the horrible side effects, they don't. LouLou had an infection and went off her food just a little, but we dealt with that.

Much love and good thoughts for you and your precious girl. She's always been one of the "special" ones.

Hi Charla! I'm so sorry such bad news brings you to us. I'm hoping everything works out well with Sassi.

Sending good thoughts for your Sassi.

Puggered wrote:

sassismom wrote:Well from what I see my old pals are here and I need your HELP!
The mass has doubled in size since Jan it is between the major aorta and the myocardial so they can't get a needle in and she is 12 so surgery is out. I am at a loss I can't PM yet and I need help! Rona please email me anything that might help her I know you have experience with your babies! mom23pugs@yahoo.com an one else from PV please help us!

and more

Sorry this is happening to Sassi. I have to ask why are you excluding surgery? Certainly extra care needs to be taken with surgery on seniors and it should never be undertaken lightly, but it should never be automatically excluded either.

I'm sorry to hear this, but I have to agree with Angela. I have a 13 year old shih tzu with a major heart murmur and he recently came through surgery very well. Admittedly, not as major or as intrusive as what Sassi would be facing. And we did ALL the extra bells and whistles. Unless your vet feels that her age poses an issue with surgery, I wouldn't rule it out.

Do you have any alternatives to surgery?

Charla, I'm glad you found us but not because of sweet Sassi!
Unless your vet says no surgery, please don't rule it out. I know
we worry more with our seniors but they do very well. Some surgeries,
regardless of the age are tricky, but if it is the only option, please
don't disregard the thought. I'll thinking of you and Sassi!

Well the cough was not so bad this AM Theophyltine 100mg called the vet this morning and requested they research local Chemo therapy I can't take her to Louisiana but surely we do this in MS surgery is out since most of one lung would have to be removed and without the trip to Louisiana they could not determine if there are more masses than the most obvious one I have to find a nebulizer and let her sit in her little box before bedtime moisten the lungs and see how that works she lay in the bathroom while I showered then I turned it to pure hot and dried off while the room steamed up but I don't think that is the answer (looked like the steam was on the ceiling) Thanks for the support!

OK can I just see if I have this straight? They have determined (by ultrasound maybe) that the tumour has invaded most of one lung and don't think the chances of surgery are good unless she first has some sort of scan in Loiusiana? MRI maybe? Or is there a specialist surgeon in Loiusiana, is that what they mean?

Can I please ask what sort of options has your vet actually given you?
I can understand your panic and despair, it does sound dire, we are here to support you and darling Sassi both.

Charla:
I'm either missing a post or missing information. What has she been diagnosed with? I understand there's a mass and it seems to have invaded a lung, but what is the diagnosis? I'm assuming a cancer of some sort, but what kind?

They can't do a biopsy since the mass is located between the aorta and the myocardial wall they are wary of attempting it due to the delicate positioning Louisinana state university LSU is the closest animal MRI facility, the ultrasound scared the doctors here with the proximity to the heart. I have him researching chemo treatment, I went and got fatty meats cooked them then saw were they should be raw, attempting to give her foods that will help her fill full. Found tripe and neck bones but like I said I cooked it will add to her food until I find out from The Honest Kitchen which high protein frozen raw foods they offer or should someone have a recipe I can fix it up here.

Times like this I wish I could work from home!

Sending good thoughts to you and to Sassi. I hope that everything works out - it sounds like so much to deal with, especially with your location.

Oh that is really hard...I'm not sure how far they can go with plotting chemo without a biopsy in the first place, if equipment is lacking and they only have ordinary surgical facilities then it sort of means going in cold or opening up her entire chest wall so the reluctance is totally understandable.

What are you trying to do with the diet? High fat, moderate protein, low carb? I have a link to a holistic tumour fighting diet somewhere...let me find it.

Okay here it is...Uni of Florida Canine Cancer Diet Quantities are for a large dog, I would make up a batch and divide into portions suitable for Sassi's weight and freeze.

I've never used it, because when I was researching I had chronic pancreatitis to deal with as well so it just would not have worked. But it sounds like what you are looking for?
Sending healing vibes for darling Sassi and hugs to you.

sassismom wrote:They can't do a biopsy since the mass is located between the aorta and the myocardial wall they are wary of attempting it due to the delicate positioning

(((Charla))) I am sorry sweet Sassi is going thru this.

If they are scared to do a biopsy, I would find someone else with more experience to get the biopsy. The treatment is always based on what the tumor is made up of.

I will pray for her to be pain free.