I noticed a small lump about the size of half of my thumb on my dog's nipple and a rice-sized lump near another one. It feels hard when you touch it but my dog doesn't seem to be in pain when we press on it. We think it's breast cancer but my parents say that since she's already 12 years old there's not point spending so much money on such a risky surgery. How long will she live from now if we don't do the surgery? How big will the tumor grow? And will she be in pain if we don't do the surgery?
Dogs - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Well, first you would have to know that it is in fact cancer and the only way to tell for sure is to go to a vet. Many older dogs develop fatty tissue tumours that aren't cancerous and are just a side effect of the aging on their body. Dogs are more prone to liver cancer than anything else. Assuming it is cancer (which I'm not convinced that it is), she'll likely last about 6 months. The tumours can grow to any size but don't often get larger than a golf ball. And yes, if it is tumour, in her later stages she will be in a great amount of pain (just like any human that has cancer). The tumours press on tissues and nerves and cause high amounts of pain. If you should choose not to do anything, your dog will suffer. If you discover it is cancer and can't be bothered spending the money on surgery and treatment, the most humane thing you can do is to put your dog down and end the suffering of the poor animal.
2 :
I wonder if you can get your fingers under the tumor. It could just be a lump. Your parents are right, at her age the anesthesia would probably be too much for her to handle. A vet probably couldn't do the surgery without risking her life from the surgery or the anesthesia. It would be hard for us to just guess things like that. Assuming it is a tumor, assuming it is cancer, depending on her current health, she could go on to live several years, or maybe not that long, we don't have the right to guess things like that. It isn't fair to you or your dog. It would make more sense to take her to the vets, or call the vet/vet tech and find out what is really going on, before you make yourself upset when you shouldn't be. Peace be with you.
3 :
Mammary cancer is highly treatable (most forms) I can not imagine not going in for a diagnosis. For some breeds 12 is not that old. Your parents are teaching you quite a lesson here. I guess when they get old and you make the health decisions for them, you can do the same thing and see how they like it. ADD: In my 40+ years of dog ownership of over 45 dogs, I have had PLENTY of dogs who had surgical procedures AFTER the age of 12. There is no reason an otherwise healthy dog can not have anasthesia as todays anasthesias are easily matabolized. Pre surgical bloodwork would let you know if your dog was a candidate for surgery
4 :
Is there any chance your dog is pregnant? If so, that could be the reason. Also, the lump could be a benign fiberous cyst which are harmless, or an inward boil which would only need an antibiotic. Is the lump growing and, if so, how fast is it growing? Usually, if healthy, a large dog will live to be 8-12 years old. A small dog could live to be 14-15. The larger the dog, the shorter the lifespan, usually. Are the cysts bothering your dog at all? If it is cancer, when your dog begins to show signs of discomfort, it's time to do something to alleviate his or her pain. You may want to ask your vet what type of pain reliever you can give her or him. But, if that doesn't work, then don't let her suffer......
5 :
It may not be breast cancer it may just be a fat tumor although fat tumors are usually soft. It seems as though when doctors or vets start removing cancer it seems to set something off and the cancer seems to spread faster..that's what a lot of people i know believe as well. My rottweiler was 12 years old when i found out she had breast cancer..my vet decided to remove it and three months later it came back but worse then what she had it before..i ended up putting her to sleep because she was so full of it that it started causing problems with her balance and bladder and i couldn't stand to see her suffer
Read more discussions :
- What is combined modality treatment for breast can...
- What are my chances of getting breast cancer
- How has the treatment of breast cancer evolved ove...
- What treatment is out there for small brain tumors...
- What are the chances of me getting breast cancer
- How do I help my sister get through her breast can...
- What are some good presents for people struggling ...
- How can I be most supportive of my best friend who...
