Alright. At last, the real story can finally be told...
I've been an emotional wreck for ages now, since health issues began with Dallas. Today, I've finally learned enough that I think my own well being can stabilize.
Early July- check-up to see if small cyst near her eye was serious. A glance revealed no, but the exam highlighted raised blood pressure, a severe heart arrhythmia, the start of hip displaysia ... and the risk of cancer. Price tag: $360
Late July- new vet- Dallas develops a significant sore across her the long bridge of her nose, and near the nose- the strangest almost Tim Burton criss-crossed little black towers, and web-like strands in midst of the tiny tower forest. Vet is grossed out and perplexed! Diagnoses a severe heart dis-rrhythmia, and also mentions C-word. We do icky fungal tests, and administer topical cream (later we learn this is contra-indicated). Black Tim Burton towers go away, we treat, and return frequently for check-ups.
August- another vet perplexed, treatment continues, we scrap holiday plans and spend 2 weeks camping and loitering on beaches with Dallas and watch the sore get bigger and a new one start under her eye. It looks like the purple welt of a black eye, and strangers look at us with pity as we walk her. More vet visits, we go off the cream so we can prepare her skin for a biopsy- something we want to spare her, with her bum ticker...
Early September- back to the vets, no new results- but now we know there are pet dermatologists (thanks Annette!!!), and we ask for a referral before we do the biopsy.
September 19th- the specialist vets- a kooky bunch of vets have set up shop in back of an industrial complex and it takes me an HOUR to find them. We miss our ultrasound appointments (for the heart problems). We look pitiful and they rebook us for later.
Dallas has suspicious cysts measured, charted and poked. Other lumps have liquid withdrawn and are tested. Her nose is scraped to bleeding, and fur yanked out (she didn't even flinch- this dog feels no pain). Her feet are examined, she is squeezed from every angle, measuring devices are matter of factly inserted into her "down theres." All of this activity seems to be so we can rule out various worm and mite diseases. The vet clearly thinks she has cancer, and is thinking and talking biopsy even as he leaves the room with the goopy scrapings.
Surprised, he returns from his microscope to announce- adult-onset demodicosis!! This is basically MANGE. The vet pretends not to be astounded, but he clearly is. This type of mange is not the icky, contagious one. It's a stupid puppy disease from little mites that live on their fur. All dogs have them, and they're microscopic critters that usually do no harm, and somehow are kept in good order by a healthy immune system.
So- we learn that Dallas' immune system is in trouble, and again, we trot out the cancer word, along with heart disease, hypo-thyroidism and cushings. A great deal of time is spent discussing treatment, but I'm giddy with relief that she has something treatable!! I am sternly warned that a biopsy may still be necessary, and we must check back in regularly. I have to sign a waiver to give Dallas "off-label" medicine, really meant for horses. Non-plussed, I sign away.
Now we're off to radiology for the heart exam. I make to go with her, but I get a practiced and stern speech that the room is much too small and dark for an owner to go in, and Dallas will go with her. I put up an ungracious fight, but I'm out-maneuvered and Dallas is led away for shaving and getting strapped into "a comfy couch, just like this one- they all love it." Sure lady, all dogs love being strapped down on their backs... Still, Dallas survives, and the lady shrugs off my resentment easily.
The vet "communications specialist" comes to talk to me, not the radiologist. His job is to explain to English graduates how the body works, and he has to spend a lot of time with me! Her heart muscles have thickened, and the valves are leaking somewhat. The valve leakage is normal in an old dog- the thickening indicates another problem somewhere else. He wants to know if they can do a second ultrasound on her spleen. I look baffled, and he has to explain what is SPLEEN??? I sort of comprehend, and away they go, looking for cancerous lumps in her abdomen. Off Dallas goes again, not quite able to dig her claws in sufficiently to escape being dragged away for another comfy experience in the couch. I sit there sick to my stomach and wait for what they expect to find.
I am promised the radiologist this time, but probably he was scared off by the communication specialist telling him I didn't know what a spleen was. I get the talker again. He takes 5 minutes to explain what they did before getting around to the fact there are no cancerous lumps!!! Dallas is practically glued to my side this whole time, unwilling to be pulled away a third time. No lumps!!!
He promises to write up a big report, and can I just wait around and he'll go through it with me. I go pay $750 for a MANGE DIAGNOSIS (sorry- still feeling abused), and bolt for freedom. They can fax their pretty report to my regular vet.
We are free and we don't have cancer! The specialist and the dermatologist manage to remind me 6 times that just because they didn't find anything doesn't mean it's not there... but at this point- the obvious gross problem will disappear in 3-6 months, and we will be careful about her heart. At least there's no clear indicator she has anything else specific. She could perhaps have nothing.
So- I figure the whole adventure cost over $1200 from start to finish, and we now squirt a horse antibiotic into her mouth and apply benzoid peroxide for the foreseeable future.
MANGE.
If it were contagious, I know someone at work who's desk I'd smear with it. :)
Oh, no of course I'm not serious. That would be terrible.
