If you have a female dog please read this !

Discodog

Just a warning regarding breast cancer. My Saluki loves laying on her back, on my lap & having her belly rubbed (if only women were so easy to please !).

I noticed a tiny hard lump about the size of a grain of rice & took her to the Vet. Leanne (the excellent vet in Barna) advised an immediate removal & lab test on the lump.

It turned out to be a malignant breast tumour. The outcome for the dog is good because I spotted it really early before it had a chance to spread. Apparently many people find small lumps & then wait to see if they get bigger before going to the vet & then it is too late.

So if you own a female dog please check her for lumps & go to vet if you find anything no matter how small. Breast cancer is less likely in a dog that has been spayed before it's first season but it is still worth checking.

A couple of minutes every week can make all the difference.

Jules

Fantastic post... well done for spotting it and getting it removed. A lot of people are of the mind set, ah sure ill keep an eye on it and if it gets worse ill take her to the vet. A few days can make all the difference.

Good job!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Thanks OP.

I don't post in this forum anylonger, but I had to thank you for making me aware of this.

I'd have never thought it, I'll be very aware of it now thank.

.

Honey-ec

Mairt wrote: »

Thanks OP.

I don't post in this forum anylonger, but I had to thank you for making me aware of this.

I'd have never thought it, I'll be very aware of it now thank.

.

OT, but Máirt, why don't you post here anymore? I hope some of the ridiculously anti-animal posters didn't put you off.

OP, good post, and just to add that the same applies to checking intact males for testicular lumps.

PrettyInPunk

Aww wow thanks thats really good to know.

olaola

Always look out for lumps - not just on the undercarriage!

Neutering your dog will reduce the chances of this type of cancer also.

Discodog

Jules wrote: »

Fantastic post... well done for spotting it and getting it removed. A lot of people are of the mind set, ah sure ill keep an eye on it and if it gets worse ill take her to the vet. A few days can make all the difference.

Good job!

A few days can really make the difference. On Monday I took the dog in to have her tumour removal stitches out. The vet checked her carefully & asked me to bring he back today just as a final check. Today we found a second tumour, the size of a rice krispie. This tumour had appeared in 4 days !.
So it's back on Monday for operation number two.

olaola

I did a little research on this a good while back when our last dog had mammary cancer. Here is some info:

"Regardless of age, ovariohysterectomy is often performed concurrently with mammary tumor removal. The reason for this is that a number of these tumors have the potential to metastasize to other areas of the body. The cells which have metastasized, like the parent mammary cancer cells, are often stimulated by female sex hormones. Ovariohyslereclomy removes the source of female hormones and thereby decreases progression of the disease."

http://www.petresource.com/Articles%20of%20Interest/new_views_on_neutering.htm

leadinglady

Dogs could get these too, id say.(well men can). Perhaps we should be checkin them too. And im not been facicious here but what about the other bits, should they be checked now that we are on the subject? - maybe by the vet for fear of losing a finger....

luvablelizzie

2/3 years ago I had a female cairn terrier, I found a tiny little lump on her tummy..brought to a vet on the Dublin road (in Galway)..he said it was nothing, just a blood clot.
I had also been taking her to the same clinic for treatment of a 'bladder infection' for god knows how long (which he had also told me was normal because of her age, 10).

9 months later after refusing to see the same vet and actually standing my ground this time(i used to be extremely shy), I saw a female vet. And she diagnosed my baby/best friend with mammory cancer, and said that, 'had it been caught in time she could of lived a much longer life'.

At this point it was too far advanced and I had to make the decision to get her put down. Hardest decision of my life. But I learned my lesson, and I have stood my ground since then and I've stopped being afraid to stand up and say what I think.

Discodog

I would of sued your vet. I once had a spaniel that was desperately ill. I was convinced that he had an intestinal blockage but £1000 later the vet insisted that it was liver failure. In desperation I sought a second opinion & the new vet removed a wine cork from its gut !. I threatened to sue the first vet & got a full refund.

The stitches come out Wednesday but after two tumours in three weeks I will have to be vigilent. People must realise that these tumours are tiny - imagine a rice krispie under the skin.

Yes males do need checking for testicular lumps - but make sure that the neighbours don't see you !

here.from.day.1

Something I wouldnt have even thought of, thanks OP.