To think he isn’t ‘just’ an animal?

[RhodaCamel]

My lovely, lovely little dog has to have a lump removed tomorrow.
He has had this fatty lump for a couple of months and I honestly thought it was a fatty lipoma so was absolutely shocked to hear the vet tell me on Saturday that it’s a mast cell tumour, it will need removing, sent to pathology and in a week we will find out what we are dealing with.
The vet did start to talk about what happens if it has spread and there was talk of possible radiotherapy or chemotherapy etc, which are obviously very expensive treatments. I would have to borrow the money for something like that tbh but he is the absolute joy in my life so I would definitely consider it.
However, dh says he says he wouldn’t want to put our dog through it and in all honesty what if we spend all that out and he doesn’t make it anyhow etc, that we have to think of the expense.
I’ve mentioned it to a couple of friends and several have said no way would they spend that kind of money, some wouldn’t even have the lump removed!! And according to them he’s only ‘just’ a dog at the end of the day.
This saddens me so much because these friends would quite happily spend thousands a holiday or something materialistic yet look at a beloved pet as something almost disposable.
I am a dog walker so spend a lot of time with dogs and I can honestly say they are nicer than a lot of humans I know!
So maybe I am BU but he’s been with me 8 years, he’s with me all day every day and has helped me though depression etc. I can not think of him las a nothing, to me he is a huge part of our family and not ‘just’ anything.

I love my pets very very much and I have paid out loads of money on vet bills over the years.
I think you judge each case individually and you never know it may just be a fatty lump after all! If not I would definitely proceed with treatment, the dog is youngish at 8. You say your dog is small, so after recovery you have a potential 7-9 years together yet!
My advice to you is that it’s your dog and your responsibility and you know in your heart and head that you will do everything to save your pet. Your posting because you are upset and anxious, yes it is sad people don’t care about their pets and I don’t know why they have them but that’s not you! Best wishes to you and your dog.

@RhodaCamel
I’ll keep everything crossed for your boy as will the dogs 🐶
Take it a step at a time, I was floored by my girls diagnosis especially as we had lost a dog a year before to cancer of the spleen, the size of lump sounds like you’ve caught it early, my girl is a small staffy and they took a 15cm margin which did leave a large wound but it healed well, unfortunately due to position a ligament was cut in her leg so a fairly slow recovery but now she’s running about loving life.
The week for test results is very long, get him in asap for removal and hopefully it’s been caught early.
I’m bull breed owner and MCT are very common in them and I know quite a number who’ve had positive outcomes.

Thank you JKScot4 that's good to know. The op is tomorrow and next week half term so the kids will keep me busy whilst we wait!

Ah, Norfolks are hardy little creatures, and 8 is usually still a spring chicken in Terrier terms

I hope it goes well tomorrow and the vet gets it all out with clean margins. That can be a tricky area but it's not the worst and I'm sure it will be fine. If you have any questions feel free to pm me, but it sounds like the second opinion vet is doing a good job.

Good luck op. It's exactly a year tomorrow since I found my ddog's lump. She is still here!
The hard part is not feeding them their breakfast. Ddoggy dm guilt!
Don't forget post op food to spoil your ddog tomorrow night. And for you - it will be a tough day.
Updates welcome op..

vetoncall and whynosnowyet will keep you posted 🤞🤞🤞

Just dropped him off for his op. Bloody hell that was hard, he looked to scared and small 😰

My wonderful Seanna (the 1st) had cancer. She was my mom's pride and joy and possibly loved her as much as she loved us (she used to say she wished she was a little girl). Anywho she had cancer. My mom did the whole thing, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, in the end she had to put her to sleep. A few at later my uncle died of cancer. My mom always says Seanna's real purpose was to prepare her for the loss of he brother. She mourns them equally. No they're not just dogs. They're family, just not the human type.

RhodaCamel, my staffy had about 6-8 mast cell tumours removed over his life, from about 8 years old onwards. A very big one on his belly that had to be reoperated on as the test came back indicating more margin needed to be taken.

I had decided against chemo and the vet removed the MCTs as they came up. He saw the vet monthly for cartrophen injections for his arthritis, so he was checked over regularly.

He got what looked like a rash, but was a subcutaneous mast cell that couldn't be operated on. He was nearing 14yo by then. That was very aggressive and I made the decision to put to sleep when it started bleeding (the wound wouldn't have healed and would have gotten worse). He was happy in himself up to the end and his vet agreed it was the best decision for him.

I know how scary it is to hear the "c" word. My experience was pretty positive. He recovered well from the ops and they were effective to remove the tumours. The tumours never recurred in the same location. Mast cell tumours are apparently common in staffies.

All the best for your boy today. Hope everything goes well.

YNBU

I do love my dogs but I would not put one through chemotherapy or radiotherapy even if it were free.

I do believe they are family and not just a dog or cat. I would have the lump removed but I would draw the line at chemo etc. Not because I begrudge the money but because I don't feel it is fair on the animal. Quality of life over quantity. It is wrong to keep doing evermore invasive treatments for the good of the human at the detriment of the animal imho. I am not saying you would do this op but just that you need to think before it gets to that point how far you would take. I have a cut off point with my cats, dogs and horses and know what I would and would not put them through. Nothing to do with money but their quality of life.

I don't think YABU to feel what you do, but I also don't agree with you. We have 3 pets, and I wouldn't spend lots of money on treatment for them. My brother and SIL spent over £1000 on treatment for their cat, and it died the next week. They didn't have that money, it was a complete waste. Animals get ill and die, as long as you've given them a life they've enjoyed, I think it's ok to let them go, especially if you'll end up borrowing and in debt to pay for it.

Everything crossed for you and your dog OP that his op goes as well as it can and it's the best case scenario.

I had a beautiful cat Tom, he has cancer and we kept his till his back legs become immobile and then made the decision to put to sleep. Its not cost its quality of life for sure, as someone who lost their mum to cancer I'd rather put a pet to sleep when they had quality of life than put them through treatment that might not work

Thanks all. I am on tender hooks until we go get him. Coming back to a home without a waggy-tailed greeting felt so cold and empty. I am keeping fingers crossed that we don’t have to think about chemo or radiotherapy for him, I do see all of your points, it is about quality of life over anything else, so 🤞🤞🤞
k123 sorry you lost your lovely staffy but very reassuring to know he lived a good life with mct’s.

Totally agree with you OP, humans are “just” animals too, but animals with a hell of a lot of self importance.

When you take a pet on, you are responsible for them and make decisions in their best interest. Sometimes big operations aren’t the best way to go, we have to be sure that we’re doing it for the animal and not ourselves. But to just flat out refuse to pay anything for a pet’s health, a pet that you are responsible for, who depends on you, well then people like that shouldn’t have pets.

Wishing doggy good luck with his op . Like you I would do everything possible for my animal and on the basis of the vets advice on options for dealing with a condition , pros , cons etc would do what was I considered to be in my dogs best interest . Essentially if any treatment beyond surgery was considered , relatively tolerable for an animal with a good chance of cure ( and of course everyone views survival statistics differently ) then I would absolutely go for it .
BTW mast cell tumours survival stats are excellent for dogs .

Sending love for your furry family member.
My darling cat last year suddenly developed a severe heart condition and from start to finish of me finding out and her passing away was about 5 weeks.
She was perfectly fine (to my knowledge) and then suddenly the vet picked up a heart murmur and next thing I know she’s having to be sent to a different vet far away (specialist) who works occasionally with the supervet Noel (I knew it was serious when he told me that) her investigations were horrible and her diagnosis worse.
Suddenly she would collapse and fight for every breath. I knew her suffering had to be stopped.

All I can say is thank god for insurance because it would have cost thousands.

People don’t ‘get’ it because they haven’t been there or they aren’t animal people.

I hope all goes well today

We spent over £10,000 on our dog after an horrific accident. We all went without holidays etc to pay for all the treatment to keep her with us. I feel that if you make the commitment to an animal you do all you can, she loves us with everything she has, we owe her to do the best by her. It was worth it, she is as good as new almost!

Off to go get him now, have made him up a nice blanket bed near the log burner for this evening. Good to know there are so many cherished pets out there, wish all pets could have such loving and caring owners.

Lots of hugs to your wee boy 🐶🥰

Hope he is ok and the treatment is promising. Of course we have to decide if it will be fair to put the animal through the treatment and this is something your vet can advise you on.
I thought you might like this poem shared by Noel Fitzpatrick www.noelfitzpatrick.vet/blog/just-a-dog/

Hope it went well. My cat was not just an animal to me. Until last July when I lost him he was my one constant companion for 15 years during which time I had my daughter followed by my marriage ending. He was my companion when my young daughter went to bed. I miss him desperately now. So no he wasn't just an animal. If I had one wish it wouldn't be for money, a better job etc it would be 5 more minutes with him.

There's no 'just' about any beloved d family pet. Let's hope that those who don't understand that never have a pet.

Wishing the very best for your wee dog

YABU I agree with your DH but know a lot of people that think I’m terrible for not rating animals as highly as people