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Thread: China and me.

  1. #1
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    China and me.

    I'm sure some of you remember that soon after I brought China home she began doing some interesting things. She was sniffing at Dakotas back leg where we found a Mast Cell tumor. She then began alerting us to Dakota's seizures. Finally in the months leading to Dakota's passing she began sniffing at her belly where we found another MCT that took her from us. During those months over the summer she also began doing something strange with me. She began sniffing my right breast. Just a quick almost poke type of thing. Something I have seen dogs on TV do when they are trained to alert to something. I'd be sitting on the floor with her petting her and out of nowhere her nose would gently touch my breast and that would be it. I knew I should get in for a check up and I was due in September so I scheduled September. All was fine. This month I Was due for my yearly mammogram, so I went last Tuesday. I am currently being schedule to go back for more pictures and an ultrasound due to an area of concern the radiologist noted.
    China. How did she know...? I honestly feel like I should have called in August and said lets do this mammo now because my dog is trying to tell me something. I considered that however I really wasn't sure if they would do it...based on that.
    Back story is I have 3 older sisters. 2 of them have been dx with stage 0 breast cancer in recent years. So I am taking this seriously while trying not to panic.
    Meanwhile China is no longer doing that although the weather has changed I am no longer wearing tank tops but now I am wearing sweaters but something tells me a sweater would not stop that nose.
    She slept with her head on my shoulder last night. I have never had a dog that would choose to sleep that way, they always give me the butts.
    My 10 yr old daughter is worried. I of course didn't tell her the whole story as she's too young but she does know I have stressed the importance of taking care of ourselves and she knows her aunts past health issues.
    I honestly have no other place to talk about this. I used to be on an anxiety forum but it no longer exists. This is dog related...I just hope its ok to post this here.
    I am just amazed at this dog....and her nose...

  2. #2
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    I'm in awe of China...and let's hope she's wrong this time or it's just a coincidence.

    I had a mammogram recall once and the suspicious thing turned out to be a shadow or dense tissue that hadn't presented itself before or something like that. It was many years ago and hasn't happened since. [I'd also had a Pap recall even earlier in life that turned out to be nothing. They're all scary.]

    Good thoughts headed your way for things being OK!

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    MontananDakota (11-20-2017)

  4. #3
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    Thanks SunDance. I'm trying to stay calm, freaking out is not going to change things.
    It is amazing to me the things this dog has done. It just shows she came into our lives for reasons...not just coincidence.

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    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Thank heaven for China's alert. At the best let's hope it means you get checked out and can stop worrying. I've had recalls too, always because the image was not good enough. My Mum had breast cancer and a radical mastectomy when she was 50 (passed away three years ago at 96 ) so my sister and I both are diligent about the Mammos. I am glad you posted this here. Lovely China, she's wonderful.
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  7. #5
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    I googled. I should not have and I know better but...I did. Asymmetry is what the report says and along with there being discomfort at that spot with my periods and of course China...there is definitely something going on. I am praying I can handle it. It still amazes me how much we lose ourselves (not a bad way) when we have children. Like every thing I do to take care of myself is for her in hopes that she never has to lose her mom the way I lost mine. I was 28 so although I was grown, I still missed out on sharing things with her, my wedding, my baby..and I don't want this to define her childhood. She worries.

    thanks guys for not freaking out that I posted this here.

  8. #6
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Not to scare you, but China is definitely telling you something. I always have to go back for additional views and ultrasound. I've had multiple biopsies so there is plenty of scar tissue that the radiologist wants to check out. Everything has always been negative. Maybe she is just telling you it's time to get checked and she's not letting you forget.
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  10. #7
    Senior Dog janedoe's Avatar
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    Good for you for getting it checked out. It always should be. I do want to say though that I have a history with cysts that leak right around the time I ovulate and menstruate. Nikki sniffs me then and has for years. I've never had a positive biopsy and am convinced that they're sensing that something is different but it's not necessarily cancer.

    All good thoughts.

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  12. #8
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    Thank you all for posting, it means a lot.
    Yes she is trying to tell me something. It's strange how she stopped that though-only did it in the summer. I feel like I should have gone in the summer. I mean September was my annual gyn. exam which I was holding out for but I didn't mention to my dr. that my dog was doing this.. and my annual mammogram falls usually beginning December ( I don't know why they're not closer together it just happens this way) I had been having pain in that side only around my period, but never the other side. I mentioned that to my dr. and he was not concerned.
    Still. I feel Ike I should have gone in sooner.
    My daughter is worried and that bothers me. She is 10. I so don't want this worry to define her childhood...
    I go tomorrow. I have to say I am beginning to get nervous. I'm due to head straight into work afterward. And I was told that the radiologist would speak with me before I leave so that I know what's next. Good or not.
    Thank you guys so much for sharing your own personal stories and just for replying.
    Janedoe-have you been called back for the cysts? Do they go away on their own?
    PopTop-you've had biopsies? How many times?
    I'm surprised at how many of you have gone through this...

  13. #9
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    Update:
    It was dense tissue that disappeared upon flattening of my breast. And I mean flattened-I am still sore but thankful and grateful that they squeezed me in to get this over with and told me right away.
    Thank you to those of you who posted, it meant a lot to me and I know its not a happy subject, thanks for being here.

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  15. #10
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    My latest mammo was just last month and the report says I have dense tissue (also I have dense bones and I am just plain dense sometimes too. ). This notice of density is a new thing and apparently is a result of dense tissue hiding small tumours and now our health services are alerting us so we can be sure to keep doing thorough checks ourselves. You keep checking yourself, please.
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