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Dermal Hemangiosarcoma


Rebanne
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Warrior is my 11 and 1/2 yo Greyhound. He has a Dermal Hemangiosarcoma on his stomach just in front of his sheath. It's been there since at least May when I woke up to a patch of blood on "his" pillow. Can't recall how long before that but opening my eyes to all this blood I do remember. Luckily I knew a little blood can go along way.

 

Anyhow, the "blood blister" as I call it has grown very slowly and and I took him to the vet just before Christmas. The vet and I go back approx 30 years. We had a discussion on what to do with it, usual life span for a Grey, the fact that it looked like another was arising, a flat slightly raised bruise and decided to leave things be. There is now another smaller flat,slightly raised bruise, all along the same line on his stomach. His lovely white, nearly hairless stomach has made him a prime candidate for these things.

 

Rightly or wrongly I have occasionally made the "blood blister"  bleed to help prevent my house looking like a murder scene as well as it popping sometimes on it's own. But last night it popped on it's own and I had trouble getting it to stop. Just a steady drip, drip, drip. After an hour or two pressure and medipulv powder helped it to stop and clot. Greys can be tricky to put under and uncontrolled bleeding is a big issue in the breed whether injured or surgical, which is why it was decided to leave things alone. I scraped off a bit of tarter while checking his gum colour and when I rechecked him there was a very thin line of blood along his gum line. I really don't think he is a good candidate for removal of these things.

 

In himself Warrior is fine, eating well and holding his weight, enjoying life etc. He has just recently completed his 1st course of catrophen injections. Can still jump upon my bed, their couch, race around the backyard. I'm really not sure what I hope to get from this post. I wonder if I should get some type of belly band but worry it would rub and make it bleed more.

 

Of course I'll be back at the vet if I can get in this week, might be the next week. They have become very popular with the pandemic puppies. I don't consider this an emergency per se, if it was they would squeeze me in somewhere.

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Sorry to hear  the news- I know you will care for Warrior as he needs to be cared for - and it's great you have a vet like you do :) Would a "bandaid" with sticky  rub less than a belly band D'you think - or would he do damage getting the bandaid off? 

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I’m in two minds about a belly band or some kind of cover being helpful, not making a difference or making it worse.

 

I think I’d give it a try and see. If the band or covering is secure and not moving, it should help I would think. 
 

 

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I'm thinking of a wide cloth type bandaid, won't be the first time I've used them on a dog.

 

ETA shopping trip to Chemist Warehouse tomorrow for some supplies. Currently using non stick dressing and plastic bandaids as the scab came off. Warrior is being a good boy and not bothering it.

Edited by Rebanne
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Jonah is covered in hemangioma's. They get bigger in certain spots (mainly his legs) he starts licking them and they bleed and never want to stop. Healing has been made more difficult since he started chemo and one problematic one is why he stopped chemo early so it could be removed (tumour also removed at same time).

 

I've never known if there is a topical product I can put on them to stop the bleeding (have asked and been told just pressure). But once I get ours under control I put fresh aloe vera gel (the green stuff inside the leaves) around the outside of the wound and then I put a big XL wound dressing over it (which will soak up any oozing but not stick to the wound) and usually I have to use some medical tape (milky white coloured stuff) to keep it on (I get both from chemist wharehouse). That stops Jonah being able to lick it but also protects the wound from sticking to another part of his body while he sleeps and stops his spiky little hairs from irritating it. I usually have to do this for about 4 days and by then it is healed over enough. The dressing can become loose (designed for human skin and not dogs!) but as long as he is not touching it it doesn't matter. I usually change it over once a day. I add more aloe gel around the outside each time and it is enough to help it heal under the dressing.

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I'm lucky at the moment that it only bleeds for a short time. Not days - yet! Tonight I used a crepe bandage to hold a non stick dressing against it, much like a belly band. The one that looked like a bruise will have blood in it in another couple of weeks I reckon.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Surgery went well, removed 3 of the things. But one has come back. First noticed it Sunday evening. Going to the vet this afternoon. Has already leaked a bit of serous fluid. I can cope with that but not with a bleed that won't stop. I have a list of questions to ask. Warrior is otherwise fine for an older dog.

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Great discussion with the vet, of biggest concern is that it  has already grown back. So a plan of management and when we can't stop the bleeding well...............................arrangements have been made.

 

Warrior was quite shaky in the back legs, of course he sleeps a lot at home, so I hadn't really noticed. He can still get on my bed which is most important to us both.

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we have tried a drug that is off label, so far off label it might have come from the moon. Just dribbled over the problem area and it has made a big difference in only 3 treatments. I was put onto this drugs use by a lady from overseas who has an Iggy plagued by the same things and even one in the same area.

 

I am not prepared to name it publicly and will not share with everyone who asks privately. I'm just glad my vet trusts me.

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Great news Rebanne, but given I'm battling hemangiomas with Jonah (on the verge of needing surgery on one on his front leg again), if you happened to message me about how you found the name I would be interested in doing some research of my own. I can then discuss with Jonah's vet and oncologist. I feel like I just need a couple of days where it doesn't get knocked or pressurised and it would resolve but we are getting a bleed every day now and I can't even blame Jonah for licking it!

 

Thank you

 

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