# Tiny's senior exam and vet visit today



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I took Tiny to the vet today for her routine senior exam, bloodwork, urinalysis, and to discuss a few issues.
I have to wait until tomorrow for the results of the bloodwork and urinalysis. The last 2 blood tests her liver enzymes were mildly elevated, so hopefully they will be no worse this time.
Her heart and lungs sound clear and strong, and look great on x-ray. Her heart is not enlarged, and he sees no evidence of *anything* in her lungs. So that was great news.
One thing I wanted to discuss with him is the growth on her ear. It's gotten rather large, about the size of a half-dollar coin, and it seems to bother her because I've caught her scratching at it and she rubs it on the sofa, which makes it break open and bleed a little. I'm concerned because of how awful Toby's tumor had gotten, it bled like crazy quite often, but at least it was on his leg where I could keep it wrapped. On an ear, not so easy. But with her turning 15 in a few weeks, I sure hesitate to put her under if I can avoid it.
Also, Tiny has had several bad teeth pulled over the past few years, so I wanted him to check her teeth and see if there is anything smoldering along in her mouth that needs to be dealt with.
So our game plan is that he is going to put her under with propofol (sp?) and not the whole general anesthesia, and check her mouth. IF it appears that he needs to extract teeth, he will go ahead and do the full anesthesia. If not, he will remove the growth from her ear with the propofol and a local, and lightly scale the worst couple teeth. So that sounds like a good plan to me.
The other thing, the harder thing, is that she's starting to act stiff when she gets up, and I think is having some pain in her back end. He took an xray of her spine, and apparently she has quite a lot of arthritis in her spine, which he thinks might be accounting for a big part of her pain. He's going to xray her hips and knees when she's "under" for the ear growth, he thought it would be much less stressful for her that way. 
He did add another drug to her regimen, for the next 3 weeks I'm to give her amantadine. If her liver values are okay, we're also going to increase her rimadyl, she's getting a real small dose right now.
Then, based on the results of the xrays and how she responds to the amantadine and more rimadyl, we're going to discuss adding acupuncture and/or cold laser therapy.
So keep fingers crossed for her blood/urine results to be good!
Everyone at the clinic says she is amazing. They say she is by far the most mobile dog they see at that age. So that's awesome!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I think you need to start a Senior Dog Wellness Seminar series, you do an outstanding job giving your old Gold long, healthy lives!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Sounds like a great report all things considered! Keeping my fingers crossed that the blood work come back fine and the sedation will be enough - and the growth can be easily removed.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Sounds good to me... Hope it all goes well....


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## hubbub (Jun 28, 2011)

Thrilled to hear the mostly good news on Tiny!

A friend's dog who's almost 14 has had several masses removed with the light anesthesia (and lots of local) in the last year. I hope her teeth are in good shape and the light is all she needs :crossfing Also crossing fingers and toes for good news on the bloodwork and UA.

I hope the amantadine gives some relief to her (and you) too.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

mylissyk said:


> I think you need to start a Senior Dog Wellness Seminar series, you do an outstanding job giving your old Gold long, healthy lives!


I agree! 

Your plan sounds excellent and I hope all goes well for Tiny.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

Congratulations on an excellent report! I'm so happy for you and for Tiny. We all need lessons!

Deramaxx worked wonders for Charlie when his arthritis was an issue. For Sabrina, Adequan injections were the magic elixer that gave back mobility.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Tiny gets adequan injections weekly, and they have really helped her a lot, too. But until we're sure what's *wrong*, we can't really come up with a good treatment plan that will incorporate traditional and non-traditional treatments. 
She still plays with Tito constantly. Well except tonight, she's tired! They were laughing at her at the vet's office, someone had given Tito a toy to carry around and Tiny kept taking it from him. Not bad for almost 15 years old


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## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

You take such good care of your kids! Hope all goes well for Tiny. Wow at 15 that's amazing!


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

All things considered, a pretty good check up. Good for Tiny. She is quite a remarkable girl. I will be thinking good thoughts her procedure goes well and her blood tests come back good too.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

Great Senior exam!! Way to go Tiny!!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Almost 15! Wow - that just puts such a smile on my face. I hope all the tests come back with only positive results. Keeping my fingers crossed! :crossfing


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Tiny*

Praying all of Tiny's exams come back well!!


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

Keeping everything crossed here for Tiny - hope you get good results


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I sure hope and pray they only need to do the light anesthesia.:crossfing

Just think - you could have had a rat terrier instead.:curtain:


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Checking in for the lab results. Hoping all is well!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Just now got the lab results, here's part of the email from my vet:

"...Tiny's labs look similar to last time. ALT was 169 (was 133). The Alk Phos was 367 (was 316). These are pretty negligible differences. I am OK with increasing the Carprofen to 100mg daily, but I will want to recheck these levels in 3 weeks to be safe...."

So they look pretty good to me! In a much younger dog, those values would concern me, but Toby's were much higher than that for the last 6 years of his life and it evidently never caused him any harm. Thus, we're good to go for her removal of the growth on her ear (about the size of a half-dollar coin) and a dental check.

I remember reading somewhere that arthritis can raise the ALP, and since I know hers is pretty bad, I'm guessing (hoping) that's why the value is up, not because of anything going on in her liver. The ALT is such a little bit above normal it's not even really noteworthy.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

That is good news! Let us know when the procedure is scheduled and we will light candles for Tiny and you! 

I agree about those numbers. It's not a significant change. The 3 week recheck will be important as you know. Hopefully it will be the same or even less.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Sorry about the growth on her ear and arthritis. But not bad for almost 15yrs!



hotel4dogs said:


> I remember reading somewhere that arthritis can raise the ALP, and since I know hers is pretty bad, I'm guessing (hoping) that's why the value is up, not because of anything going on in her liver.


I believe my vet has told me the same thing, back when I had Tucker.


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## hubbub (Jun 28, 2011)

Sounds like good news to me! Hopefully Tiny has only shiny teeth (no extractions) and a less itchy ear in her future. :crossfing


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> Just now got the lab results, here's part of the email from my vet:
> 
> "...Tiny's labs look similar to last time. ALT was 169 (was 133). The Alk Phos was 367 (was 316). These are pretty negligible differences. I am OK with increasing the Carprofen to 100mg daily, but I will want to recheck these levels in 3 weeks to be safe...."
> 
> ...


Do you have her on Milk Thistle and/or SAM-e? Sounds like to good plan for her lump and teeth. Hugs to Tiny


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## Maddie'sMom2011 (Apr 26, 2011)

Milk thistle does help with liver function.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Thanks Claire's Friend and Maddie's Mom, yes, she is on both sam-E and milk thistle, has been for about 6 months or so.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Good job, Tiny!! :wavey:


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> Thanks Claire's Friend and Maddie's Mom, yes, she is on both sam-E and milk thistle, has been for about 6 months or so.


Good job, Mom !! Probably why she's till doing so good at 15 !!


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## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

Just seeing this and so glad things looked pretty good for Tiny. I'll say extra prayers as she goes through her dental and surgery. Do you know when?


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Thanks Cathy, we scheduled it for Tuesday, Feb. 7. We wanted to wait that long to see if the new drug and higher dose of rimadyl will help her, if not, she's also going to have acupuncture that same day. We think Tiny might resist the acupuncture procedure, so the vet thought that if we need to do it, it would be best to do it for the first time when she's a little groggy from the dental/surgery.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> Thanks Cathy, we scheduled it for Tuesday, Feb. 7. We wanted to wait that long to see if the new drug and higher dose of rimadyl will help her, if not, she's also going to have acupuncture that same day. We think Tiny might resist the acupuncture procedure, so the vet thought that if we need to do it, it would be best to do it for the first time when she's a little groggy from the dental/surgery.


I thought Barkley might resist acupuncture and the vet kept on telling me he wouldn't. She was right of course, but she never let me live my doubts down! When it came time for Toby and acupuncture, with a different vet, I didn't worry in the least, even though he can be very resistant to things. It's funny but I think these dogs realize it's for their own good. Barkley started out standing up and panting and by his very last session he would just stroll in, lie down and let the needles work their magic.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We think Tiny might have a hard time because she seems hyper-sensitive to needles. Even the adequan injections I give her, with the tiny little diabetes type needle, seem to hurt her. Toby never even felt the big needle that was in the 3cc syringe. When the vet gives her an injection, you'd think he just tried to kill her. 
She also does not like to hold still, nor to be restrained.
I think she will adjust to it, but I don't think it will be easy at first. Although who knows, they do fool you, don't they??


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

Maybe give her a little Rescue Remedy before she goes in ????


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

yes, I'm thinking rescue remedy for her, xanax for me, lolol


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

hotel4dogs said:


> We think Tiny might have a hard time because she seems hyper-sensitive to needles. Even the adequan injections I give her, with the tiny little diabetes type needle, seem to hurt her. Toby never even felt the big needle that was in the 3cc syringe. When the vet gives her an injection, you'd think he just tried to kill her.
> She also does not like to hold still, nor to be restrained.
> I think she will adjust to it, but I don't think it will be easy at first. Although who knows, they do fool you, don't they??


Easy trick--take her favorite kibble in there with you, put a bunch in your hand and let her snack while the vet inserts the needles. The needles are much smaller than the 3 cc syringes and chances are she won't feel them (I didn't on myself). If you are distracting her with food, it might work. We did that with Barkley and Toby the first session. We kept it up with Barkley because he was so funny to watch gobbling the food (he almost bit my hand off and he drooled like crazy for it). We stopped with Toby because she was working on his head, above his mouth!


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I use the little 1 cc diabetes syringes on tiny, and she still hates the needles. But feeding her is a good idea, maybe something like jerky that she can pull on a bit, she is VERY food motivated!


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## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

I'll mark Feb. 7th down on my calendar for Tiny. I'm taking my dad for an EMG that day so it will be easy to remember. Lots of good thoughts and prayers going out that day.....


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Way to go Tiny, keep going healthy and strong. As Barb said on average females live longer, lets pray for Tiny to break GRF record, be the oldest ever known golden here.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

Checking in on Tiny. Glad results came back decent. I will be thinking of her on the 7th. Good luck!!! Stay strong Tiny!!!


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