Lab suspect with abdomen mass, underweight and low energy

[BeckyB]

Hi I’d love any guidance, perspective on how to help my dog Evie right now. Here is information below

1. Evie, 12 years old, Female
2. Spayed
3. Possibly whippet and border collie mix with lab
4. 36 pounds (underweight- 43-45 is ideal)

1. B- she’s more inclined to lying around. She doesn’t like being in my room without me, she seems anxious in there.
2. E- her energy levels have been low, she did walk more than she had walked in months a few days ago but I don’t know what to attest that to.
3. A- she has an appetite and usually wants to eat- she is picky though and won’t eat what I present to her. She was hungry and had a good appetite eating chicken I made for her and seemed satisfied and didn’t want more. then later came back to me wanting more food but refused the chicken, sweet potato and date I tried to give her.
4. M- she’s seems a bit low and sad, she doesn’t seem to want to play much just to be near me and have affection and love. She will stand up and wag her tail and seem more energetic when I dance and sing to her: She still likes interacting with other dogs and gets excited around them and other people’s attention. She still wants to walk only lets me know for how long she wants. She stops when she’s done and stops if I go back home and she wants to continue.
5. Diet- whatever she will eat right now (I had her on kibble as she was refusing to eat any homemade food I was making after we were moving around from place to place for a few weeks) now she is refusing kibble unless I pour something like honey over it. I gave her some sweet potato today with honey and she ate some of it, I cooked her chicken tonight in pressure cooker and poured broth over it and she ate all I gave her and didn’t want more
6. Vax history /toxins /medication - she is not on any medications, I don’t know about any toxins, last vaccination was the three year vax in late 2023.
7. Primary problem- vet suspects large mass in abdomen, anemia, weight loss, muscle loss, stomach droop, low energy
8. Condition gets worse with heat, emotional upset and environmental changes, (we were moving around the last few weeks)
9. Has any diagnostic work been done? Some bloodwork attached and vet did a small ultrasound and said he sees a mass yet made sure I knew he wasn’t a radiologist. He suggested going to an internist for an ultrasound and biopsy

10. Current and previous treatment- she had acupuncture and nutrition counseling with my holistic vet prior to a few weeks ago before things got worse and I felt a mass.

12. Other health concerns- she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia when I
adopted her in 2018.

Something to mention - my roommate took her in life in our home a few weeks ago. Im sure it has impacted her in ways I’m not entirely sure of.

13. @Dr. Christina @Dr. Jeff

We do sniff walks, I use reiki on her at nighttime before bed sometimes. I could use some help with nutrition and or any supplements that might be helpful for her right now. I used to have her on a raw diet but I couldn’t keep it up and afford it. And my holistic vet mentioned trying homemade cooked food to increase her weight.

I’ve been approved for a loan, and planned on going to have an ultrasound done and consult with an internist to see how big the mass is and where it’s coming from and next steps. I’m waiting to talk to my holistic vet after my most recent conventional vet appointment also to update her.

 

[BeckyB]

I give her DigestGold digestive enzymes and NuMove Hip and Joint chews. Here are some photos of her now.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Becky!

Welcome to HA! and thanks for making your first post about Evie.

And thanks also for sharing the adorable pics and her bloodwork.

I'm so very sorry for her health challenges and for the recent events at home.

What was Evie's relationship with your roommate?

When did Evie's BEAM first start to decline, and in what way did it start decreasing first?

Because of the suspected bleeding mass and her low albumin (which will effect her healing ability if it drops much more) you may very well want to consult an internist or criticalist.

Perhaps consider bringing her to a VEG (there are 3 in theDenver area) where they practice conventional medicine and the Conscious Compassionate Communication which we discuss.

https://www.veg.com/locations/colorado/denver-tech-center?utm_source=organic_google&utm_medium=gbp_link&utm_campaign=locations_page&utm_content=denver_tech_center

Here are two of the nearest VEG hospitals to quickly choose from:

1. Central Denver / City ParkLocation: VEG Denver on E. Colfax Ave.Address: 3845 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206Phone: +1 720-574-9834Best for: Anyone located downtown, in Capitol Hill, Cherry Creek, City Park, or the surrounding central neighborhoods.Local Insight: Parking can occasionally get tight right along Colfax during peak evening or weekend hours. [1] (Place Viewer)

2. South Denver / Denver Tech Center (DTC)Location: VEG Hampden-DenverAddress: 6305 E Hampden Ave #101, Denver, CO 80222Phone: +1 720-739-6003Best for: Those in Southeast Denver, DTC, Englewood, Greenwood Village, or Aurora. [1] (https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSHRIbCgNwdnESFENnMHZaeTh4TVhSelpIcHFNMlprGAo)3. West Denver / EdgewaterLocation: VEG EdgewaterAddress: 5485 W 20th Ave, Edgewater, CO 80214Phone: +1 720-996-1200Best for: Anyone on the west side, near Sloan's Lake, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, or Golden.

What to do next:Call them directly: You don't have to wait to arrive—click the number for the location closest to you to speak straight to a doctor or veterinary nurse right now. They can talk you through your dog's symptoms while you are in the car or prepping to leave.Just walk in: If it's a critical emergency, skip the phone call and drive straight there. You do not need an appointment, and they will immediately receive you and your dog at the front desk. [1]GAo)

Regardless of your decision whether to bring her in, focus o maximizing her joy and outside time every day.

We're here whenever you need us...

 

[BeckyB]

@Dr. Jeff

Thank you so much for your reply and those two resources!

I know they didn’t have a strong bond, she was home a lot with her though and would let her out , take her for a walk around the block etc.. I know she liked Evie a lot.

Her BEAM seemed to really decline once we moved into this current place back in March. (We’ve moved a lot in last the few years)

It was low energy like she was having a hard time with exercise intolerance and wanted to sleep more than normal. She wanted to eat and eat a lot though. When I took her to see the holistic vet and animal intuitive - she mentioned she’s exhausted, and her body doesn’t seem to be absorbing nutrients from the food she’s eating and she needs to eat more, that her muscle tone is there and she didn’t get the sense she has bad IBS or anything.

And her weight kept dropping and then I felt we had taken a big leap forward and she was gaining weight and I was building back up her hind leg stability , she was getting stronger with and then something like switched and suddenly she was getting worse and her weight dropped dramatically, the homemade treats I made that seemed to help her gain weight she no longer was tolerating, and I had to figure something else out and then my roommate passed away shortly after and we were living place to place , friends house, hotel, neighbors house she was eating kibble for the first time in years it’s all she wanted one day and then the next she wanted bread or any food off the ground , but no ground turkey or eggs or beef or veggies and such. so it was a lot of change suddenly and we came back to the house due to finances and I’m working on a new long term solution.

Gotcha. I was referred to an internist by the family vet who suspects the mass, and I called VEG to talk to them. Right now I’m in a waiting period for some funds to come through.

I will focus on that! giving her lots of love, moments of joy and being outside. She walks farther and longer nowadays than she’s walked in months (she’s still
Slow but she wants to go longer and farther) since moving here which is why things feel confusing. I don’t get a sense it’s anything more than benign and she may just need surgery to take it out…or am I not seeing the full picture?

A few years back on something unrelated to this.. one vet thought she had urgent need for treatment for her liver based on lab results yet when we did the lab work again a couple weeks later at a different vet for another opinion her results had come back normal…. ? Is it possible these lab results can change based on other factors like different food , nutrition, walking more etc?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

She walks farther and longer nowadays than she’s walked in months

Yay, she's on her way (towards re-balancing and regaining her health through happiness)!

I don’t get a sense it’s anything more than benign and she may just need surgery to take it out

Exactly!

Is it possible these lab results can change based on other factors like different food , nutrition, walking more etc?

100% That fact is the basis for many of the things we teach at HA!

Food is medicine.
Happiness brings health.
And liviing for purpose (often that's just an extra sniff walk or two, or an extra Happy Meal/treat) helps align the soul to what reallly matters. Living in the moment. Presence.

As indigenous cultures have known for thousands of years, everything connects and comes together so that every living four and two legged animal can fulfill their soul contract and awaken:

How a Holistic Approach to Animal Care Can Awaken Human Consciousness

observatory.wiki