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Gavin's radiation treatment

Discussion in 'Diseases & Illnesses' started by Cindy, Dec 1, 2015.

  1. trini

    trini Forums Sage

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    Awww... great update for Gavin. So happy for you and for him. Three cheers for fur!!!!!!! :hugs

    Trini
     
  2. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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    I just want his leg coated with fur to any extent.
    A little less than before is probably better so easier to see if the tumor comes back.

    So probably a little wishful thing on my part, and right now the hairs are not on his main radiation zone. But the fact that they are growing back at all is good news.
     
  3. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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    So I took Gavin to the beach this morning. Beautiful day (no rain!!!), tide was really high. Sadly, Gavin did not do very well. He was great on the walk to the beach, but almost as soon as we got there he started playing with a Great Dane. After that, he was limping a little on his front left paw (his back paw is where he had radiation). So we cut his trip short (he was not happy about that) and we walked as slowly as he would let me back to the car. The limp is noticeable but not huge.

    He has barely moved since I rinsed him and toweled him off after we got back.
    I am changing jobs and after this week will have 2 weeks off. I was thinking about going to see family, or maybe will just take Gavin on a roadtrip North. I can deal with a not as active pup, I just hope his limp is a minor thing.

    I worry about my baby....
     
  4. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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    <https://clkreder.shutterfly.com/roadtrip2016>

    pictures from our week long trip up the CA and OR coast.

    he did Great!
     
  5. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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    Gavin had his 3 month checkup.
    No tumor re-growth via palpitations.

    Vet was happy with his leg.
    There is more re-growth of hair in back, on the lower parts of his toes,and up high on his leg. Next re-check in 4 months, but will need to go to a different location as this site is stopping weekend hours for oncologists until they hire some more people.

    The Radiation tech said it could grow back like an old man going bald near the radiation site...ie a few strands here and there. I can already see a few sporadic wispy hairs near the radiation site. It's enough to see on a picture now.

    <https://clkreder.shutterfly.com/3643>
     
  6. Hanne

    Hanne Forums Sage

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    Cindy -thanks for your pm with the links - spent the evening with all your lovely pictures of your trips with little tough Cavin. :yes:

    Now I'm actually glad that I - at that time -could not see the images of his paws.
    I got really so much pain in my heart of the poor, poor little creature.

    Think he's gone through this process, he is certainly a little survives. :hugs

    But am so grateful that the Vet was happy with his leg.
     
  7. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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    His leg only looked really bad for about 2 weeks when I was doing the cornstarch thing. But Gavin was a trooper. He played ball on 3 legs throughout with the radiation tech's daughter (his game of ball is to bounce a small beach ball off of his nose back to you like a seal).

    I am blessed to have such a wonderful dog, this whole process would have been so much more stressful if he reacted like most dogs do to being poked/prodded/manipulated. We actually got to see the tech yesterday and say hi :) I think it made her day easier to work with a happy dog among all the other less pliable patients in various stages of discomfort and pain.

    Besides getting tired a bit more easily and sleeping more than he used to, Gavin is his normal happy perky playful self :)
     
  8. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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  9. Sharon7

    Sharon7 Moderator

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    Poor little pink foot! Hopefully it's not painful at all for him. Are you having to put sunscreen on to avoid sunburn? I hope he gets at least some hair covering the bareness. Is he doing OK otherwise?
     
  10. Cindy

    Cindy Premium Member

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    He get's sunscreen when we go hiking or to the beach. It IS sensitive temperature. I notice it being cold quite a bit compared to the rest of him.
    Thankfully where I live is quite temperate so no huge worries.

    His stamina is improving slowly, and is by no means poor. Just not quite up to what it was before. We did go fora 7 mile hike a few weeks back successfully, and a 7 mile walk on the beach last weekend. no limping or anything the days after either. So that is progress, he just needs more recuperation time (which is also part of normal aging so it can be hard to tell what to blame).

    He is eating more than before all of this, and not gaining weight. That is perplexing. Need to bring that up with vet at our next check up.
     

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