# Bob's bloody nose



## peppersb

I'm worried about my 12-year-old boy Bob. For the past 4 or 5 days, I've noticed little spots of blood that seem to be coming from his left nostril. I now have white sheets on top of all of his favorite sleeping spots so that I can see what discharges he is leaving behind. He occasionally sneezes loud and hard, spraying little bits of blood and/or mucus. I'm hoping that he's got something curable. Maybe he breathed in a burr or something that is causing irritation. But my big worry is cancer of the nasal cavity which is apparently pretty deadly. Has anyone had any relevant experience?

I've had some email and phone conversations with my vet and he is coming to look at Bob tomorrow morning (my vet does house calls).


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## Abbe gails Mom

Hope that everything is ok with BOB. Praying that its something simple like irritation from dry air or something simple like that, we will be thinking of you .


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## Chagall's mom

I can understand how worrisome this must be, but I hope the fact that there's blood from only one nostril may indicate it's a mild irritation and nothing more serious. I'm sure you've googled everything you can find on this, the range of possibilities is varied. I took a look at VetInfo and here's what that site offered. I hope to hear the vet visit shows nothing more than a minor problem. Got my fingers crossed for Bob and you.

http://www.google.com/url?url=http:...sg=AFQjCNE9gm7mOKDJIIVNfY2qfLMI-k8VWw&cad=rja 

*
Why Is Your Dog Sneezing Blood? - VetInfo*
Discharge with dog sneezing can have many causes. However, blood in the discharge is almost always serious, so consult your veterinarian.
Common Causes of Sneezing Blood

When dogs sniff, they can sometimes suck foreign objects into their nose such as grass or pointed grass seeds. If these get lodged wrong, it can cause your dog to sneeze blood as he tries to clear his nose of the object. This will often cause blood coming from only one nostril and will be accompanied by excessive sneezing, possibly to the point of exhaustion. 

A severe bout of sneezing can also cause bloody sneezing. This could be cause by an allergy or foreign substance such as pepper that may affect your dog. If the bleeding begins during a severe sneezing bout and doesn't persist long after, it probably isn't serious. 

Many types of infections are accompanied by sneezing bloody discharge. Buildup of fungus or bacteria can cause your dog to sneeze blood, even if the infection has cleared up. If the infection has not cleared, it is usually relatively easy to cure with antibiotics or anti-fungal medication. The nasal canal may need to be cleaned to remove buildup. 
Serious Causes of Sneezing Blood

However, many causes of bloody discharge are quite serious, often caused by some type of cancer. Tooth abscesses can also cause nasal bleeding, but this will usually be just from one nostril. 

Dogs with long noses are particularly susceptible to nasal cancer, which can cause bloody nasal discharge and sneezing. Bloody tumors in other internal organs can also cause dogs to sneeze blood. Bloody sneezing resulting from nasal tumors may start infrequently and gradually become more frequent during a period of weeks or may. Nasal discharge may come from one or both sides. Nasal tumors are almost always malignant.  
Diagnosis

Simple blood and urine tests are usually not sufficient to diagnose the cause of bloody sneezing. Since there are a variety of possible causes, diagnosis might require a wide variety of tests such as X-rays or CT scans of the skull or face, biopsies or rhinoscopes, which require a camera through the nasal passages. 

Veterinarians may opt for a nasal flush and physical examination of eyes, nose and throat to eliminate simple illnesses before undertaking more expensive and complicated testing. Nasal tumors may hide in small passages of bones, so they can be difficult to detect. This also makes them more difficult to treat since nasal tumors don't respond well to chemotherapy and usually must be completely removed to have a successful prognosis. 

Though humans can experience bloody noses without concern, this is not true for dogs. If your dog has recurring or persisting blood in nasal discharge, consult your veterinarian. There are many different causes, not all of them serious, but most require some type of treatment, even if it's just dislodging a piece of grass.


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## Indiana

I sure hope Bob's okay...this is totally not applicable, probably, but when I was growing up our calves used to quite often get a weed seed in their nose when they were grazing that would present the same symptoms, and my dad used to do a nasal flush to their immediate relief; I'm hoping it's just the same thing with Bob.


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## peppersb

Indiana said:


> I sure hope Bob's okay...this is totally not applicable, probably, but when I was growing up our calves used to quite often get a weed seed in their nose when they were grazing that would present the same symptoms, and my dad used to do a nasal flush to their immediate relief; I'm hoping it's just the same thing with Bob.


Indiana -- That's my groomer's theory, and she is a poodle breeder and knows more about poodles and dogs in general than just about anyone I know. So I hope that you and she are right. Bob does like to go sniffing around in the bushes.

Abbe Gail -- Thanks so much for your prayers. I really appreciate that.

Chagall's Mom -- Thanks for the article. I like the way it presents lots of possiblities. I'm afraid that I've been googling a lot and I've gotten my head totally wrapped around this cancer idea. I guess that's the way I deal with things--look at the worst case first. I really hope that I'm wrong because I really really really like this boy. What a good dog. Funny boy always keeps me laughing. Bob's bleeding started with a few little spots on the bed. At first I didn't know which dog it was coming from, and then it took a while to figure out that it was coming from his nose. Sneezing started a couple of days later. There's not much blood. But even a little is a big cause for concern.

I'll let everyone know what the vet says tomorrow. I have a fabulous vet so at least I feel like we're in good hands.


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## sweetheartsrodeo

We are thinking about you and Bob. I hope he is better, and am praying you get a good report from the vet. 

BTW I wish I had a vet to do a house call... Very lucky!


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## peppersb

sweetheartsrodeo said:


> We are thinking about you and Bob. I hope he is better, and am praying you get a good report from the vet.
> 
> BTW I wish I had a vet to do a house call... Very lucky!


I can't tell you how much I love my vet. My dogs have never been to his office. And on top of the house call advantage, I have a lot of confidence in his medical knowledge and ability to diagnose and treat my dogs.

Thanks for your prayers.


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## MollyMuiMa

Happy thoughts for Bob!!!! Hope he'll get a good report. Here in Cailf. those symtoms would usually indicated a Foxtail in the nose, as it is a common occurence here to find foxtails imbedded in noses, ears, and paws. Nasty weeds....


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## Chagall's mom

*peppersb*: I _completely_ understand your mind wandering to the worst possible scenario. I think that's human nature. We brace ourselves for what's to come in a attempt to be prepared. I'm preparing to hear _good _news about Bob! I hope the understandable anxiety and worry you have right now is all for naught. I too have a vet who routinely makes house calls, it's always been of such great comfort to both my pets and me. Glad Bob has such great care from you and your vet.


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## ArcadiaX

Lou and I are pulling for Bob to be on the road to recovery soon! It seems that those foxtails are nothing but a menace, grrrr. Sending a prayer for Bob and you.


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## CT Girl

I am hoping it is a seed or other foreign object. How great that you have such confidence in your vet and that he makes house calls too. Try not too worry too much.


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## Samba

Thinking of you and Bob!

If you have insurance for him (or a decent budget) I'd recommend a CT scan. I generally run 2-5 per week for dogs with epistaxis (nose bleeds).

To date, the strangest thing we have found was a fish in the nose of a 11 year old Shep cross. yep...a fish. It can really be anything. We have diagnosed very strange things with nose bleeds as a symptom. Brain tumor, neoplasia in the nasal cavity, tooth root abscesses, foreign bodies, broken blood vessel, dry nose, aneurysms, fungus such as aspergillus (sp) and "nothing".

Unfortunatley if you want to go this route...Bob may have to leave the house for one visit 

There are various types of cancers that can invade the nasal cavity, some have a far better prognosis than others. Some can be injected, some can be debrided and some are responsive to drugs while others are not. Its common, and specialty practices see 500+ in a year. Hopefully this is not the case with Bob, but if it is, a biopsy will be needed to tell what type you are dealing with. Some that are not highly metastatic can live for many years.

Good luck with him, crossing fingers for some good news!


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## star

Sending good thoughts and positive energy your way. Thinking of you and Bob today, hope it isn't serious.


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## BorderKelpie

Years ago I had a Doberman that started sneezing blood. I assumed it was something he snuffled up while tracking. Turns out he had ehrlichiosis. The vet noticed some fore limb favoring and suggested a tick panal. Since I had never seen a tick on him, I almost didn't do it, and am so glad I did. 

I since found out why he didn't have ticks - I caught Onyx (dobe) lying down in the back yard while the pet chicken wandered all over him picking off ticks. Should have known it'd be something weird like that. My animals have always been a little off.

A few weeks of Doxycycline and Onyx was back at work. 

Best wishes to Bob!


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## peppersb

Thanks to all of you for your advice, kind thoughts and prayers.

Over the past day or two, it seems like the amount of blood (or any secretion from his nose) is decreasing and I am no longer seeing any of the bright red that I saw earlier. But he still sneezes occasionally.

My vet just left. He took blood and urine for testing and did a full physical exam. No problems that were visible except that Bob sneezed once and we put some tissue on his nose and there was a tiny amount of mucus that had a bit of a reddish brown tinge to it. The vet gave me some antibiotics.

Assuming that the bleeding continues and that the lab results don't suggest some other direction, the next step would be going to a specialist for a CT scan. One of the things that I like about my vet is that he gives me the pros and the cons of any proposed tests or treatment and then respects my right to make the final decision. He and I are pretty much on the same page philosophically. We are both generally hesitant to proceed with invasive procedures unless there is a clear benefit. I'm pretty procedure-phobic for myself as well as for my dogs. That said, I think I will go ahead with the CT scan. It is not cheap (that's for sure!), but it sounds like it might be worth it. But for now, I'm waiting to hear about the lab results and seeing if the antibiotics make any difference.

As he was leaving, I asked my vet if his gut feeling was cancer. He said we shouldn't go there yet. So I guess that was reassuring sort of. But I'm still worried needless to say. Bob is a very good dog. I love that boy. 

Samba: Thank you very much for sharing your experience with CT scans. It was helpful to hear of all the non-cancer things you find. I asked my vet about aspergillis--I read about it on the Internet and was hoping that might be a possiblity. He said it is rare in this part of the country. So very unlikely.


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## Chagall's mom

I hope you're feeling more encouraged following the vet's examination of Bob. You sound like you're doing_ everything_ right. I am still believing in the best outcome here! Thanks for keeping us posted. It's amazing how I carry the concern of members' poodles around with me. I'm breathing a bit easier now--wish the same for you and Bob!:clover:


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## MollyMuiMa

Hoping the best outcome for Bob... will be waiting like everyone else to hear! A big HUG to Bob!


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## peppersb

Thanks everybody! I really appreciate your support. I'm feeling a little better, but still quite worried. There seems to be less blood, really none of the bright red blood that I saw earlier. But the sneezing continues. Sometimes it is so violent that Cammie gets up from her chair and stares at Bob trying to understand what in the world he could be doing. 

At one point, the vet said that sometimes these things just resolve themselves. Hope that's what happens for us!

A big thank you from Bob and me (and Cammie).


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## PaddleAddict

Did your vet look up the nose with a scope? Just curious since you did not mention that specifically... foreign body in the nose would have been my first guess.


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## peppersb

PaddleAddict said:


> Did your vet look up the nose with a scope? Just curious since you did not mention that specifically... foreign body in the nose would have been my first guess.


No he didn't. He just looked at what he could see with his bright little flashlight. Is looking with a scope something that can be done without anesthesia?


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## Samba

peppersb said:


> No he didn't. He just looked at what he could see with his bright little flashlight. Is looking with a scope something that can be done without anesthesia?


No, it really shouldnt. A LOT of significant bleeding can happen with rhinoscopies, you need full clotting pannels before performing one. Its also best practice to CT first to ensure the cribiform plate is intact. If not, the water from the scope can blast through and into the brain. Scoping sounds simple...but there is a risk factor. A full GA is needed as its quite painful.

If a CT scan shows a mass, and the cribiform plate is full intact we keep the patient under anesthetic and move him to the endoscopy area so an endoscopic guided biopsy and nasal flush can be performed. Or, similar if there is a foreign body.

Some owners elect to not perform a rhinoscopy if there is a mass present, and just treat symptomatically. 

Often, the CT scan and Rhinoscopy go together hand in hand under one anesthetic. However, if you are looking for the less invasive tool first, its certainly safer to start with the CT. And you will likely get more information.


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## PaddleAddict

Sorry, I meant just look in the nostrils with an otoscope ... not a rhinoscopy.


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## Abbe gails Mom

I think its a good thing that the bright red blood is gone.(bright red ts new blood ) so i think dark is old. Anyway please keep us posted, and give BOB a big kiss from my house. And you hang in there, blessings being sent your way. Kay


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## Samba

PaddleAddict said:


> Sorry, I meant just look in the nostrils with an otoscope ... not a rhinoscopy.


Ahhh yes! That would make more sense  silly me.


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## peppersb

Today's update: Lab results came back showing no problems except a low thyroid. They are going to do a second thyroid test (free T4). A little more red blood on the bed last night following a sneezing episode that woke me up. Bob was doing his usual negotiating for treats this morning -- he seems to feel just fine. But of course I am worried. I haven't spoken to the vet (lab results came by email).


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## sweetheartsrodeo

I hope that it is nothing... When I first got Remington, I worried and worried over an eye infection... It looked bad to me, but the vet gave him meds, and recomended some for me, as I think I stressed him out more than any problems with Rem. HA! It is hard to be an over protective parent. But with babies as wonderful as our poodles are, we have to be. Wishes for a speedy recovery and positive thoughts and prayers are coming your way. (poodle hugs)


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## caroline429

I had to have a CT scan done on one of my old Rottie girls so I understand completely what you're going through. Getting the scan done should give you a definitive diagnosis and enable you to make informed decisions about treatment. Like everyone else, I'm hoping for a good outcome.


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## Chagall's mom

*peppersb*: Just wondering how Bob's doing? I hope "no news is good news" and perhaps things have resolved.:clover:


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## peppersb

Hi Chagall's Mom -- Thanks for asking. Unfortunately, nothing is resolved. The Free T4 test ruled out hypothyroidism. My vet has been treating the symptoms, first with antibiotics and then with Zyrtec (for alergies). I guess the hope was that antibiotics and/or Zyrtec would knock it out. But no such luck. The bleeding has pretty much stopped, but the sneezing continues. If anything, it is getting worse. 

My vet has now referred me to a doctor at a high-end vet hospital that has all of the latest equipment (CT scan, MRI, etc.) and the vets are all specialists. The vet that I have been referred to sounds extremely well qualified--a summa *** laude graduate of U of Pa, so I guess he's smart! Also, I'm taking some comfort in the fact that I have been referred to a vet in internal medicine not oncology. From the very beginning, I have been perhaps too focused on cancer, but of course hoping for something else. We have an appointment on Thursday afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes.

PS. For all of you who have never tried using dirty words in your PF posting, guess what? You can't do it. I typed in "summa c-u-m laude" (without the dashes) above and I got caught by the dirty word police!!! C-u-m was automatically changed to ***. How funny is that! LOL


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## Chagall's mom

_Drat!_ I was _so hoping _things were well. I hope things go smoothly on Thursday. I was born on a Thursday and it's always been a "lucky" day for me, hope it's the same for Bob. I am really sorry for your continued worry. Thanks for the update. I'll be watching for more news.


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## vicky2200

Have you ever noticed if Bob has hit his nose on something when he sneezes? Dakota hits his nose on things (tables, the floor, the other dogs) when he sneezes and that has given him bloody noses. We still haven't figured out WHY he sneezes so much. It could be an allergy. How are Bob's teeth? I read that bad teeth can cause sneezing. I know Dakota has terrible teeth and that may be the cause of his problems.


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## peppersb

Vicky: Unfortunately the bleeding started before the sneezing, so I don't think that hitting his head is the problem. Now there's practically no bleeding but plenty of extreme sneezing. So this thread should be changed to "Bob is sneezing" instead of "Bob's bloody nose." Teeth are definitely a possiblity. I also read that they can sometimes be the culprit. My regular vet thought that one of Bob's teeth was fractured. So it would be GREAT if that turned out to be the problem. I'm just hoping and praying that it is not cancer and that this new doctor is as smart as I think he is. I love this boy.

Chagall's Mom: Drat, drat, drat. Wish this problem would go away. Hoping for a lucky Thursday! Thanks for your concern.


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## AngelsMommy

Still sending positive thoughts and energy to both Bob and you! I know it is stressful to deal with an elder poodle with unknown issues going on. 

Hope for the teeth being the problem and that can be dealt with. 

Blessings to you both.


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## PaddleAddict

So nobody has yet looked up his nose, huh? So odd to me, although I am not a vet of course. But I just saw that vilolent sneezing so many times while working at the vet clinic and it was usually a foreign body (foxtail, grass seed, etc.). The vets I worked with would always put the dog under general anesthesia and use a scope to look inside the nose. Maybe that is what your next vet will do?


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## Chagall's mom

*peppersb*: I hope this is a good news day. Any further word on what may be causing Bob's sneezing? Oh please tell us it's something simple and easy to rectify. That would be a great holiday season gift for all. Fingers crossed and hopes high!


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## kukukachoo

I'm hoping for a positive update soon as well! Keep us posted!


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## peppersb

Well I got good news and bad news. But mostly it seems bad. My heart is very heavy.

First I should say that we had a bad night last night. Bob woke up several times through out the night sneezing. The blood has returned. So the sleepy boy would sneeze with all his might, spewing blood with every sneeze. He was sleeping on my bed which I have covered with old sheets, so fortunately the blood landed on the old sheets. He is normally a very sound sleeper and I hate to see him waking up sneezing his head off.

We saw the specialist vet this afternoon and he seemed very competent and I've heard good things about this vet hospital from a number of people. Doctor did a physical exam, and reviewed lab results and detailed info that my vet and I had sent. He held cotton up to each nostril with Bob's mouth closed and determined that not much air was coming out of the left nostril. So the left side is blocked with almost all breathing being done on the right side. There is no facial deformity and apparently no pressure on the eyes. (These would be signs of later stage nasal cancer.)

The bad news is that the doctor said that nasal cancer is the most likely explanation of the symptoms. The good news is that it is not the only explanation, so there is still the possiblity that MAYBE it is not cancer. I pushed the doctor on how likely it is that it is cancer. He said he thought probability of cancer is about 60 to 80%. Other possiblities are fungal infection, bacterial infection, foreign object (I think that's all, but I might be forgetting something.) He did not think the sneezing was related to tooth problems. 

The plan now is to do a CT scan. We have an appointment for Tuesday. I drop Bob off in the early morning. Dr will call me when Bob is still under anesthesia to tell me what they find. Depending on what they find, he may recommend a scope, a biopsy or something else. He said they like to do the CT scan before any scoping because scope can move things around.

If it is nasal cancer, the average is about 3 months from diagnosis to death (or euthanaia). So that's depressing. And I just hate the thought of watching him decline and going through the agony of deciding how terrible to let things get before euthanizing. I guess lots of dog owners do that, but it sounds pretty terrible.

Anyway. That's the story. 

Here are some of my favorite pictures of my boy Bob. I just felt like posting them so that you can see what a fine boy he is.


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## PaddleAddict

Oh darn, I'm sorry you got the "maybe it's cancer" talk. I hope and pray it is not and that Tuesday will discover something less serious than cancer. Just last week my friend took her old dog in for a tooth abscess and the vet told her it was 80% likely oral cancer, but it actually turned out to just be an infected tooth. Maybe Bob just has an infection or like the vet said foreign body... I will keep him in my thoughts.


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## Chagall's mom

*peppersb*: First, thank you for finding the strength and heart to share this news. It sounds like Bob is in excellent hands. And it sounds scary as can be. I'm truly sorry. I know you braced yourself for tough news, and the jury is still out, but it's heartbreaking all the same, the very thought of your beloved Bob being unwell, or in any way suffering. I always lament not having a magic wand to make things right. Darn it, someone must have one! I do marvel at your composure, and applaud your devotion. And I will continue to hope Bob is on the lucky side of those all too scary statistics you heard bandied about today. I am sorry this day did not go better, but as you said, good news-bad news; let's still hold out for the good. I will continue to think of you and Bob and hope for things to go smoothy on Tuesday. Had I not already eaten dinner, I would not be able to, given the lump in my throat. Poodles should be well and go on FOREVER! Take care of yourself. Lots of people in your corner now.:love2:


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## kukukachoo

I agree with everything chagalls mom said so well. I'll be thinking of you guys.


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## peppersb

Thanks to Chagall's Mom and to everyone for your support, your prayers and your kind words.


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## AngelsMommy

Peppersb, 

I am sorry that you got the cancer talk too. I know that is hard that is what my mpoo had and we dealt with the same questions and it is very hard. I am still hoping for your finding out that it is not cancer but something else instead.

You are in our thoughts and prayers and we are sending positive energy to you both.

Blessings for being such a wonderful mom to your furbabies.


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## Theo'sMom

I'm so sorry for what you are going through and hope it turns out to be something easy to treat. Thank you for posting the photos. He looks like a wonderful boy.


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## peppersb

*Bob has been cured!!!!!*

The news is absolutely as good as good can be. After one month of increasingly violent sneezes that spattered blood all over the place, Bob is going to be OK. I was quite sure that it was nasal cancer (the doctor had said that cancer was the most likely diagnosis). But a CT scan this morning showed that there was no cancer!!! Great news! But that left the question of why he has been sneezing blood unanswered. At that point, I authorized a rhinoscope exam and (if necessary) a biopsy. 

The rhinoscope (a camera up the nose) gave us the really really good news. Bob had a 6 cm blade of grass up his nose! It had been there for over a month, and our very talented vet was able to use an endoscopic microforceps to pull in out of Bob’s left nostril. Then he flushed the nose out for about 20 minutes. The doctor put the grass in a jar and gave it to me. He also gave me a video showing the interior of Bob’s nose with the grass in it.

All sneezing should now stop. There may be a bit of bleeding for the next day or 2 due to the scope going up his nose, but he should recover completely! He was under general anesthesia for two hours today, and he seems to be doing just fine. I got my boy back and I am very very happy!!!! 

Thank you thank you thank you to God who has absolute control over every blade of grass in the universe, and to our fabulous vet who managed to gain control over one very annoying blade of grass. And thanks to all of you for your ideas, prayers, kind thoughts and support!


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## Chagall's mom

Oh *peppersb*, what *WONDERFUL *news!! I share your relief and great joy that Bob is and will be fine! He just has to learn when he stops to smell the flowers, not to sniff too hard!! I know you can laugh now, with a much eased heart. BEST NEWS THERE COULD BE, I truly celebrate it with you!! See, the power of poodle people pulling for you really means something!!_ Yippee!!:flowers:_


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## peppersb

Chagall's mom said:


> Oh *peppersb*, what *WONDERFUL *news!! I share your relief and great joy that Bob is and will be fine! He just has to learn when he stops to smell the flowers, not to sniff too hard!! I know you can laugh now, with a much eased heart. BEST NEWS THERE COULD BE, I truly celebrate it with you!! See, the power of poodle people pulling for you really means something!!_ Yippee!!:flowers:_


Thanks, Chagall's Mom! I really appreciate your support through all of this!!!

Yippee! Yippee! Yippee! Can't tell you how relieved I am. I was SO convinced that this was cancer. And it is not!


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## MollyMuiMa

I have no words yet....just tears rolling down my face and hopes that results will be good. My prayers tonight include Bob..........


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## petitpie

Terrific news for you and Bob!


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## Chagall's mom

peppersb said:


> I was SO convinced that this was cancer. And it is not!


Every time I have that fear for a loved one, two-legged or four, and I am wrong, I say, "I hope I'm wrong like this again and again and again!" Isn't it incredible how our minds torture us with worries?! An imagination can be a beast at times. I anticipate an extra happy holiday season for you and yours. I know you'll lavish the usual abundant love and gifts on your spoos, but I do think you should gift yourself with a spa day-_-you deserve it!!:santaclaus:_


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## LEUllman

That is by far the best news I've heard in a while!


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## Indiana

Oh, I'm just so happy for you! Give Bob a kiss for me


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## caroline429

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful news!!!! I was so worried about Bob. I didn't want to say in my earlier post that my Rottie who had the CT scan was diagnosed with nasal cancer. I was praying that this was not a diagnosis you'd have to face.


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## kukukachoo

HAPPY DANCE!


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## papoodles

*So glad.*

I am so happy and relieved for you that Bob is well. I just came to have a look on PF and saw there was a new entry on your post, and I was just hoping that your worst fears weren’t realized. Thank god this had a happy ending. Give Bob an extra big kiss and hug from me too.


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## murphys

WooHoo! So happy for you and Bob. A blessing of the Season.


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## MollyMuiMa

I am positively joyful!!!! Just reread & got the happy news!!! Such a simple thing had us all soooooooo worried for you! Boy....sometimes I think vets should listen to us more! (PF members) I'm wondering why no one looked up his nose more closely? Oh well, I'm just glad for the good outcome. It'll be a happy Xmas now!





resent::santaclaus:resent:


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## AngelsMommy

I am typing this with tears of joy in my eyes! I am so thankful that you and Bob can now have a truly joyous Holiday season! I will be adding my prayers of Thanksgiving to all of the others now! :amen:


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## outwest

I missed this whole saga! I am so glad it was only a stinky piece of grass, but so sorry Bob had to go through that. I bet he feels like a new man now! What a stressful experience for both of you. I am glad it's over!


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## peppersb

Well I just love this new life that Bob and I have! We just had our first peaceful night in quite a while! No loud painful sneezing in the middle of the night! No blood spattered on my bed! Just an old dog sleeping soundly like a log! What a relief! I can get rid of all of the blood-spattered sheets that cover all of his sleeping places. Yippee!!!

Indiana's comment from the beginning of this thread:


Indiana said:


> I sure hope Bob's okay...this is totally not applicable, probably, but when I was growing up our calves used to quite often get a weed seed in their nose when they were grazing that would present the same symptoms, and my dad used to do a nasal flush to their immediate relief; I'm hoping it's just the same thing with Bob.


So, Indiana, if your dad had been here on day one, maybe we would have avoided a month of agony! Sounds like he had the right solution!



MollyMuiMa said:


> I am positively joyful!!!! Just reread & got the happy news!!! Such a simple thing had us all soooooooo worried for you! Boy....sometimes I think vets should listen to us more! (PF members) I'm wondering why no one looked up his nose more closely? Oh well, I'm just glad for the good outcome. It'll be a happy Xmas now!
> resent::santaclaus:resent:


I think that the reason that no one looked up the nose before this is that it had to be done under general anesthesia. So my regular vet tried antibiotics and allergy meds first to see if that would do the trick. When we finally went to the more specialized vet, they did the CT scan first because cancer was most likely and would be seen on the CT scan. They couldn't do the rhinoscopy (looking up his nose) before the CT scan because it would mess stuff up so that you wouldn't get good images. In Bob's case, the rhinoscopy would have been sufficient without the CT scan, but of course you don't know that until you know it. 

I was very pleased with the care that we received. Those of you who are in the Philadelphia area (or within a reasonable commute of Phila's northwestern suburbs) might want to make a note of Metropolitan Veterinary Associates in case you ever need care that goes beyond the expertise of your regular vet. They do only specialized care--no routine veterinary care. Unlike U of Pa which has a lot of young vets and students, all of the vets at Metropolitan are experienced and specialized in one particular area of veterinary medicine. We saw Dr DeBiasio, and he was terrific. Their web site is very informative--one of the best web sites I've seen: Metropolitan Veterinary Associates - Home

And finally, at the risk of posting way more info than you want, here is a picture of Bob's nose! I'm assuming that the green thing is the grass! Just amazing what they can do these days.


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## cavon

What wonderful, wonderful news!!! I'm so happy for Bob and you!!

Now you can relax and get down to the business of enjoying the holidays!!!

You really have something special to celebrate this year!!!


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## PaddleAddict

This is fabulous news! You must be so relieved! 

Honestly, though, I am not surprised it turned out to be a foeriegn body in the nose, that was exactly what I was thinking the whole time, the violent and incessant sneezing is so typical.

It does kind of make you wonder, though.... how did Bob get a huge blade of grass up his nose? Silly poodle.


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## My babies

I've been following this thread since your first post. When I saw there was another post on here I held my breath and read it. Whewwwwww what a relief. Now i feel dizzy holding my breath. Lol. So happy for you and Bob. Merry Christmas!


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## julietcr1

I've been following this thread and was afraid to read your last post but I finally did, no words to say how happy you must be, just enjoy!


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## Ladywolfe

I am sooo happy that this was something that the vet could fix!! I was worried along with you. I WANNA KISS YOUR VET!!! (Feel free to tell him that there is a little old lady in Ohio who wants to kiss him/her, but promises not to, if they reduce the bill a little---LOL)

SUCH GOOD NEWS.


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## lily cd re

I was a late comer to following this thread, just having read it all in one sitting. What a fabulous ending to a hard story. I am so sorry you had so much worried time, but so happy for you that everything will be ok. It goes to show how much we have to advocate for our companions. You did great all the way through. Thank you for sharing this story. I will remember it if I ever have to deal with a vexing problem like yours.


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## Lily's-Mom

I am SO happy to hear that Bob is OK. :bounce:


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## CT Girl

Thank goodness! Can you believe all that anxiety and expense are from a single blade of grass? If I were you I would panic every time I saw Bob sniffing anything. PaddleAddict you nailed that diagnosis, very impressive. But I do understand why Bob's vet had to proceed in a special order just in case. Now you will be able to rest easy in more ways than one.


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## Samba

That was one expensive piece of grass! BUT - its out, and Bob will be just fine  Great news.


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