My baby is sick...

Submitted by Kymberlee and D... on June 22, 2016 - 6:00am

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My Dreadnought is 10 years and four months old so he is no spring chicken. Lately, he has started coughing and gagging in the evening. Sometimes he throws up his dinner and sometimes it is just water and a bit of kibble. The coughing started about a month ago but the gagging is new (about a week). He has always had a sensitive tummy but lately the throwing up has increased and the gagging is really got me worried. I an appointment at the vet on Monday but I am wondering if I should get him in sooner. He doesn't act sick at all so at first I wasn't too worried and he is using the bathroom normally at his normal times and nothing seems amiss except for the gagging.

Any thoughts as to what this could be? Old age? Heart? Tumor (my biggest fear)? He had surgery to remove his spleen about a year and a half ago and the vet checked him out and biopsied his liver and said everything was fine. He also had a mast cell removed last summer which again turned out with clean margins. His last vet appointment was good but we didn't do bloodworm or anything like that.

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Awe...

Submitted by Angela and PollyAnna on June 22, 2016 - 7:43am.

I am sorry to hear this. It sounds like cardiac issues to me. I sure hope he is OK!

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Sorry he is not feeling well

Submitted by LynnKing on June 22, 2016 - 6:46pm.

Not to scare you, but because he is 10 years old, I would get him to the vet sooner then Monday. I have a "go straight to panic" personality, so I wouldn't wait until Monday.

Good luck and keep us posted

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I'm so sorry....

Submitted by AmyandSophia on June 23, 2016 - 8:56am.

I read about his vet visit, am praying for you guys. Many hugs, we are here....

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Amy and Sophia

I am so sorry

Submitted by karonelaine on June 23, 2016 - 11:02pm.

to see this post. Praying Hard he will get better.

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Karonelaine

((( hugs )))) to sweet Dread!!! I don't have

Submitted by ArchimedesMommy on June 24, 2016 - 3:26am.

any thoughts on what it could be-----but hope he'll be okay!! Meaty, Sophie, Professor, and I will

pray for him!!! I just now read your post about Dread having his spleen removed a year and a half

ago, plus the more recent surgery (sorry, can't remember what you said it was)---poor guy's been through a lot! ((( hugs )))

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Our sweet Archimedes "MEATY" Bones (or as we say...boneSHHH!) ---born 11/28/08---- our first bullllyyyy!!!

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can you tell me about the mast cell

Submitted by ArchimedesMommy on June 24, 2016 - 3:28am.

and where the mast cell was located? I've heard those words but not familiar with them at all.

(( hugs )) to you and Dread !!!

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Our sweet Archimedes "MEATY" Bones (or as we say...boneSHHH!) ---born 11/28/08---- our first bullllyyyy!!!

And SOPHIE Bubbles *Rapscallion* (LOL!) ---born 4/3/11----our second bulllllyyyy!!!!

mast cell

Submitted by Kymberlee and D... on June 28, 2016 - 7:48am.

is just another word for cancer. It is a lump that just suddenly appears on the skin. It looks sorta like a cyst. The vet removes it and will usually remove a lot of tissue around it just to make sure they get clean margins. The mast cell grows like little legs and all of it needs to be removed so it doesn't come back. I think it is fairly common in all breeds and if found early enough or if it isn't aggressive, it is fairly easy to treat with Sx. It just looks HORRIBLE! and even though people tell you to be prepared, I wasn't prepared for the amount of skin/tissue the vet removed.

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**********"Life is far too short not to have a little umbrella in your drink"**********

UPDATE

Submitted by Kymberlee and D... on June 28, 2016 - 7:49am.

We went to the specialist yesterday, and I had a long, and detailed discussion with the vet. He was confused as to why Dread was throwing up and gagging so much because that wasn't typical with a tumor or mass. He and the surgeon on call put a camera down his throat and low an behold, no mass, no tumor, no funny growth, nada. It is just the way he is made and looking at it on the X-ray, he was thinking abnormal mass but when they got in there, it was nothing at all to be worried about. Since they had him anesthetized, they decided to go further to check everything out and see what could be causing the vomiting. Stomach was good but it looked like there was a lot of inflammation and some scar tissue in the intestine. Vet took a biopsy, but his best guess is that the vomiting is caused by irritable bowel disease which is able to be controlled. We are cautiously optimistic right now and waiting for the biopsy results. All his blower came back within normal limits and both the surgeon and the vet remarked that he is very healthy for a 10 1/2 year old bullie.

As far as the spots on his lungs, the vet isn't really too concerned, and he went into a detailed explanation of cancer and how cancer metastasizes and in all probability the lung spots are just spots due to old age. No way to really tell without a biopsy.

Needless to say, the last few days have aged me. We are moving to Germany in 7 weeks so time was not on our side and I was paralyzed with fear that he was not going to be able to travel with us. When we received word that we might get stationed in Germany, the first thing I did was grab the very last kennel on the very last NY to Hamburg crossing on the Queen Mary. No orders, no verbal confirmation, nothing except the peace of mind that I knew my Boy wouldn't have to fly "just in case". Lucky for us, we did get orders and Dread is squared away on the very posh QM2.   He has graciously allowed his parents to join him.

Bottom line, second opinions are critical.