Possible turmor by the heart
Submitted by Maggie Porkchop... on May 21, 2014 - 1:04pm10 days ago I rushed Bubba to our vet due to labored breathing which came on suddenly. After xrays he was diagnosed with pnuemonia. He spent 4 days at the vet with oxygen and injections of 2 different antibiotics and a bronchodialator. I was able to bring him home this past Friday. His chest xray showed some clearing of the pnuemonia. I had him back at the vet yesterday and the pnuemonia has cleared even more and his white blood count down considerably. He is on 2 oral antibiotics and a bronchodialator at home.
When reviewing all of his chext xrays with the vet, the vet said he was concerned about a dark shadow by his heart which was not showing any clearing. His original xray and the one yesterday shows the same thing as far as the dark shadown by his heart. The vet said it may be a tumor but until the pneumonia is totally cleared he couldn't say that definitely.
My questions are: 1. Bubba has absolutely no appetite. Refusing everything from table food (which had always been a big treat), to wet food (which he did eat the day I brought him home), to dog treats etc. Any suggestions what I can try to get him to eat or supplement to stimulate appetite?
2. Anyone had a bully with a tumor by their heart? What was the treatment and the outcome of the treatment?
Sorry this is such a long post but I am a terrified woman owned by a bully!
Maggie Porkchop and Bubba
Possibly...
the antibiotics are causing loss of appetite? When Oscar was on chemo, we gave him baby food beef sticks and that was the only thing he would eat for a while. Hope the shadow turns out to be nothing, I know how worrying these things can be.
We are such Moms
when it comes to them being sick - I am always trying to make them eat when they don't feel good (even my kids, after they vomit, I say try to eat something dry).. My one bully is not the best eater, so I take half water and half liquid smoke and mix it together in a tiny spray bottle and spray his food with it... Something about that smoked smell makes them go crazy... you can find liquid smoke with all the BBQ sauces at your grocery store.... good luck, I will be thinking about you guys....
Possible Tumor
Thank you for your response. I fixed hamburger and rice last night and he gobbled it down. I'll try the liquid smoke suggestion. Anything to get him eat at least a little bit. He's very lethargic. Wants to play but immediately becomes short of breath. I'm like you as far as if they eat then I'm sure they'll be better again.
Maggie Porkchop and Bubba
Are they going to set him up for an ultrasound...
or more testing after he's over the pneumonia? Hope all goes well.
Ultrasound
That will be the next step after the clearing of his pneumonia. I don't think I will allow a biopsy of the area if the density is till there. In reality, I don't know what I'll decide. I just want what is absolutely the best for him!
Maggie Porkchop and Bubba