Need some advice... (dog)

[Kiwikat]

Hi guys...

Our whippet had 4 small tumors removed a couple months ago. Soon after a small hard one started growing on his back, and my parents say that within the last week a large fatty tumor has started to grow on the inside of his thigh. They do seem to be bothering him now. My parents don't have a whole lot of money to spend on him anymore. The vet wants $700 to remove these two, but what's to say in another month there won't be more?

Whippets have a history of developing external tumors because of their very thin coat. There's next to nothing to protect them from UV rays. The vet didn't think it was cancerous at first but the extremely fast rate of growth of this new tumor on his leg has everyone alarmed. I've looked on the whippettalk forum and it seems like it isn't all that uncommon, so we aren't sure what to do.

I left work early because I couldn't concentrate on working anymore after hearing about it. My parents are both pretty worried as well. I'll be honest, I don't see a happy ending. The other dog we had in my childhood had to be put down from paralysis caused by seizures.

Have any of you guys had to deal with tumors like this on your dogs? Do you think there is any way for there to be a happy ending to this?

[FlameOut]

I have no real advice. Our Cocker Spaniel has a medium sized lipoma or fatty tumor on her fight front chest. Our research via the Internet and her Vet, reveals that this is somewhat common in her breed.
Her Vet wants to do surgery and for about the same amount of $$.
We just try to not give her "fatty" table food and da wife really rips me a new one when I do and she catches me!
A friend of ours has our dogs' "sister" and she has started getting a lipoma also.
Unlike a Whippet, the Cocker's fur covers it up.

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[fsafranek]

What is the age of your Whippet? Male or female? If the latter has it has a litter?

[Kiwikat]

I think he is going to be 9 later this year. I know it isn't uncommon for older dogs to get fatty tumors as they age. We just don't want him to be in any pain. The vet wasn't terribly convinced they are cancerous. The previous ones weren't. It just seems odd that these would grow so fast.

My mom called the breeder today and she said that they hadn't heard of any of their other dogs having these tumors.

[olderndirt]

Can your vet perform a biopsy or refer you to someone who can and see what the lab says?

[Kiwikat]

Can your vet perform a biopsy or refer you to someone who can and see what the lab says?

The vet performed one and thought it wasn't cancerous. They would like to send it to another lab somewhere to make sure. That costs even more money yet. Though at this point I think it's probably the best thing to do. If it is C, it probably won't be worth removing the ones he's got now. If not, maybe it is worth another try? There are other whippet owners that have had to have them removed a couple times before they stopped coming back.

I don't think we know enough to make an informed decision at this point. We're still pretty shook up.

[Flyboy208]

I just lost my 9 year old Lab-Mix Liam to heat stroke and a seizure 3 weeks ago, the only good thing is that he did not suffer ... that being said, I hear horrible things about how dog owners are affected watching their pets' health deteriorate ... I wish you all the best with your little Buddy ... Here's a pic of my Buddy, who sadly departed ... Mike