Decisions, decisions. . .

[Cudedog]

My Joe is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday to remove a couple of moles, I am having second thoughts.

My wonderful, much-beloved (by me!) Joe will be 9 years young in a couple of months. About 15 years ago I had a wonderful dog, same breed as Joe, about the same age - I merely had his teeth cleaned. Immediately afterward, he seemed a bit "off" (but not obviously so). A few days later he suddenly and unexpectedly died. It just about killed me.

I am reading up on dog surgeries in general, melanoma in dogs (these moles might be melanoma), and anesthesia in older dogs. In dogs, the fatality rate due to anesthesia is about .1 percent - one in one thousand (for people it is one in ten thousand).

If this is melanoma, most references state that dogs with malignant melanoma survive about a year after surgery. Average life span for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is 12 - 14 years.

I have always said that I am not one to put a furkid through advanced treatments, chemo and the like. Why? Because such things are stressful and often painful for the furkid, and one can't tell them that this is to help them, not to make them suffer.

So, one minute I am ready to have the surgery done, the next minute. . . not so much.

Whatever happens, it is likely, at my age, that my sweet and wonderful Joe will be my last. Partly because of my age, partly because it tears me up so bad when they go. As all of you know, this parting never gets easier.

So what to do? I don't know if I am looking for advice, moral support, or what, exactly.

Your thoughts would be a help, and a solace.

Thanks.

Anne

[Bethers]

I can't help with this decision. I see the merits of both decisions. All I can do is tell you I'll support you in whatever you decide. Hugs.

[OregonLuvr]

Exactly what Beth said. You will do what you think is best.

[snowball]

Even though I know that it was best for Shadow to be put down I've had second thoughts after the fact could I have done more ect... so I think I understand your concerns... best of luck in your decision... a hard one to do ...
and whatever you do will totally support your decision
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

The surgery doesn't sound too invasive, just surface removal, is that right? Is it the anesthesia you are worried about?

I don't know much about all that so I can't speak from any experience, so I guess you will have to weigh the pros and cons and then follow your gut on this decision...

[JudyJB]

Is there a specific rate for Staffordshire Bull Terriers? Is it one of those dogs with a shortened snout?

Also, how dangerous are the moles, and do you know if they are melanoma? Or will they only know that after they are removed?

And as Barbie said, this is pretty surface surgery, so could they do it with a very light sedative and/or local anesthesia? Maybe even with you holding him with a muzzle?

Sorry you have to go through this difficult decision. It is one of the reasons I have not had a dog in 30 years.

[Cudedog]

Thanks to all who responded to my concerns. To answer a couple of questions (sorry if I am missing some!) Judy asked if Staffordshire Bull Terriers a "shortened snout". Yes, they do (although they are not "smash-faced" like many other breeds. The shortness of the foreface can lead to some (generally minor) breathing problems such as snoring. Of a bit greater concern is that this shortness can inhibit their ability to cool themselves by panting (dogs don't sweat like people do), thus one has to take special care with them during hot weather. This also does not make them good "outside dogs" in warm climates.

To answer Barbie's question:

The surgery doesn't sound too invasive, just surface removal, is that right? Is it the anesthesia you are worried about?

Although the lesions were small (but slowly growing) anesthesia is always a bit of a worry with an older dog (Joe is 8 this year), and "surface removal" is pretty much never an option (although, like you, I had wondered about a local to have them off). The reason for this is that when doing surgery, it is not known whether a lesion is a malignancy or not until a biopsy is done afterwards. So it is common - and recommended - in veterinary practice to remove as much tissue around (and below) a lesion as is possible, because if a lesion was later to be found malignant, a second surgery would be needed.

To sum up, with a lot of thinking, soul-searching, and a good conversation with my vet (it is so wonderful to have found him, after my previous vet retired - he owns his own practice, and is not one of those "corporate vets" which I have had poor experiences with) I decided to have the surgery done - Joe's bloodwork was fine, he is not getting any younger, and the lesions were slowly growing larger. Best to have it done now rather than when he might be older).

Joe came through the surgery with flying colors, and has had no ill effects aside from being a bit dopey for a few days, due to the pills I was giving him for pain and to keep him quiet.

There were 5 lesions in total, when I picked him up he looked kind of like "Frankendog" with stitches, it seemed, everywhere. Although a bit alarmning, this was to be expected.

I had the lesions biopsied, WONDERFUL news - all 5 were benign!! OMG, such a weight off of my heart. Another thing he mentioned is that - sometimes - a benign lesion if left to grow can sometimes become malignant over time.

My vet said to watch him, there was a small possibility they may come back - but he was confident that they would not. . . because so much around them had been excised.

LOL. Now I can get back to breathing again!! This boy is my heart. . .

Sincere thanks to all of you who offered your thoughts and encouragement. It is SO wonderful to have someone - many someone's in this case - to share one's life with.

Thank you.

Anne

[JudyJB]

Wonderful news! I was wondering what you decided.

Some airlines will not fly a "smashed face" dog, so even with just a shortened snout, it can be worrisome.

[BirdbyBird]

Such good news for you and Joe. Now you both can breathe easier.

[Acadianmom]

Great news.

After Annie's last trip to the vet's I found a lump on her side about the size of a quarter. It doesn't seem to hurt her if I push on it. The vet wanted to run some test on her the last visit and I didn't want to put her through all that, the state she was in. She is finally back to normal, normal for Annie that is, and has put on some weight. Her annual check up isn't until August so need to decide whether to wait til then or get the lump checked out. I'm wondering if that's where he gave her a shot. She had two, one for allergies and one for infection because she had licked her tail and back raw.

Martha

[monik7]

Great news Anne! (((((HUGS))))) for you and Big Joe.
Sandi

[Bethers]

Anne, that's fabulous news. We always have to make these decisions and they are never easy. But our lives would be so much less without our fur friends.

Martha, another hard decision. Moxie had problems after most vaccinations. Her vet stopped some of them. She'd get a lump and I'd massage it daily until it was gone. It didn't seem to hurt her as much as me. And it was always caused by the shot. Has Annie's stayed the same?

[snowball]

that is great news Annie now you can enjoy him without the worries
sheila

[Cudedog]

that is great news Annie now you can enjoy him without the worries
sheila

Thanks, Sheila. Much appreciated.

I often think of you and your Shadow. Your post of a few days back, where you said you thought that maybe you should have done something differently, and that you maybe should have/could have done more. . . really touched a nerve with me. It moved me, I should have responded then, but am doing so now. . .

Sheila, I think most all of us feel this way when our beloved companions inevitably part from us. I know I have felt this way every single time I have lost one of my long-time, beloved canine friends. And I have lost many over the years, blessedly never to accidents (Please, God, praying it may never be so), but to age and infirmity. It is the same great hurt, for me, every time. It doesn't change. . .

Long ago I was tearfully lamenting my regrets to a close acquaintance, after a special favorite had gone, who knew me - and my dogs - quite well.

She said to me this: "I know that you feel that you didn't do enough. But please be comforted in knowing that there are many - perhaps even the very vast great majority - who would never have done nearly so much."

I offer these words to you, Sheila, in the hope you might, in turn, also be comforted.

Anne

[OregonLuvr]

Anne so happy to read this today. I was wondering what course of action you were taking. I think you did the same thing I would have done. Emma has a couple of small lumps but the vet said they were just cysts so not to worry and they are small but I know they are there LOL she had 3 and one ruptured quite a while ago and never came back. So we are just going with the flow and no more have popped up. Great news they were benign for sure.