....................

[C.Ann]

This is going to take a LOT of thought...

 

[helenabear]

C.Ann, I wish I knew what to say to you, but I have no advice about this at all. Since you don't have to act immediately just find out as much as you can about it and think hard on it. {{{hugs}}} and prayers.

 

[Kermit]

I'm so sorry. I don't know what I'd do. I guess the best thing you can do is really watch him over the next few days and weeks and see what your gut feeling is as far as how long he has left and if he'll have quality of life. If it's not a very major surgery with a lot of complications, I'd do the surgery. As long as it would make him more comfortable and not worse.

{{{Hugs}}}

 

[helenabear]

C.Ann, I wish I knew what to say to you, but I have no advice about this at all. Since you don't have to act immediately just find out as much as you can about it and think hard on it. {{{hugs}}} and prayers to you!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I'm not sure how much the money is a factor in your decision. We have taken "long shots" on surgery for our dogs before with happy endings. Both dogs have been happy and healthy for a couple of years now when it seemed they were on "death's door" to the vets. If it's affordable and the quality of life will be there for some time for the dog I would say go for it. 2-3 years for a dog is still a long time.

(((hugs)))

 

[Rajah]

If the surgery is likely to help him be more comfortable and you can afford it, I'd go ahead and do it. 2 years is definitely worth the money for such a loving fur-companion. If you can't afford it right now, then I'd wait a little bit since she said it didn't have to be done right away.

 

[Saffron]

Oh C.Ann. I'm sure this is hard for you to deal with now, with all that you have going on. {{{{Hugs}}}} I agree with Rajah on this one.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

C. Ann, if you can afford it I would do it. It would only make your DH upset if things go wrong with the dog now. Pixie dust to you.
Robin M.

 

[Boots]

If money isn't an issue I would have it done. My cousin had something like this done once and her dog lived quite a bit longer than the vet ever expected. {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

 

[Beauty]

I took the risk on my Mindy-Lou. She was pregnant and we knew she should have had the babies. Took her to the vet and he said that there were simply too many kittens and that she was just too small. I don't know the specifics but I do know that he was afraid the surgery would kill her. I want to say a 80 percent chance she wouldn't survive even though she was only 2 years old. I looked at her and that was it, I would do anything to try and save her. Well that was 3 years ago and she is a fat, healthy, loud baby girl. I would do anything for my pets. I think this vet bill came to $1,500 after everything was over.

 

[chell]

I would get it done. You never know how long a dog will live. I had a poodle that was 22 or 23 years old! They didn't think she would live anywhere near that long.

 

[TigerBear]

If it was one of my babies, I would do it even if it meant charging the surgery. Only you and your dh can decide what is right for you and your furbaby. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Robinrs]

I found a mass in my cat's ear when he was 14 years old. Everyone, including the nightmare vet I took him to first... ugh .. thought the surgery was a waste of time.

Everyone except me.

I found a vet that thought it was NOT a waste of time and that no life was. That surgery cost me almost 400 dollars but it bought me 3 more years with my cat. My cat lived to be 17 which alot of animals without cancer can't claim!

I'd do it again over and over, he meant that much to me.

I agree, 3 years is ALOT for an animal.

 

[Serena]

I'm sure you'll make the right decision when you need to.

Me, if I had the money, I'd get it done right away.
If I didn't have the money, I'd try and wait until I did.
Or if it started bothering her, I'd get it done even if I had to charge it.
If she was in poor health, and I knew she wasn't going to last much longer, and she really needed the surgery, I'd do something else.

 

[DocRafiki]

Realize they're going by an AVERAGE life span, but you know individuals can live much longer than average. Cats die naturally at ~15 yrs (only counting cats that get vet care), but the oldest was like 32 years old! I don't know what would be a record for a Pom.

I would get bloodwork now and see what the general health is. If it's off, you may not want to do it. If it's all good, I would probably go for it. The vet only "thinks" it's benign. If you're going to do it, I would do it sooner rather than later when (a) he's ill from either cancer or other elderly concerns, or (b) the tumor's larger and more difficult to remove.

I don't really have strong feelings one way or the other. It's going to be a hard decision based on what's right for your whole family.

BTW, $500 sounds a little low to me. Does that include bloodwork and histopath? Then again, my last boss hiked prices severely, so I don't have a good grasp of average.

 

[TinkerPixie]

It would probably be a lot of comfort to your DH if the dog could be helped. I would do it for Miss Jazzy, our furbaby, no matter what the cost.

I know you'll figure out what's right for you! {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

 

[minnie56]

absolutely have it removed. Pomeranians can live a very long life and you may need your little friend in the months ahead more than you know!!
If money is a concern, perhaps your Vet would allow you to pay over time? I have had numerous cysts and lumps and bumps removed from my dogs (and cats) over the years and it certainly gave them a longer life along with comfort and quality.I had a Chow dog and although they are a good size breed not often living past 9-10 years, he lived to 15 and a half!
I think you'll never regret doing the best for your friend

 

[cotye]

I have a pom and when I was researching the various breeds (before we came to select a pom), I read that poms on average live 16 years. I'm not exactly sure myself since I don't know anyone else that had owned a pom. In any case, I would have the mass removed as well... anything to keep my little guy with me. He's so cute, but he's just a baby (17 months old).