Finding a tumor on your dog is always scary. What to do next can be daunting too. As luck would have it both my co-worker and me dealt with this question recently.
One night a few weeks ago, while giving Xek a massage, I noticed a mass between his ribs. I was understandably quite concerned, as Xek is 11 years old and Goldens are prone to cancer.
Xek went to his vet, who found a couple of other masses. The vet thought that the masses were fatty tumors, but did a needle aspiration to make sure. Thankfully, the tests came back normal.
My co-worker and friend Lynn found similar masses on her 7 year old dog Wilma. Lynn's vet, however, advised Lynn to have the tumors removed and tested. Lynn didn't feel comfortable with her vet's recommendation and called a family friend, who is a well known veterinarian in New York City. He advised Lynn that if he were treating Wilma, he would do a needle aspiration biopsy, rather than removing the tumors. Lynn followed his advice and is happy that she did so - Wilma, by the way, is cancer-free.
We all want to make sure that our animals are well cared for and receive the best medical attention available. However, we need to be conscious guardians of our pets. Putting an older animal through surgery for fatty tumors that are not affecting them is probably not the best course of action. If they are having mobility problems or discomfort as a result of the tumors, removal may be advisable. Follow Lynn's lead, however, and get a second opinion if you feel that what you are being told might not be the right course of treatment for your dog.
Good luck and good health.
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1 comment:
Wow, I didn't know anything about this till u wrote it...
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