My dog has a ball of fat hanging off his shoulder?

[crazyinlove546]

MY dog is really old and he has had a ball of, fat it seems to be, hanging off of his shoulder. It doesn't seem to cause him any pain but it has gotten bigger.

my uncle tried slicing it with a scalple so it could drain but by then it was just all fat.

My dad thinks if we tie a rubber band around it like next to his shoulder then it would like grow together and the ball would fall off, like what they do to cow tails, do you think that would work? or would it hurt him?

we don't want to bring him to the vet and get it taken care of because he is so old that if they put him to sleep to do surgery he might not wake up after.

please tell me what we could do. he still runs around and dig holes so I don't think he is suffering and I don't want to put him down. any suggestions?

[MsShay247]

It's a tumor. My boxer gets them a lot. They are expensive to remove. When they get big and heavy, the dog will try to chew it off. That's what mine did. There was blood everywhere. She even escaped two cones and a muzzle to keep her from bothering it. It cost $900 WITH insurance to get the large one and two other smaller ones removed. She is developing more as we speak. The problem is when the tumor is wrapped into the muscle. It's usually really hard to get those out and vets don't advise doing it. Anyway, this tumor will get to a point where the skin will break and itch - causing the dog to want to get it off at all costs. There's really no other way around taking it to a vet to get it removed. I wouldn't try removing a tumor yourself.

[LizTheWeirdKid]

it sounds like a fatty tumor.

i knew this dog who had plenty of them, as he was old as well.

you have to take him to the vet so they can drain them. I don't think its a major surgery. I'm not exactly sure if its a surgery or they do it with a needle. I'm not a vet yet. so I'm not 100% sure on that.

but it does sound like those benign fatty tumors. I wouldn't do what you mentioned above. that will just hurt him. let the vet take care of it.

[shenholds09]

if its not harming him any I seriously doubt he even thinks about it, just leave it alone. Its probably just a fatty deposit and sometimes they do grow they fill up with older dogs my dog is 16, we all have older dogs but as long as everything is well I wouldn't worry about it and you shouldn't ever think about putting the poor thing under especially since he isn't in pain

[honeyltsme]

vet for a consultation

the vet would know what that is - fat does not just grow on its own like that

if the vet recommends to operate, they would know the dosage of the anesthesia and can intelligently discuss with you the risks involved

[Anonymous]

Your dog sounds like he has cancer. Take him to a vet, and don't be so selfish.

[Shameneyes]

Umm, my dog has a lump on his chest and he is 15. We went to the vet freaked out thinking he has cancer... Turns out it was just a fatty deposit. Also, if your dog really does have cancer cutting it open and exposing it to air only makes it grow rapidly. That's why when they cut out cancer cells patients usually have to start radiation everyday and sometimes twice a day in severe cases. Best of luck to you <3

[Anonymous]

Your uncle and father are idiots. Let me put your mind at ease, they'll kill your dog before the vet does. Anyone who tries to do that to an animal with no knowledge whatsoever will only do damage.

Take your dog to a vet. If he has to be put down, it's better that he dies peacefully than painfully at the hands of morons.

[HannahC]

get it checked out. if it isn't causing him any harm, just leave the poor guy alone. I doubt he cares.

[debbiebooboobaby]

sounds like a tumor or something serious id take him to the vet. if you don't it could get worse and then you might have to put him down.

[Anonymous]

I agree the best thing to do is go to the vet for a consultation. Good grief who lets some crazy guy touch their pet with a scalpel yet says they don't want to go to the vet?

[Anonymous]

yeah it sounds like a tumor, but you shouldn't be doing makeshift surgeries or amputations, go to the vet for goodness sake, let a professional take care of your dog

[Anonymous]

Sounds like your dog is ready to take a long dirt nap. Sorry.

[BobBobinson]

Sounds more like a tumor to me.