# Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing well



## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Raven, our Dogue de Bordeaux woke up on Monday, October 18th with her entire neck swollen to where she had no wrinkles and was tight as tight could be. Immediately, I thought it was an insect bite or sting, aspirated with nothing, and started on dyphihydramine. I sent her to work with me husband to monitor since he is within minutes of lots of vet clinics.

A little bit of the swelling went down, but when it started going down, we noticed a HUGE knot under her jawbone on the right side with alot of edema. I made a vet appointment for her for Tuesday, and we took her in. The vet also tried to tap the knot with nothing. She wanted to try a 5 day round of steroids and antibiotics to see if it was just a deep abcess. 

We came home that night, started the meds, and by the next morning Raven was bouncing around and all the edema was gone, leaving just the lump. By day two, the lump was starting to go down, slowly, but was definately getting smaller. Day three, the lump did not seem to be going down much, Day four, no change good or bad, and Day five (yesterday) it looked like it was swelling again.

Today, she is almost completely swollen up again and in pain. I have given her pain meds and we will be taking her back in, more than likely for surgery, in the morning. I am very worried that this is a thyroid tumor and from what I have read - it is not good!

Please send our baby lots of prayers as we really do not want to loose her. She is just barely a year old and is my husband's baby .... he lost his rott last summer and our previous Dogue de Bordeaux was also my husbands baby and died in his arms 3 years ago.

Thank you in advance for the prayers.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Oh... really hoping that's not what it is.  Definitely sending prayers your way. :hug:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Oh no...I will send prayers and good thoughts. Crossing my fingers it is something else.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Allison..I'm so sorry Raven is going through this, I pray that she makes a full recovery and there is a simple explanation for this :hug:


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Is what scares me is if it is a thyroid tumor, prognosis is very grim for her :-( it is a fixed tumor and is the size of a softball, if not bigger) with edema coming back now also.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Prayers sent that way.... :hug: ray:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Awe Allison I hope its not that ray:


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

Prayers for Raven. Hugs & prayers for the family too....
I've seen the pics of her before and thought she is just adorable!! Such a sweetie. I hope she recovers quickly.
Take care,


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven*

well from when we got up this morning till 8pm tonight - the mass swelled back up to almost how it was when we first noticed it a week ago.... so about triple between 7 am and 8 pm tonight. I went ahead and started her back on steroids to releive some of the pressure till we get into the vet tomorrow....

Here is a pic - not a very good one - but I didn't want to turn the lights on and wake her up -

My poor baby girl


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## CapriGem (May 12, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Poor girl... I hope she gets some relief from the swelling.

Fingers crossed for her. :grouphug:


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

oh, so sorry, I remember how excited and pumped you were to be getting her, what causes this?

:hug:


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

I am not sure exactly what it is yet. I am dropping off blood work in the morning hoping to get a stat T4 and Free T4 (thyroid checks) along with a full CBC/Chem panel. Then hopefully I can take her in in the afternoon, get the results and see what the next step is.

I have a suspicion it is a hyperthyroid gland tumor ..... :-(


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Oh Allison.....I am so sorry and as others have said that this is something other than a tumor.
I will say a prayer for you guys and your baby girl!


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## Mon Reve Farm (Jun 25, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Saying prayers for her :grouphug:


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

OH Allison, I sure Pray that this if treatable. :hug: :hug:


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Well, we have a 9 am appointment - so I am leaving in 30 minutes to take her up to the vet. Her dr. is gone - so hopefully this one is just as willing to work with me and understand that this dogue does NOT leave my sight


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Raven has a surgical appointment scheduled for 1pm tomorrow. We are going to do a biopsy, but the dr. also believes that it is cancer...... I am so upset ......


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Wow 

This was such a fast onset so crazy.

Praying all goes well with surgery


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

:grouphug:


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

ditto :grouphug: and ray:


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Raven (and family) are definitely surrounded by prayers from your friends here. 
:grouphug:

Our family will keep her in our thoughts during her surgery & recovery.


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## WalnutGroveFarm (Sep 27, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Im sorry you are going through this. I hope she comes through surgery well, and everything turns out good.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

We are getting everything prepped for her - bed in truck, blankets, bed set up in the house... Even have one of daddy's shirts with us.

The dr. Had asked that we do not give the steroids last night and she is in so much discomfort and swollen worse than ever. She can only open her mouth about 2-3 inches, not eating, her water intake has gone down, and she is attached at our hip. I feel so bad for her.... I wish there was something more I could do. My poor husband is so torn up that it is crazy.... This is breaking his heart.


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## Mon Reve Farm (Jun 25, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

Oh Allison... so sorry to hear this. Sending prayers and hugs for all of you! :grouphug:


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## alyssa_romine (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

i had a dog that had something that looked similar to that...she lived but it looked very painful...prayers being sent your way for a good outcome!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added*

:hug: ray:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Big hugs to you and hubby to help get you through this....hugs and prayers for Raven to be strong and heal quickly :hug:


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

On our way to the vet right now for sx - she has been in the car for 3 hours waiting to go up and sleeping - the entire side of her face is now swollen also .... GOD please let this be something treatable, please do not take our baby, amen


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## TinyHoovesRanch (Jan 16, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Praying soooo hard for you


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## Lexibot (Jul 27, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Poor dog, brings me tears. Hope the surgery goes okay.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Raven is under anesthesia - she was a very good girl until we started to shave her. You could tell it hurt her like heck!

They just came out and said it was a huge abcess that does not look to have touched the thyroid..... YAH!!!!!!!! No cancer - oh thank GOD!!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Congrats Allison..... that is wonderful news to hear.... :hug: :leap:


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Oh happy happy day!!
:leap:

Wishing a wonderful happy recovery!


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## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Oh thank goodness. I know you all are SO relieved.


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## OhCee (Feb 26, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

AWESOME!!!! Prayer really does work  So so so glad this was all just an abscess!


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

They let me go back and see her while they were flushing and my gosh it is so thick!!! I have never seen an abcess that thick before. So thick and nasty! They are going to put a drain in and treat the inflamation and infection with oral meds - yah!!!!


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

are they going to run tests on the abcess?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

oh great news (considering the possible alternative ).

Do they have an idea of what might have caused it?


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

was it an animal bite? SO glad it wasn't any type of cancer!!!!!  YAY


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

:clap: :leap:  :applaud:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

What a sigh of relief!!! Keep us posted on Raven...poor thing.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Allison, I'm so glad that things turned out this way, compared to what it could have been. At least Raven is treatable and has a mommy that knows what she's doing when it comes to post surgery care. I hope that her recovery is very quick and this is resolved with no after effects :hug:


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Hi Allison, boy I was so scared when I started reading your thread about Raven. I am so thankful that it is not serious but it sure scares you when things like this happens. It is a relief to hear she is going to be okay. Like Stacey said, do you have any idea what caused it? I feel like I know Raven and would hate for anything to happen to her. They really do become a big part of our life.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

sorry all - I wasn't ignoring. I picked her up at 3 pm from the the vet and they put her in the truck and then when i went to pay - they didn't have any meds or anything for her and I was like hmmmm ..... so I asked and they had to wait for him (dr) to get out of the room to ask him - so another 131.00 later of medications - we were on the road home.

When we got home the first thing she did was search for water - so straight to the nasty duck ponds she went - AHHH NO - you have a drain in your neck silly girl which means an open wound. Then I put the dogs in the goat pen - turned to look at my ducks that were screaming - turned back around and silly girl was IN the goats water trough drinking .... what the HECK! She is so silly.

She went potty and then we came inside - MAN that drain is doing its job and drained ALL over my house - so after doing a makeshift towel around the neck that catches the drips, I then cleaned up my wood and tile floors. She then started eating the other dogs food - so I gave her a little bit, she ate that, then we layed down and napped (yes me on the floor on her bed with her with a blanket over us - and yes the other dogs were JEALOUS!) So we just got up, put her ick catcher back on and she is searching for her daddy (who isn't home quite yet). She has eaten a bit more and is drinking water.

So we are not sure what caused the abscess, but the body did a great job of sealing it off - however too good! LOL! If you can imagine that. The abscess was actually quite small, but it was sublingal and next to the larynx. When we went to trech tube her to hook her to Isoflorane gas - her airways were over HALF swollen shut. If we would have left her home today or possibly even waited till 1pm, as originally planned, she very well could have been dead. She was swelling so quickly that it was scary. He was not sure what caused it (did not find a foreign body that he could see) but is sending the prudulent matter in for diagnostic. Just since we got down the swelling has gone WAY down also!!! YAH!!! The exterior wall of the abscess was between 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick so that is part of the reason that we couldn't tap it - but also you never tap at the esophogus - which was where the abscess was.

So - Dr. said that if it was anyone else - she would still be in the hospital right now and probably for about a week. He said that when he had his finger inside the abscess there is just a thin tissue of skin between where his finger was, the jugular vein, the larnyx, and the tongue - so it is impairative to keep it clean and not allow any foreign material into the open would where the drain is.

THANK YOU all for your support - to say we were scared crapless is an understatement.


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## melb1 (Sep 28, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - pic added - SX at 11 am PST*

Fantastic news Allison


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing we*

hoping for a full recovery and quickly for Raven


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing we*

Rave is doing great today. Still draining and it seems like the inflamation is going down. She is sleeping alot though and that makes me a little nervous - but I am watching her. I do have to go clas this afternoon - so I am going to take her with me ....


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing we*

Thank God...I am so happy it went well and she is now on the road to recovery.... :hug: :thumb: ray:


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## flatmountain (Aug 14, 2010)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing we*

My GSP girl looked a bit like that when she had an abscess. It sounded alot like that actually cause everytime she was on antibiotics it improved but came right back. She loves to retrieve and chew up sticks and after an exploratory surgery they found about an inch of stick imbedded and broken off on the very back *inside!* of her throat. She must have jammed it up there somehow while chewing or retrieving and a piece stayed stuck inside the throat. Once it was gone she imporved completely with antibiotics... 
Hoping for the best for you and Raven!


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing we*

Thank you .... Raven is doing well. She is still draining REALLY well after 3 days - so that is great. I am so excited. When she originally was on antibiotics, it didn't phase the abcess - but the steroids did and thats when they worried. It took down the edema, but not the mass its self. We will be going in in a couple days to have the drain removed and have a recheck - but I am still a little concerned that not all the inflamation of the tissue is going to disapate - but you know, she is alive and that is what I need to concentrate on - looks aren't everything - just means her show career was done before it started :-(


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: Prayers please - for Raven - surgery complete - doing we*

Glad to hear she's doing so well!! And you know this isn't genetic right, so you can still get some show stopping pups from her.


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