foul smell help

Question
QUESTION: My 15 yr old dog has been diagnosed by the vet with a type of tissue tumor where surgery is not an option. The tissue, if tumor removed, will not mend and close, it will always leak fluid. The vet prescribed antibiotics to help get the odor under control. I change her dressing regularly, but we can not be in the same room as her, for the odor is that bad. Do you have any advice on help with this odor so she doesn't have to feel alone in the room? We love her, and want her to hang with us. Is there an odor absorber out there?

ANSWER:
Hi Dawn,

Can you get back to me with the name of the condition your vet diagnosed? Knowing what your dog has will help me answer your question.

Thanks,

Patti


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have tried calling the vet to get the type of condition he called this tumor. Apparently, the vets office is too busy, and still has not called me back.I am in a new area and my origanal vet office is out of area. I am trying by memory of what he called this type: mytosis, tissue tumor. I am looking to see a different vet to get a second opinion. I have tried to use aroma therapy to help the room smell better.

Answer

Hi Dawn,

Thanks for getting back to me with your vet's diagnosis.

Cell growth is called "Mitosis", so (as far as I know) describing a growth as being mitosis tissue tumor, means a soft tissue tumor. Did your vet tell you whether the tumor was benign or malignant? Not every tumor is malignant.
Your vet might have told you that  surgery is not an option because a 15 year old dog might not respond well to treating a malignant tumor, or he might have told you that  surgery isn't an option because it's not a malignant tumor. These are the questions you need to ask your vet when you can finally get to talk to him.

You need to make your dog as comfortable as possible, for as long as it's possible. Ask your vet if your dog needs to get pain control medication. Ask your vet what to use to clean the draining tumor. The smell is probably due to bacteria growth, and how often to clean it (possible two or three times a day). If you clean with the correct product,  the smell might be much better.

Lastly, if your dog's quality of life has diminished to a degree that she no longer enjoys life, and caring for her is just too much to bare, then it could be time to consider putting her to sleep. This is the hardest part of pet ownership, and the ultimate act of love we can show our beloved pet. There is a quality of life scale you can use, called  the "HHHHHMM scale" the letters stand for: Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, and More Good Days than Bad. Each is assigned a number from one (unacceptable) to 10 (excellent.) See the HHHHHMM scale here:
http://www.homevet.com/petcare/documents/quality.pdf

Keep trying your vet's office, eventually he'll get back to you. A second opinion is a good idea.

Best of luck,

Patti