Shelby's Life and Whatnot

Good News About Scout!

Just got back from the vet's and it's good news...

NO CANCER!!!

The ultrasound was nearly normal (more in a sec.) and didn't find any tumors or masses. They did find that her GI tract was inflamed, and the doctor diagnosed colitis. This could explain the weight loss.

The treatment for colitis is a diet food--Hills z/d. Unfortunately, Scout tried that once before (for skin allergies) and absolutely, positively would NOT eat it. We would mix it in with her regular food and she would literally go through the bowl, pick up the bad kibble pieces in her mouth, and drop them in a neat little pile next to the bowl. So the z/d diet isn't going to work.

Instead, and I think this is really cool, the vet is calling a canine nutrition specialist to get some food recommendations. We should hear from the nutritionist either later today or tomorrow. I'm really hoping that they recommend some kind of dry food that comes in a bag because that would be so much easier than preparing a whole thing, but whatever we have to do for her of course we will. I suspect, however, that our future holds a lot of boiled chicken and pureed veggies.

Unfortunately, we haven't uncovered the mystery of the lymph nodes. They didn't need to take a second biopsy because the ultrasound showed that the first one got good cells (and the results on that came back negative for lymphoma). THe good news is that none of the rest of her lymph nodes are swollen, it's just these two in the neck. The vet thinks it might just be a false alarm. We're doing another round of antibiotics--a different one than she had last time--just to cover the bases.

We are to watch her and if she loses any more weight, to bring her back in. Otherwise we go back in 3 weeks for another weighing and checking of the lymph nodes and see where we go from there. The next step in diagnostic testing would be a tissue biopsy--actual surgery. That's not something we want to pursue right now because the needle biopsy was clear and the rest of her lymph nodes aren't swollen. I think a more conservative approach is best at this time.

The best news is that she's happy and playing as if nothing were wrong at all. Her appetite is good and she's as active as ever, taking on Digory and occasionally doing the WWF Smackdown (where she flips him over on his back--I think she doesn't realize that he really allows that to happen). So this wait and see approach feels right. I have a good feeling about it though. I think everything is going to be just fine.