my dog possibly going under then knife!

Has anyone had a biopsy done on their pet? What does it involve?

My dog has a bump on her right hip and one on the right side of her neck. The one on her neck is getting bigger, and I'm starting to worry about it... My new vet (moved 6 months ago) suggested having a biopsy done on them, but I'm scared... my dog is 7 years old... I don't want to have to "knock her out" if I don't have to... How much of the bump are they likely to take off? Is she going to have to walk around with 2 big bald spots and an Elizabethan collar?

Sorry to hear about your dog. Maybe it's better to be a little baldness for a while, or the bumps could spread. My mom has two terriers and I can't imagine either of them going under the knife.

:justahug:

Let's put this in perspective. Choose which is worse for your dog:

1: having a bald patch, wearing a collar for a week or so, and having solid knowledge of what is wrong and what needs to be done

2: possibly getting terribly sick, ending up with a rampant infection or matastasized cancer, or even just seeing this lump on her neck for the rest of her life, and not knowing what it is.

If the lump is near the surface, then a biopsy shouldn't be a terribly complicated procedure, but I'm not enough of a medical person to say if they need to put her under, or put her in a collar.

If you have concerns about the process, talk to your vet, or your vet from before you moved, but don't let an asthetic concern stop you from taking care of your dog...

I just booked an appointment for Dixie for next Wednesday to have the biopsies done... She has a very small tumor on her left upper eyelid that needs to be taken care of, too, so I guess it's for the best, but I won't be able to relax until she's home safe and sound on Thursday...

Your dog sounds like mine, she has a tumor on her eyelid and lots on her hip. Hope Dixie will be ok!

My dog Tasha had 2 biopsies performed. She didn't seem to mind a bit. I left her in the morning and picked her up in the afternoon, and she was already alert & happy to go home. Tasha did have to wear the "lampshade", though, and felt rejected when my horses and cats would run from her when she wore it. The first test showed fatty tumors but the second time the results were cancer. I'm very glad I had it done, because at first, my fears were relieved, and 3 years later, as soon as she acted like she wasn't feeling well, I knew what to do before she really suffered. Since then, my mom's dachshund and my best friend's Brittany Spaniel had the same biopsies done and those tests showed benign fatty tumors; those dogs also did well after the tests. I will keep you in my thoughts & prayers tomorrow. Please let us know how she does! take care, Susan

Originally Posted by thh20

Has anyone had a biopsy done on their pet? What does it involve?

My dog has a bump on her right hip and one on the right side of her neck. The one on her neck is getting bigger, and I'm starting to worry about it... My new vet (moved 6 months ago) suggested having a biopsy done on them, but I'm scared... my dog is 7 years old... I don't want to have to "knock her out" if I don't have to...

How much of the bump are they likely to take off? Is she going to have to walk around with 2 big bald spots and an Elizabethan collar?

Click to expand...

It depends on where the lumps are and how deep the vet has to go to get the biopsy on whether or not they will put him to sleep to do it. It also will depend on your dog's degree of anxiety over the procedure. If she's a nice calm dog....I would imagine that the biopsy could be done almost as easy as giving her a shot. Of course...like I said....it also depends on where the lumps are and how deep they have to go.

A biopsy is a very simple procedure with very minimal risk. It usually involves inserting a fairly large hollow needle into the center of the lump and drawing out a small portion of material.

Best of luck to you both that all her tests are negative for anything serious!