We took Archie back to the Small Animal Veterinary Hospital last month. He had a scan and I’m pleased to say he got the ‘all clear’ again. We thought that would be the end of it, but the vet we saw recommended Archie having another scan in 3 months time (and potentially another one 3 months after that).
My husband and I are going to take some time to consider this. Of course we want what’s best for Archie, but he’s been through a lot this year and we’re mindful he’s nearly 11 now. He gets very stressed going to the hospital, not just in the car, but when they put him in the crate. The vet said he’d need to take anti-anxiety medication for the next visit. I don’t think I mentioned this in my last post, but when we picked Archie up after the operation, there was a pink patch on his nose and our regular vet said he must have been bashing his nose against the crate. Aww!!!
The question I’m asking myself is – is it fair to keep putting his little body through so much stress? Yes, it would be good to catch signs of the cancer returning early, but I found the lump early, so if I keep checking his body regularly . . . Archie’s in excellent health at the moment, and it’s now been 6 months since we found the lump, so all the signs are looking good.
The question of what’s best for Archie comes down to whether to put him through more tests, which he gets very stressed about, or leave him be. I’m inclined to agree with my mum – let him be happy (i.e. don’t stress him out unnecessarily). We have time anyway, to think about further scans.
