So, Scout’s been sick. Real sick. I posted about it here, but if you don’t remember, we took her to the vet a couple of weeks ago with a limp and left with a good chance that she may have cancer.
She’s had x-rays of her paw and chest, needle aspirations and, most recently, several biopsies on various parts of her little doggy body. She’s got stitches all up her wrist and more than twenty staples down her side.
Well, make that more like 17 after today. Yes, I know it’s gross, but she can’t bear to be still long enough for things to heal and she totally broke open the staples this afternoon.
I’m not telling you this to gross you out. Okay, maybe a little. I’m telling you this because it’s a part of the story, so stick with me. It’s about to get good!
Ry ran her to the vet so they could close the gaping hole in her side. (It really was a hole – I looked, and regretted it.) When they got there, the office manager welcomed a now very familiar Scout back to the office and informed Ryan that her biopsy results had come back a few days early.
The good news: Her paw is cancer-free! It turns out it really was just a bone infection, most likely incurred while playing in the water during the great flood of 2010. So glad to know this several hundred dollars later…
The bad news: There was cancer elsewhere. While she was in surgery for the biopsy, a small, seemingly insignificant bump on her side (that we’d inquired about before, but were reassured that it was just a common bump) increased nearly three times in size. Red flag. (And a little weird!) The vet decided to take a look into her side (hence all the yucky staples) and discovered a contained, cancerous tumor.
The good news: The vet is quite confident that he removed the entire contained tumor (a.k.a. the “insignificant bump”) and has declared our Scoutie cancer-free! Now we just have to keep that girl still enough to heal her incisions and she can be our Scout-a-riffic again! (Want to know exactly how Scout-a-riffic and need a good laugh? Read this!)
The strange thing: If it hadn’t been for that stupid limp from the flood, we never would have found the cancer in her side. Funny how things work out!
More good news: Scout gets to keep all four legs and we don’t have to wrestle over the decision to spend a ton of money on a dog (albiet a dog that we love).
The moral of this story: If you have a limp, check your body for lumps, it could save your life.
Er, something like that.
And in celebration of many more years with Scout in our family (provided she doesn’t bolt out of the vet’s office tomorrow morning onto Columbia Avenue and get hit by a car), a few photos of what we thought might be Scout’s final swim in the pond.
>So glad to hear about Scout's wonderful prognosis! I've been praying for wisdom for Ryan and you and am so happy that you don't have to make any tough decisions about her veterinary care.
>Does she have to wear a Cone of Shame? :)
Glad to hear your good news. Life just wouldn't be the same without The Scout. Long live The Scout!
>Oh goodness, what a crazy few weeks for you all. It's amazing how much a dog becomes part of your family. I am happy to hear the good news about Scout. So glad she is gonna get many more swims :)
>So glad to hear your good news. Our dogs are just family, aren't they?
>So glad for this new! Let the good news keep coming!!
>so happy to hear scout is okay!! dogs are sooo much part of the family!!
>I am so glad for you guys, Rae. I was praying so hard for Scout.
>HUGE RELIEF!!! Yay Scout!
Such exciting wonderful news in your life lately. I can't wait to see pics of your sister's precious boys and am so glad they get to bring them both home!
~Janna (anonymous b/c my computer is in the shop and I'm borrowing my dad's :)
>That is great news! I bet you are relieved! When our cat got fixed, her incision opened up once her stitches were removed and there was a gaping hole as well. We put her inside of a tube sock with the toe cut off and that kept her closed until the vet opened up the next morning. I think Scout is too big for a tube sock, but something similar might do the trick!
>What a wonderful story. Is she a lab or german shorthair? She reminds me of my German Shorthair I had 10 years ago (still my favorite dog) shh don't tell my current pup.