Simply Dog's Surgery: recovering from skin cancer

My Simply Dog had an operation last week. Leif Hund, his real name, is surviving a bout with skin cancer. Luckily the carcinoma was caught early, as it was only in stage II. It was a cancer in his dermis and had not reached the bone. An abnormal swelling was noted on his shoulder about a month earlier and then suddenly on Saturday 20, December a piece of thick skin fell off opening a large bleeding wound. Immediately the veterinarian was called and Leif was taken to the clinic; upon just gross observation the veterinarian suspected a dermal malignancy. Biopsies were taken from the wound at various depths. It certainly put a damper on the Christmas time and the coming New Year, but we were all thinking positive, as Leif's veterinarian was confident the cancer could be arrested.

Leif was strong and healthy basically and even travelled to Austria in the Christmas period. During the drive to Vienna, along the way, when we were in the Steiermark, Leif had the chance to play in the snow. Leif loves to tunnel in the deep snow, but he had to be a little bit more conservative not to get too frisky in the white stuff as it might irritate his wound. There is a photo of Leif playing in the snow in Austria. Leif is so happy when he plays in the snow and I love to see him happy.

The results from the biospy would not be available until after Christmas. Anxiously we awaited them. The results when they arrived were positive for maligancy, but only in the skin and not further into the bone.

The surgery was scheduled for a Wednesday, but had to be rescheduled for the following day due to a sudden snow storm which blew into the Piedmont region, here in north Italy, blocking our driveway and the roads to the clinic. That Tuesday night and into the wee early morning hours of Wednesday I was shoveling snow. In some moments I was out there at 2:00 and 5:00 in the morning, clad in slippers, pajamas and robe, shoveling snow. I did everything I could to make sure we could drive the car to the veterinary clinic. Chains had to be put on the tires and snow continusouly removed as it was snowing nonstop. But despite the snow shoveling, we had to wait until Thursday to drive to the clinic due to the icey and snow blocked streets. We live in the Monferrato wine producing region of the Piedmont in northwestern Italy, an area of sweet rolling hills with many narrow roads winding through the countryside which become treacherous when covered with snow and ice. It was just Simply Dog's luck that on the one day when he needed to have the most important surgery of his life, a snow storm had to blow in..

The surgery was a success. In the photo one can see the large incision that had to be made to remove the cancer. Leif's Veterinarian, Paolo Conti in Moncalvo is excellent. The assistant veterinarian was an anaesthesia specialist. So, Leif was really in excellent hands for his operation. Leif's veterinarian travels to the United States 4-5 times per year for Veterinary continuing education and in my opinion he is one the best small animal veterinarians in Italy. We are so thankful for the excellent veterinarians who saved Leif, the beloved Simply Dog.

Leif was brought home immediately after the surgery. The most difficult time for him. He was not allowed to go up stairs and had to stay quiet. He was on pain medication and the first night at home he had to be given a pain medication injection. Leif was whining at times and trying to walk around as if he did not know what to do with himself. He was allowed to walk gently outside to go and do his pee pee routine. The first night I could see he was very uncomfortable. The first 24 hours were the worst for him. Someone was sitting at his side all night, keeping an eye on him and letting Leif know he was not alone in his hours of discomfort. The next morning things became easier for him. Leif started to smile a bit in that unique Simply Dog way and is definitely on his way towards a successful recovery and a beautiful life in 2009.

In the photo you will see Leif in his pajamas. I was teasing Leif, telling him he needed a New York Yankees baseball cap to complete the outfit. Leif has to wear a T-shirt over his body to cover the surgical wound.

The sutures were removed on Monday the 19 January 2009. The veterinarians were quite pleased with his recovery. An update on Leif's recovery will follow, so please visit and read his Simply Dog webpage soon.

Moncalvo, 22 January 2009.
Written by: Karin Susan Fester, copyright 2009 (c). All rights reserved.