Final days?
Today I took Griffon to the vet. If you read my earlier entry, you'll know that he started bleeding from his penis region on Sunday, a steady drip, drip, drip, PLOP. The bleeding lasted about three hours.
Because it stopped and Griffon seemed none the worse for wear, I opted to bring him to his own vet (who'd been out of town Sunday night but who phoned me long distance to get him through his situation).
We both thought it likely that he had a urinary infection. However, when I spoke to the doctor today and he heard that Griffon wasn't straining when he urinated, I could tell he was concerned. He checked him over and (as suspected) found no cuts or abrasions on the penis itself. He checked Griffon's sheath and his urethra to make sure there was no obstruction there. Nothing.
Then he suggested some X-rays to rule out kidney or bladder stones and also a urine sample (have you ever gone for a walk with your dog and the vet, the vet carrying a long ladel to catch doggy pee in? I wish I had a camera phone!). The sample showed, though the urine was yellow, it was full of blood. Tests also showed a very high pH which does indicate some sort of bacterial infection.
The X-rays ... well, these were taken before the urine sample, but Griffon's bladder was pretty empty. The vet assured me any bladder stones still would have shown up sense they're very dense. What concerned him--and me--was the hugh white mass sitting just above his spleen. I'm talking, it went from nearly his abdominal wall to his spine. The doctor palpitated his sides and tried to do a prostate exam, no results. The mass must be dead center and, since Griffon is a German shepherd, the doctor couldn't reach all the way inside him to check his prostate.
Tomorrow we go back for an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy. We aren't rich, and we don't have pet insurance. I know if it's cancer that requires treatment, we won't be able to afford it. Griffon's 13 and has lived with us for 11 of those years. I'm just very ... sad right now.
Because it stopped and Griffon seemed none the worse for wear, I opted to bring him to his own vet (who'd been out of town Sunday night but who phoned me long distance to get him through his situation).
We both thought it likely that he had a urinary infection. However, when I spoke to the doctor today and he heard that Griffon wasn't straining when he urinated, I could tell he was concerned. He checked him over and (as suspected) found no cuts or abrasions on the penis itself. He checked Griffon's sheath and his urethra to make sure there was no obstruction there. Nothing.
Then he suggested some X-rays to rule out kidney or bladder stones and also a urine sample (have you ever gone for a walk with your dog and the vet, the vet carrying a long ladel to catch doggy pee in? I wish I had a camera phone!). The sample showed, though the urine was yellow, it was full of blood. Tests also showed a very high pH which does indicate some sort of bacterial infection.
The X-rays ... well, these were taken before the urine sample, but Griffon's bladder was pretty empty. The vet assured me any bladder stones still would have shown up sense they're very dense. What concerned him--and me--was the hugh white mass sitting just above his spleen. I'm talking, it went from nearly his abdominal wall to his spine. The doctor palpitated his sides and tried to do a prostate exam, no results. The mass must be dead center and, since Griffon is a German shepherd, the doctor couldn't reach all the way inside him to check his prostate.
Tomorrow we go back for an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy. We aren't rich, and we don't have pet insurance. I know if it's cancer that requires treatment, we won't be able to afford it. Griffon's 13 and has lived with us for 11 of those years. I'm just very ... sad right now.