Oh, the dilemma! Have had these discussions with myself on several occasions.
Whatever you decide, you know Boomer the best and will do what is best.
So far, I've had about five bumps aspirated. Pretty routine. Last week, found a tiny, hairless bump about 1 cm below the hairless edge of his lower jaw. It was hard & had a bit of a peak at the time. Now it looks like a simple bump. Saw the vet today. It's probably nothing to worry about - a sebaceous something that's about oil, glands... something like that.
A tiny chance it could be a mast cell tumour (which I thought happened on the body, not the jaw).
Too small to aspirate. Can't be sure unless surgically removed. This means, of course, blood work as prep for the surgery, the surgery, and another cone of shame during recovery. Pet insurance won't cover the blood work and surgery because the cost will equal the deductible but if (I sure hope not and the odds are against it) he needs more medical treatments, insurance should kick in then.
Advantages of Surgery:
- I'll know for sure it's not mast cell
- if it turns out to be mast cell, probably low grade so high odds of clean margins
- I won't have to monitor the bump for changes
Disadvantages of Surgery:
- it's surgery and Boomer's older than the last time
- it's probably not mast cell and money will be spent that doesn't need to be
In the two and a half years I've had Boomer, he's had to wear the cone of shame four times. He's had three surgeries. I was SO happy to have a cone-of-shame-free summer with Boomer. The blood work we'll do because it might indicate something that might be related to his recent bouts of nausea and buy me time to make a decision.
This is me thinking this whole thing out.
Oh, the dilemma! Have had these discussions with myself on several occasions.
Whatever you decide, you know Boomer the best and will do what is best.
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Kissing Bandit
Java (10-30-2017)
Hard choice. If I knew I'd be at peace with not doing the surgery - i'd probably not do it. But if I was going to just stress big time and I could swing it I may consider the surgery for peace of mind (hopefully). I don't think there is a wrong answer either way.
Fingers crossed bloodwork is good and it doesn't grow or get "weirder".
Ivy
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Java (10-30-2017)
I think for me it would depend on what I would do if the lump came back malignant. If I would pursue treatment, then I’d do the surgery to have it biopsied. If I would just keep him comfortable and not be at all aggressive with treatment, then I wouldn’t. Not an easy call by any stretch. Personally, I don’t let money come into my decision making, but I know not everyone has that luxury.
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
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Java (10-30-2017)
Tux is nine, he has one fatty tumor I found a few years ago that was super simple to aspirate, and came back fine. About a year and a half ago I noticed a small hard bump on his right ear flap. I showed the vet, and she said b/c of where it is at, it is impossible to aspirate b/c the needle would go right through his ear and it would be a “big bloody mess”. She said if it ever grew in size to where she could get a needle in there she certainly would for my peace of mind. She did not seem concerned at all, but of course I sat and obsessed over it. We had a couple of other visits for to her for various reasons, and I would always mention the bump, she would look at it and say it was still not possible to aspirate it. The fact that she didn’t act concerned would always put my mind at ease. At a visit we had earlier this year I actually asked her point blank if it could possibly be a mast cell tumor. She did not think so, she said MCT’s usually rear their ugly head in some form to make it obvious pretty quickly that is what is going on. It’s now been a year and a half since I first noticed this bump. Tux had senior bloodwork done last month and everything came back perfect. I can always feel the bump when I pet his ear but at this point I don’t worry about it at all. I’m another one who doesn’t make decisions based on cost, but if it were me I think I’d opt not to do the surgery at this point for the sake of not putting Boomer through it. Continue to monitor, do yearly bloodwork, pay attention to any behavior changes, etc.
Java (10-30-2017)
All valid points (I've read them all several times). I'll have to wait for the blood work.
Blood work indicates liver enzymes higher than back in February. No surgery because liver metabolizes anaesthetic and we need to test it first. Since he's had two bad episodes of nausea this past month and low key episodes for the past few months that I thought was anxiety (but in retrospect must've been nausea), we're going to start down the testing path.
- how liver responds after eating (bile acid response test?)
- test for Cushings disease
- x-ray & ultrasound imaging of liver
- removal of a bit of liver for pathologist
None of this will be covered by insurance as they excluded the liver due to a test result from before adoption.
One step at a time, I guess.
Test 1 was negative for whatever it was testing for. Test 2 negative for Cushing’s (which is both ‘whew’ & ‘uh oh’). Tests 3 & 4 are scheduled together. If Test 3 is negative for sludge in gall bladder or anything else gall bladdery, then it’s onward to test 4.
As if to test my resolve, Boomer had to go see the vet today because his left eye was bothering him. One eye stain, a diagnosis & a bottle of eye drops later = cone for next 7 days & drops 3x per day. Nothing serious so that’s good but, oh Boomer, the cone of shame again!
He looks like he thinks it's all a big joke. Good boy. Get Better.
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Castilleja's Dubhgall Oban, the Black Stranger of The Little Bay
Oct. 15, 2007 - June 13, 2021
Oxtongue Rapids Park. Oct. 2019 Hidden Content
Java (12-05-2017)
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