...

[lizblackdog]

so i just got a call from the vet.

the final results are in, and it's squamous cell carcinoma.

surgery is still possible, but the thing is so far up into his nasal cavity he would have to lose his nose.

vet assures me that it is possible for a dog to recover from this. he's emailing me some pictures of dogs that have had it done, which I will post when I have them. He says that one of the pictures is of a rather less extensive surgery than Spike would need, and one rather more, so that Spike's end result would fall somewhere between the two.

I don't even. His nose.

Comments

[mcsassypants.livejournal.com]

But...he needs that to do stuff...

Oh honey, what a tough choice.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

if it were Squish, who is less adaptable than Spike and lives through his nose, it would be a tougher choice.

but I think Spike will be able to deal. It's still a shitty choice but I think it's a less shitty one than surrendering.

[mcsassypants.livejournal.com]

Very true. Hugs to all of you.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

oh god. i'm trying to figure out some words to type that make sense and can't really. my brain is just all "oh god oh god oh god oh god."

do what you have to, spike sans nose will still be spike.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

That's my plan. I believe he'll be able to deal with it.

I'll worry later about how I deal with it. But I'd rather lose my favourite part of him than lose all of him.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

a-fucking-men to that.

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

What cottonmanifesto said. *massive hugs and doggy love*

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

thank you <3

[crepedelbebe.livejournal.com]

"oh god oh god oh god"

Exactly. I don't even know you and Spike, Liz, but I am now trying hard not to sit here at work and weep for you.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I... yeah. Me too. I'm still bursting into tears every time he comes and noseprods me to get my attention, stuff like that. But it could be a lot worse. I will take this happily as a trade-off for keeping him alive. He has a lot more years left in him than his nose does.

[beebarf.livejournal.com]

Oh. I don't know what to say, but havea hug fory ourself and for Spike...

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

thank you <3

[dalaire.livejournal.com]

Oh my... 0_O

But it is operable. That is something. The rest leaves me speechless.

{{{many hugs and best thoughts}}}

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too. Thank you <3

[santaman.livejournal.com]

I really hope they can take it out and then maybe perform some reconstructive surgery or so.

*hugs Liz*

[my3babies.livejournal.com]

Oh Liz I'm so sorry

I have no doubt that Spike will recover from the surgery for two reasons 1) Spike is an amazing dog and 2) Spike has an amazing person that will help him.

Hang in there I know it's tough (that's an understatement) but hang in there.

[gwenhyffar.livejournal.com]

Oh hun, I am so, so sorry. I was keeping everything crossed for something easy or easily fixable.

But he will still be Spike, he'll recover, he'll handle it. And so will you, because you love him.

[miz-geek.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I don't know if I wrote this earlier or just thought about it, but Pooter had squamous cell carcinoma maybe 9 years ago. Luckily her's was in a much more accessible spot (she had a little sore right below her eye) and they were able to remove it easily, and she was fine for years after. In that sense, it's a good kind of tumor to get.

Spike is an amazing and resilient dog. Hugs to you both.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that! Thank you - it IS cheering to hear that, and the vet said much the same thing - for all it's a nasty sort of cancer, it does respond well to surgery as long as it's caught in time. And all the indications are that we have.

thank you <3

[tamena]

*hugs*
it's operable though...he can survive this....
he can recover and with as much as you love him he will thrive as always...
**more hugs**

[welshred.livejournal.com]

Stay strong hon, sending *hugs* from Wilf and I xxx

[thenetwork.livejournal.com]

*hug*

[ulva.livejournal.com]

At least it rarely spreads with metastasis tumours, but it's one shitty thing that he got. And in such a way too. *hugs*

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yes, and all the indications are that it can be removed. So it could be a lot worse. But oh, his nose :/

[orac-zen.livejournal.com]

I can't think of a single even remotely useful thing to say.

You're Liz and Spike. You can do this. It sucks beyond any attempt at description that you have to, though.

*** hugs, prayers, good thoughts ***

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

thank you again some more darling. This could be a great deal worse.

[taichara]

*hugs and hugs*

Wish I hadn't had to go to sleep early. But the bloody thing can go away, right?

*hugs and hugs and hugs*

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yes, probably. The one good thing about squamous cell carcinoma is that it doesn't metastasise much, and as long as they cut all of it out it's relatively unlikely to come back.

but his nose, his beautiful nose. that part of it's killing me a bit. Even though I know in my brain it's a cheap, cheap trade-off for his life.

[taichara]

That's what they told me when they were hoping it was something similar for Ashura. It sounds a little awful but I'm so very glad that's what it turns to be for Spike (you know what I mean I hope) --

*hugs* I understand --

[yesididit.livejournal.com]

oh my god. wow. that just floors me, that he can have cancer there in the first place, and that they can, and have operated on it successfully. but but but! his nose! his poor nose! which to lose, of all things considered, i suppose isnt so bad. and keeping his nose certainly isnt as important as keeping his life in a way that he can still be happy and active. but still, thats gonna take some adjusting to. hopefully they are able to leave him more of his nose than the poor dog in the first picture. those pictures were just, wow. thats something i'd never even imagined as a possibility. sending hugs and lots of good vibes to you and yours. i'm sure spike will still be spike even if he loses his nose. but wow.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

...that's pretty much my own entire thought process right there, LOL.

thank you <3

[dumain.com (from livejournal.com)]

Hugs to both of you and squish too for that matter don't want him feeling left out.

[kiramowett.livejournal.com]

Poor doggie! :(

[purplewaxhand.livejournal.com]

*hugs, hugs and more hugs for you and Spike*