The first half of 2008 was moving right along rather smoothly for Mr. Bruno. Acupuncture was going well, appetite was healthy, and daily walks were part of the regular routine.
In May I noticed a bump on Bruno’s belly and immediately took him in to see our western veterinarian. After looking at the mass and feeling it, our western vet did not seem too concerned about it and advised that we keep an eye on it. I breathed a sigh of relief and put the bump out of my mind.
During Bruno’s next session with Dr. Yamate, I mentioned his bump and asked her to take a look at it. Her opinion was not quite so laid back as our western vet. Dr. Yamate felt that the bump should be aspirated and sent for testing.
To make a long story short, the first week in July Bruno went under the knife to have the bump removed. Before performing the surgery we ran a senior screen to be sure that he would be able to handle the anesthesia without any major concerns. Once again, the big guy passed the screen with flying colors. The results from the screen helped to ease my mind on the day of surgery. Nevertheless, it was still hard to drop off and leave behind my only child on the day of the scheduled surgery. The removal of the mass went well and Bruno had no issues or complications. My vet felt confident that they had removed plenty of tissue and all of the mass.
Bruno came home later that same day a little drugged and sporting the dreaded plastic cone around his head – A.K.A. Conehead. A tissue sample was sent out for diagnosis and 24-hours later the results were in. The sample came back as malignant. Wow, thanks to Dr. Yamate I felt as though we had potentially dodged a bullet.
What adventure would be next?
*Originally posted June 15, 2010*
