1041. Follow up: Beagle with bladder cancer (adenocarcinoma)

Today, June 21, 2012 I was surprised to see the Beagle, Male, 14 years old so alert and able to control his urination (in the daytime). It was a great joy to see the happy couple as I did not expect this old dog to survive the 2-hour surgery to remove his bladder cancer. But here he was today at 10.30 am with the happiest client. They had made an appointment with Dr Daniel who is their vet surgeon. I come to Toa Payoh Vets for the past 10 days at 9 am and so am able to manage my "trust and audit" of the associate vets.

The complaint was that the dog cried when the wife wipe the left hind hip area after bathing. As for the bladder, there was no complaint now. No more leakage of urine with blood. I checked the op area. The dissolvable stitches had fallen off. The lower part of the body was stained yellow and the owner confirmed that he could not control his bladder when he sleeps.
HISTORY
Beagle, Male, 14 years. Haematuria and urinary incontinence. 
May 13, 12. Blood in the urine. Can't control the bladder at all. X-ray of bladder done but not so clear. I thought there were sharp stones. Blood and urine tests done.  Case report written.
May 14, 12. I removed most of the bladder tumour near the neck of the bladder in with Dr Daniel assisting. A 2-hour surgery. Histopathology of bladder tumour: a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma.
May 16, 12. Went home.
May 17, 12. Paraparesis. He had bolted from his confined space at home and a luggage fell on his back!

CONSULTATION ON June 21, 12 for painful left hip area. Dr Daniel extended left hip. The dog wanted to move away and yelped. There could be arthritis of the left hip as he had difficulty getting up immediately. 

I was more interested in his bladder. "He looks younger," I said and had some pictures taken of him. A 14-year old looking like a younger Beagle. I palpated his bladder while he was standing on the consultation table. I could  feel a bladder the size of an orange. Yet when Dr Daniel and Min went to collect urine

"No more drinking lots of water like before," the husband said. "Now he drinks around l litre, not 1.5 litres or more."