Location is everything

We met with the vet this week. First, the tech took out the staples from the area where the skin tag was removed two weeks ago. (An aside: those staples were really cool! She pressed in the middle and the ends came right out.)

 

Chondrosarcoma

We have a diagnosis: stage 2 chondosarcoma. Basically, it’s a type of cancer that forms in cartilage. It can be found in the “flat bones”, such as ribs or skulls.

The good news is that it doesn’t often metastasize and it doesn’t grow as fast as some other nasal cancers. Bad news is that it doesn’t respond well to radiation. We’re meeting with the vet next week to discuss our options.

 

Newfound energy

Sophie is doing great. The crazy sneezing is gone and she has oodles of energy. She had nosebleeds in the middle of the night for the first couple days after the debulking. All of her napping areas are covered with old sheets to protect them.

We went to a bike race on Friday and everyone stopped by to say hello to her (she’s the unofficial track mascot, imo.) She licked their faces and wagged her tail, just like always.

It’s hard to believe that this happy dog has a nose full of tumor. Tomorrow, we’ll find out exactly what type of cancer is up there.

 

The Day After

On Wednesday, we anxiously waited for a call from the vet. Finally, we were allowed to meet with the surgeon and pick up Sophie. I woke up with a headache from all the crying the night before; and when we entered the waiting room, I started sobbing all over again. I was exhausted by the time we were shown to an exam room.

 

A night at the vet

The veterinary surgeon agreed to look up Sophie’s nose on the following Tuesday. However, he warned us that it while it could be foxtail, it was more likely a fungus or a nasal tumor.