Last update on this thread: Cancer question UPDATE: Cancer diagnosis confirmed

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Sorry to be so dramatic with my title. Long story, my neighbour has a black working cocker staying with her. Basically this dog belongs to a not very nice shooting type who upon finding a load of lumps on her front (she's 6yrs) has decided the dog is dying and has got another puppy. The cocker (Tarka) is getting stressed with the new pup and my neighbour is aware he's heavy handed so she's managed to get him to agree to Tarka having a 'holiday' with her. Seemingly this guy doesn't have much money and although he's said he's taken the dog to the vet and the vet has condemned the dog, my neighbour suspects not - he hasn't had a biopsy done so neither of us can see how the vet would know for sure.

She knows which vet he uses so going to try and find out if the dog has been seen but she's worried about this chap finding out as she suspects he wouldn't like the 'interference'. Quite frankly, I'm so upset I'm going to talk to my neighbour tomorrow and offer to take her to my vet and pay for it to be done. When I had a biopsy done on Normy it was with a needle and there was no 'evidence' afterwards so I'm sure we can manage it without the risk of this guy finding out. She suspects he'll shoot the dog as he doesn't have the money to treat her but IF she does have cancer and it's terminal, I'd pay to have her put to sleep.

She's a GORGEOUS vibrant 6yr old working cocker... my question is...

I had a good grope earlier and the lumps that she's has are nodular, quite hard and very moveable they're all clustered on her chest just behind her front leg - does anyone think there is a possibility this could be a collection of cysts??? The cluster is about the size of my palm but elongated if that makes sense?

Appreciate any advice/experience with this type of thing.

[bluegirl]

Usually a cancerous tumour has an irregular shape and has what feels like tentacles going into the surrounding area when you try to grab hold of it. Usually a benign tumour has a definite shape which doesn't feel like it invades any surrounding tissue and if you get hold of the lump it is movable.

The way you describe these lumps they sound as if they fit into the benign category to me. But they could be enlarged lymph nodes and the tumour is elsewhere, maybe internal.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Thanks Karen, this is like a hard irregular lumpy mass that seems to have a couple of small nodules (which could be lymph nodes) outside of it but it certainly doesn't feel attached to anything and is very moveable. She 'looks' very healthy and well otherwise though and is a cracking little dog. Seemingly she's bitten a couple of men - but this is when she's been left tied to a bar stool for 6 hours and large (not sober) men have approached her.. I feel sick and very helpless about it all. My neighbour is hoping he'll just go quiet to avoid paying out or dealing with her condition and won't want anything more to do with the dog... not sure she can handle a working cocker though, she's used to retired greyhounds and has a VERY clean immaculate house

[Mel]

Get an aspirate done and whether it's benign or malignant, get your neighbour to say the dog escaped, can't be found, yadda, yadda.

Poor bloody puppy

[minimoo]

if she offers to take the dog do you think he will just give it up, maybe if she says oh i would really like to have her or something similar, if it was me and i could get hold of her (dog) i would just take it and not give it back if i thought he was threatening to shoot her  if shes generally healthy in herself it may be something other than cancer, Bruno has lymphoma and he went very skinny and his fur went scabby and he generally went downhill in his whole appearance, if the dog has been roughly treated she might be very quiet in and around the house

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Thanks everyone, I 'think' my neighbour would keep her if she can - she didn't really want another dog but she is an animal lover and I don't think could handle anything bad happening to the dog. I don't know how high maintenance the dog is at the moment she has bad SA and screemed the place down when my neighbour left her the other evening (although I haven't told my neighbour yet).

It's such a horrible situation - if she's not terminally ill and we get her fixed her no doubt he'll want her back

[MegandMolly]

Would he be open to signing her over to a rescue, so that they cover her medical bills / rehome /pts if necessary??

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Would he be open to signing her over to a rescue, so that they cover her medical bills / rehome /pts if necessary??

From the sounds of him, I doubt it but will try and suggest it to neighbour - do rescues take on terminally ill dogs? If we can get a biopsy done, we'll know what we're dealing with I guess

[JerryBerry]

I dont know if Im just overly emotional today but this is the second thread to make me cry (Pennys thread about her Ruby being the other  ) How lovely of you and your neighbour to be so willing and eager to help this little dog  

I wonder if the "man"  will just be grateful that the poor little mite is off his hands and leave her with your neighbour?   Obviously then there is the issue of whether your neighbour would want to keep her but I suppose if you could get her the treatment she needs (if she does need any) then you could look at re-homing afterwards    I CAN NOT STAND the thought of her being tied to a bar stool for hours on end and actually fear for the pup!    and as for shooting her  

Please keep us updated, good luck xxx

[Saffaroo]

I haven't got any particular advice to give other than do what you feel you need to do with the best interests of the dog uppermost...I know a situation like this is so very hard  to handle having been there fairly recently myself (the pointer debacle  ) even now I wonder if we did the right thing in getting involved ..... but I do admire you so for trying to help; it is the right thing to do if you wanted someone to tell you that

I wish you and your problem a good resolution 

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Thanks everyone, the plan is my neighbour is going to lay very low and start quietly trying to find out what's wrong with Tarka. She doesn't think he'll ever admit to signing the dog over to her, she's hoping he'll just let it go but she's very worried about being 'seen' to be doing anything. She does want to keep Tarka if she can though which is great news. She's a monkey though and keeps breaking into my garden and pooing in the only dog free zone I have.... my veg patch

I found out a bit more, my neighbour has occasionally been supplying this chap with dog food, worming tablets and flea treatment for the last few months as she knows when he runs out of money he doesn't always feed her as he's talked about it in the pub he seems to live in everyday I think he's a bit of a messed up individual and suffers from depression but that doesn't justify his lack of care for his dog

[Toni-UK]

The g*t had money for another puppy though  and goes to the pub.....

I wonder who would sell a pup to an individual like that?,someone equally as bad i think 

I hope your neighbour gets to keep the dog 

[JerryBerry]

I think he's a bit of a messed up individual and suffers from depression but that doesn't justify his lack of care for his dog

Most certainly not!!!! I suffer from depression, Jerry is as pampered as they come!

It really really annoys me when people seem to have a dog because they WANT one but clearly dont put any thought into whether they are actually capable of providing the care they need, financially, love, time and effort. Its a big responsibility but to some people it seems to be like buying a pair of shoes!!!  shame he's got his hands on another pup!!! 

[Lily Freya]

    I wish these things didn't happen.

They don't deserve to be subjected to humans like this.

I hope and pray that all will go well for this dog.  

[BabyB]

What a sad story Hannah.

Fingers crossed the right thing is done by this little doglet, and she stays/is placed in a home with someone that loves her.

Very, very upsetting and sad, that's all I can say