<p>I have a beloved dog who I beyond adore and deeply love. She is a constant companion and is equally attached to me. When I was clipping her nails early this week I noticed a small bump right above her pad on her paw on her front right leg. My DIL is a vet and she was coming for Thanksgiving (she lives 3.5 hours away) and she looked at it and is somewhat concerned that it is a mast cell tumor. She can only determine that by aspirating it and looking at the cells. If it is, there are a few options. First, she would want to do a chest X-ray to make sure there was no sign of cancer in the lungs. If there is, the conversations ends. It becomes about living a loved, comfortable life. If the lungs are clear, removal of the tumor is the obvious choice, but successful removal means taking margins of at least 2cm on a dog’s leg that is not much bigger than that, which more than likely means amputation of the leg followed by chemo. I am torn between allowing my sweet baby girl to live a full joyful life, even if only for 6 months vs living a life racked with painful surgeries and harsh medications, all for a chance at a few more years. She is eight years old and is a breed with a general life expectancy of 12 years. The only other scenario is removal of the tumor without the recommended margins and hoping for the best (which will more than likely be the choice) because in 50% of the cases that is sometimes enough. I am leaving for son & DIL’s house Tuesday so she can start the process. I trust her and know she will lead me in the right direction but she is the first to admit that there may be no “right” answer and that sometimes we fight too hard to keep pets alive for our own desires and not for what is best for the animal. Would live to hear other thoughts…</p>
<p>{{{{ hugs }}}}</p>
<p>This is such a tough decision. </p>
<p>Get the tumor aspirated so you know.</p>
<p>I think you just have to wait until you know what you’re dealing with. If you did remove the tumor w/o the margins, how much of her leg would be gone? </p>
<p>I am going thru a little bit of this with my 12 year old doxie. He had cancer 2 years ago. They were able to remove the tumor and the margins. We keep checking for more…so far things are good (fingers crossed). However, we know at anytime we could be facing dire news.</p>
<p>BTW…Sammy had THREE tumors, but only one was cancerous. So, don’t lose hope.</p>
<p>My 9 yr old golden is lying next to me. She is in her last few days of life, I think. One thing I would sgtrongly suggest is, if it is a malignancy, to consult a canine oncologist. We have found that they know a LOT more about chemo options than general vets.</p>
<p>After just going through cancer with a dog, I think your and your DIL’s thoughts are in the right place. First is to see what the aspiration shows, then go from there.</p>
<p>D adopted a sweet little older corgi/lab mix in February. He had a hard lump on his shoulder that the we and the vet felt was just an “old dog lump”. Her general feeling is that if it is not causing any problem, leave it alone. If it opens, then we remove it. Well, it opened in April. When they did the surgery to remove it, it was determined to be a very aggressive basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma that was very extensive and intertwined around the leg muscles. They had thought before they got the malignancy report back that if it was benign, removing the leg could be a possibility. But when it was malignant and so aggressive, all bets were off and we went into palliative care mode for as long as we could keep him comfortable. He was little trooper. And aggressive it was. We had to keep it bandaged (figure 8 around his shoulders) or he would scratch it. D and I changed the bandage together every few days. We would have a vet visit every 7-10 days. At each visit they could see it growing larger and larger. It was a monster. We spoiled him rotten. Then one night he was panting more than usual (we were assuming it would travel to the lungs if it was not already there). My H called to me that he fell down. He had a look of fear in his eyes. We decided it was time.</p>
<p>Heartbreaking as it was, we had to let him go. We had him only 4 1/2 months, but he brought so much to our lives in that time. We are forever grateful to him.</p>
<p>I wish you luck and hope that it is benign, but you certainly have the priorities in order if it is not.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry. I would want to at least get all the information- the aspiration and the xray- and go from there.</p>
<p>Consolation- that breaks my heart. Please keep us posted on your dear Golden. Mine will be 11 in March- has lost an eye (glaucoma) and is on all sorts of ointments and drops for the good eye (and the lost eye)- but otherwise is OK so far. I know he is getting up there, though.</p>
<p>Consolation…</p>
<p>{{{ hugs }}}</p>
<p>This is such a hard time. If you’re up to it, take a couple of pics of you with your beloved dog today…even if they’re selfies. I recently saw some pics that people took of themselves and their dying dogs and those pics are treasures. </p>
<p>I wish I had done that last year when my sweet Missy was dying.</p>
<p>I went through this in October. Our lab’s large mass ruptured and all decisions were taken out of our hands. I still cry sometimes and miss her tons. You have my sympathies, Consolation. Enjoy these last days with your golden.</p>
<p>I agree as to the OP. Your vet will give you a lot of guidance. Keep us posted.</p>
<p>Hugs to you all who love and care for you animals. One of our goldens, age 10 at that time, developed cancer of the spleen. We kept her for two weeks in our arms. And she died. I am a cancer survivor. I have undergone chemo. I wouldn’t pick that for my dogs. Yes, I am still here and happy that I am here, but dogs don’t understand that kind of pain. </p>
<p>Our current goldens are 12 and 14. We take them to the vet as required. They are rescues. My husband and I have discussed this…they are living blessed lives. We will be devastated when they die. But we have given them all our love, so there will be great sorrow. But no regrets.</p>
<p>Timely thread for me - as we are dealing with the final weeks of our 7-year-old schnoodle’s life. He was diagnosed with lymphoma exactly one year ago. We opted to do chemo - 16 treatments - which actually went quite well. He went into remission almost immediately and it lasted until just a few weeks ago.</p>
<p>We have opted against further chemo and are just giving him prednisone. Vet oncologist estimates his remaining life expectancy at 2-3 months. We are very sad, but I am happy to have had the additional months wth him.</p>
<p>collegeshopping - I strongly recommend evaluation by a vet oncologist. Sometimes they have more options available for you to choose from. Chemo, for example, can be IV or in pill form. There are numerous protocols to choose from. I am glad we did the 16 IV chemo treatments. While it was very expensive, it had minimal side effects - he basically had 1 day after each treatment went he didn’t feel great - and then he bounced right back - and this has given him and us an additional 10 months or so.</p>
<p>It also takes time for you to process this upsetting news and evaluate your options. So don’t feel like you have to make an immediate decision. I wish you and your pooch the best possible outcome.</p>
<p>My beloved pointer had mast cell cancer as well. We did exactly what you are thinking of doing because it was on his nose. They removed the tumor without doing it to the recommended margins and we did a short course of chemo. He lived three more years, so we were very lucky.</p>
<p>I wish you the best of luck as you make these difficult decisions.</p>
<p>I am so very sorry, collegeshopping, and hope the very best for your beloved furry family member. I agree that a needle aspiration is needed to determine, for sure, what’s going on with your dog. </p>
<p>DH and I went through the same thing this past January with our sweet Corgi, Sadie (10 3/4 yrs). We felt a lump on her neck one night and took her to the vet the next morning. Needle aspiration and a lab test confirmed mast cell tumor. It was determined that the lump on her neck was a secondary area, and the original tumor was likely in her snout or head. The surgeon told us it was impossible to perform surgery since it likely originated in an area where it would not be possible to excise the entire tumor including the clean margins that would be needed in order to get it all. After much consultation, we decided palliative care was the best option and we treated her with steroids, antihistamines, Prilosec, and several other meds that I can’t remember at this time. We kept her as comfortable as possible and spent the next eight weeks just loving on her and giving her prized treats. </p>
<p>I’ll be thinking of you and wishing the best for your beloved doggy.</p>
<p>So much to think about and I really appreciate your stories. I am just trying to think everything through before I am in the emotional firestorm Tuesday will bring. She is a pug btw. Best dog I have ever had the pleasure of loving and blissfully unaware that anything is wrong. I am waiting till later this afternoon but plan on taking her outside and shooting more photos than any pet owner should…lol. We are never guaranteed tomorrow.</p>
<p>Keeping you in my thoughts, collegeshopping. Our vet removed a lump from my 11 year old Lab’s face last year, as we were both was worried that it was a mast cell tumor. It sure looked like it when I compared it to the online pictures. It turned out not to be anything malignant at all. I hope you get the same news after the aspiration.</p>
<p>I have lived through the experience of having a beloved pet (black lab, had him for 11 years) go through all the cancer stuff. Besides being emotionally and financially draining, I don’t think I did my precious boy any favors in making him go through 2 1/2 years of treatment. He was a Canine Companion, and therefore had the best care possible and Canine Companions helped offset the cost, but the end was the same, and it was tragic at the very end. </p>
<p>8 years later, my newly adopted best friend of 5 years, woke one morning with half of his face paralyzed. He couldn’t swallow. We went to the vet and as soon as the “testing to determine” conversation began, I just knew I could not do it again. So I said good bye right then and there. No, I have no idea what happened that caused him to become partially paralyzed, and no, I have no regrets. </p>
<p>1 1/2 years later I adopted my next (and current) boy who recently has sprouted a lump the size of a golf ball. I will not have any testing done on him either, and if he starts showing signs of being sick (and with cancer there are some signs, including vomiting, bowel and bladder issues among them) I will be as kind as I can be and say good bye to him as well. </p>
<p>It is the most heartbreaking experience, especially because they cannot talk and all you can see is pain and sadness in their eyes and body language, but I honestly could never go through the treatment experience with a beloved pet again. All of these things are personal decisions, and I don’t think mine would fit comfortably with many pet lovers. </p>
<p>OP, I wish for all tests to reveal benign fatty cells, and for your beloved pet and constant companion to live a healthy and long life by your side.</p>
<p>Thanks moonchild. That is what I am hoping for, just trying to prepare for the worse while my mind is clear.</p>
<p>1 1/2 years later I adopted my next (and current) boy who recently has sprouted a lump the size of a golf ball</p>
<p>I would (at least) have that aspirated to find out. That’s what my doxie had. A golf ball lump that suddenly appeared. Aspiration showed that it was likely cancer. The Vet removed it and said that it was the kind that once you get it out, the dog should be fine (no chemo, no later meds). So far, it’s been 2 years and he’s fine. </p>
<p>I know that my vet is super cheap. The surgery was less than $500. 
So, not too bad at all. And it was two vets doing the surgery together.</p>
<p>I got a quote from the vet to aspirate this lump on my boy, and the quote was $1,100 (aspiration, testing cells, antibiotics) - I simply do not have that kind of money to spend. Meanwhile he doesn’t appear to be bothered by it, and I am following his lead.</p>
<p>I wish vet bills weren’t so insanely expensive.</p>
<p>Interesting article on animal hospice in today’s NY TImes:</p>
<p><a href=“All Dogs May Go to Heaven. These Days, Some Go to Hospice. - The New York Times”>All Dogs May Go to Heaven. These Days, Some Go to Hospice. - The New York Times;
<p>Over 20 years ago we put our beloved shepherd/lab mix through 2 years of chemo. At age 5, she developed lymphoma and went from a bouncy, happy dog to a blob with a neck 2x its normal size in 2 days. Our vet gave us the bad news, but told us about chemo - who knew for a dog? Her first treatment was peri-cardial (injected into the heart) and he gave her a 33% chance each of it killing her immediately, nothing, and getting her on the road to remission. The next day she bounced out of the vet office with the swelling in her neck down considerably and we began weekly chemo for the first year, followed by bi-weekly the next year. After 2 years, she fell down the steps and the vet said he believed she was slipping our of remission and was past the point of no return. We didn’t regret the extra 2 years we had with her, as she had good quality of life. (only side effect was her daily prednisone pill resulted in a leaky bladder when she slept).</p>
<p>My second dog growing up had lots of fat blobs all over his body. The vet aspirated a few and never found cancer, so he stopped worrying about them. I think the dog eventually died when he was 12+. His big issue was that he tore both Achilles tendons when he was 4-5 years old - not at the same time, approx 6 months apart. He was too fat!</p>
<p>*I got a quote from the vet to aspirate this lump on my boy, and the quote was $1,100 (aspiration, testing cells, antibiotics) - I simply do not have that kind of money to spend. Meanwhile he doesn’t appear to be bothered by it, and I am following his lead.</p>
<p>I wish vet bills weren’t so insanely expensive.
*</p>
<p>That’s pricey. </p>
<p>My vet aspirated for $50…and looked under the scope himself and told me that the cells appeared to be an issue. He said that he couldn’t be sure until he sent it out. We went ahead and removed the tumor. The histology lab report was $100. </p>
<p>I guess the South is much cheaper vet-wise. Of course there are a gazillion vets here. A pet clinic on every corner, so maybe that’s why. Something about the South…there’s a vet, a bank and a pharmacy on every block. I can easily walk to 7 pet clinics from my home.</p>
<p>I read that article in the NY Times today. Very good article and timely for me. I highly recommend reading it.</p>
<p>I am going through a similar situation with my dog. She will be 14 in a few weeks. She seems to have lost a little weight recently and has developed a ‘cyst’ on the top on one of her paws sort of between the toes. She has had a lump on her side for a couple of years but the vet didn’t seem concerned and all her blood work came back fine last time. After researching the ‘cyst’ issue, it turns out that lots of dogs get it and most vets want to biopsy it and/or remove it but then it comes back. It is essentially a benign condition but often doctors and vets feel the need to be ‘certain’. Saw quite a few people complaining that their dog underwent a lot of misery for essentially nothing.</p>
<p>Anyway, she is due for a check-up soon and my husband and I have already discussed it. We don’t want to put her through any type of aggressive treatment at this age. She seems very happy, moderately active and I don’t want to put her through anything that would immediately change that. </p>
<p>We had an another dog that lived until 15. She developed a massive tumor on her jaw around 13. The only treatment would have been to remove her jaw. She lived almost another 2 years without much discomfort. I have no regrets. A lot of it depends on the dog’s age, the dog’s level of discomfort while undergoing treatment and how likely is it to be successful. A friend’s 10 year old dog developed Lymphoma recently and they opted for chemo as they were told it would prolong his life by at least a year. The dog had a bad reaction to the chemo and died within a couple of weeks. They were very upset as they had been told that chemo was safe and dogs generally tolerated it well.</p>