Tumor in dogs mouth

[cassie]

This is just a comment. As others have said, a biopsy is essential Hopefully the mass is benign. If it is malignant, this is a case where you can spend a whole lot of money but only give the dog a short reprieve before the inevitable. That said, things don't happen until they do. Get the biopsy and only then decide where to go from there.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

This is just a comment. As others have said, a biopsy is essential Hopefully the mass is benign. If it is malignant, this is a case where you can spend a whole lot of money but only give the dog a short reprieve before the inevitable. That said, things don't happen until they do. Get the biopsy and only then decide where to go from there.

Shes getting the biopsy done. Not sure when we will get the results. She has said to me that "if he only has 6 months to live they will be the best of his life. I dont care if he gets fat". Im not voicing my opinion to her that it might be more humane to put him down rather than have him suffer and be in pain. I feel that way about her other dog as well. He has to take pain pills just to stand up in the morning and walks like hes drunk all the time. I dont think its much a life for him but its not my dog so its up to her. She is against euthanasia and wants to hang on to them as long as possible. I cant blame her for that but i feel past a point you need to consider what is best for the dog and not yourself.
I dont want this to turn into a rant of to cull or not to cull. Im just expressing my feelings regarding her pets. If it were me i would be doing the biopsy as well.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I get what you're saying. I feel for both her and the dogs. I truly do understand what a hard choice it is to make.


About all one can do (other than vet care) is to hope for the best while bracing for the worst.

Thank you for updating. The dog has been in my thoughts today.

 

[drumstick diva]

Years ago my Cocker spaniel developed a red lump on her gums. Vet removed, report came back as " gum disease." What the???" Came back again. Vet removed half of her jaw - still came back gum disease. Before her stitches came out, it was back again. Had her put to sleep. There was no way on earth that it was "gum disease." She was only 10 years old.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Years ago my Cocker spaniel developed a red lump on her gums. Vet removed, report came back as " gum disease." What the???" Came back again. Vet removed half of her jaw - still came back gum disease. Before her stitches came out, it was back again. Had her put to sleep. There was no way on earth that it was "gum disease." She was only 10 years old.

Thats awful! I hope youve switched vets! I wonder what it really was...as an update his appointment is not next but the following friday. Ill try to update with the results. Her other dog gave her a scare yesterday because they switched his pain meds. She thought he was gonna die because of how much it screwed him up.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

She just lost the old dog today at 4am. He had multiple tumors in him and one burst causing internal bleeding. The one with the mouth tumor is still alive

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Express to her that she's in our thoughts on here and how sorry we are for her loss hun

 

[townchicks]

I feel for your friend, it's hard to have 2 old dogs going at the same time. As others have said, the biopsy is really going to be the key. Sadly most oral tumors are malignant. They rarely can be removed completely, and grow back. My brother went through this with one of his dogs, the tumor was debulked twice, and when it grew back again he decided not to put her through any more. It continued to grow to the point she had trouble eating, and he had her put down. I'm sure it was a shock for your friend to hear the prognosis of 6 mos., and some may think that the vet was cruel or insensitive, however, some people have a hard time recognizing that their animals are in pain or will die. Your friend is against euthanasia, and I'm sure her vet could see what she was putting the other dog through. I think he felt that she needed to be able to prepare herself, and IMO, that is kinder in the long run. Giving false hope is not kind. I'm not saying you shouldn't wait for the biopsy, there is a possibility that it is benign, and you are a good friend for supporting her. But if the tumor comes back as malignant, the kind thing is to gently help her get her head around the idea that he will die. I don't see anything wrong with her spoiling the dog meanwhile. It is not likely to hurt him, as long as she doesn't cause a badly upset stomach, and it will make her feel better.