Any vets around? Massive ethical issues

[NewYoiker]

Our 4 month old puppy was attacked last week and today as a follow up they checked over her mouth and found a lump that wasn't there last week, it's 'of the bone', not soft tissue about the size of a pea. The vet wants X-rays but he isn't happy.

It's definitely bony but the vet suggested putting her to sleep or refer her to a hospital or Fitzpatricks for removal of her jaw bone and inserting a metal plate or just removing the jaw.

Is there any way it isn't cancer?

X rays on Friday and I'm so worried

So basically at the moment you are paying through the nose for a batshit crazy vet. Get all the tests done you can - preferably at some other vets - your pup is just that, a baby, they deserve a chance. Obvs if it is something really serious you need to consider the dogs best interests, but at the moment you dont know. I wish you both all the luck in the world

Don't have her put down!!! My dog had a random lump in a similar place and he lived to be 15, and was fine! If it's not cancer and she seems fine then why would he want her put down? I'd go to a different vet

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How did you get on OP?

Like human doctors you get good and bad vets.

You can only make an informed decision when you have the facts. To suggest PTS on a young dog without any clinical diagnostic tests including a simple X-ray is not a vet I would go to again.

Hi OP - not sure which bit of GM is best for you but Armac Vets in Bury are brilliant. They do the out of hours cover for our vet practice and were superb. They have direct pay arrangements with most of the major insurers as well, so can deal directly with them which makes life easier for you.

OP, as someone who had a puppy of that age die under anaesthetic, I’d not only run away from a vet who suggested PTS, but also adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to the lump. The mortality risk from anaesthetic is much higher for smaller dogs, including puppies. Let the puppy gain some weight before addressing the lump. Btw, my neighbour’s schnauzer has a recurrent benign oral tumor which grows back when removed - they wait as long as possible each time ; it really doesn’t seem to bother him. Fingers crossed for your cute furball.

Good luck with your gorgeous pup OP.

There was actually a dog that got his jawbone replaced with a metal substitute on Supervet today. Hopefully it won’t come to that but he looked to have a pretty good quality of life afterwards.

Keep us updated

So we went away and found a different vet who did an x ray today and found she has a tooth that was impacted in her jaw and a bit of the dogs tooth in there for good measure so she's had both of her baby teeth and the adult tooth that was impacted and the other dogs tooth removed. It's really infected so she needs to have a week of tablets and then probably some more tbh. She keeps howling she's feeling very sorry for herself but she doesn't have cancer and she isn't going to be put to sleep

Awww that's horrible but in the grand scheme of things really good news.

Don't worry about the howling, it's completely normal after a general anaesthetic, which I assume she had. Doesn't mean they are in pain.
She is supper cute and I hope she's back to normal soon :)

I'm not a dog but a human(!) and had exactly this type of lump on my back for many years. It didn't increase or decrease in size. Eventually opted to have it removed for practical reasons (bra strap rubbed it) and it was benign. Can't believe your vet is over-reacting in this way. Wait and see, have more tests as needed.

Great news and I hope she feels better soon x

So glad your puppy is okay. I would be strongly tempted to go back to the original animal killer vet and let him/her know how close they came to killing an animal for no good reason.

I dread to think how many people have pts their beloved pets at this vets advice.

Aww- what a cutie! Great news, OP!

Thank goodness for that! I would be phoning the other vets, telling them just how wrong they were and complaining to high heaven.

I would genuinely want to put them out of business if it was me.

So pleased always wait for results!

I think you need to get this looked at at a higher level OP. You have had shockingly bad advice. Check out the RCVS website and see what you can and cannot complain about.

Excellent news NewYoiker I would consider reporting vet to RCVS.
To offer to euthanise a puppy prior to investigations is terrible

I am so happy to hear your puppy is going to be ok. I do think you should complain about the vet. If he’s done that before then people may have had otherwise healthy pets put down.

I'm glad she's ok but seriously what utterly bizarre behaviour on behalf of your vet and I'd be reporting. The while thing is bizarre tbh.

So so pleased for you and your lovely pup.

Didn’t want to say before, but something similar happened to our GSD pup after she was attacked and badly bitten by two golden retrievers on the towpath near our house.

She recovered after surgery and lived to the grand old age of 14 years.

Your little one will be up and about before you know it.

Oh and yes, please complain about that vet. Ours was amazing and never once suggested pets.

Oops. Never suggested pts

Phew! Thank goodness, OP and gentle hugs for your beautiful pup. ❤️

Absolutely complain to the RCVS about “can’t fit her in for an x ray until Friday but can pts today” WTFuckery. I would never trust that practice again.

So pleased for you that it wasn’t cancer.