Friday, October 21, 2011

ANGUS HAS CANCER

HI Angus & Milo's human here. Well where do I start with this news? Angus has lung cancer :( It all started six months ago when out of the blue he started coughing in the middle of the night. He would only do it when he was lying down and then only once or twice so we didn't think it was anything too serious but as time went on and there was no change and he only seemed to be getting worse we started thinking maybe there was something more serious going on. He would have strange days where he would refuse to get off his dog bed and seemed hot to the touch almost like he had a tempreture but then he would be fine the next day. Numerous vet visits never showed anything horrible. So we were sent home with antibiotics as they though a virus was the cause. They did help him and even stopped the coughing but when they ran out all the symptoms came back again. Then ten weeks ago he had been better then he had been but then overnight almost he suddenly went down hill and had two horrible days in a row. He was just flat, had no energy to do anything and spent the entire day on his dog bed panting as though he had just run an olympic marathon and he just didn't seem comfortable no matter what way he lay and he felt hot again. The Dogs were booked in for their yearly needles the next day so we were glad that was the case as something was very wrong. Then the next day he seemed a tiny bit better. He wasn't as hot as he had been the day before but when they were taken out to have their breakfast angus just didn't touch it and that just wasn't him. If you have ever had a dog that loves food you understand that when they turn their nose up at dinner something is very wrong. Angus loves his food. He once ate an entire 16 kg bag of dog food all by himself. He got in big trouble for doing that and once stole an entire chook off the table that was meant to be for christmas lunch. He seemed most pleased with himself for that. So today was the vet appointment. They were taken to the Lort Smith Animal Hospital. They arrived at lunch time and they were taken into the consultation room to be looked at. Angus went first. They listened to his heart and it was going miles too fast. Then they took his temprature and it was 40 Celsius - far too hot. So they said there was something really wrong and they were going to keep him overnight to find out what was wrong. They then took him straghit back to the intensive care unit to be put on a cold water IV to try and get the temp down. Milo checked out fine. So that day after we had left they did all sorts of tests to find out what was wrong; they did xrays and an ultrasound. It was discovered that he has lung cancer that can be very aggressive and it's also in his lymph nodes and that was the reason he had been coughing all the time and he had lost a lot of weight and was down to 30kg. So Lort Smith Hospital gave us four choices for him. Send him to a specialist hospital to try to have the cancer removed, two lort smith would try to do it them selves , three was bring him home for a week to say goodbye and then take him back to lort smith when he went down hill and the last chocie was putting him down straight away. We chose number three. It felt like the best choice for him and he was happy to be home again. He had about five different medications that he had to take and we had to promise to give it all if he was to come home for the week. The meds were a combination of pain meds , anti inflammatries ,cough syrup and a combo of pain - anti inflammatry. He didn't like any of them but with some help of vegemite he took them like a good boy. I slept on the floor with him next to his dog bed that week. So the end of the week rolled around far too quickly so he was taken in but we were given a very nice surprise. They thoughat that he was doing so well that they gave him an extra four weeks so after changing his cough meds for a new stronger one he was allowed to come home again. We were of course over the moon by this turn of events. He was much better than when we took him the first time any of our friends who had seen him when he was really sick coudn't believe how good he looked and how happy he was again. Even Milo seemed happier that angus was feeling better. Then when the four weeks ran out we took him back and were given another six weeks and they even said he should be fine to come on holidays with us at christmas time. His next appointment is November the 19th and he has been doing well so hopefully he will get even more time. He has even been on a few walks which he has loved. He has his good and bad days but he is a very happy boy. So he has been getting lots of extra cuddles which he has been enjoying and getting even more spoils then he was already. Well bye now from angus and milo's human.

11 comments:

  1. Prayers and pawsitive siber vibes in this hardest of time friends,

    RA, Isis & nuknuk

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  2. Hi Y'all,

    My Humans and I are so happy Angus has been enjoying this special time. While having some fatal decease is stressful and a trial for everyone involved, it often gives loved ones some of the most cherished moments.

    My Human lost her father to lung cancer and she says it's no different with us pawed ones except we can't talk.

    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  3. I am so saddened to hear about Angus

    Stop on by for a visit
    Kari
    http://dogisgodinreverse.com

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  4. Hi Everyone, We are very sad to hear about your sweet Angus. Enjoy each and every day with him. He sounds like a strong fella. Take care and hugs to all. Love Stella and Rory x

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  5. Very sorry to read this. Its very hard to know what to say.

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  6. Sending lots of positive thoughts your way. I'm so sorry to hear about Angus. I hope you are able to enjoy some time together before having to say goodbye. *hugs*

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  7. Oh dear Angus, this is the other Angus. I hope you are still doing real well and feeling good...Mom love can sure work miracles, huh?

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  8. so sorry to hear the diagnosis for Angus. Cancer sucks.

    I think some sirloin steaks & juicy burgers are in Angus's near future...

    wags, wiggles & sorrowful slobbers
    Murphydog

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  9. We only just saw your post, we are so sorry to hear about Angus. We hope he is happy and comfortable.

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  10. I am so sorry to hear about what Angus has got. But at the same time I am so happy to hear that he is doing better than the vet thought he would be now. Take care.

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  11. I hate to hear about Angus's illness. Hopefully he will continue to get decent reports and do well. Such a good boy he is. : )

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