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Wayne Nutt

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Rowdy has a strange swelling below his tongue. He stopped eating and his tongue was red. I got him to vet right away. An experienced vet diagnosed the issue right away but doesn't know the cause. He gave him a cortisone shot and rescheduled me for a return follow-up the next day. He said if no significant improvement would have to sedate and look under tongue to see what was going on. Vet ruled out snake bite and insect bite as there was no outward appearance of anything.
Later that evening Rowdy begin to eat again after I softened the food with water for about an hour. The next morning he was thirsty and very hungry. But still eating with a some difficultly.
The follow up visit indicated substantial improvement in swelling but it is still there and swallowing/chewing is still impaired. Vet consulted with three other vets in the office and none could identify the cause or had ever seen anything like this.
So, he's on a steroid pills regime and antibotics.
He's much more active and wanting to play with his toys in the morning.
 
Discussion starter · #2 ·
Rowdy has relapsed. Back to vet tomorrow morning.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Nate, Probably on tap for tomorrow morning.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
I’m at emergency vet now. He completely shut down on food and water. And in lots of pain. Drooling with some minor amount of blood.
 
Discussion starter · #8 · (Edited)
There is a very painful mass at the base of his throat. Based on meds he’s on just a pain shot tonight and tomorrow to my vet for a surgical referral and possibly oncologist consult.
This has probably been slow in growing and may be root cause of his drop off in performance that I had noticed previously.
Say a prayer for Rowdy.
 
Wayne, I hate to hear this for you and Rowdy. Here’s hoping the vets can ID and fix the problem.
 
I don’t know if canines are prone to this but sounds like an infected ranula or type of pseudocyst formed when a salivary gland duct becomes blocked and forms a mucous retention phenomena which can secondarily become infected but definitely requires intervention, the vets on the forum will know.
 
Discussion starter · #13 · (Edited)
That’s one of a the potential causes mentioned by the emergency vet.
The pain ejection (Buprenex) helped Rowdy a lot last night. After quite a few hours on pain med Rowdy was able to drink and eat some at about 2am this morning.
Off to vet in a few minutes.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
Rowdy is at vet being sedated for X-rays and biopsy. Prognosis is mixed. If gland issue or foreign body they can fix. If biopsy on tongue is not good, prognosis is bad.
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
Biopsy results back Monday or Tuesday. Tumor is all along the bottom of tongue. We’re just in the mode of keeping him comfortable. He will be leaving us soon.
 
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