Shade's Story of Laryngeal Plasma Cell Tumor
Shade, a 3 year old Bichon, had difficulty breathing. We eventually found and removed a rare tumor (called plasma cell tumor) in her larynx of voice box. One year and 4 months later, her owners JG & KG, wrote this amazing email:
“Dr. Zeltzman, We are writing you today, a letter that is long overdue. Back in February of 2012 you came in to our family vet’s hospital to help with our puppy Shade, who was having severe breathing issues. When we convinced our doctor to do an X-ray, she saw what she thought was a tumor in her throat. She emailed you the photo and you agreed that it was a logical assumption.
After waiting for what seemed like days to speak to you before she would go under we were notified that you had already arrived and were underway with her surgery. Our doctor explained that there were many risks involved in this surgery, and that with the tumor where it was, intubation may not even be possible. After several grueling hours for my family, you emerged with a smile and said that she had pulled through and called her our “Christmas Miracle”. We cannot thank you enough for the “borrowed” time we have had with Shade since that horrific day.
We wanted to write you to let you know that since the surgery, Shade quickly returned to her usual playful self. She recovered quickly and is running and jumping again. Her only noticeable side effect of surgery is a slightly “deeper” voice. We returned to our doctor this February [2013] for an annual X-ray to make sure the cancer had not returned. Thankfully her tests have all been negative since you intervened.
We cannot thank you enough for your efforts on that day. We have no children, and our puppies mean the world to us. Every minute that we have with her since that day, we owe to you. So again, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”