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Lewie'sMom

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Lewie'sMom Newbie

Lewie'sMom

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Some of you may remember this past spring Lewie started sneezing badly and developed lumps on his body http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=29228&st=0&p=363664&fromsearch=1entry363664 . The lumps come and go which seems odd. My vet back in Michigan didn’t know what the problem was so he prescribed steroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines. They sort of worked but the issue didn’t really go away.

 

A few week ago, Lewie had another extreme sneezing episode and spewed blood. It scared the hell out of me so I called my new Texas vet and went right in. He swabbed the inside of each nostril and found that Lewie had a severe sinus infection. So, back to the steroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines we went.

 

Yesterday, doc took x-rays and scoped the sinuses to try to make some kind of diagnosis. Everything looked relatively normal, no bone decay, no foreign body, no tumor or growth, but there was a bit of a “cloudy” area on the x-ray in Lewie’s left sinus. Doc also took a biopsy of one of the lumps on his side (which I’d asked my Michigan vet to do) so now we’re waiting for the pathology findings. I spent the better part of the day bawling while Lewie was at the vet’s.

 

Doc didn’t want to tell me his opinion until the report comes back but I pushed him on it. I’d rather know what he’s thinking than sit here for a week and imagine the worse. He suggested that it could be lymphoma (I think) or some type of autoimmune disease, like lupus. The possibility of either cancer or lupus has been rattling around in my brain, too.

 

Many years ago, my first Border collie had lupus at about age 8 years. We were able to put it into remission with steroids, if I remember correctly. I know lupus isn’t a death sentence but Lewie isn’t quite 3-1/2 yet and the possibility of lymphoma scares me. I should have insisted on the biopsy to my Michigan vet months ago when I first noticed the lumps.

 

Does anybody have any experience with this kind of thing? Good or bad, I need information and how to prepare myself.

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Sue R Explorer

Sue R

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No wonder he looks embarassed - it's pink! And it's not Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

 

Seriously, I have nothing to add but to try and make you smile, and keep you both in my prayers for a good outcome.

 

Very best wishes!

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bc4ever Newbie

bc4ever

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About four years ago, I discovered a lump on Scooter's back leg (he was only about two years old at the time). Vet did a biopsy and of course I searched the Internet for all the possibilities, waiting for the results. Well, I wasn't disappointed. Found plenty of things it could be. Scared the hell out of me. I was sure we were going to lose him. When the vet called a few days later to say it was nothing, DH and I cried tears of relief. Breathe. I know waiting is hard, but don't look on the Internet for info. Praying for good news. :)

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MyTDogs Newbie

MyTDogs

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In the original thread it sounds like hives (urticaria). His eyes look really watery in the picture too. Does Lewie seem to have allergies? Does he scratch & lick a lot? How about ear infections? Does he ever get those?

 

The other ting I'd be concerned about is Mast Cell Tumors- they can appear & disappear like you described....I assume the original 2 bumps on his face went away. I didn't see where the bump on his side popped up. Was that recent? Or has it been there a while?

 

Did your vet actually remove a mass or did they use a needle to take a sample? Have any of the bumps opened up or drained at all?

 

Sounds strange for sure hopefully it is something simple like hives.

 

Keep us updated.

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Lewie'sMom Newbie

Lewie'sMom

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At first I thought he might have developed allergies. The very first oddity I noticed were 3 pea-sized bumps on his ribs just behind his front leg. I didn't think too much of it, but mentioned it to the vet. He wasn't really concerned. Eventually, the bumps disappeared and it wasn't until the first bad sneezing episode that I thought he might have developed allergies. I think the fact that the congestion was unresolved for so long is why he developed the sinus infection. That is what caused the bloody discharge when he had another severe sneezing episode recently. He doesn't have any other symptoms like itching skin or ear infections but I do remember thinking that his eyes were watery before the whole lumps and sneezing thing started.

 

What seems strange to me is the lumps and bumps come and go. They do not seem to be painful, nor do they ulcerate or ooze. They aren't hard, but they aren't really soft and fatty, either.

 

The doc actually removed one of the lumps. Lewie has about an inch incision on his side. The pathology report should take about a week to come back. It's just a waiting game now to see what the next step is. I'm really hoping that the final diagnosis is allergies to some type of air born allergen.

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Laurae Newbie

Laurae

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I have some auto-immune issues, and I'm allergic to random things. When I have a reaction, sometimes I get hives that look like welts, and they appear and disappear sometimes several times in the same day. I have no idea whether this happens to dogs, too, but thought I'd mention it.

 

It's true that mast cell tumors do sometimes seem to appear and disappear. When I discovered Sophie's MCT, I doubted myself on whether or not to bring her in to the vet because it would seem to be very prominent one day and then all but disappear the next. But over the next few days, it became clear that a lump was definitely there. Not sure if Lewie's symptoms are that closely related to Sophie's though.

 

The waiting is hard. I'm sending you and Lewie lots of positive energy in the meantime!

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Ooky Newbie

Ooky

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Just wanted to add some mojo and sending good thoughts, hoping that it is just allergies of some sort. Please do keep us posted.

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Lewie'sMom Newbie

Lewie'sMom

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Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and experiences and advice. I hope the report comes back with something definate. At least we'll know what we're up against and can create a plan of attack.

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Lewie'sMom Newbie

Lewie'sMom

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The biopsy report is in. Lewie does not have lymphoma! He has been diagnosed with cutaneous histiocytosis most likely due to an immunoregulatory dysfunction, or in layman's terms, an autoimmune disease. It is limited to the skin and does not affect the organs.

 

The vet has prescribed Imuran, (Azathioprine) a non-steriod drug used to suppress the irregular cells produced by autoimmune diseases, and Prednisone, a steriod used to suppress inflammation.

 

He'll be on the Prednisone short-term and them be rechecked. We'll have to wait to see if he goes into remission or not. Either way, it is managable.

 

Thanks for all your well-wishes and concern. I was preparing for the worse but hoping for the best. I can exhale now.

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Tommy Coyote Newbie

Tommy Coyote

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The biopsy report is in. Lewie does not have lymphoma! He has been diagnosed with cutaneous histiocytosis most likely due to an immunoregulatory dysfunction, or in layman's terms, an autoimmune disease. It is limited to the skin and does not affect the organs.

 

The vet has prescribed Imuran, (Azathioprine) a non-steriod drug used to suppress the irregular cells produced by autoimmune diseases, and Prednisone, a steriod used to suppress inflammation.

 

He'll be on the Prednisone short-term and them be rechecked. We'll have to wait to see if he goes into remission or not. Either way, it is managable.

 

Thanks for all your well-wishes and concern. I was preparing for the worse but hoping for the best. I can exhale now.

Yea. Those drugs are what Tommy was on with her immune problem. It took about 30 days for that Imuran to kick in but when it did there was just a huge improvement almost over nite. We had one minor flar up when she came in season last time but prednisone cleared that one and she has been just fine. No problems at all now. She is outside a lot and just runs all day long - her energy level is amazing.

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