23/07/2024
Congratulations to Cody, our Brave Dog of the Month for July!
Back in December, Cody was visiting us for an unrelated issue when, during the course of a standard physical exam, Dr Lauren felt a mass in Cody's abdomen. An ultrasound showed signs of cancer in Cody's spleen.
Usually one of the first steps in treating a splenic tumour is removing the spleen as dogs can live a full, happy life without this organ. However, Cody had previously had a bad reaction to an anaesthetic, so performing surgery on her came with increased risks. Her owners decided to have the surgery done by the specialists at Animal Referral Hospital Canberra to give her the best chance at recovery. The specialists were also able to perform a CT scan to look for any areas where the cancer may have spread. Cody then underwent surgery to remove not only her spleen but also a tumour that was attached to her bladder.
Due to the location and type of tumour, there was a high chance cancer cells may have been left behind, so for the past 6 months Cody has been undergoing a course of chemotherapy. During this time Cody has to visit us almost every week for a blood test to monitor side effects of the chemotherapy and developed several infections because her immune system was compromised. Despite her frequent visits to both our clinic and the specialists Cody remained happy and patient with us throughout. She has now finished her chemotherapy course and is back to being able to fully enjoy helping out her family at Joycies Flowers. In recognition of her bravery, Cody has received a commemorative bandanna and a free Bravecto flea and tick chew.