Sheila, I'm so sorry that you are Thor are going through this. Please keep us updated...
And again, sending healing thought your way...

GREAT NEWS ON THE CANCER FRONT!! It looks like we dodged a bullet. The lab confirmed the tumor was a hemangiosarcoma; however, it was completely encapsulated and had not invaded the chest muscle where it was attached nor the surrounding tissue. This particular tumor was a very low grade cancer which is slow growing and unlikely to spread. There is a 50% chance of it reoccurring locally but no further therapy is recommended. Blood work still looks good no organ involvement. Of course he will be monitored closely but as a precaution

The skin biopsies have been cultured by a immunologist and the results are not expected back until Tuesday. It looks like I am dealing with two different issues....but since the tumor has been removed....the prednisone seems to be working, no more lesions have appeared his appetite is voracious and he is drinking where as last week on the same dose of prednisone he was extremely itchy, the lesions were multiplying and he had limited appetite and became dehydrated. Coincidence?

Anyway thanks again for all the get well vibes. We truly appreciate it and I will keep you posted on the skin biopsies.

I'm going to have a good weekend.

OMG! That is AMAZING! Such good news!

Who would've thought it'd be two things? But great great news about the tumor. Go Thor!

Have a great weekend

GREAT NEWS!

The skin biopsies are back and both the cytologist and pathologist agree that Thor's lesions are very interesting ....... in other words no diagnosis. I have my choice of a couple dozen options some that his vet admits to never having heard of. After discussing with the vet I have opted to choose quality of life over continuing to try to diagnose. Currently the lesions have healed completely in some areas and I have one very restless dog under house arrest due to stitches and surgery.

I would absolutely LOVE to know what they are but I don't feel like taking him to a specialist to have more biopsies and restrictions to allow for healing when I can continue as is; with him feeling much better and pretty much back to his old self.

Currently his treatment consists of 20mg of prednisone twice daily and 1250 mg of Cephalexin twice daily. The prednisone will be reduced to 20mg once daily for 7 days beginning Monday and then to 20mg every other day for 14 days. The Cephalexin will continue for a total of 6 weeks. I am also keeping him on an elimination diet since the dermatologist can't rule out a food allergy completely. It would be weird to develop after age 9 but it is less common to develop an environmental allergen after age 9 and the diet won't hurt.

The possible diagnosis range from autoimmune to pyoderma to scabies nothing really fits though. If; as he is weaned from his treatments and his health begins to fail it might narrow down the choices....my hope is that he stays status quo and I don't need to subject him to anymore testing.

One disease which was suggested and I had never heard of seems to fit better than anything else; very rare in dogs mostly found in humans it is Pyoderma Gangrenosum.

http://books.google.com/books?id=VKa2Wo3Wc-kC&pg=PA132&lpg=PA132&dq=canine+pyoderma+gangrenosum&source=bl&ots=GbaEp9uC4c&sig=oP18sLLKu8vOeMvFNCSM3Vim_0k&hl=en&ei=bXRySu3kFIe6MI_vtbEM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=canine%20pyoderma%20gangrenosum&f=false

Thor is so much better than I could have thought possible. I must say I do not only appreciate all the healing thoughts sent his way but feel they have made a difference. Thanks again for all the support.

Sheila, that's great! I'm so glad to hear that his lesions are healing well, and that cancer is out of the picture.