Thirteen year old Lab possible tumour.

[nabbers]

Mainly Lab although I'd swear she has some Springer in her, she came from a Game Keepers Mum in Dent.   In her thirteen years she has had no health issues until three months ago.    She had started drinking a lot of water and then urinating in next to her bed so I got her to the vets and they did a blood and urine test and said there was blood in the urine, but no diabetes or kidney issue markers.   They thought it might be a urine infection or a tumour, so as an initial treatment, they put her on a course of anti biotic to test the former and the issue went away,  but now has returned,   then she has the added embarrassment that has recently stated happening  of  pushing out solids in her sleep on her bed even after she has had an extended period of exercise. If she has a poo on a walk, she doesn't stop and do it any more, but they fall out as she walks along.  Sometimes after a walk, she will be at home a short time and then have a poo in the house, almost as if she has lost control over her anus.    She is pretty fit for an old dog, can leap fences and ditches, run for miles, has a big appetite.    She's not drinking the massive amounts of water that she was, but does drink water.       Back to the Vets, but I wondered if any of you fellow dog owners recognise these issues?

Edited April 23, 2022 by nabbers

[Dave at kelton]

Sadly yes it’s part of aging, incontinence etc. I think you may know what comes next. Good luck it’s a difficult time.

[ditchman]

better to let the dog go a little too early than a little too late.........this is the resposability the dog puts on to you......its always difficult..its a price we sign up to

all the best my friend..

[old'un]

if the vets suspect a tumour have they done an X-ray to confirm either way?

[nabbers]

Thanks for the comments.   "Incontinence" was the word that was eluding me!    And sort of puts it in perspective.    

[nabbers]

20 minutes ago, old'un said:

if the vets suspect a tumour have they done an X-ray to confirm either way?    

No thats the next step,  It was my decision, rightly or wrongly to hold.  I wanted to try her on anti biotic for the suspected urine infection first and initially it did appear that was the case.  I had another dog in the past, same age with the same symptoms and that turned out to be a urine infection.    

[Windswept]

This sounds similar to our chocolate lab. She's over 14 now and has had joint problems for most of her life. I think part of her toileting problems now are due to her finding it difficult to squat.

About 6 months ago a large lump appeared above her back hip and we have assumed it's likely to be cancerous. Thankfully the vet was very understanding and seemed to agree with us there's not much that can be done. If we find out for sure it's cancerous it doesn't seem likely our dog would survive an operation to remove it (wound would require skin grafts etc, etc). To be honest she's lasted longer than we expected and doesn't seem to be in obvious pain so we'll see how it goes.

[samboy]

I think once a dog becomes old and starts having problems its time for it to go.

Harsh sad words but why prolong things. They only get worse. 

My 12 yr old Lurcher goes to the vet on Friday for a lump on his neck

hopefully its not serious but if it is its goodbye. I will broken hearted but i wont see him suffer.

Plus in my opinion Vets will Bleed you dry. I took my 11 yr old Whippet in 6 months ago because

he was ill. They charged me £350 then wanted another £500 so i had him put down.

Gutted i was but why keep throwing good money after bad. 

  

[Rob85]

7 hours ago, samboy said:

I think once a dog becomes old and starts having problems its time for it to go.

Harsh sad words but why prolong things. They only get worse. 

My 12 yr old Lurcher goes to the vet on Friday for a lump on his neck

hopefully its not serious but if it is its goodbye. I will broken hearted but i wont see him suffer.

Plus in my opinion Vets will Bleed you dry. I took my 11 yr old Whippet in 6 months ago because

he was ill. They charged me £350 then wanted another £500 so i had him put down.

Gutted i was but why keep throwing good money after bad. 

  

Some vet practices really do know how to bleed people dry, usually the ones that focus on family pets. I find ones that deal a lot with agricultural animals as well tend to be better.... they are also more likely to have been around working dogs too.

It really pays to find out whether your vet is a proper veterinary practice of partner vets or a concern owned by a financial company.

One vet local to me tried to charge the girl who grooms one of my dogs £1400 for a stitch up job on her cats paw after claiming the damage was worse than a cut, it would have been cheaper to take the leg off and even though she suggested that they said nope we won't consider it, as it was a semi feral farm cat she just told them to put it down. She found out afterwards that the vet practice was bought along with another by a financial company and is run as a maximum profit business, all about the money rather than whats best for the animals. 

[yates]

21 hours ago, Rob85 said:

Some vet practices really do know how to bleed people dry, usually the ones that focus on family pets. I find ones that deal a lot with agricultural animals as well tend to be better.... they are also more likely to have been around working dogs too.

It really pays to find out whether your vet is a proper veterinary practice of partner vets or a concern owned by a financial company.

One vet local to me tried to charge the girl who grooms one of my dogs £1400 for a stitch up job on her cats paw after claiming the damage was worse than a cut, it would have been cheaper to take the leg off and even though she suggested that they said nope we won't consider it, as it was a semi feral farm cat she just told them to put it down. She found out afterwards that the vet practice was bought along with another by a financial company and is run as a maximum profit business, all about the money rather than whats best for the animals. 

Sadly my own personal experience only confirms what you are saying. 

[al4x]

On 23/04/2022 at 09:46, nabbers said:

No thats the next step,  It was my decision, rightly or wrongly to hold.  I wanted to try her on anti biotic for the suspected urine infection first and initially it did appear that was the case.  I had another dog in the past, same age with the same symptoms and that turned out to be a urine infection.    

I’ve got one that’s getting close as well, to my mind a little incontinence is to be expected with age.  My old girl does wee in the house at times and we thought it might be an infection as well. She seems to have shaken it off and it’s now a rare event.  She potters about and does a morning walk fine but slightly senile.  I’m glad I have a thermal as you let her out in the garden in the evening she just disappears and would stay out. 
Eats like a horse but is getting thin but not suffering, when she is we will do the right thing.  So basically you give them a chance and I wouldn’t do more than anti biotics for an ancient dog