# Toby update: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

The good...
Toby has had a real problem with his appetite lately. When these old guys refuse to eat, it's a major scare. One morning recently I couldn't even get anything into him. No cheese, no chicken, not his favorite treats. Nothing. So I didn't give him his enalapril (blood pressure medicine) because I couldn't get him to eat a bite. 
That evening he picked at his food a little. I was encouraged. I stuck his enalapril in a piece of cheese and he took it. 
The next morning he again wouldn't touch anything, so I again skipped the pill. Sure enough, that evening he ate some of his dinner. 
Now I was seeing a pattern here. So I emailed my vet and asked what I should do, and he said he had just consulted 2 cardiologists and both said they can't be really sure Toby has high blood pressure because his readings are all over the place; they both suspect he doesn't have true hypertension. So my vet said stop the enalapril completely. He said that the #1 listed side effect for enalapril is loss of appetite. 
About 3 days after stopping it, his appetite seems to have returned. I'm adding broth and canned food to his meals, but he seems to be eating with enjoyment again, and he's licking the bowl clean pretty consistently. 
I am SO glad! Now let's hope he continues to eat okay. :crossfing
The bad...his back end is getting weaker and weaker. He still doesn't seem to be in any pain, however. Just weak. I almost wonder now if we should have gone with a degenerative myelopathy diagnosis. That's how his back end is acting.
The ugly.....when trimming the hair on his front paws yesterday I found an ugly growth on his left front leg, very low (right above the paw pads)on the back side. I'm just sick over it because it looks like it might be a mast cell tumor. It's not like any other growth he's had, and he's had a bunch of them. It's about an inch in diameter, sticks out a fair amount, is red, has broken hair on it, and just plain looks like mast cell cancer. Of course, I'm going to have his vet look at it on Wednesday when we go for his next check-up.
But what do I do? He's not a candidate for surgery, unless the vet feels he can remove it with a sedative and a local (I kinda doubt it). I also hate to mess with one of his front legs, since his back legs are so bad. 
It's always something with my poor Toby.

EDIT...sorry, this ended up being a double post of my "it's always something with toby" post....my computer is having issues and I didn't think that posted, so I re-posted, and now I see it DID post....


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I'm glad his appetite is back up. Are they planning on using a different kind of medication on him? Is there any way you can take a picture of the lump for us? You are right, he may not be able to undergo surgery, but if it is small enough, local can be the answer if you think he would do alright. It really depends where it is exactly and how big it is. Best of luck at the vet.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I am glad you found the secret to Toby's appetitite.

As far as the mast cell tumor goes, it may not be that bad. I have a friend whose old guy had a mast cell tumor on his left front leg. The vet went in, it was pretty much contained, so he took it with wide margins, and that was it. Her boy went on and lived for another 4 years and it wasn't cancer that took him. He died at just under 15.


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## DaisyGolden (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm glad that Toby is eating better. I hope the thing on his leg is nothing. Sending prayers.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I will keep Toby in my prayers that the mast cell tumor thing on his leg can be treated. These senior boys are so special and it is always so scary when things go wrong. I am glad that his appetite is back.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

All my best.... I hope it's a benign growth that got frazzled and huge because of location. Our D had one on one of his back feet. I know these things often are cancerous, but sometimes they aren't. They mainly are uncomfortable and sometimes need to be removed for that reason alone. 

I hope it's something that simple.


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## cavaliergirl (Jul 18, 2010)

Thoughts and prayers go out to you and Toby. I'm sure he will be fine. We
are going through similar issues with Jake right now, except he is eating. I just posted this morning Jake's problems and it's possible he has a mast cell also on the inside of ear flap. Going in for surgery tomorrow. Keep us all posted on Toby and how he does.


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