jesstolle14

My dog went in for surgery dec. 18. His wound has been draining a clear pinkish liquid since about 3 days ago it barely leaked anymore, but the incision still didn't close. I have taken him in atleast 3 times now to get it checked and she changed his antibiotic to Clavamox and said it was looking good. He had a Subcutaneous mass removed from his neck, close to his lymph node. We had a biopsy on it and the results came back lastnight with these results:
Microscopic Findings:
Subcutaneous mass/lymph node: Sever chronic nodular fibrosing cellulitis/panniculitis with pyogranulomas and lymphadenitis.
Whatever that means. The vet said basically these things happen when there is trauama to an area. he could have ate something and got lodged, he could have ran into something, etc etc.
So basically my question is, when i took him in this morning, our vet wasn't there (which she informed me of but she said another vet will know what to do) and so i saw a male vet (which i am second guessing myself about what he told me) and he looked at the incision and felt around it and felt a big hard mass, he asked if thatr has always been there and i told him that his neck was really really swollen right after surgery and it has actually gone way down and this was what was left so far, it hasn't really gotten bigger or gone down in a few days. The incision about 2 days ago, i was changing his bandage and a brown snot looking clump came out, it was pretty gross, than some water pinkish stuff came out for a few seconds than stopped. I told my surgery vet about it lastnight and she said its normal. I told this vet aobu tit and he said it wasn't normal it could be tissue or whatever the hard mass is in his neck. He said it could be an infection, which bolt has been on antibiotics since the 18th and i haven't missed 1 dose, and he has been super super clean, no licking, he did get a little active for a couple minutes outside but other than that it's been pretty smooth sailing....change bandage, eat, drink, give meds, pee, poop, repeat. I don't really know what to think. when he cut the sutures off, the middle of the incision wasn't closed, and another brown chunk thing came out. I told him "look theres another one" (which i brought the two that came out this morning in saran wrap for them to see) and he said oh that don't look good, and he said he would go look at it under a microscope. He took bolt back and went to look at it, came back and told me it could be tissue from whatever the big lump is, could be infection?! so now im totally confused. He gave me some wash in a bottle "Chlorhexidine Solution" told me to flush out the inside of the hole 2 times a day. the incision area looks saggy than up behind it is hard.
What should I Do? I'm just so confused. He also has every now and than a little raspy cough, especially when he is alert or gets excited. Ugh. I don't want anything happening to him.
Here is the pics from day of surgery to today:

http://i49.tinypic.com/kal0ll.jpg from day 1 of surgery to couple days after

http://i49.tinypic.com/289j0ch.jpg Past 2 days

http://i45.tinypic.com/rmpkj6.jpg The second brown clump that came out. the first one was a little big bigger, than the 3rd one was half this size. Than the last one in the vet office was around this size but it was more triangle shaped.

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Jess-Jed-Bolt-Diesel- Lynex-Cleo! "I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."

GoudasMom

Subcutaneous= under the skin
mass/lymph node= they are sure if its a mass/tumor(doesnt have to be cancerous to be a tumor) or a lymph node
Nodular fibrosing = excessive fibrous tissue formation as a result of inflammation
Panniculitis = Panniculitis is a disease that occurs in dogs when the fat tissue under the skin becomes inflamed. Nodules and lesions result from the condition. Panniculitis is caused by genetics, reactions to injected medications, blunt trauma, chronic pressure, and bacterial or fungal infections.
pyogranulomas = an inflammatory process in which there is infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells into a more chronic area of inflammation characterized by mononuclear cells, macrophages, lymphocytes and possibly plasma cells.
lymphadenitis = inflammation of the lymph nodes. Lymphadenitis is usually the result of an infectious agent gaining access to a lymph node and establishing an infection, with a resulting response by the immune system to fight the infection with increased white blood cell production.


Basically to me it sounds like a mass or lymph node thats inflammed and became fibrous and infected. A big mess of words really just to say that.

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

Mom2Jax&Bay

The stuff that came out looks like old blood.

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Owned by Jaxon- Flashy Fawn docked and natural 11/21/09 and Baylee- Fawn docked and cropped (kind of) 4/07/09 Rescue

Lone Star Boxer Rescue volunteer since 2010

jesstolle14

Thanks Goudasmom & Mom2Jax&Bay. He hasnt' passed anymore chunks. This morning the incision area looked alot better. Now it is making a goo in the incision area, its not oozing or anything but it looks like when you have a big cut and the scab is starting to form. It isn't hot to touch and doesn't smell at all either. He is eating and drinking perfectly fine, and keeps wanting to play. I took some pics.
Also I just was tickeling him and checking out his different body areas, and felt a lump its not super hard but not really soft. Kinda inbetween. Its behind his left shoulder blade, on the top of his back, about the size of a nickle and feels like its part of his muscle. it moves around pretty good under the skin. He did have a Rabies shot the morning of surgery. Could it be that? I'm valling the vet in the morning to ask where they gave him the vaccine. I swear it's always something.


Day sutures were removed:
http://i49.tinypic.com/3505s9t.jpg

Day after sutures were removed:
http://i48.tinypic.com/1128im0.jpg

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Jess-Jed-Bolt-Diesel- Lynex-Cleo! "I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."

Roccosmom

Yes it can be from the rabies vaccine. It can take awhile for it to resolve. Quite frankly I don't agree with a vet giving a vaccine the morning of surgery. His body had enought to deal with. It can also be the reason he was acting out of sorts and why his body is having a harder time healing IMO.

jesstolle14

I agree. But they told me they can't do surgery until he had his rabies shot which i wish they would have done it when we brought him in about the nodule in his throat. oh well. Such a slow process but it's getting better. Looks like it is almost all sealed up now that i just flushed it again tonight. I know he is over me messing with it. The swelling seems to be going down more too which is good. Poor Bolt man. All he wants to do is run and play and jump around. We took a nap earlier today, that was nice since I haven't been sleeping much. I put gauze on it at night with the netting around his head so he doesn't itch at it while we sleep. It seems to help too. Lastnight i did the same thing and this morning it looked really good. I think by the morning it might be a soft scab.
When I just flushed it again with the stuff they gave us, than blotted the outer area dry after it drained out some, it was making gargle noises. So weird.
I hope it all heals up perfectly. I just hate seeing my little guy like this.

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Jess-Jed-Bolt-Diesel- Lynex-Cleo! "I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."

Roccosmom

Good news on the healing! You both need a break! Happy (almost) New Year!