# Milk thistle for the Evil H?!?



## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

My oncology vet had Bear taking yunnan bayaoi twice a day. It's supposed to help prevent/stop bleeds. There is also a little red emergency pill in the middle if the pack (almost hidden) for an actual bleed.
I don't know whether or not it helps but it certainly didnt hurt


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

Thanks! An "actual" bleed? What does that mean? When I actually SEE blood?


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

No, most people can tell when their dogs are having an active bleed. With Bear her only bleed was the morning of diagnosis. She didn't eat, didn't want to move much, just seemed off. My lab had a bleeding spleen tumor that was benign and his symptoms were almost identical to Bear's. 
With Bear, had she not been diagnosed I wouldn't have known she was sick. By that night she was back to her normal self.
Other dogs will collapse.
With hemangio, I was told that it could and eventually would spread somewhere else. When Bear was diagnosed she had mets on her liver and in her lungs as well as in her spleen. Any of those could have started to bleed. In her case, it spread to her bone and I chose to put her out of pain at that point so I never experienced a bleed after the one at diagnosis.
For Bear I gave the YB as a preventative, but was told to give the red pill if it seemed she was having an active bleed.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Also, I believe that their gums will be pale if they are having an active bleed. I was constantly checking Bear's gums in those 2 months!


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

I'm so sorry for you and Bear. I'm sending you a hug 

I guess my question is, how will I know if it's an active bleed? These goldens don't let you know they're in pain until its too late. So when he collapses? That could be an active bleed?


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

A collapse would most likely be an active bleed. With Bear and Guinness their bleeds were almost identical in symptoms. In both cases I noticed it as soon as I got out of bed. They were both lethargic, just sort of stood staring into space. Neither one of them showed any interest in their breakfast. I could just tell by looking at them that they were off. They moved slowly and very gingerly. Had sort of that low hanging head look.
Both had pale gums. With Guinness, his breathing was strange-shallow and every 4th or 5th breath was big-in hindsight it was because his abdomen was full of blood and making it hard to breathe. 
Bear's bleed sealed itself off. Guinness's didn't and he had a splenectomy (benign).


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

Wow. That was tough to read. 

THIS STINKS SO SO BAD


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

It does stink. I'm sorry you are having to go through this. I also just remembered that their feet get cold. With Bear I was always checking her gums and feet!

I do believe that Bear having hemangio actually saved Guinness's life. When I woke up with him acting that way I knew in my gut what was wrong and called in sick to work and got him into the vet as soon as they opened that morning. That day was almost comical in the disasters that kept happening. We had a major storm the night before and the x-ray machine at my vet wasn't functioning. The other vet in town could "squeeze him in around 3:30" so I ended up having to drive to the ER vet 45 min away for x-rays which confirmed he had a mass. I drove him back to my vet and they did the surgery within the hour. Had I not recognized the symptoms I would have lost him to a benign tumor.


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

I'm on gum duty over-drive too! I inspect the poop to the point where I look really weird. I'm getting severe anxiety and this little guy doesn't even know what's going on. I'm so sorry that you're able to help me through this. Hopefully, in the very near future, this board will be obsolete. I pray so hard every night. 

We found out in a roundabout way, too. On a whim, I took him for his annual a month early. She immediately felt the full tummy. Immediate X-ray led to emergency splenectomy. Which lead to the evil H. Vet said had I waited until his regular appointment, he'd be dead. It's been a loooong 18 days! 

Your Bear is truly an angel. He's the previous in your picture?


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Yes, Bear is the first of the 3 pictures.
When Bear was diagnosed someone on here said to remember that they do not know that they are sick. That was good advice. Unfortunately with this cancer there isn't anything that you can really do. I think the time will be better spent for both of you if you try to do fun things with him while you are still able. Spoil him, love on him, make him happy! That's all they really want is our attention!


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

Yup. And he's getting it. I just hope he doesn't know. 

Thanks for all your help!


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

How is he doing?


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

He's great, Jennifer! He's retrieving (NEVER did that before), pooping like a crazy man, attacking his food, running (!!!!), playing with his duck. It's the craziest thing. How is this fatal? I just don't understand. Having that gross spleen removed has done wonders. I have an appt tomorrow at the vet with the herbalist. Hopefully she has some good advice/meds! 

Thanks for checking in. I'm loving every minute!


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

If he's bleeding, the crazy mutt isn't letting me know. 


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

That's great news! I hope it continues for a very long time!


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

Very happy to read Cuddy is continuing to be a crazy, happy boy!!


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## Cuddysmom (Feb 6, 2014)

He played too long today









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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

With my Pete I knew nothing until he collapsed. His tumor on his spleen had ruptured. His gums were almost white. After his spleen was removed he did really well for a couple of weeks. I was told to check his gums daily as this was one sign of internal bleeding.


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