old dog, new tumor, what do i do?

Question

My dog is 16, kind of weak, pants a lot. Doesn't have a lot of time left, I would guess. Has a new tumor in his ear. The size of the tip of a sausage link, and seems to be growing rather quickly. It's laser sugery, outside of body...but he'd have to be put under. My choice is to let it get too big, til I'll need to put him down OR get him an expensive sugery that he may not survive. I love this dog with all of my heart, for all 16 years, he's my boy. Please offer some advice, I need to make a decision soon, and I go one way then the next. Thank you.

Answer 1

get the surgery!!! or talk to the vet and see if this tumor is causing him pain if it is and you cant get the surgery for him you need to put him down now it will only get worse

i know its hard to see a animal that you love pass away believe me i had to put 1 of my dogs down he was 16 as well however he had horrible ear infections that never went away and he was blind i couldnt bare to see him in soo much pain (he was my dog ever since i was 2 years old so he was more like a brother you know)....but any ways i know its hard but you need to do whats best for your dog

the best of luck and if you do get the surgery i hope he pulls thrugh!!

Answer 2

Anesthesia, while always risky, is much better and more refined these days. I would say "go for it." You say your dog pants a lot. Has your vet checked his heart? If it is just a localized fatty tumor it should go all right. Laser surgery tends to heal more quickly than traditional surgery; your vet can advise you. Depending on whether it's widespread or localized is a factor. If he makes it through, he will be more comfortable and you will have more time with him. If he does not make it through, at least you will know he is not suffering and you will have tried. One thing is certain, to leave it and do nothing is to guarantee a limited amount of time for him and some possible discomfort (can't tell by your description). You vet can give you a better assessment, of course. You may also want to check out a Yahoo group and see if there is one for pets with cancer (I know there is a feline lymphoma group).

This is a tough decision to make; I wish both you and your dog the best.

Answer 3

Is this tumor a fatty tumor or is it malignant? Older dogs sometimes have fatty tumors that pop up, alot of times they have many of them, but it's normal as long as they are not harming the normal functions of the dog, like walking etc. they don't need to be removed. Sometimes they just look ugly and people don't like it so they have them removed. On dogs older than 8 years it is important to do bloodwork to make sure the organs are working fine, an ekg is also recomended to "catch" any problems before the dog is put under anesthesia, if the dog seems to be pretty healthy it might be a good idea to do the surgery after all your dog has given you many good years and there could be many more. I hope all goes well, and if you decide not to do the surgery don't feel bad, no one wants to see their loved ones suffer more than they have to.

Answer 4

What do they think the tumor is? If cancer, then I would say spend alot of time with him and love him while he is here and when you notice any pain, take him in to the vet, if it's just a benign tumor and you have the money, go for the surgery because then you will know you did everything you could to help him and you will not feel guilty.

I'm a Rainbow Bridge pet loss counselor and I have seen it every way you can imagine, pet owners keeping pets on life support, some putting them down for no reason then feeling guilt, you name it.

I think since you asked the question your heart is telling you try the surgery but your rationality is saying it's expensive and he may not survive. I think for your peace of mind because you love him, you need to give him the chance to have it and recover, but only if it's not cancerous. That makes the difference, cancer is a cruel disease and with his age if it is cancer, it's probably going to return or require much more extensive treatments, so at that point, love him while he's here and take him in when he shows pain.

Answer 5

Well... 16 is a good long life.. you have obviously kept very good care of him.. He has no doubt had a good life. I would say.. Given how hard surgery is on a dog of any age.. and how very hard it is on an old dog... That's probably best not to have the surgery, and let him live the rest of his life out.. You could very well have the surgery and he doesn't make it, or he lives for only a very short time afterwards..

I would think any good vet wouldn't try to encourage surgery on a dog of that age. They know how hard anesthesia is on the dogs, so a good vet would likely tell you to forget the surgery and let him live his life.

What sort of odds can your vet give you? He is 16 years old, how much longer can the surgery really prolong his life?

Answer 6

You need a 2nd opinion. I can relate, my boyfriends dog is 17 yrs old and he has tumors growing here and there. He has dementia and forgets who I am and growls. He is going blind and I think has cataracts. He cant find his food unless you put it under his nose, so we dont toss him any treats.
I think he needs to be put to sleep, but he still whoops up the energy once in awhile to head to the river for a walk, so he cant do it. The dog spends a lot of time sleeping.
I would probably just see if there is some way to sedate the dog to remove the growth, so he doesnt suffer. I would not let it get giagantic until its making him misreable and they have to remove it or put him down.
Peace for you and your sweet little doggie.

Answer 7

Okay your dog is 16, that's a great nice long life! I have put my pets through chemo, surgery, etc. for types of cancers. Here is what I learned over time. Unless I had a very young dog, I would never do it again. I watched what they went through, and it was not very nice. The recovery from the anesthesia is so difficult on the older dogs. I wish you the very best with your choice...

Answer 8

you should objective to get you youthful dogs to give up liking the tumor of the eldest dogs via fact if no longer then it's going to be very perplexing for the tumor of the dogs to heal via fact the tumor is getting contaminated with extra germs. Now if the lump is long previous then there is probably no longer something to be stricken approximately whether you should give up your dogs from liking the tumor of the different dogs via fact they could fairly fall ill

Answer 9

I dont want to break your heart but it sounds like the best thing to do is have your old boy down. He has had a long life with a person who loves him. Dont let his last few days on this earth be full of pain and sadness for him and you. You never let him down in the past dont let this be the one he cant trust you to do the right thing. I know just how hard it can be, I wish I did not but sometimes it is the best and only option.
so sorry for you and your boy

Answer 10

I went through this with a 15 year old dog. We chose not to put her through the stress of surgery and let her enjoy the time she had left. It's a personal choice - neither one is easy.