Things aren't looking so grand for Duke...and I need to cry about it. His ear...I thought it was just irritated...the vet thinks it's cancer. Duke has a few other lumps, which he had when we got him. Benign fatty tumors are common in labs, and he has an ugly one on his paw. The vet is pretty sure Duke has a cancerous tumor on his ear. His lymph nodes are swollen. The ear is also infected, so Duke is on antibiotics. He is too smart, it took several pieces of bologna with the pill hidden in it, I finally had to tip his stubborn beak into the air to get him not to spit out that pill.
The vet took a tissue sample to send in to the lab....she said that if it isn't cancer, the ear will have to come off. Most of the ear. Now, I don't know about you, but we don't have tons of money floating around to spend on dog surgery. It if IS cancer, we obviously wouldn't do the procedure...I mean, Duke is almost ten. He has lost weight, and has been hobbling around since we got him, but worse now.
The whole thing is just heartbreaking. I need to go cry.
5 comments:
I think I know exactly how you feel and I cried too when we had to run those tests and make those decisions. Sending you a hug even though I know that doesn't help a whole lot.
Awww!! I'm so sorry. Of course you can cry.... A lot!
Aaaaaaaaawwwwww............... :-( I am so sorry Della. I could cry too .......... I have 2 labs and 2 previous to these. They are such beautiful dogs.........
Marilyn from Canada
I'm so sorry about Duke. Usually a lurker, but delurking to say use peanut butter for the pills. Our one year old pup came down with an immune system disorder and requires daily pills for now. When we started, I'd give him a bit of PB on my finger and then a little more with the pill - slides right down. He even watches me put the pill on my finger. Good Luck, I don't envy you the decisions to come.
I know Duke isn't a People, but we love him. Emma, thanks for the tip. I started giving him the pill with bologna or a piece of chicken, and tipping his "handle" up in the air, and it seems to work. ("handle" is what Jon calls a Lab's nose...he says, "Look at your cute little handle!")
And thank you for the kind words...:)
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