Flynn 11 y/o Foxie Cross - Right adrenalectomy- Good Bye Flynny We will miss you

Trish,

I'm still here waiting in support with the others. No more Novembers for you Missy! :(

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Just checking in again to see what the surgeon said.

love you and Flynny

Just got home, surgeon very reassuring, i need to type more, will try get my lappy working so i can type easier as lots to say, tumour is right side not left which is trickier he also going to biopsy kidney, small bowel and adrenal nodule so we can get to the bottom of those problems. Flynn home with me for night, got to take him back at 10am for surgery tomorrow arvo. Xx

Thx for all support, it tears me up. Just been speaking to my local vet mike (ims is a mike too so if we go by naomis theory that all mikes are good we onto a winner!) to make sure i am being objective and not emotional with wanring to keep him alive, he agrees with proceeding too xxxx

Sending you tons of love and healing energy. I'll check in several times tomorrow to see how our boy is doing. I am glad that Flynny is there with you tonight. Paws up Flynny boy! ((((((HUGS))))))

If Mike, your vet agrees and Mike the IMS agrees that this is the right thing to do, that if this was their dog, they would proceed, if they think that the risks are acceptable level for Flynn-man, then that is really all you can go on. They will give you their honest opinion.
I know that no matter how strong you are, this is still Flynn, our beloved wonderful guy, and your best bud and it is going to be scary. So, hold on tight to those reassurances from the professionals. Flynn has come through these surgeries before and he will do so again.
Now I like the sound of "getting to the bottom of this once and for all". Lets do just that and get that boy fixed up.

hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

yay finally have the laptop working!

So problems identified are:
4 cm liver tumour right central liver. Does not appear to be encroaching on bile ducts but they will not know for sure till they go in.

Nodule on left adrenal, has grown in last 6 months, 1.5cm now. Previous sugeon did not think it looked nasty, new surgeon said they get a very good feeling when they actually see them. He has seen benign tumours over 3cm not cause any problems. the risk this is also a pheo? he has seen that twice in his career so rare but a possibility. IMS agreed with what the old IMS said that his BP would not be controlled if this was a pheo on his current BP regime. Usually requires phenoxybenzamine. He thinks this is unlikely but they are going to have a very good look at it tomorrow, and biopsy. They do not want to go for adrenalectomy tomorrow as it is too risky to combine, which is what I have read. Though he said should it be required in the future depending on biopsy tomorrow that he would go for it. We talked about Addisons, he made it all sound very easy to manage but all I could think about during that converstation was Jasper. :)

They all agree the immediate problem is the liver mass, it is new from last scan. So has grown 4 cm in 6 months, liver tests steeply rising last 6 weeks or so and I have noticed lethargy, panting, twitching worse in that time. So they want it out. It could be recurrence of the hepatocellular carcinoma removed two years ago, it is on other side of liver. Or it could be a new primary, he said it could also be benign, one of those benign nodules that we know he has exploding for example. OK I am going for benign!!

IMS concerned about his kidneys, he wants a definite renal diagnosis, he is not so sure it is just secondary to hypertension. so they will do a tru cut biopsy of kidney.

IBD issues, again we have no definite diagnosis so if Flynn is doing ok during surgery tomorrow they will biopsy that as well.

He also has a nodule that has been biopsied twice previously and showed liver cells, current surgeon wants it out if it is easy.

He also had lipoma behind one kidney that is also new, he will take that if it is easy too, like on a stalk?!?

His latest blood tests are OK, well not much worse than previously.

They have 24 hr care, I can visit afterwards and they will call me when surgery is finished.

I cannot believe I am sitting here typing this... poor Flynn. But I guess I have not had time to stew over it. I sent an sos text to Mike our local vet and bless him he was away at a seminar but got back to me, he has now spoken to IMS here and is fully supportive of proceeding. I asked him if I was just being emotional and I needed him to give objective view if I was going too far putting him through this again and he said No I wasn't, he would do the same... also his wife who was in the car listening to this converstation would also do it for their dogs :D:D so that made me feel better.

So there we are, decision made, a speedy one I admit. But it is done and he is going in tomorrow afternoon. Will let you know what time once I hear. I have confidence in this team, both IMS and surgeon have spent over an hour with me going over everything and all the risks so I am well informed. IMS said his life expectancy should be for another 4 years or more and he would proceed if it was his dog. The alternative is Flynn dying in a few months, also as I have said to others looking at surgery if he is going to pass I would rather it be fast and giving him a chance than a lingering death. Will see how I feel if the worst was to happen but that is my thinking now.

Phew, think that is all xxxxx

At least this time I am with friends here, I have a plate of cheese n crackers to my left and a glass of wine to my right... Flynn is at my feet wondering what all the fuss is about.

Wow was just readin all your posts, thanks so much everyone, my phone was not listing them all properly. Sharlene, they are not so worried about kidneys affecting this surgery just that IMS would like a definite diagnosis of what is causing proteinuria and subsequent UPC increase and a biopsy should show that and then they can plan optimal treatment.

Trish,
we'll be praying for Flynn to have a speedy recovery!