Jazz my 13.5 year old poodle who had his toe removed more than 4 years ago (probably cancer, but didn't check) has now got several lumps, the worse one is on his back and looks like a polo covered in hair. He is virtually blind and deaf but his sense of smell is still better than all my other doggy residents! He is a fine example of an old dog. Well after our visit he is now on anti inflammatory medication and antibiotics for a week and the vet possibly wants to remove the lump under a GA so we will have to see whether in a week I want him to have a GA, I am secretly hoping that they can put a band around it and it will drop off. So a good visit really for Jazz, and I was well behaved other than one minor disagreement about ear cleaner. The vet looked in his ears and remarked they were hairy and dirty, yup.....I agreed and it is on my list of jobs to sort and she gave me that look that I dread and said '' Ear Cleaner'' well folks I don't do ear cleaner, no doubt it works but I just have never used it on any of my dogs who also have never had ear problems. I don't consider a dirty ear as a problem so I said ''NO'' why pay for something you are not going to use. I think I must have a lot of black marks against my name. Worth remembering that although dirty ears can be ok, dirty smelly ears are not, there is a huge difference.
As for the anti inflammatories, I will wait and see as, although he is stiff legged he still manages at least an hour sometimes jogging on the beach every day, and he has no ill effects. If we take away the stiffness, will he do something daft, that is what bothers me, afterall he is still a crazy poodle that dances on his back legs when excited and still takes corners too fast when playing....take away his stiff legs and he is quite likely to kill himself, he is blind and deaf so a loose cannon potentially.
So my old man Jazz is doing fine for now and I will keep you posted.
