Dog Had Partial Tongue Amputation

[Kitty Mommy]

First, let me say how glad I am Cheyenne ate more meatballs this afternoon and is drinking well. All good news.

To answer your question, our dog passed away at the ripe old age of 16. He was diagnosed when he was 3 yrs. old and fortunately lived 13 more years. None of the specialty vets ever thought he would live that long. He was in a research study out of the Univ. of Penn. and we followed our vet's instructions religiously. Yes, it's exceptionally hard when our pets are ill but our dog was proof that there's hope. I hope Cheyenne continues to thrive under your watchful eye and loving care.

I'm so sorry about your dog. 16 is a long life especially with overcoming such an illness. You must have taken very good care of him.

 

[sabrinah]

How is Cheyenne doing?

 

[Kitty Mommy]

She is still doing well. She is eating and drinking and is active. She goes to the vet tomorrow for a follow up and we will find out what the pathologist found out about what the tumor is. Thank you for asking about her.

 

[neely]

Thanks for posting about Cheyenne's improvement. Fingers crossed all goes well at her follow-up vet appointment tomorrow. Please keep us updated.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

Cheyenne had her vet visit on Thurs. It was pretty hard on her. She was really scared and shook and cried the whole time. But the vet said her incision looks good and it should be fully healed in another week. Her blood work shows she has a low thyroid so she is on medication for that now. She's been pretty active so I think she is feeling better. The bad news is that the pathologist's report said the tumor was very aggressive and was all throughout that portion of her tongue. There is a significant risk that it could come back and invade what is left of her tongue or her tonsils. The vet called it a squamous cell carcinoma. So we will been to keep a close eye on her mouth. I'm pleased with her recovery and so relieved that she is doing well.

 

[neely]

Thanks for the update, I will keep Cheyenne in my thoughts. I'm glad she is active and feeling better but sorry to hear about the pathology report. Hopefully she will continue to thrive and chase more tennis balls with you.

 

[sabrinah]

I'm so happy she's doing well! The pathology report sucks, but hopefully it won't come back.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

I'm so happy she's doing well! The pathology report sucks, but hopefully it won't come back.

Thank you. We will be hoping for the best and just monitoring her very closely.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

Thanks for the update, I will keep Cheyenne in my thoughts. I'm glad she is active and feeling better but sorry to hear about the pathology report. Hopefully she will continue to thrive and chase more tennis balls with you.

Thank you. She likes to ride in the truck with my husband and she has been pestering him today to go for a ride so that is a good sign!

 

[azolo]

My dog is also facing a potential partial tongue amputation to remove a cancerous tumor. Do you mind sharing how Cheyenne adapted after the surgery healed up? Was she able to relearn to eat, drink and groom herself? Given hindsight, would you have done the surgery again? Thanks so much -- I'm really struggling with this decision for my dog!

 

[fionasmom]

The OP has not been back in almost two years, so you may not get a reply.

Kitty Mommy

I have been a lifelong dog owner and had one GSD who lost a leg to melanoma. Not part of his tongue, but I do understand where you are coming from. You have probably done a lot of research or had some discussion with the vet or surgeon.
Partial Glossectomy in Dogs - Conditions Treated, Procedure, Efficacy, Recovery, Cost, Considerations, Prevention
This is one of the clearest discussion that I can find.

If there is a malignant tumor on the tongue, surgery is probably the best way to handle it. Have they given you any projections about the tumor being confined to the tongue or is there any indication that it might have spread? When my dog had his surgery and subsequent immunotherapy, they did xray the lungs to see if there was anything present, which there was not.

Have they discussed management after the surgery and feeding?

 

[iPappy]

My dog is also facing a potential partial tongue amputation to remove a cancerous tumor. Do you mind sharing how Cheyenne adapted after the surgery healed up? Was she able to relearn to eat, drink and groom herself? Given hindsight, would you have done the surgery again? Thanks so much -- I'm really struggling with this decision for my dog!

A azolo I'm sorry your dog is facing this. What is his/her name, and how old are they?
I have never faced a surgery like that on my dogs, but, I have faced some cancers and if it's localized and they feel they can get clean margins, I personally would go through with the surgery if they think quality of life will be good post op. The great thing about dogs and cats is they don't feel sorry for themselves, or worry what others think if they look different. I've actually known dogs who have had their eyes removed (cancers, severe glaucoma, etc.), and while it was very shocking to see them that way, they adapted very well with a little bit of extra love and care.
I sincerely hope for the very best outcome for your dog. I'd love to know what you decide to do, and how it all goes!

 

[azolo]

Thanks to you both for your thoughtful replies! My GSD Hazel has a Mast Cell Tumor on the tip of her tongue, and though extensive diagnostics confirmed it doesn't seem to have spread yet, both treatment options are kind of terrible. We're fortunate to be near Seattle where the vet specialists are amazing, and the oncologist here can offer localized electrochemotherapy (it's a trip -- Google if interested) but it creates a serious, long-healing wound, and then would have to be repeated, and the efficacy is 70-90%. Alternatively, surgery is apparently a faster recovery, and they'd be able to confirm clean margins, so potentially a thorough solution, but you know, hard to get my head around having part of my dog's tongue taken off. (She's 11 but still in great shape and health otherwise.) Both the oncologist and surgeon are recommending the surgery, so that's what I've now scheduled for next week, but it'd sure be good to hear from people who've gone through this and know how it was for their dogs in the long-term. Thanks again, and I'll try to follow up with how all this goes for the sweet Hazel dog.

 

[azolo]

The OP has not been back in almost two years, so you may not get a reply.

Kitty Mommy

I have been a lifelong dog owner and had one GSD who lost a leg to melanoma. Not part of his tongue, but I do understand where you are coming from. You have probably done a lot of research or had some discussion with the vet or surgeon.
Partial Glossectomy in Dogs - Conditions Treated, Procedure, Efficacy, Recovery, Cost, Considerations, Prevention
This is one of the clearest discussion that I can find.

If there is a malignant tumor on the tongue, surgery is probably the best way to handle it. Have they given you any projections about the tumor being confined to the tongue or is there any indication that it might have spread? When my dog had his surgery and subsequent immunotherapy, they did xray the lungs to see if there was anything present, which there was not.

Have they discussed management after the surgery and feeding?

Thanks much for this and some of your questions are answered in my other reply, but just wanted to add I'm sorry your GSD and you went through that. They're such a great breed, but such health disasters... I still keep adopting them though. This shep, Hazel, is uncommonly sweet and gentle despite having spent her early years on a chain outside, and now that she's living the good life, seems like a dirty trick to do this, but no better options. I had found the article you linked and others, but wish I could find stories from people whose dogs are on the other side of losing part of their tongue and how that's gone. Thanks again, and I'll try to follow up.

 

[iPappy]

Thanks to you both for your thoughtful replies! My GSD Hazel has a Mast Cell Tumor on the tip of her tongue, and though extensive diagnostics confirmed it doesn't seem to have spread yet, both treatment options are kind of terrible. We're fortunate to be near Seattle where the vet specialists are amazing, and the oncologist here can offer localized electrochemotherapy (it's a trip -- Google if interested) but it creates a serious, long-healing wound, and then would have to be repeated, and the efficacy is 70-90%. Alternatively, surgery is apparently a faster recovery, and they'd be able to confirm clean margins, so potentially a thorough solution, but you know, hard to get my head around having part of my dog's tongue taken off. (She's 11 but still in great shape and health otherwise.) Both the oncologist and surgeon are recommending the surgery, so that's what I've now scheduled for next week, but it'd sure be good to hear from people who've gone through this and know how it was for their dogs in the long-term. Thanks again, and I'll try to follow up with how all this goes for the sweet Hazel dog.

It sounds like this was caught very early, having not spread, and they seem quite positive about her quality of life. I would be tempted to do anything surgical now rather than later, just to be on the safe side. I had a dog that needed a dental done, and he was about Hazel's age and we opted to do it then rather than wait because we worried about age related problems setting in that would make surgery more dangerous. I would love to hear how Hazel does, it sounds like her health otherwise is fantastic!

 

[fionasmom]

They're such a great breed, but such health disasters.

Very sadly true.

The center where my dog had his amputation offers electrochemotherapy as a stand alone treatment but also as a pre or post surgery treatment. Personally, I would have been too worried about the eradication of all the cells and the success of clean margins.

Please let us know what you do and how Hazel recuperates. She is very lucky to have found you.

 

[azolo]

The center where my dog had his amputation offers electrochemotherapy as a stand alone treatment but also as a pre or post surgery treatment. Personally, I would have been too worried about the eradication of all the cells and the success of clean margins.

Right and same: I've chosen surgery over the electrochemo for the chance at verifiable clean margins and because it sounded like the healing process would be faster. The chemo damage both was expected to take longer to heal and would then have to be repeated a second time in our case. That seems like the option for when surgery just isn't possible. Though definitely tough to contemplate part of her tongue getting removed.

Well, you know, as with every dog, we're the lucky ones too have found them! Given her background, Hazel should've been a hot mess (plenty are with zero trauma), but she's one of the calmest, steadiest shepherds I've come across. Just a great dog, so here's hoping all those good vets are right and she'll adjust quickly post-surgery to enjoy more years of forest walks and memory foam.