Dog Going Under the Knife

As you know, a few weeks ago Jeff discovered a tumor on the roof of our 8 year German Shepherd's mouth. She had just been to the vet not long before but it was well hidden. DH only found it because she rolled over for a belly rub with her mouth open.

The tumor came back non-cancerous when biopsied but it is still one that is common for becoming invasive into the bone.

Since it's on the roof of the mouth we are quite concerned about it. Instead of leaving it to see what it does we decided to have it removed at which time they will send it for further analysis as well as be able to see how much underlying tissue is affected. She will probably lose the adjoining canine tooth and husk surrounding it.

Apparently these kinds of tumors are common in senior dogs and often go unfound because of lack of mouth care. By the time they are found they are usually quite large and obstructing breathing or eating as well as having invaded the bone. This requires major surgery usually removing part of the dogs jaw or worse euthanasia.

It is incredibly important that senior dog (6 and above) owners realize the importance of mouth care. It's not just about brushing the teeth. It about doing an oral exam. Don't just leave it up to your vet. Once a month you should be opening your pets mouth to check the gums, teeth, back of throat and one of the most overlooked spots -- the roof of the mouth.

We are headed for Ottawa tomorrow for a three day layover. We'll meet the animal oncologist/surgeon the first day, she'll go for surgery the next and hopefully we'll pick her up on the third. I'll be taking the laptop with me and hope to do an update.

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