Update after AHT yesterday

Dylan was in so much pain, and the paracetamol didn't really touch it - at most it might have taken the edge off the pain. But on Wednesday and Thursday he could hardly settle, he couldn't put any weight on his leg anymore and he didn't sleep properly. I felt so very helpless, yet there was nothing at all that I could do to make him better.

On Friday, we had a 10 o'clock appointment with Davide at the Animal Health Trust. They greeted each other like old friends, and it was so lovely to see how Dylan was more than happy in the AHT environment and around the staff there. This makes decisions on treatment/diagnostics a bit easier, knowing that he doesn't get stressed by it at all. In fact, he went virtually to sleep in the consulting room whilst Davide and I were talking. LOL

I updated Davide on how Dylan was doing, and he noted how much worse he was. Just over two weeks ago, Dylan was shifting his weight away slightly from his hind leg, but was otherwise using it normally. Now he didn't put any weight on it at all, and he was clearly in a lot of pain.

I then left Dylan to have x-rays and ultrasound and possibly a CT scan. As always Dylan just walked off with the vet nurse without a backwards glance... LOL

I went back to the AHT for 5.30 pm, and Davide updated me on how things were going. Dylan also had the CT scan as the x-rays didn't give a clear enough picture on the lesion. He didn't have the detailed results yet, but he said that Dylan's lesion in his bone was definitely aggressive and it had grown since the last x-ray - in other words, it is cancer as well. The only question now is whether it is primary or secondary bone cancer. That will be determined by a bone biopsy that will be done next week.

I came home with three types of painkillers for Dylan: metacam, pardale and tramadol. I am giving him metacam and pardale (the latter is paracetamol and codein) for now, and if needed I can add tramadol.

Dylan was already more comfortable on his leg when he came home, and he was pretty bright and feeling fairly comfortable. He sure was keen to eat his dinner too, bless him. (I took this picture last night shortly after we got home).

 

This morning, I gave him the metacam and the pardale in his food. And he is definitely much more comfortable on his leg now. He is still in some pain, but he is putting weight on it again, walking on it more or less normally again and he even jumped on the sofa this afternoon. I am so glad that he is so much better and I hope he will continue to improve.

 

He has got a terminal illness, and I have to come to terms with that, however hard it is (because after all, Dylan was meant to live forever, wasn't he... :-(  ). But for now, we are all a little happier and enjoying every moment I can spend with him.

 

On Monday, Davide will call me to give me more details on the findings from yesterday's imaging, and I will also update him on Dylan's progress with the pain medication. And I'll book another appointment for Dylan's spleen and bone biopsies.

 

I have also sent an email to a local acupuncture vet as Birgit recommended it. But Roberta Baxter says that it isn't worth doing as bone cancer pain doesn't really respond to acupuncture... which is something that I suspected. So I think I will hold off with that - for now at least.

 

And here's a picture I have taken this afternoon. :-) (And just looking at Dylan now, he is asleep and dreaming... he hasn't been dreaming for a few days because he didn't go into a deep sleep. So good to see him getting proper rest again).