Today has been a little rough. Mel didn’t want anything to do with food or water this morning. I took him out to pee and he was getting around just fine but I could tell he was getting REALLY frustrated that he couldn’t lift his leg. We came inside after about 15 minutes because i didn’t want him to overdo it. I will try again in a few hours. I’m going to head to the store to get some pedialyte and some hamburger and rice. Hopefully this evening he will be up for eating some dinner.
Video of Mel
Here is a video of Mel before his amputation to give you an idea of what a nut i have on my hands 🙂 He loves the laser pointer!
Mel is Home!
Mel is home from the vet. He is pretty out of it from the meds but overall he has exceeded my expectations. He has some pretty bad bruising and a little fluid so I need to keep a close eye on his incision to make sure things don’t get worse or he may have to go back to the vet through the weekend. So far so good. I made him a special little bed right next to the couch. I walked into the kitchen and when i came back he had gotten up onto the couch and under the blankets all on his own. Pretty good for just about 24 hours post surgery i think. I am hoping for a speedy recovery although I am prepared for some set backs. In a few weeks i know he will be on his way to his old self 🙂 I am just so relieved to have him home and that he is doing well and seems comfortable.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow is the big day. I just spoke to my vet, he consulted with an oncologist and he definitely recommends doing 4 months of CCNU (lomustine) along with 9 months of prednisone after Melly heals from the amputation. This damn free dog is going to cost me a fortune!! As long as he is HEALTHY and HAPPY thats all that matters to me. The bills will get paid eventually.
Vet Consultation
I met with Mel’s vet yesterday for about 45 minutes. I think that most of my questions have been answered and I’m feeling much better about Mel’s prognosis. His left rear leg is being amputated on Friday and I will be able to pick him up Saturday afternoon. I am nervous about the surgery and his recovery but I know it is the best thing I can do for my boy, I just wish he understood. We will be sending out the lymphnode from Mel’s leg and as long as the cancer hasn’t made it that far his vet is convinced he will live a long and healthy life. He will be on 9 months of prednisone after surgery regardless of the results from the histopath. I will also be putting him on Paw Paw and Protocel. We don’t know if it will actually have any effect, but if it’s not going to hurt him or compromise any other treatments then it is worth a shot. If the histopath does come back positive, we will be looking to all the options as far as chemo and other alternative treatments go.
Playing Pool
Mel learned how to play pool last night! He jumps up on the table and knocks all the balls in. He is such a smart boy 🙂
Mel’s Photos and Facebook Page
I made a facebook page for mel to keep everyone updated on his progress. If you would like to become a fan here is the link : http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Mel/206416653352?ref=ts   Here are a few more photos of my wonder dog:
Mel’s Story
Mel is my 5 year old rescued Pit Bull Terrier. This is the sweetest dog you will ever meet and he has been through so much. He was found chained outside a movie theatre with a collar imbedded in his neck when he was around 10 months old. The rescue I volunteer for took him in, fixed up his wounds and put him up for adoption. He was in our shelter for about 5 months when he FINALLY got adopted. The people returned him a week later, a dog was just too much for them to handle. After another 4 months at the shelter I took him home to “foster” him but of course he never left. He has been my loyal companion and best friend ever since. After going through a major abdominal surgery a few years ago he was just diagnosed 2 days ago with a Grade III Mast Cell tumor on his left rear leg. After blood work determined that the cancer cells have not spread to his blood , our only choice is to amputate his leg. I know he will do fine, he is otherwise healthy and he is in good shape, but I feel so bad that he has to go through this. I am going to continue to update this as i find out more. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for a week from tomorrow. Please keep him in your prayers.