May 27, 2020
Sparrow kept me up Monday night, May 25th, with a cough. She continued to cough off and on through the next day so I called and made an appointment for Wednesday to have her checked by her Vet. I requested chest x-rays, a senior panel, a Valley Fever titer and while I was there she was checked for why she was bothering her nether region. :) Her chest x-rays showed a couple of masses, one for sure and others that might be artifacts. The Vet sent them to a Radiologist to be read.
Looks like I never finished this post. A lot happened after that initial visit.
Sparrow was given medicine for her cough which was because of irritation to where the trachea and bronchi meet. Turned out it was the wrong Rx which needed to be replaced on June 2.
June 2, 2020 - Sparrow has an ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirate of her mass closest to her left side rib cage area. This procedure was done by Dr Matz, a mobile Vet who came to Monument East Veterinary Hospital. The sample was submitted for review.
June 11, 2020 - Sparrow had a follow-up visit with Dr Dennis who obliged me and did another set of x-rays.
June 17, 2020 - Sparrow had a visit with Veterinary Internist Dr Hsieh at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty Center in Tucson.
June 23, 2020 - Sparrow had an MRI done by Dr Hsieh at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty Center. I waited in the parking lot so I could be close by in case something happened while she was under.
June 27, 2020 - Sparrow came into season. I thought this was rather rude!! You'd think she had enough going on that she didn't need to be fertile as well.
July 9, 2020 - Sparrow met with Dr Klein, Veterinary Oncologist at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty Center in Tucson. She confirmed suspected histiocytic sarcoma and felt treatment could be beneficial in Sparrow's case. On this day, Sparrow received #1 treatment of oral lomustine.
July 13, 2020 - I was worried about Sparrow's breeding and took her back up to see Dr Klein who did x-rays. Nothing noticeable and no obstruction or fluid. I came to know rapid, shallow breathing as a side effect of the lomustine treatment.
July 15, 2020 - Sparrow has an appointment with Dr Hershey an Integrative Veterinary Oncologist in Phoenix, and receives two different Chinese medicine preparations to take with each meal. She reviewed all Sparrow's records and did a blood count to check her hematocrit after the first lomustine treatment.
July 30, 2020 - Sparrow sees Dr Klein for treatment #2. Bloodwork.
July 31, 2020 - Dr Klein's office called - all systems normal.
August 18, 2020 - Sparrow has an appointment with Dr Klein for treatment #3. X-rays and bloodwork. She has mild anemia. X-rays showed a smaller throat/bronchi mass but she has more and one of the large masses grew larger.
September 8, 2020 - Sparrow has an appointment with Dr Klein for treatment #4. Bloodwork.
September 10, 2020 - Sparrow coughing.
September 11, 2020 - Sparrow coughing, didn't eat breakfast.
September 12, 2020 - Sparrow lethargic, wet the dog bed. She ate McD's but not her breakfast. She ate scrambled eggs with cheese plus her dinner.
September 29, 2020 - Sparrow has an appointment with Dr Klein for bloodwork and x-rays. No more treatments for Sparrow as they are not working. Dr Klein told me to let her do and eat whatever she wants and to enjoy her. No time limit is given just that the meds weren't working.
October 1, 2020 - Sparrow had a kind of rough day. The boys were here because they wanted to see Sissy. They are worried about her.
October 3, 2020 - To San Diego to finish cleaning out Mom's house and take home anything we still want. Sparrow rode in a crate directly behind the front seats of the Explorer so we could keep an eye on her. I was very anxious about this trip and knew it would be hard on her, as traveling is hard on older and ill dogs in general. Arrived at Mom's around 7pm. It's hot here.
October 5, 2020 - Sparrow is not eating breakfast but eats dinner. She is hesitating to go down the step to get out the sliding door to the backyard so I help her.
October 6, 2020 - Sparrow does not eat breakfast. Interviewing realtors to sell Mom's house. Marc sits with Sparrow in our bedroom. It is still quite hot; Mom doesn't have air conditioning. Sparrow cries for me as I'm out of sight. After the realtors leave, I sit with Sparrow feeding her the cream part of an eclair. She also takes a bit of the shell. I contact the mobile vet, Dr Nelly Chu, and make an appointment for her to come later that evening. Still I am wrestling with myself on whether I am making the right decision. Can I just get her home? We are here for five more days.
