Our Sammi Has Cancer

[Summer Promisloff]

Our Sammi has cancer; such a nightmare diagnosis.  I am posting this message for three reasons, the first being I want to pass on to you what I have learned from this particular cancer experience in hopes that if this info will help even one Doodle/Doodle parent, Sammi's experience will not be in vain.  The second reason is I would like to ask for positive thoughts to be sent Sammi's way, and the third reason is Adina encouraged me to post this to the forum page, as I had only sent this message to friends. (I have never posted a discussion to the forum page and hope that I have the protocol correct.)

About a month ago while petting Sammi, I felt a rather large lump on his back that moved just a bit as I palpated it and the area around it.  It was located just above Sammi's spine almost in the center of his back and felt to be about walnut sized.  I automatically feared that Sammi had cancer while friends and family kept trying to reassure me that the lump was nothing serious, probably just a cyst.  Even the vet thought the lump was a harmless cyst but due to my insistence, he did an aspiration in three sites of the lump and sent it out for a biopsy.  A very long week later I received the news from Sammi's vet that the biopsy had showed no cancer cells, however just to be on the safe side and because of the size of the lump, the vet agreed with me that it should be removed.  I was told that the surgery to remove the lump didn't need to be expedited because there appeared to be no cancer present.

No one, not even the vet, shared my certainty that this lump was cancer and they seemed to be just humoring me when I insisted that it be removed as soon as possible.  But I was determined, so that week Sammi had the lump removed and was left with a quite large incision requiring ten metal staples to close.  The mass as the vet then called it was sent for a customary biopsy and I was still told there was no reason to worry.  Nearly another week later my husband, Steven, and I were advised that this mass was a malignant tumor, fibrosarcoma.

The vet assured us he had gotten the entire mass and had clean/clear margins but encouraged us to  seek a second opinion.  We spoke with an oncologist and a radiologist while we waited the two weeks for the staples to be removed and chest x rays to be taken.  We were told this type of cancer doesn't typically metastasize.  Even so, I was still thrilled when Sammi's chest x rays appeared to be clear.

We were advised that this type of cancer will typically come back in the same area if it returns, will have a tendency to grow slowly and has a low morbidity rate in dogs; all very hopeful news!  So we will need to be very watchful for any signs of lumps and will need to have Sammi checked by the vet every three months.

I've tried to be as specific yet as brief as I can be in relating this experience in hopes that this info regarding Sammi's ordeal might be of use.  The take home lesson for me is that early detection and expeditious removal of a suspicious lump can mean the difference in outcomes.

Sammi seems to be doing very well and we are hopeful that the fibrosarcoma was entirely removed and will not return.  Many thanks to all of Sammi's friends who have been and continue to be so wonderfully supportive!!

Summer Promisloff

[Donna K & Quincy]

Summer, I am so sorry to hear that Sammi has cancer but we know from past experience that he is a tough guy and there's no keeping him down. Praying that the turmor is all gone never to return. Thank you for sharing this with us, Quincy has a tiny little spot that I have been watching for a few months now, I did mention it to the vet who just said ( without checking it) it's probably just a cyst. I am being very vigilant and it it shows any sign of getting bigger I am having it checked.

[Summer Promisloff]

Thank you so much for your continued support, prayers and good wishes!  I really had thought Sammi was finished with the life threatening issues, but I guess he and I have some more lessons to learn......he's doing very well, especially now since the staples have been removed and he can move a little more freely.  Please do let me know how it's going with Quincy and that spot you've been watching.  Sending you and Quincy doodle hugs and many, many good thoughts.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

wow.  it was a good thing that you listened to your gut and didn't take no for an answer.  I will keep sending positive thoughts your way.

[Summer Promisloff]

I was feeling like an idiot towards the time Sammi FINALLY had his surgery.....everyone around me seemed to think I was just being totally over the top about my Doodle.  Thanks so much for keeping the positive thoughts coming Sammi's way; we can def use them all!

[Bonnie and Kona]

I assume and hope your vet and DH were kissing your feet after the true diagnosis was discovered. You are awesome! xo

[Summer Promisloff]

Wow, haven't been told I'm awesome for awhile, so nice of you to say it!  Yeah, the vet, who really is a sweetheart of a guy, was falling all over himself trying to make things "right"/"better" between us.  He and the rest of his clinic expected that I was going to leave and take Sammi elsewhere.  It was a bit uncomfortable the next time I took Sammi back to have the staples removed and chest x ray done, cuz  everyone was acting so awkwardly.....going to the opposite extremes to be helpful, available and oh I don't know it was just kinda weird.   But I feel good about the vet's intentions and his deftness in the surgery - so we'll stay with him and see how it goes. My husband, well.......that's sorta different since he's a doc, but to give him credit he did actually say that it was me who saved  Sammi's life and he was grateful because he said he never would've found the lump. 

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Summer, thank you so much for this post. You are an advocate for your Sammi and thank goodness you are.
I will add Sammi to my prayers and hope she remains healthy.

[Summer Promisloff]

Thank you for your kindness and keeping Sammi in your prayers!!

[Ronna, Murphy & Wilson]

Thank you for sharing this with us Summer. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Sammi. Sammi is very lucky to have such a good mom!

[Summer Promisloff]

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers!  And thank you so very much for your sweet words.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Thank you for sharing this with us and more importantly giving us the courage to go with our gut and not be fobbed off if we have concerns.  As with human medicine I always start with the worst case scenario and work back from there unlike most others who work the other way around.  When I lost feeling in the tip of my middle finger and down one hand I asked my Doc if he thought it was MS, he joked with me that I was a DQ ( we are very good friends)  and said that to allay my fears he was ordering an MRI.  One month later he was on my doorstep apologizing profusely for having joked with me  Sometimes we just know....

[Summer Promisloff]

Oh no......I'm terribly sorry!  I certainly hope you have many supportive people in your life who will help see you through this.  Sending you positive thoughts and blessings.