The saga continues

On Tuesday we were finally able to do Amber's cystoscopy. The Dr., two vet techs and myself were all involved in the procedure. I started with the job of "hold the tail up". The Dr. went in with the scope. On the tv screen we watched the pink walls of the urethra and then the bladder. We saw some polyps in the urethra and one area of concern, also in the urethra. A white-ish lumpy looking thing. We also saw lots of mucusy, bloody fluid floating around.
Then it was time for the taking of samples for biopsy. The Dr. asked which one of us was the most coordinated. I was nominated based on the fact that I am "the one who does agility". I did not nominate myself but since no one else was raising their hands I figured I'd try. While the Dr. held the scope in position I inserted the tiny biopsy forceps. A long narrow rod with about 1/4 inch of grabbing teeth at the end. I pushed it in until you could see the forceps on the tv screen. I was told to open and then close the tool on a piece of the urethra wall. I did that and then pulled it out but there wasn't anything in the teeth. I tried twice more but neither time was I able to get a grip on the tissue. So I went in one more time. One of the techs says "grab like you mean it!". So I squeezed just a little bit harder this time and "snap" we all heard a cracking sound. I pulled the forceps out and found that they had broken. The open and close mechanism had broken and no longer would open and close. SHIT.
That was the end of that, we removed the scope and woke her up. I sat with her while she came out of the anesthesia. She seemed a little painful that night but by Wednesday afternoon she was back to this

So the plan is to get another tool and try again another day. I am pretty disappointed and still worried but at least we got to look. The bladder wall looked healthy which was what he was worried about based on the ultrasound. There is a concern that whatever is in there will grow large enough that it will constrict her urine flow so I am watching her pee every day to make sure it hasn't changed.
Our Dr. approved her running in the trial this weekend so we are running! It brings a whole new meaning to that quote " The real joy is in the privilege and ability to step to the start line with your dog by your side, not in the crossing of the finish line, victorious over others."
These shots are from this morning's hike on the Red Cliffs trail.

worries

A few months ago Amber started peeing a lot more than usual. She even peed in my car. So I brought her to work and we ran a urinalysis on her. It showed blood in her urine and the dr. thought it was probably a uti. Antibiotics for a few weeks didn't clear up the blood so we did a urine culture which showed a bacteria that is normally found in humans. The culture showed what antibiotics it was sensitive to so we put her on Baytril for three weeks. Then we had to wait a week after being off the antibiotics to test again. On Tuesday this week we did another urinalysis and again found blood. The infection is all cleared up though so it's not blood from that. So of course, the Dr. needs to know where it's coming from.
We also did an ultrasound and now the dr. sees a slight thickening of the bladder wall on one side. So next week we are going to do a cystoscopy with a tiny camera on the end of a probe, up the hoo ha, and if the dr. can see a mass he will take a biopsy of it. I am very afraid!
She is still acting herself though.

We have an agility trial coming up soon, mid February, and I am hoping she'll still be able to run. The scope shouldn't hurt but depending on the results, we might be putting her on drugs to slow the growth of whatever is in there. I just wish this would all turn out to be nothing. I am freaking out a little.