Looking for advice - husky with tumour

[ADrabLittleCrab]

So my girl has been diagnosed with a mast cell tumour.

To give a quick bit of background, basically a few months ago my DH brought her back from her walk and asked me to look at the base of her tail as there was blood dripping from it. I couldn't see anything, mostly because her fur is so bloomin thick, so an appt was made. Vet shaved her tail and there's very clearly an extremely large mass on her tail going up onto her back. He couldn't explain it so prescribed antibiotics with a wait and see approach. After a couple of days, bleeding stopped and we assume all ok.
Fast forward a few weeks, fur growing back, all good, when blood starts dripping again so back to the vets. See a different vet who takes xrays and a biopsy and eventually confirms mast cell tumour.
Long story short, it can't be removed because of where it is and no chance of getting decent margins and we have taken the hard decision that we won't be doing chemo. Vet confirmed chemo would not be curative and it would just prolong the inevitable. Like I say, a hard decision but one I stand by.
So to the current problem - the tumour is basically bleeding all the time, a constant dripping. I've tried dressing it but it's right at the top of her tail so every time I bandage it, it just works it's way down and comes off. I know this sounds awful and I do love my dog but there is blood everywhere, there's drips all over the carpet (she's been restricted to the hall now) blood up the walls as it sprays every time she shakes and I just don't know what to do. Like I say, I love her but the house is getting ruined and I feel awful as she's gone from being allowed everywhere to now getting chased out of rooms.
The vet is supposed to be talking to colleagues to see if there is any medication etc. to stop the bleeding but I haven't heard back from her yet.
Other than this, ddog is happy and you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with her if she didn't have this huge bleeding mass.

Any advice? Has anyone experienced anything similar? I'm really pulling my hair out now.

Anyone?

Aww, poor wee thing!

Have you looked at the vet tshirts/onesies? We used one when our girl was spayed instead of the cone of shame - would it cover the area?

www.vetsend.co.uk/medical-pet-shirt-dog/

This is dreadful.
There are specific dressings designed to stop blood loss, though I presume they are not intended to be used longterm - you can buy them in a pharmacy. Sorry I can't remember what they are called now but I had one in the house when ddog slashed his paw on broken glass and it worked like magic.

Unfortunately the shirts just miss the area that's bleeding, although they are great and I'll certainly remember them for the future - certainly much better than the tied on t-shirt affairs that she's had to endure in the past😀 I'm going to look at styles though because if it just comes down the top of her tail slightly more, it'd get it.
I'll have to see if I can find the dressings but the difficulty is keeping them in place.

It is awful - my understanding from online research is this is basically what some tumours do but we can't carry on like this. I'm constantly washing walls, the house smells like blood and we can't have visitors as if she brushes against you, you get blood smears. I'll chase the vet tomorrow - there has to be something they can do, even if it's not a long term solution (I doubt we've got that long anyway really) ☹
Thank you for your ideas ☺

Could you create something like this: leerburg.com/tail.htm

Or use a high neck / polo neck / turtleneck child's top, and put her back legs in the arms and tail in the neck? Would have to be removed for toileting though.

All good ideas, thank you ☺

I know you've ruled out chemo, but would you consider radiotherapy? It's used in mast cell tumours, and while its not going to be a long term cure it would deal with the local tumour nd should stop the bleeding

I hadn't considered it but simply because the vet has never mentioned it! I will raise it with them tomorrow when I chase up about any medication options. Thank you.

I think it’s really sad she’s kept in the hall now when she’s ill .

Yes it is sad and I hate it but we're not talking some miserable cramped little hallway - the hallway is L shaped and runs the full length of our home, with every room leading off. She's asleep quite happily now half in and half out the front room (bleeding end outside). But I do have to be practical, we have to live here too and living with blood splatters up the walls, blood stains all over the carpet and the place smelling of blood is really, really unpleasant.
And to be honest, right now, she's not ill. She's absolutely fine, eating everything she can and pulling like a train on her walks.