This might be a bit of a long post but please bear with me, I really need some advice...
We got Heidi from the RSPCA last year. She had been found as a stray and was estimated to be about 4 years old. When they spayed her they discovered she had uterine cancer but believed they removed it all. A small pea-sized lump was found on Heidi's chest back in October 2008. We saw a vet, who had a good feel, and said it wasn't anything to worry about but keep an eye on it. In January 2009 we found another lump next to the pea-sized one, this had come up very quickly and was about the size of a walnut. Again we went to the vet (a different one, as we'd moved house) who had another feel and said to leave it as it didn't feel like an abscess and wasn't causing any trouble. We continued to monitor the lump and there was no change. When a rescue did the bonding of Heidi to her new boyfriend Ross (her previous partner, Gavin, having passed away) they took them both to their vets for a check up. Their vets again felt the lump, thought it wasn't an abscess, but recommended it was removed. So last Tuesday Heidi went in for the op, they almost lost her under the anaesthetic but luckily they pulled her through. The wound has been healing nicely and she is very bright in herself. However her poos have been really small since the op - very normal looking, but tiny. She is as excited as always about food (she has a small amount of pellets at bed time and veg in the morning) and is still eating hay, but in smaller amounts than usual. She is also breathing heavily as if short of breath. However the biggest concern is that she is losing weight. She has always felt rather bony but her weight was maintained so we didn't worry too much. Whilst she was at the rescue she lost some weight, but seemed better after we'd had her home for a few days. But now after the op she feels even bonier, and when we weighed her last night she was 2kg (when the rescue weighed her before she came home to us she was 2.1kg).
I am going to speak to the vet today but just wondered if anyone on here has any advice/experience, particularly with how to help her put on weight. The lump that was removed has been sent away for analysis and we are still waiting on the results. She is so happy in herself and doesn't appear to be in pain which is making it harder to know what to do for the best.
We got Heidi from the RSPCA last year. She had been found as a stray and was estimated to be about 4 years old. When they spayed her they discovered she had uterine cancer but believed they removed it all. A small pea-sized lump was found on Heidi's chest back in October 2008. We saw a vet, who had a good feel, and said it wasn't anything to worry about but keep an eye on it. In January 2009 we found another lump next to the pea-sized one, this had come up very quickly and was about the size of a walnut. Again we went to the vet (a different one, as we'd moved house) who had another feel and said to leave it as it didn't feel like an abscess and wasn't causing any trouble. We continued to monitor the lump and there was no change. When a rescue did the bonding of Heidi to her new boyfriend Ross (her previous partner, Gavin, having passed away) they took them both to their vets for a check up. Their vets again felt the lump, thought it wasn't an abscess, but recommended it was removed. So last Tuesday Heidi went in for the op, they almost lost her under the anaesthetic but luckily they pulled her through. The wound has been healing nicely and she is very bright in herself. However her poos have been really small since the op - very normal looking, but tiny. She is as excited as always about food (she has a small amount of pellets at bed time and veg in the morning) and is still eating hay, but in smaller amounts than usual. She is also breathing heavily as if short of breath. However the biggest concern is that she is losing weight. She has always felt rather bony but her weight was maintained so we didn't worry too much. Whilst she was at the rescue she lost some weight, but seemed better after we'd had her home for a few days. But now after the op she feels even bonier, and when we weighed her last night she was 2kg (when the rescue weighed her before she came home to us she was 2.1kg).
I am going to speak to the vet today but just wondered if anyone on here has any advice/experience, particularly with how to help her put on weight. The lump that was removed has been sent away for analysis and we are still waiting on the results. She is so happy in herself and doesn't appear to be in pain which is making it harder to know what to do for the best.
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