Cancer??


Gemgrl200

New Member
Hello, I have a female mini Black and Tan dachshund (Bella)who is 13 years old. Approximately 2 years ago, she started sneezing, her eyes were watering, she had left side swelling on her snout and she occasionally had a little mucus coming from her nose. I took her to my vet who noticed all of her teeth in the front on the bottom were loose and pulled them all. She did better but eventually, all symptoms returned plus she would have a tiny amount of blood tinged mucus from her nose. It was about a year and 1/2 ago when I took her back to the vet concerned about the small amount of blood. She was given antibiotics and a antihistamine. She has done better, but her snout would occasionally swell a little and she was still sneezing but did much better with the meds and the occasional benedryl. Last Friday, her snout was swollen and I once again saw a tiny bit of blood tinged mucus so I took her back in. The vet didn't seem to think it was a tooth. So she was out back on a 3 week course of antibiotics. I'm starting to worry that this may be a nasal tumor but everything I'm seeing online says a dog will only live 3-6 months with one. I have a few questions:

If this is a nasal tumor, would the swelling on her snout come and go?

We are looking at around 2+ years since these symptoms first started and even so, the symptoms don't seem to be worse.. Pretty much exactly the same. If she had a nasal tumor, would she have lasted this long or ATLEAST progressed with symptoms 2 years later?

Like most stories I have read, the first thing a vet does is give antibiotics. If that doesn't work, my vet says we will take a better look at her teeth then move to a possible fungal infection. If all else fails, then a tumor seems likely. She has been on antibiotics for 4 days now and I noticed a tiny but of swelling this morning and a tiny bit of discharge.

Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you!
 

Nell

Member
Hi,
I don't have any experience of this but I agree it does seem a bit odd that the swelling comes and goes. My experience of tumours is that once established they only grow even if really slowly.

It may be the first lot of antibiotics did some good but that they didn't eradicate the problem and it has come back, its quite common to have a second dose.

Whatever the problem it sounds as though she could do with her immune system boosting, I swear by Manuka honey for most things, the higher the strength the better, it has wonderful antibiotic properties and can help to fight most infections. It certainly won't do any harm and until you have a definitive diagnosis it can only help her to fight whatever is going on.

I would give her a teaspoon morning and night, all mine love it and will lick it straight from the spoon!!

Keep us informed how she is getting on and let us know if you find out what it is, fingers crossed for both of you that things improve soon.
 

Nell

Member
OOh just remembered a friend who had something similar her dog had inhaled a grass seed through her nose which had imbedded itself in the back of the nose lining and it caused an awful infection, she had both pus and blood from her nose????

Has your vet actually checked up her nose for any foreign bodies??
 

Gemgrl200

New Member
Thank you so much for your reply.. Do you know where I can purchase the manuka Honey?

My vet hasn't done any diagnostics as of yet. After reading up on nasal tumors, it seems that a few weeks of antibiotics is the first step, then they will look at teeth, then check for fungal infections. I'm very nervous because Bella has all of the textbook symptoms. The only thing at this point that gives me hope is that this has been ongoing for a couple of years and don't believe she would still be around if it was cancer.
Does anyone else have any encouraging words for this worried doxie mom?
 

crystalclear1027

New Member
I don't believe it is cancer. Does her nose have a bad smell? Sounds like she just has bad allergies and allergies causes mucus and dryness that can lead to tingy blood in the nose. It could be a sinus infection.
 

Gemgrl200

New Member
She has had really bad breath for years and I have asked the vet about it a few times.. They treat it like a sinus problem or just say that it may be the tarter on her teeth causing it. Her breath is better since the antibiotics kicked in but definitely not "pleasant" by any stretch. There hasn't been anymore blood.

She's been on the antibiotic for a week now and seems to be doing better although she still sneezing-not as much though.. The bump on the side of her nose came back but less swollen. It's a little knot. It comes and goes and is gone again this morning.
She has another week of the antibiotics and I'll take her back for a follow up visit. Like I said, even with every symptom of canine nasal cancer, I'm holding on to the fact that this has been going on so long that I truly believe she would be worse off by now. She's very happy and eating/ drinking normally.
 

babysis

New Member
I dealt with this first hand. I am sorry to say more than likely it is cancer. I don't think it's nasal cancer though. Could be pancreatic cancer. She might not show the issues but I strongly suggest to have that checked. My girl had the same issues at 13. She'd have mucous when she sneezed, almost like she was having severe allergies. Sometimes with blood in it. She had horrifying breath and bad teeth, so I thought it was that. Best advice, just keep her comfy, let her do her own thing. Keep an eye out on the abdomen area as if she is sucking in the stomach (Like a tummy ache) and watch for weight loss and loss of appetite. Watch her posture as well. I am letting you know this so you can catch it early if possible.

If it was a nasal tumor, they would do rounds of steroids with antibiotics for a few months. Dachshunds are very strong when it comes to cancers, they won't show you that they are in pain at all. Mine never did, she was running around up until the last week when all she would do was sleep.
 
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