Sep
2012
Are You Proactive Or Reactive When It Comes To Medically Managing Your Pet?
For those of you who follow me on Instagram and Facebook you saw that last Friday I had to take a non-planned trip to the vet with Sherman because I found a very surprising mass on the pinna of his left ear.
For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram or Facebook, obviously this is new news for you. I share lots of craziness over there like what I’m making for dinner, or what Gracie is wearing to school, or Sherman’s bloody ear, because I know that is what everyone wants to see.(sarcasm)
Anyway, I didn’t like the bump I found on Sherman’s ear at 5:10 Friday evening so I called the vet and because she is totally awesome she told me to bring him up and she would take a look at it. She is totally awesome because the the vet office closes at 6:00 and she was fully booked and fully sick with the sniffles but she loves Sherman so she fit him in.
To be quite honest with you I wasn’t all that concerned, maybe because it happened so fast, I found the mass and 15 minutes later I was at the vets, which didn’t leave me much time to dwell on it, but when the vet saw it she didn’t like it. I had peeled the scab off of it and what was underneath was an ulcerated pea sized raised mass. She immediately took a swab and looked at it under the microscope. At this point she was thinking it may be inflammation due to some sort of trauma, a histiocytoma, or a mast cell tumor. The good news was that she didn’t see any mast cells on the slide, and even though the ear is a common place to see a histiocytoma, mast cell tumors can be seen there too, so she still wanted to proceed with caution.
We can be reactive or proactive in this type of situation. Treat the bump with some antibiotic cream and monitor over the weekend or send a piece of it off for biopsy now.
In most cases I am a reactive person. I take the wait and see approach. However, when it comes to my dog and the word mast cell, I am proactive.
So we sent a piece of the mass off for biopsy.
********Slightly Graphic Image Below
This is what Sherman’s ear looked like after she removed a piece of the mass. For those of you who are curious about the procedure we did here I will fill you in. The process was quite fast and simple:
The vet injected Lidocaine around the area and then used a 10 blade to cut two small pieces of the mass out. Then we applied pressure because it bled quite a bit and used a cautery stick to stop the bleeding. It was all done in less than 10 minutes and Sherman didn’t flinch.
Now came the hard part. The wait.
A biopsy usually takes 4-5 days to come back from the pathologist. In 4-5 days a lot of things can go through ones mind. First, if the biopsy came back as mast cell Sherman would lose part of his ear. I spent 3 days folding Sherman’s ear back to see what he would look like with 1/2 his ear gone.
Next I spent hours looking up mast cell tumors online. Yes, even people who work in the vet world do this, although we get totally called out on it by our peers. Eventually I found a picture of a mast cell tumor on a dog’s ear and it looked exactly like the mass on Sherman’s ear.
Done deal.
I basically had Sherman set up for surgery by that point.
I was driving my husband crazy.
I was driving the lab that had the biopsy crazy.
“Is it done yet?” I would call and ask
“No. Stop calling us.” The lab tech would say.
Finally on Tuesday, after pestering the lab for 3 days, I received the report.
The mass was consistent with a regressing cutaneous histiocytoma. No mast cells seen! Which is good and no further action is required!
Woot-woot!
So now here’s my question for you:
A lot of people talk about dog being proactive vs reactive when it comes to dog traning but what about when it comes to you medically managing your pet, would you consider yourself a reactive or a proactive person, or does it depend on the situation?
In life in general I am a reactive person, but when it comes to my dogs health I am definitely a proactive person.
Karen Friesecke
September 13, 2012 at 1:13 am (280 days ago)Thank goodness that Sherman’s ear turned out to be a non-issue! I would have to say that I am proactive when it comes to the health of my dogs. AS soon as I see the tiniest bit of a problem, it’s off to the vet. Dealing with things that are “small” is so much easier.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:25 pm (279 days ago)Thanks Karen! I am such a worry-wart when it comes to these guys! My kids get a fever I wait for a few days, the dog gets a fever they are at the vets in minutes. I just don’t want to take any chances, their not with us long enough to chance things. (not that I don’t value my kids health, I do, I just don’t worry as much unless things are serious:)
Diana Stoll
September 13, 2012 at 1:31 am (280 days ago)Oh you BET I am proactive. No hesitation. My dogs are my babies!
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:25 pm (279 days ago)I hear you!
Kelli
September 13, 2012 at 1:38 am (280 days ago)Proactive, hands down. So glad it was good news for Sherman! I always say this, but Newfies have the most soulful eyes. That pic of Sherman is further proof.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:26 pm (279 days ago)Thanks Kelli! Their eyes are so soulful, you can see right to their soul at any given time! Sherman makes me melt every time I look in his eyes as I am sure Buster does with you!
bichonpawz
September 13, 2012 at 2:16 am (280 days ago)Proactive. Absolutely. I am so very glad that Sherman is going to be just fine!! WooHoo!! I agree with Kelli…those soulful eyes…they get me every time!!
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:27 pm (279 days ago)Thanks Jeanne, I know you are proactive with the girls, your such a good dog mom!
Eva or sometimes Priscilla
September 13, 2012 at 2:56 am (280 days ago)I am like you. I think my dogs’ health is more important than mine and that is why the local vet loves us a lot. He knows Eva and Mika so well.
So glad to hear that Sherman is ok.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:29 pm (279 days ago)I know, isn’t it though! I have been putting off going to the doctor’s for over a month now, I know I have to eventually go, I’m just waiting to see if it goes away!
Having a good relationship with your vet is key, it makes things so much easier!
Daisy
September 13, 2012 at 3:11 am (280 days ago)Proactive.
XXXOOO Daisy, Bella &Roxy
We’re happy Sherman is all right.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:29 pm (279 days ago)Defintley and thank you:)
Mango Momma
September 13, 2012 at 5:33 am (280 days ago)Proactive all the way. With a giant dog (like your dogs or my Mango) I am very careful to get things looked at quickly while he is still mobile. I do tend to let things go a little longer with Dexter if it seems to not be bothering him, but I take him to the vet sooner than my husband would like.
Mango Moma
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:31 pm (279 days ago)I hear you, with these big guys, you just can’t be careful enough. I have to admit though that Sherman was limping the other day and I didn’t take him to the vet. We were playing hard the night before and I think he just over did it. A few days of rest and he was fine, if it would of continued I would of taken him in!
Finn
September 13, 2012 at 7:00 am (280 days ago)I would like to think I am proactive. You just never know with these things! Glad this turned out to be not what you thought it was!
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:32 pm (279 days ago)I think a lot of us are proactive, in most cases that is a good thing!
emma
September 13, 2012 at 9:20 am (280 days ago)It depends on what it is, if it is something that scares mom we are at the vet or emergency vet right away, if it is something she thinks is no big deal she will handle it herself but she worries about us all the time!
Kimberly, The Fur Mom
September 13, 2012 at 9:22 am (280 days ago)I think you did a fantastic job and I’m so very proud of you!
I’m a very proactive dog owner. I review our dogs body, their behavior, the way their body looks, etc. I know exactly what’s going on all the time. This is why I recently changed veterinarians, because the one we had would get annoyed by my questions.
I’m not crazed dog owner who calls daily with issues, but when I do have a question, I study up and prepare for the appointment only because I hate getting home and realizing that I had more questions. Bummer!
Our new vet is wonderful and makes time for our questions and doesn’t get impatient or feel that I’m questioning her expertise.
I think you did amazing. What a great dog mom you are!
Kimberly
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:36 pm (279 days ago)Thank you!
Having a good relationship with your vet is key. Not only is it a vet;s job to take care of pets but it is also their job to educate pet owners and be there for them when needed. I ask my vet questions all the time out of the blue and she is always happy to answer and explain things to me. Not only that, but I see her almost everyday and she always asks how each one of my pets are. Love that!
Jodi
September 13, 2012 at 9:52 am (280 days ago)With health I am mostly proactive, especially with the dogs. Remember I spent $110 on a Sunday emergency vet visit to have them tell me Sampson had a scab on his toe.
I’ve been holding off on the lick granuloma, but this post has put me in the mind to call.
I’m glad that Sherman is okay, but you made me laugh by turning his ear back to see what he would look like without it. I swear we are twins.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:37 pm (279 days ago)I know you are Mrs Proactive! Sherman’s lick granuloma is healed(knock on wood) When I saw the mass on his ear I thought I would be removing his granuloma too!
By the way, how’s that microchipping thing going:))))))))))))
Jodi
September 14, 2012 at 11:11 am (279 days ago)I’m planning for it when he goes in for his annual at the end of October.
Two French Bulldogs
September 13, 2012 at 10:23 am (280 days ago)We would have been running to the VET too. Happy to hear you are ok Big Boy
Benny & Lily
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:45 pm (279 days ago)Thanks! I bet your mom would of drove you though instead of making you run, right:)))))))))
Blueberry's human
September 13, 2012 at 11:26 am (280 days ago)It really depends on the situation. If there is blood involved – I am very proactive. About a month or so after I adopted Blueberry, I woke up one morning and discovered a blood stained saliva stain on my sheets where she had been sleeping. I immediately made an appointment with the vet. It only happened once – but my previous cattle dog mix had the same issue and it turned out she had a cancerous tumor in the back of her throat. It was a really aggressive cancer and I ended up having to put her down a couple months later. Thankfully – the vet didn’t find anything wrong with Blueberry, but I still had them do a dental for her just to make sure her teeth weren’t the cause. They never did find anything, but it did put my mind at ease and if I had to do it all over again – I’d still “overreact” and do what I did.
I am sooooo glad that Sherman will be ok!
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:47 pm (279 days ago)Awwww, I’m sorry to read about our previous dog.
I’m glad Blueberry was ok, I wonder if she bit her tongue? That has happened with Leroy before and it heals up really quick!
Jackie Bouchard
September 13, 2012 at 1:23 pm (280 days ago)I am a bit of both. Having just lost our 2 1/2 pup to bone cancer in January after a 15 month fight, it’s hard to not freak out about every little thing with Rita, but I try hard not too. Like, when Rita recently started limping (which was the first sign of Abby’s bone cancer as well) I made myself not freak out. I knew it was an incredibly slim chance we’d get hit by that lightening again, so reasoned it was just over-use and kept her quiet for a few days. When the limp returned another time though, even after 4 or 5 days of being quiet, we were off to the vet. (Turned out to be panosteitis – a bone disease, but not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things.) I have to try to keep a balance and not worry myself sick!
You are a good dog mom taking him in right away! (BTW, I blogged about Rita’s win of the Rachel Ray food today. Thanks again for that!)
Nichole
September 13, 2012 at 2:35 pm (280 days ago)Proactive…. however, with 2 of my 4 being well into their senior years now, we’re proactive in noninvasive issues and a little bit less otherwise. Mr. Zeus is full of those non-cancerious “fatty lumps” and some are growing larger than I’d like. 6 years ago, we would be removing them… now, I hesitate to put him under. He did have 1 removed as a pup and still has scaring issues from a suture reaction (Lola also had one removed as a pup). Lola has a lump checked out last week and although we don’t think it’s one of those “regular” lumps, it didn’t cause concern to our vet under the microscope, so we’re watching it (it’s under the skin so we’d actually have to put her under to get it for biopsy)….
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:51 pm (279 days ago)Plunger is filled with fatty lumps too! I’ve had them aspirated and the vet has found nothing so we continue to monitor them.
Plunger’s almost 14 with a bad heart murmur so I won’t be putting him under, so I know what you mean.
Let’s hope Lola’s bumps stays the same size!
Pamela
September 13, 2012 at 4:31 pm (279 days ago)Hmmm, interesting question. BTW, most importantly, I’m very glad you don’t have to worry about Sherman. Good news!
I’m much more proactive with my dog’s health than with my own. I haven’t seen a doctor for 23 years. I once went 10 years between dental visits. And, in my case, my resistance to medicine has served me fine. I’m healthy as a horse.
Because dogs can’t talk, I never miss a yearly wellness visit and will ask the vet about anything odd I see. But I don’t go rushing into the vet for everything. I take a little wait and see time first. I’ve been lucky that it has served me well.
And sometimes, like when Shadow got bone cancer in her jaw, knowing early didn’t make a difference. There was no cure and the life-extending treatment offered was not a good option for her. So I guess I’ll keep being more reactive than proactive until something happens to change my mind.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:54 pm (279 days ago)Thanks Pamela!
See know I think that is because you have a positive attitude and a positive attitude is healthy! I anticipate bad things happening!
I’m the same way about to the doctors. I haven’t gone to the dentist in over 10 years and now I have a toothache, so I finally went and the dentist told me I needed 3 root canals! I have changed the appointment to have them done twice in the last 2 weeks!
sprinkles
September 13, 2012 at 4:35 pm (279 days ago)I used to have a sick kitteh and he was a regular visitor at the vet’s office. I paid thousands of $ of the years to get him better, and would do it all again in a heartbeat as long as I knew he’d still have a good life.
If it’s something small, I’m more of the wait and see type. But if I found a mass on one of my pets, I would insist that a further tests be done immediately. There was even a time when I took kitteh to the vet and he didn’t take kitteh’s vomiting for several days in a row seriously. I was very adamant that there was something wrong, and there was! If I’d have let it go, who knows how much sicker kitteh would have been.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:56 pm (279 days ago)I’m with you all the way here!
Good for you for being persistent!
houndstooth
September 13, 2012 at 4:51 pm (279 days ago)I think it depends on the situation, but I think I’m more proactive in regards to their health. Two years ago when that little knot popped up on Blueberry’s head that turned out to be cancer (neurofibrosarcoma), it taught me some lessons. I’d always been one to err more on the side of caution than not, but when you think something might be wrong and then it turns out that it really IS wrong — it changes your perspective.
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:58 pm (279 days ago)I remember reading that about Blueberry.
you never know is what I think it comes down to. My dogs are known for having things out of the norm, kind of like Sherman with the SLO, not seen very much in Newfs, and my first Newf who was not healthy at all. It makes me cautious.
dawn
September 13, 2012 at 5:13 pm (279 days ago)For me it depends on the situation. I’ve worked in vet hospitals for about 9 years so often am comfortable with a wait and see approach, but then there are times I take action right away.
One time was with my cat Taye, I came home from work, picked her up and flipped her over on her back to hold her like I normally did. Doing this I felt a pencil eraser size lump over her shoulders. This was back in the 90′s when cats were developing vaccine associated sarcomas. I knew what it was as soon as I felt it and took her to work with me the next day. She had surgery within a few days and the path did come back as a vaccine associated sarcoma. I wish finding it so small made a difference in the outcome. Maybe it gave us some more months we wouldn’t have had, she lived 18 months with the cancer which was pretty long for that diagnosis then.
So yeah, it depends on the situation and what my gut tells me.
Glad Sherman got a good diagnosis!!
Jen
September 13, 2012 at 11:44 pm (279 days ago)See working at the vet clinic has had the opposite effect on me, it has made me more proactive! Maybe it’s because I’ve only been there for 7 years, 2 more years might make me a little more laid back! Seriously I think my problem is that I have bad luck, and while I have always had good luck with the Newfs in regards to health, I’m just waiting for that big kick in the butt!
Wow about your cat Taye, I’m sorry to hear that but good for you for finding that lump, the smaller the lump the harder to find, 18 months is a pretty long time even now to live with that diagnosis.
snoopy@snoopysdogblog
September 13, 2012 at 9:47 pm (279 days ago)Oh I’m SO happy that Sherman is gonna be ok!! Yay!!
I think it’s great that you got it checked out straight away just in case 
You sound like my Mum, she is definitely proactive (obsessive) when it comes to my health.
She was really unlucky with her Golden Retrievers, one of who got very sick suddenly at 2 with Cancer (despite regular trips to the vet) and passed away really fast and the other who had kidney failure and passed after a week of the vet trying everything at the age of 6, the cause was never known.
So now if I so much as sneeze Mum’s watching me, so you can imagine how freaked out she was last week when my throat swelled suddenly to the size of a Tennis Ball and I couldn’t breathe properly
Luckily we have insurance – Mum called the 24/7 advice line as it was 9pm and they said I should go to ER just to be safe, but first she called our awesome vet (yep, he actually gave Mum his cell number), they went through my symptoms and he said to give me Benadryl and I would be ok, but he’d see me in the morning….. Yep, as soon as the vets office was open Mum was on the phone getting me squeezed in and by 9am I was getting examined…..
So, yep I think you can say she’s kinda proactive like you
Big Wags to all,
Your pal Snoopy
Jen
September 14, 2012 at 12:01 am (279 days ago)I’m sorry to hear about your Goldens:( Having something like that is hard to get over. I don’t blame your mom for being so proactive with you! My first Newf wasn’t the healthiest of Newfs and what we went through with him has made me cautious!
Glad you are feeling better Snoopy!
Dachshund Nola and her Mom
September 13, 2012 at 9:53 pm (279 days ago)I’m glad he’s okay! I am proactive (read: obsessively observant and on the ball) when it comes to my dogs’ health. The only things I don’t freak out on are mild vomiting (with all the stuff Auggie eats, I’ve learned a little puke won’t hurt him), mild liquid poops and if Nola is accidentally given corn or soy and has an allergy flair up. Anything else they’re packed up in the car and we’re off to the vets, not matter the day or hour.
Nola’s Mom
Jen
September 14, 2012 at 12:02 am (279 days ago)I hear you! Vomiting with my Beagle doesn’t concern me if it happen sporadic. If one of the Newfs vomit though I get very concerned, just because from past experience if they vomit it means they ate something they were not suppose too!
KB
September 13, 2012 at 10:14 pm (279 days ago)First and foremost, hooray for Sherman! I’m so happy for you.
I am, beyond a shadow of a doubt, proactive about my dogs’ health, even more so than I am about my own health. Many small mundane things for a dog can turn into huge deals if you don’t jump on them. E.g., a UTI can become a kidney infection. (as I’m sure you know). So, I’m with you – be proactive, especially since our dogs can’t tell us what they’re feeling.
Jen
September 14, 2012 at 12:03 am (279 days ago)Thank you! and boy do I know you are proactive and with good reason!
Hope that R is doing well, I have been thinking about him!
Misty Shores Chesapeakes
September 13, 2012 at 11:10 pm (279 days ago)I am so glad no mast cells found and Sherman will be fine.
I think it depends on the situation but mostly I guess I am proactive, better safe than sorry kind of gal!
Jen
September 14, 2012 at 12:03 am (279 days ago)Thank you! I can picture you as being a proactive dog person!
Jana Rade
September 14, 2012 at 1:50 am (279 days ago)Glad it’s nothing serious! I too believe in tending to problems when they crop up, rather than wait for a small problem to become a big one, or miss something. God knows that with Jasmine one doesn’t want to take any chances.
On the other hand, with Jasmine, and her health care expenses as they are, it’s not a good plan to always run all possible diagnostics for all possible options. So how far I’d go with diagnostics depends on the situation and on what her vet thinks about it. So there were times when we started antibiotics to see. There were times when we did run cytology and biopsy.
Jen
September 17, 2012 at 12:43 pm (276 days ago)I hear you. I think it all comes down how well you know your vet too, the fact that my vet advised just doing the biopsy now rather than wait and see led me to believe she wanted to be careful. I work with her everyday and I read her, the tone in her voice, the fact that she didn’t say it was nothing, etc.
I have to tell you though that I thought about you during this because of the while lick granuloma thing! I thought for sure we would be removing that too!
Jen
September 14, 2012 at 2:55 am (279 days ago)Proactive and highly paranoid. Meaning, proactive in that they receive regular vet checkups, the best diet and food in my research/opinion (raw), and tons of exercise and activities. And then I’m so paranoid that I am reactive in the sense they are taken to the vet immediately. After dealing with AIHA (auto-immune disease that killed my picture-of-health dog in 3 days), I am now paranoid to a fault almost. I’m not sure what that’s called officially
Jen
http://dogthusiast.com
http://californiapetsalive.com
@dogthusiast
Jen
September 17, 2012 at 12:45 pm (276 days ago)I understand what you are saying, in a way I think it kind of depends on what we have gone through in the past. My first Newf was not very healthy at all, and from that I became paranoid with Sherman and Leroy.
I’m sorry to read about your dog that had AIHA
melF
September 14, 2012 at 7:36 am (279 days ago)So very glad the test results came back as non-cancerous. How scary. (I would have been flipping Sherman’s ear too.)
I am normally a very proactive person when it comes to my dogs, but the last year and a half have been extremely tough from a monetary standpoint, so I am forced to be reactive at this point. I am hoping that I will be in a much better position in a month and then I will be proactive once again. Daisy has a very small lump on her foot that has not grown in size or started to puss or anything (and Labs tend to get a lot of lumps and bumps as they get older), but I will be much more relieved when I can take her in to have it checked out. I hate being forced to be reactive.
Jen
September 17, 2012 at 12:47 pm (276 days ago)Thanks Mel!
I hear you loud and clear too sand even though I work at the vets and get a pretty good discount, I am the same way. I drew blood on Sherman and was all ready to send it out, but then I stopped myself and said that if I did that without having the biopsy results back first I would be throwing money away, not to mention I just had full blood ran on him a few months ago for no reason:)
2 brown dawgs
September 17, 2012 at 8:01 am (276 days ago)What a relief to know that Sherman is OK. I would have done exactly what you did in that situation. Hopefully (since I am so far behind) his ear is much better now.
Jen
September 17, 2012 at 12:48 pm (276 days ago)Thank you and yes his ear is doing so much better now!
Bailey
September 24, 2012 at 1:12 pm (269 days ago)So glad to hear that Sherman is going to be OK! My family is definitely proactive. They almost call the doctor when something new pops up that isn’t supposed to be.
Woofs & huggies, <3
~Bailey (Yep, I'm a girl!)