[vinhle68]

Hello SM,

Well our little rascal have started to show signs of weakness and loss of controls to his front and back legs in recent months so we are again concerned that possibly the tumor's cells may have regrowth so as a precaution we want to have a CT-Scan done to confirm. It has been closed to one year since his 2nd tumors removal surgery! Our boy is truly a fighter! lol

We are heading back to LSU Small Animal Hospital this coming Monday 12/12/22 for the procedure. Please pray for our precious rascal Porky!

 

[mss]

Oh, Porky! {{{{{}}}}} Your little guy will be in our hearts and prayers.

 

[Mia321]

Hello SM,

Well our little rascal have started to show signs of weakness and loss of controls to his front and back legs in recent months so we are again concerned that possibly the tumor's cells may have regrowth so as a precaution we want to have a CT-Scan done to confirm. It has been closed to one year since his 2nd tumors removal surgery! Our boy is truly a fighter! lol

We are heading back to LSU Small Animal Hospital this coming Monday 12/12/22 for the procedure. Please pray for our precious rascal Porky!

Keeping Porky in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted.

 

[Coster]

Awww so sorry, bless porky ! My thoughts and prayers and are with you! What a champ for fighting! What a sweet baby!

 

[edelweiss]

Oh Vinh, Ann, Emma & PC. . . not exactly the news I had hoped for but so grateful you have him in such capable hands. I think w/cancer or serious issues we always live very close to the edge between hope & despair. . . one foot in each place. I have to believe that God will hold me even when I want to collapse in a heap---that His love will keep me, even if I am too mad to talk to Him. I will be w/you in spirit on Monday waiting on the bench w/other SM family. Go team PC! Please let us know what is up as soon as you catch your breath. Big hugs to each of you.

 

[maggieh]

Hoping for a good outcome! Hugs!

 

[vinhle68]

Good morning everyone,

They started the CT-Scan late afternoon yesterday and also due to some emergencies at the hospital, that ties up all of the doctors on shift so they were not available to come and speak with us about the result. The nurse did gave us a high level update which seem to suggest there are some regrowth of the tumor cells but they will need to compare the scanned image against the previous CT-Scan result to gain a better idea of what we are dealing with this time. In addition, they also stated they think they may have found a mass at Porky's Butt and that they did collect some sample and awaiting the result of that. We are expecting a call from the doctor today at some point for a full update so we will keep everyone informed once we have any concrete information. AND YES, new possible trouble for Porky now with his butt....just all we need yikes! 🙄

 

[edelweiss]

Vinh, thank you for letting us know---even if we don't like how it sounds. Let's hold off until we hear when the doctor's conclude as my mind runs rampant to the outmost posts! Prayers for you & Ann.

 

[mss]

Waiting with you. {{{{}}}}

 

[vinhle68]

Well the main Doctor, Dr. Louper did not call today, but another resident Doctor did call and speak to Ann to give us a preliminary update. The testing result of the CT-Scan is not completed yet, and they are estimating another few days before they can confirm the tumors. They did states that the mass located in Porky Butt areas are likely cancerous, likely same cancel cells that are existing at his neck area. They will wait for CT-Scan results to know for sure but if indeed it is cancer related, they said another follow up CT-Scan is need to see if the mass at the butt area have spread to his abdomen or not, but they also think it has not reached his lungs. Also if either problems are treatable, they said the surgical proceedure has to be done separately as Porkly is likely not going to be able to hand being under anesthesia for such a lengthy period to do both at the same time. There is of course also bigger risks with increase side-affects for Porky having to go through a 3 round of surgery and likely follow up radiation thearapy. Ann and I are not very happy to hear of the news but in the back of our minds, we're already anticipating our boy having to deal with the returns of the tumors. We are now praying for more promissing information and hoping that they tumors/cancers have not spread to dangerous area and what treatment plans are feasible.

 

[Coster]

I am so sorry to hear of this news for pork chop , I just gave a heavy heart deep breath, my thoughts and prayers are with you both during this time and hope and pray for a treatable treatment for your baby.

 

[edelweiss]

Hey Vinh & Ann! What disheartening news. It must be so overwhelming for you. You really have some difficult questions to ask now. I know when Lisi was facing her 3rd surgery we were given little to NO hope by the very good ER hospital & Lisi's own vet. (She has a rare form of intestinal cancer & has had 2 surgeries where they took out a lot of her small intestine.) The hospital did not want to do a third surgery feeling the cancer was too aggressive & Lisi is so small. I prayed she would live until her 8th b-day and against all advice we chose not to seek out another internist that might operate again or to put her down as they suggested. That is almost 4 yrs. ago now & her quality of life has been fairly decent. What am I saying here? Do your homework, ask good questions, and in the end follow your heart all the time asking God for mercy! In some ways it depends so much on the attitude of your pup--is he/she a fighter, is he/she in pain, how would you know when they are suffering? I feel Lisi still has the "will to live" every day even on her bad days. We do watch her carefully & she has an excellent local vet who works w/us.
These are difficult decisions but we are here w/you. May you know of our loving concern as you move forward!

 

[mss]

I am sorry you haven't had clear answers yet. But I hope when the vets finish their analysis, you'll be given a plan that gives Pork Chop the best chances for treatment and recovery. Sending cyberhugs for the little guy and his family. {{{{}}}}

 

[vinhle68]

Hey Vinh & Ann! What disheartening news. It must be so overwhelming for you. You really have some difficult questions to ask now. I know when Lisi was facing her 3rd surgery we were given little to NO hope by the very good ER hospital & Lisi's own vet. (She has a rare form of intestinal cancer & has had 2 surgeries where they took out a lot of her small intestine.) The hospital did not want to do a third surgery feeling the cancer was too aggressive & Lisi is so small. I prayed she would live until her 8th b-day and against all advice we chose not to seek out another internist that might operate again or to put her down as they suggested. That is almost 4 yrs. ago now & her quality of life has been fairly decent. What am I saying here? Do your homework, ask good questions, and in the end follow your heart all the time asking God for mercy! In some ways it depends so much on the attitude of your pup--is he/she a fighter, is he/she in pain, how would you know when they are suffering? I feel Lisi still has the "will to live" every day even on her bad days. We do watch her carefully & she has an excellent local vet who works w/us.
These are difficult decisions but we are here w/you. May you know of our loving concern as you move forward!

Thank you Sandi and to everyone else whom have shared your concerns, prayers, and love for our fighter the Pork Chop! These are great information and advices so we surely will ensure we ask all of the questions and weight out all of the possible options we can explore to give our boy a more comfortable life. Right now we had to put Porky back on Prednisolone 1/2 of a 5mg tablet every 24hrs. Ann also said that look like LSU wants us to come back to do more MRI's to get a closer looks at the tumors's area at his lower neck/spinal and the new mass at lower adobmen/butt area and so now we are waiting to know when we can schedule the appointments.

 

[edelweiss]

Vinh & Ann---thank you for the up-date. Prednisone can work wonders in the interim as you wait for the appointments. He will probably be hungry & will need to go out more often to pee---but a small price to pay for some relief & mobility, but you know that already having nursed Biscuit. Your hospital sounds on top of things! How far away from where you live is it? Try to think & write down any questions you may have when you get his doctor's ear as I always seem to forget in the stress of the moment. I am grateful w/you that his lungs seem to be clear for the moment! That is super!
Sending our little guy lots of love & hoping w/you for better days ahead. Love from Kitzel & Lisel & all our SM family.

 

[wkomorow]

Such sad news, poor little one has been through so much.

 

[maggie's mommy]

Such devastating news. Porky is such a fighter and with you and Ann supporting him I pray the surgeries are successful and he tolerates the chemo. My prayers are with you.

 

[vinhle68]

Good evening everyone, just want to provide an update that we have scheduled a revisit to LSU this Jan 11th for Porky to go through MRI and Ultrasound to have a closer look at both the tumors area at his upper spinal cord and the new found mass at the lower adobmen area.

In the last 2 days Porky started to throw up occassionally threwing up some brownish looking liquid with which ever food he ate earlier. We're not sure that brought this on but Ann suspects it is due to starting prednisolone again. He's seem to eat and drinks well but for unknown reason he'll start licking his lips furiously and then would led to throwing up. We're monitoring the situation closely and may have to take him to see his normal Vet Dr. Gentinneta at VCA by Monday if the issue continued.

@Sandi; LSU Small Animal Hospital is roughly 88miles 1.5 hours drive but we can manage the distant just fine.

 

[mss]

Sorry to read this. The lip-licking is probably the first sign of the nausea. I hope it gets better as he gets used to the prednisone. If not, check with the vet, as maybe an anti-nausea medication would help. Cerenia or Ondansetron, for example. {{{{}}}}

 

[maggieh]

I'm so sorry he's having such a time of things! For the nausea, if you don't have it on hand, I'd suggest getting some Animal Essentials Daily Digestion. You can find it on Chewy or Amazon as well as directly from Animal Essentials web site. Many natural/holistic pet stores carry it too. It's a ginger/mint blend that relieves nausea.