Jake
	Gender: Male Age: 10 years Height/Weight: House-trained: Fenced yard required: Location: SE Michigan Foster Home: Lynn	Crate-trained: Treat-motivated: Toy-motivated: Likes Car Rides: Good with cats: Good with kids: Commands:

June, 2014 GOOD NEWS – Jake has had his surgery. The veterinarians successfully removed an eight-and-a-half pound lipoma from Jake’s side and he was feeling better almost immediately. Here are some highlights of the post-surgery updates from Lynn:

Monday: Just got a phone call from Dr. Ross - Jake was sitting up and looking at him!

The lipoma/tumor weighed 8.5 lbs!! He is confident that the whole thing was removed but it had split his peritoneum so I'm sure there was much patching to do. I can call at mid-day tomorrow and possibly go pick him up. We have at least a couple of weeks of close watching and quiet time ahead but if all goes well, Jakey will feel very much better.

News on Tuesday: Just rang vet (because he'd said around noon....I waited until 2 minutes after!) Jake is doing really well - eating, drinking, pooping and apparently the incision looks good. However, he said he would like to keep him one more night because there is a huge amount of drainage and it is really, really messy!

Wednesday evening....and Jake is home looking very svelte and pleased with himself!

Jake removed his own drainage tube this morning but Dr. says it really shouldn't matter because the wound should continue to drain anyway. If there is any build-up then it will be suctioned out. Jake has a long course of Clavamox and some Previcox to keep him going but he appears to be in good spirits. I honestly haven't had a real look at the extent of the incisions because he is laying on them.....and there is still some dripping as expected. I'll wait until he settles on his side to sleep. He gobbled down his dinner (note empty bowl) and we have wandered the back yard to pee

Thursday's bulletin: Jake appears to be virtually unaware of what he has lost! He followed his normal routine last night and was determined to be on the couch in his usual spot which gave me the opportunity to see just what was going on with his undercarriage - and to take a couple of good pictures. I am keeping a very close watch on his activities and shall monitor his wound with a flash-light to make sure nothing is coming apart! So far, so good.....

NEWS ON SUNDAY! Things going unbelievably well and whoever it was who mentioned that he might get a little bit 'naughty' was absolutely right!! He can move so much faster that he's decided to make a b-line for the neighbor yard unless I'm watching all the time.....and I have to run to catch up with him!

His appetite hasn't faltered and he follows me round the house much more - Plus, I'm sure his hind legs are getting straighter and stronger - his left leg couldn't support him to pee but now there is no problem with either side! His whole physique is changing so he is more handsome by the day.

NEWS ON TUESDAY (one week and one day since surgery)

Jake's incision site looks amazing still but I was a little concerned that there was some fluid build-up internally - looked a little soft-pouchy but not sure if it was just some of the surplus skin. However, took him up to the vet this morning and they kept him to drain off some fluid - so glad I went up there. I'll be picking him up in a couple of hours and am thinking that this may have to be done a few times before healing is complete. Anyway, nothing major to worry about so we will just "carry on and not panic!"

May, 2014:

Jake is just one of those guys who doesn't flinch at anything - thunder, lightning, vacuum 6 inches away etc. However, he does get really excited about car rides and shouting abuse at all passing people - he gobbles down his food and any pills which is a joy to watch after little Stella.

The bad news is that I suspect his lump is growing and now getting in the way of his hind leg mobility. Over Memorial weekend he somehow twisted or strained his rear left (bulk of the tumor is on the right) and I was concerned that he might have done damage to the knee. Although he was very gimpy he did not appear to be in any pain.

We visited our vet on Wednesday and this vet (Dr. Ross) could not feel any damage but definitely thought that with further testing, it just might be possible to consider surgery to remove the mass!

This will be the third opinion and Ross is the surgeon who dealt with both of Uri's knees a few years ago. Consequently I do have some faith in him. So, to cut a long story short....today Jake is at the vet just having x-rays of the mass, hips and the lump will be aspirated in several areas.

End of the day update:-

Picked Jake up at 4 p.m. They took 4 radiographs which we discussed at great length. Here are the conclusions - his hips and knees are fine. Cytology (?) results showed all benign fatty tumors. The big question mark is whether or not the massive growth has penetrated the body wall - it has definitely shifted organs way out of place and the pictures showed it tight against his spine. Dr. Ross would be willing, with the aid of his partner, to perform the surgery next Monday and seems confident he could achieve the results a specialist would.

Another option is to do nothing - but I truly think that Jake's comfortable days would be very limited - it is obviously causing major problems now.

Jake is such a lovely dog that I think I have to take this chance and hopefully have him around for another few years. If it is not successful, his time would have been be very limited anyway. So I shall spoil him and love him lots this week and we'll see what happens next Monday!!

Jake was adopted in April, 2014 when his foster home became his forever home! Congratulations to Lynn, Stella, and Jake!

GLBCR was contacted by a shelter when Jake(dog on the right), found himself at their facility after his owner passed away, 11 years old and with a large growth on his side. We did not have any open foster homes so we reached out to our group and a previous GLBCR adopter stepped up to take Jake as a foster. Stella, a 2012 GLBCR adoptee, welcomed Jake into the home, as you can see these 2 seniors enjoy each others company.

Lynn has decided that Jake is family and will remain a permanent member of the pack!

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