U of s vet gives dog new lease on life by removing tumour
Couple travelled to Saskatoon from north of Nipawin for delicate surgery
SASKATOON When Norma Tait was petting her dog, Toby, and noticed a small lump, she figured it was simply the product of a bump on the head.
However, as months passed and the lump continued to grow, Norma and her husband, Kelly, knew it was time to take the shihtzu-yorkshire terrier cross to their vet. Initially, they were told to keep an eye on it and come back if it continued to grow. When it did, their vet, based out of Tisdale, referred the couple to the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine.
The idea that the problem was big enough to have to travel to Saskatoon from their home in White Fox — located just north of Nipawin — left the couple scared and unsure of what to expect.
After a few tests, Toby was diagnosed with a rare, cancerous multilobular tumour of bone which would need to be surgically removed by veterinary neurology specialist Dr. Danielle Zwueste. Luckily, the tumour was in the ideal location to give Toby his best shot at a clean recovery.
“If you are going to have this tumour show up somewhere, at least it was in a spot that was easy to get to,” Zwueste said.
If the tumour had continued to grow — it had already gone from the size of a pea to that of a grapefruit — it would have put significant pressure on his brain.
The day Toby went in for his surgery was stressful for Norma and Kelly, who decided to stay in Saskatoon until their dog was ready to come home. They didn’t stray far from the phone that day, and every time it rang, the couple couldn’t help but think the worst.
Zwueste said the surgery took about four hours to completely remove the mushroom-shaped tumour. It involved cutting away a portion of the skull and quadrisecting the tumour’s upper portion as a piece of foam sat inside Toby ’s skull, protecting his brain.
When Zwueste felt confident the tumour had been completely removed, all that was left to do was recreate the missing portion of his skull with bone cement and close up the incision.
Though the outcome of Toby’s surgery was exactly what Zwueste was hoping for, she noted Toby did have some problems staying stable under the anesthesia.
When Norma and Kelly finally received the call they were waiting for, it was good news — but they were told toby wouldn’ t be ready for visitors until the next afternoon.
“He knew us as soon as we got in, and started wagging his tail,” Norma remembers. “But he was crying when we left — he wanted to come home with us.”
His surgery took place on a Monday, but the Taits weren’t able to take Toby home until Friday. The clinic regularly called with updates, which helped ease their minds.
“It was still hard, but every time we got an update we just got better and better news,” Kelly said. “We knew he was in good hands … they’re just phenomenal people and the level of care is second to none.”
The whole ordeal ended up costing the couple around $10,000, but they were happy to extend the life of the companion they’ve adored for the last seven years, and to have him back to his old self.
“It wasn’t about the money for us, we just wanted whatever was best for him,” Kelly said.
He knew us as soon as we got in, and started wagging his tail.