Disappointment, Frustration, and Concern

This blog is a follow-up to the a previous blog titled "Not your Average Gal". 

A little over a month after seeing this special patient, I received an email.  The email was forwarded to me from the owner of the adopted hermaphroditic dog to the rescue organization here in Tennessee.  I was saddened to read that the pet had been diagnosed with a vaginal leiomyosarcoma, a cancer, (per the owner) and the veterinarian desired to discuss the previous surgery with the doctor who had spayed her.  It listed the contact information. 


I called the veterinary office and requested to speak with the doctor.  He described a pink and firm vaginal mass that he suspected was a tumor.  I inquired if he had access to the Internet and directed him to the blog.  Together we reviewed the pictures and surgery.  I suggested that he take a closer look at the mass and feel for the bone that was hidden inside.  He told me that the mass was difficult to examine in the awake pet.  He planned to re-examine her under sedation and attempt to confirm my findings.  I heard no more from either owner or veterinarian at that time.

I did, however, receive over 800 new hits the aforementioned blog.  Because of this, I am writing an update in hopes that someone out there may help me to help this dog. 

Last week, I received a fax from the Tennessee rescuer of the dog.  The fax was a second email from the owner requesting I call and speak to her veterinarian.  This time, the pet had been diagnosed with a vaginal lymphosarcoma, another cancer, (per the owner).  It did not list a contact for the veterinarian but did list a contact for the owner. 

I called and spoke to a mature woman who seemed panicked about the state of health of her pet.  Her previous pet had died of cancer.  She did not want to lose this new pet whom she loved.  I asked her how the veterinarian had diagnosed her pet and if she had shared that the pet was intersex, but she became confused and asked me to talk about it with her veterinarian.  She told me she could not understand it all.  I told her that I had already spoken to her veterinarian once about the pet.  She explained to me that she lives part of the time in one state and part of the time in another.  I had spoken to the veterinarian in the first state.  She needed me to speak to the new veterinarian in the second state.  I asked her for the number and told her that I would be happy to speak with her doctor.  She was unable to give it to me until she had found a magnifying glass to read it.  She apologized that her vision was extremely poor.  Before we hung up, I asked if she minded to tell me why she had taken her dog to the vet.  She told me that the dog was going through terrible fits of licking "down there" and her stomach would get very hard.  The owner said she was in terrible pain. 

I called the number she gave me and was advised that the doctor to whom I should speak is currently on an extended vacation, but will be given the message.  I asked the receptionist to write down the blog address and my phone number to be given to the veterinarian.  Sadly I have not heard anything further and no longer have the contact information. 

Could this dog be sexually stimulating herself and the owner may be perceiving it at as pain?  Could the pet have an undiagnosed vaginal infection that was undiscovered after the "mass" was found?  I am quite sure that since the owner is unable to understand and communicate her hermaphroditic state to her veterinary care givers, this poor dog will be forced to endure a clitoral biopsy or amputation. 

My hope in publishing this update is that a previous member of the veterinary care giving team or a current member of the veterinary team will read this update and intervene on behalf of the pet.  Please direct her veterinarian to the blog of her surgery and/or have the veterinarian contact me.  I'm happy to discuss her case. 

If she truly has new tumor in her vulva, it must be addressed.  It will prevent unnecessary pain and embarrassment if the problem could be understood without surgery, especially if they are seeing what I saw. 

And, most importantly, if the state of the dog's sexual conformation could be explained to the owners in a manner that they may understand and convey to her future caregivers, the benefit for this dog will be life-altering.  It may be that the owner will never be able or willing to understand her state.    Perhaps it could be permanently attached to her health records, though they seemed to have failed to travel with her through two moves.

If you feel you may be able to help this owner and pet, please respond to the blog in the comment section.    If you can act on your own, please do so.  If you can share contact information with me that will get me back in contact with the owner or veterinarian, I will not publish this contact information. All comments are sent to me for approval before publishing and the information will be deleted unpublished. 

Thanks for your assistance.  I'll be continuing to try to find them from my end...and would love your help.