scratchcat Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 (edited) My almost 4 year old Rottweiler has been diagnosed with digital melanoma. He has had his toe amputated and lymph node (which came up clear) removed. About 6 weeks after surgery, he has been vomiting water and not as keen on food as he used to be. Numerous tests have not shown any cause and numerous tablets don't seem to be helping. Firstly I am wondering if anyone else has had a dog diagnosed with digital melanoma and what their experiences have been. Prognosis is obviously not good but currently there are no obvious signs of spread. Second, does anyone have any ideas as to the possible cause of his vomiting? I am starting to think that it may be an anxiety issue as the vomiting seems to happen when he gets up quickly, after a sleep etc. It is almost always clear fluid and has only been food on a couple of occasions. This has now been going on for about 3 weeks. He is quite an anxious Rotty, gets very worked up with loud bangs, licks doors when we're inside and he's not etc so could this be a possible cause or am I way off?? Thank you for any advice Edited May 10, 2012 by scratchcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchnauzerMax Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 My almost 4 year old Rottweiler has been diagnosed with digital melanoma. He has had his toe amputated and lymph node (which came up clear) removed. About 6 weeks after surgery, he has been vomiting water and not as keen on food as he used to be. Numerous tests have not shown any cause and numerous tablets don't seem to be helping. Firstly I am wondering if anyone else has had a dog diagnosed with digital melanoma and what their experiences have been. Prognosis is obviously not good but currently there are no obvious signs of spread. Second, does anyone have any ideas as to the possible cause of his vomiting? I am starting to think that it may be an anxiety issue as the vomiting seems to happen when he gets up quickly, after a sleep etc. It is almost always clear fluid and has only been food on a couple of occasions. This has now been going on for about 3 weeks. He is quite an anxious Rotty, gets very worked up with loud bangs, licks doors when we're inside and he's not etc so could this be a possible cause or am I way off?? Thank you for any advice Scratchcat, when you say vomiting water do you mean vomiting up a clear or slightly tinged liquid? Whenever my dogs (past and present) have done this it is has been a precursor to what has turned into pancreatitis. One occasion was triggered by rimadyl, another by previcoxx, both as long term treatments for arthritis. The third occasion was a gall bladder infection which turned really nasty. Ultrasound of the abdomen mght show if there is a problem in that area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scratchcat Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 My almost 4 year old Rottweiler has been diagnosed with digital melanoma. He has had his toe amputated and lymph node (which came up clear) removed. About 6 weeks after surgery, he has been vomiting water and not as keen on food as he used to be. Numerous tests have not shown any cause and numerous tablets don't seem to be helping. Firstly I am wondering if anyone else has had a dog diagnosed with digital melanoma and what their experiences have been. Prognosis is obviously not good but currently there are no obvious signs of spread. Second, does anyone have any ideas as to the possible cause of his vomiting? I am starting to think that it may be an anxiety issue as the vomiting seems to happen when he gets up quickly, after a sleep etc. It is almost always clear fluid and has only been food on a couple of occasions. This has now been going on for about 3 weeks. He is quite an anxious Rotty, gets very worked up with loud bangs, licks doors when we're inside and he's not etc so could this be a possible cause or am I way off?? Thank you for any advice Scratchcat, when you say vomiting water do you mean vomiting up a clear or slightly tinged liquid? Whenever my dogs (past and present) have done this it is has been a precursor to what has turned into pancreatitis. One occasion was triggered by rimadyl, another by previcoxx, both as long term treatments for arthritis. The third occasion was a gall bladder infection which turned really nasty. Ultrasound of the abdomen mght show if there is a problem in that area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scratchcat Posted April 28, 2012 Author Share Posted April 28, 2012 Whoops, struggling with the reply!! Sorry. Thank you for your reply SchnauzerMax. Yes, he's vomiting clear liquid, sometimes slightly tinged but mostly clear. The vomiting isnt huge amounts but just seems to be when he gets a tad excited or gets up from lying down. The vet has done blood tests and xrays and everything came back normal. The pancreas was mentioned but nothing showed up in the tests. We are just getting frustrated as it is not normal for him and tests are not showing anything. He is also slightly off his food which is just not like him, he's normally a guts. The last thing left for us is an ultrasound but I am hesitant as surely all the other tests would have shown something?? I know he's just over being poked and prodded and getting put under again can't be great. I just don't know anymore. As you can imagine, our vet bill is already into the thousands and we have no pet insurance. He is also undergoing a course of vaccine from the USA for the cancer but the vomiting began before that. Having cancer is the worst thing we could imagine for him and I just want my dog to enjoy what's left of his life without the added bits of vomiting and not eating the meals he once enjoyed with gusto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchnauzerMax Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Whoops, struggling with the reply!! Sorry. Thank you for your reply SchnauzerMax. Yes, he's vomiting clear liquid, sometimes slightly tinged but mostly clear. The vomiting isnt huge amounts but just seems to be when he gets a tad excited or gets up from lying down. The vet has done blood tests and xrays and everything came back normal. The pancreas was mentioned but nothing showed up in the tests. We are just getting frustrated as it is not normal for him and tests are not showing anything. He is also slightly off his food which is just not like him, he's normally a guts. The last thing left for us is an ultrasound but I am hesitant as surely all the other tests would have shown something?? I know he's just over being poked and prodded and getting put under again can't be great. I just don't know anymore. As you can imagine, our vet bill is already into the thousands and we have no pet insurance. He is also undergoing a course of vaccine from the USA for the cancer but the vomiting began before that. Having cancer is the worst thing we could imagine for him and I just want my dog to enjoy what's left of his life without the added bits of vomiting and not eating the meals he once enjoyed with gusto. Scratchcat, After all my experiences, I am a big fan of ultrasound because it shows what's happening with the soft tissues, the stuff that x-rays and blood tests don't show. Ultrasound can show inflammation e.g. a bile duct that is enlarged due to infection or it can show if something (soft tissue) is growing in there that shouldn't. Vets are often reluctant to use ultrasound. I don't know why this is so but with humans one of the first diagnostic ports of call is often ultrasound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scratchcat Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Thank you to ShnauzerMax for the advice. We went ahead with the ultrasound and unfortunately it's not good news. It appears our young boy's cancer has spread where we least expected. Unfortunately with the type of cancer he has, we can now only make him comfortable. I can't even describe how devastated we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
❤LovesPoodles❤ Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 So sorry for your bad news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9angel Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I am so sorry Scratchcat. My thoughts are with you. How is he going with his eating? has his appetite picked up any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchnauzerMax Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'm so sorry ScratchCat. I was so hoping for better news. Keep him comfortable and spoil him rotten! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumof4girls Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 So sorry for this news :-( how devastating for you all.. Hope your able to make him comfortable and pain free for whatever time he has left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scratchcat Posted May 12, 2012 Author Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) Thank you so much for all your kind words. Unfortunately our beautiful boy took a turn for the worse overnight forcing us to make the hardest decision of all. May the naughtiest, most destructive dufus of a Rottweiler RIP. Gone far too young, we will miss him forever Edited May 12, 2012 by scratchcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 So very sorry - sounds like he was a lovely boy to have around - and way too young to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Scratchcat I'm so sorry for your loss. Rotties are gorgeous loving dogs and he'll be missed. Love and hugs to you and your family. May he RIP and his memory live on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 My condolences, ScratchCat. You've had a hard road to tow - all the harder because it was so short, but you've done the best and most selfless thing possible. RIP Rottie boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerRottweiler Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 I am sorry for your loss Scratchcat. . You made the right decision at the right time. RIP young guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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