Dog on the Blog: Update on Clarice

Clarice returned to Dr. Stern's office today for another X-ray. The purpose was to see if the mass had possibly moved, or if it was still showing up in the exact same place.

The mass from Saturday's X-ray was no longer there. Which could mean that the mass was undigested food still in her tummy on Saturday. Or it could mean that the nylon material that comprises a dog collar is not easily visible on an X-ray.

Because Clarice has had instances in the past where she would lose a significant amount of weight in a very short time for no obvious reason, it is possible that this is not in any way related to the collar she chewed up. This could just be another one of Clarice's "spells".

Dr. Stern does not want to operate on Clarice unnecessarily. If her current condition is being caused by a piece of her collar in her tummy, then we will have to risk the surgery to remove it. But if what she is going through is not connected to the chewed up collar from a month ago, then operating on her at a time when her body is already under great stress could prove fatal to Clarice.

So Dr. Stern wants to be certain that there is something inside her stomach that needs removing before her performs surgery on her.

Dr. Stern has sent Clarice's X-rays to Dr. Quick, a radiologist in Sugarland who may be able to see something in the X-rays that Dr. Stern is not seeing. We are hoping for a definitive interpretation of the X-rays so that we can make good choices for Clarice's health care.

Clarice is still active and she has not become dehydrated again, after being on an IV over the weekend (until she chewed it out!).

We are hoping Dr. Quick will have the answers for us, so that we can make good plans for Clarice.

Jay Hellerich, executive director
smiling dog farms
a 501(c)3 corporation
wharton, texas
979-257-3377
www.smilingdogfarms.org
http://smilingdogfarms.blogspot.com


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