Can a lump on an elderly dog be anything NOT fatal?

[ShinyAndNew]

My mums little black lab has a lump at the base of skull. She is around 15 years old and has been losing weight, but still has a very good appetite.

The lump doesn't move when you try and move it. This is bad isn't it?

I am kidnapping her on Monday to take her the vets. My mum daren't take her a she is besotted with her and couldn't handle any bad news and knows she wouldn't be capable of making the best decision for the dog if the worst is recommended and my Dad is too ill to walk to the vets alone and doesn't have a car during the day.

The dog isn't in any pain and still has a fair quality of life, although she appears to have gone deaf lately. She still loves her walks and gets very excited when I go around as she knows it's walkies.

I guess not. I might just leave it. That's what my Dad wants to do, as she is not in any pain. Hence the reason I would have to kidnap her to get her there.

I was just hoping there might be something they could do to prolong the inevitable if it is cancer.

I would leave it too. My parent's dog was 15, had been very healthy up until then, when he started having fits and generally being quite ill. They took him to the vet and he was put on all sorts of medication. He lived on until nearly 16 and the vet undoubtedly prolonged his life.

But afterwards, my parents regretted ever taking him. That last year was terribly stressful, not only for them, but for the dog. He just got iller and iller and needed more and more medication, and the fits got worse and worse. He died after going through so much, they honestly think in retrospect it would have been kinder not to have rushed him to the vet that first time.

With a younger dog, I'd be down the vets like a shot. With a 15 year old, I'd be leaving well alone rather than putting him through all that stress for maybe a few months more at best.

Animals are very good at hiding pain though - they hide signs of weakness. So although she may appear well enough she could be suffering.

I would go to the vets for advice and reassurance that she's not in pain. You don't have to consent to any treatment you feel is not worthwhile - any good vet would not suggest prolonging the life of a suffering animal anyway.

Good luck.

Hmm fair point Stormy. She is normally a big wuss and squeals if she so much as hits her tail off something, but she is comfortable with you touching this lump.

I might phone the vet and get his opinion. I'll be taking her to see the vet that see's my dog anyway, because he is lovely and I have no doubt that he wouldn't do anything that wasn't in her best interest. But taking her to the vets, in itself upsets her, as it means she has to be separated from the other dog, which they both hate.

Hi shiney- my in laws have a lab the same age who has alot of hard lumps- she had some removed for biopsy but they turned out to be non cancerous,she has one of her head too that hair no fur ontoo which was also fine.
it may be worth a biopsy, just to be safe , are your mum and dad insured?
I think it was around £250, and just a couple of stitches. I should say though that the inlaws don't think it was worth the bother because she's still eating and happy etc. Hth!

is the dog insured? i know with my insurance i can phone almost like an animal nhs 24 and ask for advice regarding a possible problem. do your parents have that?

No they won't get insurance because they are eejits. Well actually it's because they have very good credit and my Dad says that he'd rather have massive credit card bill if anything happens than have to pay £££ every month and never need to claim.

One of the dogs is a very large breed so would be very expensive to insure. My dad figured he's be better off just keeping space on the credit card.

It can just be a fatty lump