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September 12, 2013

A Bump In The Road

Eko had his annual exam and vaccination updates just a couple months ago.  It was a quick visit and Eko got a clean bill of health. However, we found ourselves back at the vet this week for a couple reasons. While we waited Eko checked

Eko had his annual exam and vaccination updates just a couple months ago.  It was a quick visit and Eko got a clean bill of health. However, we found ourselves back at the vet this week for a couple reasons.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, adventure, will and eko, marking our territory, dogs

While we waited Eko checked out the exam room

Rhodesian Ridgeback, adventure, will and eko, marking our territory, dogs Not surprisingly, he sniffed out where the treats were stashed

Rhodesian Ridgeback, adventure, will and eko, marking our territory, dogs Eko was also mesmerized by the screen saver

The first reason we were at the vet was because it looked like Eko had a minor eye infection.  The vet agreed but we also stained Eko’s eye to make sure he hadn’t scratched his cornea.  If you have never seen the stain before it is neon green and so bright that it almost looks fake in photos.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, adventure, will and eko, marking our territory, dogs The last remnants of the dye

Eko’s cornea is fine and we got some medicine that should clear his infection right up.  But the main reason we went to the vet was because I noticed a dreaded lump on Eko’s hip.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, adventure, will and eko, marking our territory, dogs

It is a little tough to see in this photo, but the mass was a substantial size

Eko is not even three yet, but my mind immediately went to the worst possibility and I worried it might be cancer.  Outwardly I was stoic but inwardly I was a nervous wreck. Our vet took some samples but I had to wait a couple days for pathology results.  It was a long 48 hours.

When the vet called last night I was absolutely relieved to learn that Eko does not have cancer, or a lipoma or a hematoma or any of the other possibilities I worried about.  Turns out the lump is a local reaction at the site of Eko’s immunization and it is not indicative of any larger issues.  With time and a few warm compresses to the area the mass should go away.

Troublemaker

Eko is sitting pretty, as healthy as a horse (and the size of small one)

The lump on Eko’s back would have gone away on its own, but I am glad I didn’t take any chances.  Now that this scare is behind us, on to the next adventure!

Comments for A Bump In The Road

  1. So happy to hear all is well with Eko…..bravo to you for taking him in about the lump and his eye. They need us to help them stay healthy (and happy) and now that you know he is BOTH of those, you can have more adventures in peace!

    Pam (and Sam)

  2. Victoria says:

    so glad Eko is ok!! Now you guys can relax and go back to being the fun loving, crazy duo we know you to be.

  3. Eko you had us worried for few meow seconds x

  4. OMG you made me cry. It was like living Mohave’s demise all over again. I am so glad he is ok. Whew!

  5. Those scares are the worst. I’m so glad to hear all is well. Thanks for being proactive and getting him seen right away. Had it been more serious, you would be catching things early with better options for treatment.

    We have a cat on the other end of the spectrum, 15 and on five different medications. She’s losing weight due to a thyroid condition, in addition to a heart murmur, arthritis and kidney disease. We keep a close eye on her, medicate her daily and make sure she is never uncomfortable. She still eats, sleeps, plays, purrs and seeks our company and my husband’s lap. (Where does he go every day, she wonders???)

    It’s hard to be on the other end of her life, though.

    Thanks for being you, Will!

  6. nerdgrl (Kim S.) says:

    So glad Eko is okay! Steffi has a few bumps but at her age (almost 14), we’re not going to do anything. We are very cautious parents so thank goodness we’ve had Banfield’s wellness plan since she was a puppy that allows unlimited office visits, yearly shots, biannual exams, and spade/neutering. The vet knows her well. Better to be safe!

  7. MaryAnn Traylor says:

    Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a Ridgeback owner more than the sight of a lump on their precious companion. My first 2 Ridgies began getting them when they were about Eko’s age. My current Ridgie, Rudy, will be 3 in a few weeks, and I am constantly on the watch for bumps and lumps. I’m so glad Eko is OK! You guys keep up the good work with the blog. We love it!

  8. sisubeads says:

    Phew, I know how scary those bumps are. So happy to hear all is ok! Give kisses to Eko from Fiona, Lapsi, Kimi and me.

  9. There is nothing quite as scary as finding a lump. With one of my older piggies who sadly passed away, I found a small lump, got it checked out and it was just a fatty lump. Six months later I found another one which felt similar but I got it checked just in case. It turned out to be a severely infected abscess which needed draining and flushing daily and antibiotics for three weeks.

    It pays to be careful because he went on to live another three healthy years and if I had dismissed it as another fatty lump he wouldn’t have lasted the week.

    So glad Eko is fine and hope the lump goes down and his eye gets better soon.

    ~ Amy

  10. Thank goodness! When I was reading this I had a lump in my throat. I am soooo relieved that Eko is ok! I can only imagine how terrified you had to be. Hoping that Eko’s eye clears up fast too but thank GOODNESS he is ok! Much love to you both!

  11. Kuruk says:

    Woooohooooooo! Glad you’re all healthy Eko!

  12. aud says:

    What a relief to hear about the good report. Never wait to take your 4-legged family member into the Vet. My late lab, when he was 7 years old, had a finger nail size bump on left side of his face near the eye on a Friday night, it looked like a mosquito bite but it didn’t go away the next morning so I took him in, and the result we got on Monday was cancer, and that little bump had grown overnight into a marble size by then!! I took him to K-State University vet med hospital on Tuesday and he was in for surgery on Thursday. He came home with a 10” scar but he was cancer free for almost 7 years, and left us when he was 14 years old. Our Vet told us that was a fast growing kind of spindle cell cancer, and it was really good that we didn’t wait, or the result would had been very different.

  13. writetowag says:

    Great news Eko!!!! Very happy all is well!!!! On to more fun!!!!

  14. Emmadog says:

    Whew! You had Mom and I worried for a bit there! I had a lump on my chest when I was two, Mom went through what you went through. The mind always steers you to thinking the worst somehow. I was fine and come to find out, I get little lumps a couple times a year and they just disappear on their own. So happy Eko is fine!

  15. Ingrid says:

    Glad your ‘little’ guy is A ok. It’s so tough when they can’t tell us when something is wrong. Now it’s off to the next adventure 🙂

  16. harrispen says:

    We are so glad to hear Eko will be just fine.

    Millie & Walter

  17. Good news!! Love that guy….

  18. Mags Corner says:

    Whew!! We were sure getting nervous as we were reading this post. We are so happy sweet Eko is going to be okay and we hope the lump goes away and the eye infection clears up very soon. Hugs and nose kisses

  19. I’m so glad he’s OK, bumps can be evil!

  20. Cynthia Staccato says:

    SOOOO glad he’s okay! Better to be safe than sorry! My under 3 year old Ridgeback had bone cancer, he did not survive more than 2 months. And my next Ridgeback, had a mast cell tumor (at age 4) – luckily we had it removed with large margins and all was okay. Scary about the reaction to the vaccine – I stopped vaccinating for everything but rabies after my cancer scares in the breed. Best of luck and may you enjoy many years of happiness and good health with your boy! Give him a hug for me!

  21. I have 2 vets that I go to. One that gives me those dreaded vax and one who does acupuncture. I don’t like going to that 1st one at all! she’s nice enough, but I don’t like the things she does. the 2nd one has magic hands and always makes me feel really good. I have lots of lumps and bumps and they always get checked out when I go in for a visit, all of them are nothing to be concerned about, but my Mom Person worries like you do Will. I’m glad Eko is aok!

  22. Sherrell fick says:

    So glad that everything ended up good. We have not had to go through any lump scares on our girls yet and they are 9 and 5 . Give him some cookies from us and a hug. Love your blog and posts. Keep up the great work!!

    Woof, Woof

    Sam and Lacey
    Your k9 furiends

  23. It is really nerve wracking when you think you will get bad news… so glad everything is OK!!

  24. Clowie says:

    I’m glad Eko is okay!

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