Abbey's Story

“Abbey” Smith is a 2 year old golden retriever that initially presented to us because of a milky fluid that kept building up in her chest around her lungs.  Without removing the fluid with a chest tap, she couldn’t survive.  She had multiple chest taps prior to referral, and the fluid would rapidly build up again.  Something had caused a duct, called the thoracic duct, that courses through the chest, to rupture.  This can happen with tumors, major trauma, or even infections.  Everyone had feared the worst.

Abbey’s referring veterinarian had tried various medications to control the problem to no avail.  Abbey’s family was then faced with a decision to consider major surgery or to let her go.  Surgery involves exploring the chest cavity for the underlying cause and ligating the thoracic duct and removing a part of the pericardium – the sac that surrounds the heart.  This type of surgery requires a lot of expertise and a lot of intensive care to follow.  Even with surgery, there was no guarantee that Abbey would recover.  In addition to the difficult decision about doing the surgery came the burden of the financial considerations for such an undertaking.  Surgical bills and intensive care bills can exceed $6000.  Due to financial constraints, this was something that was overwhelming to Abbey’s family.

The Popeye Animal Cancer Foundation provided significant financial support for Abbey’s surgery and recovery, because prior to surgery, cancer was at the top of the list of considerations for Abbey’s problem. 

Dr. Walshaw took Abbey to surgery on January 28, 2008.  Miraculously, at surgery, a large inflammatory mass was found that was caused by a piece of grass material.  A portion of her lung had to be removed as well as a pericardectomy performed.  While at a very critical stage, it was not cancer, and this improved Abbey’s chances. 

Abbey was not yet out of the woods.  At surgery, she had to have a chest tube placed.  Following surgery and healing of the duct, fluid can still continue to accumulate.  As long as fluid continues to accumulate, the chest tube must be kept in place.  Usually within about 10 days after a surgery like this, the tube can be pulled.  Unfortunately, Abbey kept producing fluid.  The concern was that although the inflammatory mass had been removed, there may have been enough damage done that recovery was not possible.  However, after weeks and weeks of almost 4 times daily tube drainage and care, the fluid levels started to decrease until finally, on March 20th, we were able to remove the chest tube.

Abbey is now clinically normal and so far, no fluid has developed.  Thanks to Dr. Walshaw and to the Popeye Animal Cancer Foundation, Abbey is enjoying a happy, active life with her family.  Although she will require continued monitoring for awhile, the outlook is very positive.