Do you wonder if your dog is too old for surgery? Senior dogs certainly have their own surgical and anesthetic considerations. So how do you know if surgery is the right thing for your dog? Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby gives insight into deciding whether surgery may be the right call for our geriatric friends.
“But isn’t my dog too old for surgery?”
As an integrative veterinarian with over 25 years of experience caring for senior dogs, I field this question from pet parents on a regular basis. The answer may not be what you’d expect.
Age is not a disease, and your dog is never “too old” to receive the quality care he or she needs, even if it requires anesthesia and surgery.
Let’s discuss how to reduce the risks of surgery for your senior dog and why quality care at every age is critical.
How to reduce the risks of surgery for your senior dog
Senior dogs can have unique anesthetic considerations (see Is My Dog Too Old for Anesthesia) and may have more prolonged recovery periods than their younger counterparts. But that doesn’t mean that surgery should be off the table for them.
The good news is that many older dogs can do great during and after surgery, and we stand a chance at significantly improving their quality of life.
- A thorough work-up prior to anesthesia should be part of the plan for any dog that is having surgery, but this is especially important for older dogs.
- Senior dogs can have underlying health issues that we don’t know about. Performing a physical exam, diagnostic tests like blood work (including blood cell count and chemistry), X-rays, and sometimes even ultrasounds of the abdomen or heart (depending on what the surgery is and what the individual dog’s health history is) may be warranted before proceeding. Identifying (and managing) underlying health concerns before surgery can significantly reduce the risks of anesthesia.
- Your vet may also recommend more in-depth monitoring for your pet during surgery itself. Vets can routinely measure heart rate, oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure, and more.
- If your veterinarian doesn’t have the monitoring equipment he or she thinks would be best for your dog’s surgery, he or she may recommend referral to a board-certified veterinary surgeon for the procedure.
With your dog’s health history in mind, your vet can steer you in the right direction to make a sound decision on whether surgery is the best choice for your grey-muzzled companion.
Surgery for senior dogs: A veterinarian’s remarks
Recently, I read the following remarks from my colleague, Dr. Kelly McGuire, and I asked for her permission to share them. I couldn’t agree more with her sentiment and I love her perspective.
Yesterday I euthanized two of my long-term patients. One was Gabriel. He was a 17-year-old Cairn Terrier. When he was 15 I started seeing him. He had a murmur and cataracts and osteoarthritis. He was “old.” He also had severe dental disease. I pretty much begged them to let me do a dental. We did.
I made him not “old” for another 18 months. Their previous vet told them he was too old and not ok for anesthesia at 13. He was owned by two wonderful women who hugged me and thanked me for more good times with him.
The other was Noel. She was almost 18, I think. She had chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypothyroidism, a heart murmur in dogs, and a growing splenic tumor. I removed that spleen two years ago. She lived another two years until the CKD caught up with her. The two men that owned her are amazing and wonderful and thanked me for getting them more time.
~Dr. Kelly McGuire, Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center, Denver Colorado
Will it always work? No. But we’ve got to change the mindset that says, “My dog is too old for surgery.”
I work in a city and clinic that are constantly growing. Sometimes I even have to disagree with what my clients have been told by other vets…I beg them to please stop telling people it can’t be done. These animals and owners deserve a chance at more quality, pain-free time.”
Dental surgery for senior dogs
My next story comes from a friend and colleague, Dr. Christy Mackenzie. She gave me permission to share her account of choosing dental surgery for her own dog, who was 18 years old when he had his dental!
I tell people all the time that I anesthetized my 18-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, Kip, for a dental—six months before he passed away. He had moderately high liver values at the time, but he needed it done.
~Dr. Christy Mackenzie
And then he had another happy six months, as opposed to not having another happy six months. Worth every penny!
Was I scared about it? Of course, I was. I’m always a little scared for any patient that’s going under anesthesia, in spite of trying to make it as safe as I can for every patient. But, to me, it’s worth the risk to make them comfortable and happy.
Plus, we found out at that last dental that while we thought all his teeth werehealthy, since he had had regular dental cleanings most of his life, he actually needed two of his last molars removed (that couldn’t be seen onregular exam while awake). So we spared him a LOT of discomfort for those last six months!”
Ensuring senior dogs get the best quality of care
In all of these examples, I hope you can feel the gravity of the decisions. As veterinarians, we don’t take lightly that choosing surgery for a senior dog is a difficult decision. Veterinarians carefully examine each patient and perform appropriate lab work and diagnostics in advance.
Significant thought and care go into custom formulating the anesthetic protocol for our senior patients. They receive intensive care and monitoring before, during, and after the procedure.
The bottom line is this…we don’t shy away from anesthetic procedures if there is a golden opportunity to improve our senior canine patients’ quality of life.
Dental surgery for old dogs
For example, dental extractions under anesthesia on senior dogs with “trench mouth” is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. These patients feel
My last story comes from one of our ToeGrips® dog nail grips customers, Cynthia. Recently, she shared with me her story about choosing surgery for her senior dog. With her permission, I’m sharing her account and I hope that it helps others who are grappling with this decision.
A dog owner’s decision to choose surgery for her senior dog
Chopper is our 13-year-old black-tri Australian Shepherd who was intact until last week. He has always been such a sweet and loving boy! We had chosen not to neuter him after two litters of pups he sired because he was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease which led to a dorsal laminectomy at eight years old.
Following the surgery, we felt he had suffered a stroke as he would not lie down. We were told by his doctor, a top neurosurgeon, that it was a behavioral disorder. We insisted this was not normal or behavioral, so they did a series of spinal injections and he was able to sleep normally once more. After all of that, we didn’t want to put him through a surgery to neuter as he’d been through so much medically.
Just after he turned 10, I noticed a very slight change in his ear set; the right side looked a little different. So off to the vet we went. Upon initial exam, we were once again referred to a specialist as a brain tumor was suspected.
A CT Scan was recommended and we agreed to the procedure. It did not show a tumor or cyst but it did confirm he’d had a stroke in the past. Not something I was happy to have been right about, but it did affirm I do know my dog.
Next was an MRI which did confirm there was a tumor/cyst applying pressure to the brain stem and the fifth cranial nerve, possibly a nerve sheath tumor. There was no way to know without doing a triple craniotomy, which we were not inclined to do given the grave possible consequences…brain bleed, brain swelling, altering who he was mentally, and possibly not surviving the surgery.
The odds just were not in his favor.
Without surgery, they said we probably had three months left with him. We were beyond devastated. We decided that we would continue to love him and cherish every single day.
Three months passed, and we still had our happy boy. Then six months, a year, then two. His vets were amazed!
A year ago, he began to have incontinence issues. He would struggle to urinate but with a
much decreased stream. Our vet prescribed a medication to help with bladder control. That worked about six months until he began to have issues once again.We were out of town working in Colorado and took him to a vet referred to us. Upon hearing his history, she suspected we were dealing with a prostate issue as opposed to the bladder. She ordered an abdominal ultrasound which showed an increased prostate. We stopped the bladder medication and started a regimen of prostate medication.
This worked almost six months, until this February when it flared up again but was definitely the worst it had ever been. Total incontinence with him wearing male wraps/diapers. He was miserable and we were worn out from all the worry and the constant cleaning of him. This time we were in New Orleans, LA, and did not have a vet who knew his history.
We contacted the vet who treated him in Colorado and miraculously one of her best friends was in practice here in NOLA! She was able to get us an appointment the next day! We did full panels of bloodwork, a urine culture, and repeated the abdominal ultrasound.
His prostate was again very enlarged. The culture grew E. coli and staph bacteria so we started him on antibiotics and discussed options. Given the brain “cyst,” degenerative disc disease and prostate issue, we had to try to decide which was causing the incontinence. We all agreed that the prostate was the most likely culprit and easily solved with
a neuter .Our only reluctance was anesthesia given his age and past medical challenges. We were worried that the few neurological side effects he did have could be permanently increased by the anesthesia.
The vet was very knowledgeable and
nice, and worked up a plan for a short surgery with as few possibilities for problems as possible. We scheduled surgery for March 7 of this year. She planned to neuter, aspirate the prostate and get a sterile urine sample.I am extremely happy to report that he did very well in surgery with no complications, woke up and recovered well from the anesthesia.
However, the first 24 hours, we did see an increase of neurological symptoms which really scared us but the vet felt they would return to normal within 48 hours. Thankfully, they did and he was urinating normally within hours of the surgery.
He is acting as though he is young again! I’m so thankful to have had a team of doctors who cared so much about his quality of life! He has recovered so much better than we could have ever expected!
And your ToeGrips gave him so much more stability after his back surgery! Thank you for all you do!”
-Cynthia Fowler
Considering surgery for your senior dog? Take these 4 steps
If your veterinarian is recommending surgery for your senior dog, it’s because she or he believes that it will help your dog feel better, and maybe live longer too!
Here are specific steps to take to help you determine what’s best for your dog:
1. Speak with your veterinarian about your concerns.
Have a frank discussion with your vet about surgery and share any concerns you have. Veterinarians are well aware that anesthesia and surgery can be life threatening for any animal and want to make sure you as a pet parent are comfortable moving forward. Open communication is best for everyone!
2. Discuss the pros and cons of surgery for your senior dog.
Ask your vet to lay out the pros and cons of the surgery. This way, you and your veterinarian will have a clear idea about whether the benefits of surgery outweigh the risks.
3. Consider a referral to a veterinary specialist.
If you or your veterinarian feels uncomfortable about proceeding, you can ask for a referral to a specialty facility. Many referral hospitals have board-certified veterinary surgeons and anesthesiologists. They also have specialized equipment that may maximize the chance of a positive outcome for your dog’s surgery.
4. Remember, age is not a disease.
Please don’t write off a surgical procedure because of the myth that your dog is “too old for surgery or anesthesia.” Age is not a disease!
I hope these perspectives shed some additional light on surgery for senior dogs, and that you feel empowered to make the best decision for your own dog.
Do you have questions about surgery for your senior dog?
Please comment below.
I am looking for referrals for a vet that will do surgery on an 11 year old great Dane with a massive fatty tumor, that started at the age if 8. I have been to multiple vets in the local area and no one will touch it. They told me at 8 and 9 to leave it alone. That my dog would be long gone before the tumor presented any problems. While now it’s a huge problem and my poor dog is not ready to go and the tumor is really causing major issues in his ability to even hold his own body up. The tumor must weigh over 20 pounds. I can’t imagine myself having that big of a tumor on 1 side of my body and trying to run or go to the bathroom or even just stand up.
Hi Trish,
I am sorry you are in this difficult situation with your senior boy. 11 years old is amazing for a Dane! I am not sure where you are located or if the vets you have talked to are all in general practice, but I would recommend you reach out to a veterinary surgical specialist if one is available in your area. They would have more experience with complicated cases and could let you know if surgical removal is even an option. I hope you can find some help for your sweet boy. Praying there is way to restore his quality of life and allow him to live out his final years with joy and dignity.
Hello Trish we are going thru the exact same thing with my sons little dog who is 15. The lipoma first surfaced about 3 years ago, started getting larger so we took her in to make sure it wasn’t cancer, it wasn’t. They advised to not have surgery. I’m sure they thought she’d be gone before it git to this stage, I want to make it clear, thatbI am not placing blame anywhere. Last Nov it started growing again at an alarming rate. So I asked them if they’d do surgery, yes they would then they listened to her heart…..heart murmur, surgery out of the question. It has doubled in size since Nov. Last Wed it started bleeding, I took her in again……surgery scheduled for tomorrow. Friday night it ruptured, they wanted to keep her until after surgery tomorrow. She’s up there now not understanding where her family is, it breaks my heart. Please everyone that reads this please pray for her tomorrow. I don’t really know what her chances are of pulling thru surgery.
Dear Jan,
I understand how worried you are for your son’s little dog. I am sorry the mass ruptured and has caused such a big issue. I hope the surgery and anesthesia went well and that she is now recovering at home. Praying for a full recovery and many happy days ahead. Feel free to give us an update if you have time. Wishing you all the best.
I have a Mal-Shi who will be 13 in April and took her to vet 2 wks ago for annual visit. I had noticed she had started bumping into things in the past month or so. Was told she has the start of cataracts. She also has a slight heart murmur., which I was told is not unusual for older dogs. She had lab work done in the past year or so prior to a teeth cleaning and I was told it was “perfect”. .Wondering if it would be a good idea to have cataracts removed? She still loves going for a walk daily, just walks down middle of street now, instead of on side of street where she used to walk and sniff. I’m hindsight, I noticed late last summer that she sometimes didn’t want to go home at end of our walk, now I think it was because she didn’t know she was home. I appreciate your thoughts
Hi Pam,
It sounds like your girl might be a good candidate for cataract surgery. I recommend you talk to the veterinary surgeon who would be doing the procedure and get their opinion on risk verses reward for your senior pup. I have seen this surgery restore quality of life to several dogs and also have many patients that lead perfectly wonderful lives without their sight. I don’t think you would be making a bad choice either way. Best wishes to you and your sweet girl.
Thank you for this article. My 11 year old Keila needs to have her left rear ccl repaired, complete tear. My vet has done both X-rays /ultra sound of her organs & blood work and says she’s a very healthy, muscular 11 year old. I’m really nervous about anesthesia for her to have this done. There is a vet in lowville ny (about 3 hours from me countryside vet) they perform a procedure using no foreign materials, locally I can only find vets that are performing tplo surgeries, this one seems less invasive and still has good results and recovery time. I’m just hoping I’m making the right decision for my girl, I can tell it’s bothering her to limp around, but she’s still personality-wise just the same. I guess I need re assurance that getting her help & having this surgery is the right thing to do. Thank you
Hi Michael,
I am glad to hear that your vet has been so thorough with Keila’s pre-op testing. It sounds like they have everything covered and minimized the risks as much as possible. I do think surgery is the best way to restore the function of Keila’s leg and resolve her knee pain and inflammation. If you are having any hesitancy about which surgical procedure to pursue, I highly recommend you talk to the different surgeons. A good surgeon should be able to discuss the different surgical techniques and discuss why each is recommended and under what circumstances. Depending on the size of the dog and the activity level, a surgical technique that involves placing some metal hardware may be more advantageous. I will attach a link to another article that may offer new information. Ultimately, I hope you find the answers you are looking for and can make a decision that you are comfortable with. Best wishes to you and Keila and keep us updated on her progress!
Torn ACL in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Surgery Options
Hi, I have a 12 year old maltese yorkie mix that was diagnosed with diabetes a little over a year ago. About 3 months ago I noticed she did not want to go down the stairs anymore and was starting to bump into things. I took her to an eye doctor and she has developed cataracts in both eyes and has very little vision left. They told me she is a candidate for cataract surgery. She is scheduled to get bloodwork done to make sure her health is good enough for the surgery. What are your thoughts on cataract surgery? I would love to be able to give her vision back, but I am scared that she has to be under anesthesia for the surgery.
Hi Melissa,
I understand your concerns with anesthesia and am glad you are having blood work done to see if your girl is a good anesthesia candidate. I think cataract surgery can be such a miracle for some dogs! I hope your sweet girl gets good results on her lab work and that you can make a decision that you are comfortable with. Best wishes to you both and keep us updated.
Hi there,
We have a 14 year old Australian Shephard who has oral cancer. We have been advised that she needs to have part of her jaw removed surgically to have it successfully removed. Once removed she will be cancer free as it has not spread elsewhere.
Unfortunately a day before her surgery she suffered Vestibular syndrome and was unable to walk for almost an entire week. She couldn’t stand unless supported and also had terrible water like diarrhoea. She also developed a mouth infection and required antibiotics to clear it. Within 10 days she was showing signs of recovery and began to independently eat and drink, walk and even groom herself. However, her regular vet still does not recommend her surgery based on her age. She also suffers with arthritis which he has given her gabapentin for twice dat- although it really makes her drowsy.
We feel so torn in what decision to make as we know cancelling the surgery is ultimately a death sentence for her but then we don’t want to overwhelm her with doing the surgery and cause her body more stress. Please, your advice would be super appreciated!
Hi Clarissa,
I understand the difficult decision you have and the concern about your senior girl. If your vet has done the standard pre-operative testing and there are no abnormalities which would increase the anesthesia risk, the potential risks might be worth the reward. You can always consult with a veterinary oncologist or a veterinary surgeon to see what they would recommend. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Wishing you both the best and if you have time keep us updated!
Hi, wondering about surgery for our 15 year old mixed breed. Besides a heart murmur and a current bought of colitis, two separate vets have exclaimed he is incredibly healthy and looks good for his age. He’s struggled with low platelets twice in the past but recovered quickly with steroids. He has a small growth on his anus that they want to put him under to biopsy and see if it is cancer, but I’m worried if this is a risk where he won’t wake up afterwards? Obviously even if benign it needs to go away because it causes him discomfort but are there other methods?
Hi Spencer,
I understand your concerns with anesthesia and your senior pup. Sometimes a growth can be evaluated with a fine needle aspirate, but other times a biopsy or removal is the only way to get a definite diagnosis. I am not sure if you have ever had the heart murmur evaluated? A murmur can alert us that there might be a problem, but without blood work, x-rays or ultrasound it’s really impossible to know if the heart is struggling or not. If your dog’s heart checks out ok, and his lab work looks good, then it would seem that the rewards of the surgery might outweigh the risks. Of course, nothing is that simple especially when it’s dealing with your beloved boy. I recommend you talk to you vet about your concerns and make a decision together as a team that everyone can be comfortable with. Best wishes to you and your senior guy for many happy days ahead.
I have a 14 yr old pit/american bulldog mix who has a growth in his muscles in his right shoulder. He has had surgeries for dental work and removal of noncancerous growths and doesnt respond well to anesthesia.(He is groggy for 2 to 3 days after) should i risk him having surgery? He is in great pain walking, and cannot get around well.
Hi Laurie,
I understand your hesitation to put your senior guy back under anesthesia with his history of such a prolonged recovery. I recommend you have an honest conversation with your vet about your concerns. They may be able to offer additional information to help you with your decision-making process. Is the growth malignant and what are the chances that it has already metastasized? If you do have the growth removed, what is the prognosis and survival time after the surgery? Your sweet boy’s quality of life is most important, and I know that is weighing on you as you watch him struggle. Your vet may have medications you could try to help with the pain and make him more comfortable. Also, it is never a bad idea to get a second opinion from a specialist. If you need more information about surgery as an option, you could talk with a veterinary surgeon. If you are leaning more toward keeping your boy comfortable, you can look into a vet that specializes in palliative care and hospice. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for that will allow you to make the decision that is best for you and your dog. Best wishes to you both and keep us updated!
I have a 15 year old mix schnauzer/Maltese. He has suffered from ear infections from his adult life until now. I just found out through his ear infection treatments that he has a tumor growing in his right ear and has been growing. He gave me the biggest scare of my life when i came home and saw blood on his whole right side of his body. After taking him to a hospital and letting him stay overnight they mentioned in getting a TECA surgery. Due to his heart murmur, we have to do a echocardiogram first to determine if he’s capable of surgery. I’m very scared to put him through more pain and not going successful in the surgery. The doctor did explain the pros and cons but the cons are really bad and I just don’t know what to do at this point.
Hi Michelle,
I understand your concerns with anesthesia, especially since your guy has a heart murmur. It sounds like your veterinarian is staying on top of things and has a good plan moving forward. I feel like the best thing you can do is to finish the echocardiogram, gather all the available information, and discuss the results and recommendations with your vet. Ultimately, you need to be comfortable with the decisions being made. Make sure you are honest about your concerns with yourself and your vet so you can continue working together as a team. I hope the testing gives you hopeful results and that you can figure out what works best for you and your sweet boy. Best wishes for the future. Keep us updated on the situation if you have time!
I have a 14 year old German Shepard who just had her first seizure and has a 5cm wide tumor in her lung. Last year, she had a 4cm tumor in her lung and we proceeded with the tumor removal surgery. A year later we are now faced with the same decision we have to make. She also has severe arthritis in her elbows and spine. We are torn on the decision to make as she has already outlived her life expectancy for a German Shepard. They advised that we can let her “live out her life” without the surgery, or proceed…
Dear Brooke,
I understand what a tough decision this must be for you. It can be difficult to weigh the risks verses the benefits. Does your vet suspect the tumor to be benign or malignant? If you have the tumor removed, do they expect it will prolong your dog’s life or increase her quality of life? I recommend you have an honest conversation with your vet and share your concerns. Should you decide to forgo the surgery, you may find it helpful to seek out the services of a veterinarian that specializes in hospice and palliative care. I am sorry you are going through this with your sweet Shepherd girl. I hope you can make a decision that is best for you both and can give you some peace. Best wishes.
I have a 12.5 year old German Shepherd/Karelian Bear Dog who has a large intermuscular lipomatous mass in his left axillary region. CT scan does not indicate an infiltrative component. The mass has grown fast since we first noticed it sometime after May 2020. It is now quite large; not causing a serious mobility issue but he is compensating for it somewhat (steps a little pigeon-toed on that leg), which may impact the osteoarthritis observed in his shoulders. No masses or malignancies shown anywhere else in CT scans. He has tremendous energy, still loves to play. At the same time I read that the life expectancy of both breeds is 13. I’m really struggling with whether to put him through the surgery (debulking, temporary drain, and massive shaving, which doesn’t always grow back, does it?) or let him be. So hard!!
Dear Tina,
Thank you for sharing. My first recommendation is for you to ask your veterinarian what would they do in your shoes? Your vet is your best resource here. You could also ask for referral to a board certified veterinary surgeon for a second opinion. It is a very difficult decision. I’m sorry that you are faced with it, but you’ve obviously done a ton of homework and are doing a great job being a proactive, educated advocate for your dog. ♥️
I have a 14.5 year old lab. He had surgery for lung cancer last October removing a lobe of his lung. . Today they found a mass on his spleen. They are concerned about anesthesia to remove the mass due to his reduced lung capacity. His cancer came back and he is on chemo drugs for it. I. Two weeks he has an X-ray to see if the drugs are having any effect on the tumor. If it is shrinking I would like to remove the spleen mass but don’t know if that would be too much for him.
Hi Robert,
So sorry to hear that your lab had to have a lung lobe removed and now has a splenic mass plus his lung cancer has returned. What a lot to deal with. I am guessing that you are probably working with an oncologist for his chemo. Have you gotten his or her opinion on the splenic mass? I wasn’t sure from your comment if it was your family vet or the veterinary oncologist who found the tumor and is concerned about anesthesia. If it wasn’t the veterinary oncologist, it may be worth seeing what he or she thinks about the surgery. You could also consider having a consultation at a specialty clinic that has board certified anesthesiologists and board-certified surgeons because they are going to be best equipped to tackle the cases that are more challenging from an anesthesia perspective. I hope that the chemo drugs are able to shrink the tumor and that you get some clear guidance on the next steps for your sweet boy. ❤
I have a 12 year old learcher cross with spinal she has a lump near one of her tettes and I’m scared something will go wrong if she has tbe operation the vet says it’s nothing to big but to think about it at 12 years old am I just being paranoid
Hi Becky,
Making these decisions for our senior pups is always difficult. I would recommend talking to your vet again about the pros and cons of the surgery and/or seeking a second opinion on the surgery. Sometimes gathering all the information and looking at the opinions of several vets can help the answer become more clear. Has your dog had any bloodwork recently? The results of the preanesthetic workup (exam, bloodwork, etc) can also help with the decision making process because it gives you an idea of if your dog is otherwise healthy or has any issues that may make surgery more risky. I know this isn’t an easy decision, and I hope that you can find peace with whatever you decide.
My dog Gert is 14 years old with a chronic ear infection and a slight cough. Ive been treating the ear infection for a year on and off. During this time she’s developed a tumor which hangs from her belly. The vet wants to remove it. I’m concerned with the surgery but also after quality of life will it be better? Any suggestions would help
Hi Renee,
Sorry to hear that Gert has been having ear infections, a cough, and now has a tumor on her belly. It is often hard to know what to do about surgery and anesthesia for our senior dogs. Unfortunately without being able to examine her, look a the size and appearance of the tumor, know what kind of tumor it appeared to be on cytology, and evaluate her bloodwork, I really can’t give you a great idea of if you should move forward with surgery and how much the tumor removal would change her quality of life. The best way to figure out what to do would probably be to either have another discussion about it with your vet or seek a second opinion with another vet. I hope that you are able to come to a decision that you feel confident about for your sweet girl.
I have been told my dog should not have an mri as he may suffer because of the anesthetic. He is ten years old and has bleeding from his nose. An X-ray came back inconclusive. He was on antibiotics as they took a small swab which showed an infection. The bleeding is less now but he has coughed up some clots. The last one was big and since, his nose just has a few drops now and then. I am just concerned we are making a mistake by having him put to sleep
Hi Simin,
Sorry to hear that your dog has been having some nosebleeds and coughing up clots. It is definitely difficult sometimes to know what the right decision is. It sounds like this is case where seeking a second opinion from another vet who can examine him, look at the X-rays, etc, might end up being helpful in the decision making process. You could also consider asking your current vet for a referral to a specialist if you haven’t already seen one. Sometimes a veterinary specialist may have some new insight or access to other diagnostic tools that could help you get to the bottom of what is going on in your dog’s nose. I hope that the answer of what to do in this difficult situation becomes clear. ❤
Thanks for making it clear that a dog is never too old for quality care. My biggest worry is that I’ll find a veterinarian who says my dog isn’t worth saving because of his age. But hopefully, I’ll find a vet that wants to help keep him alive.
Hi Chance,
I understand your concern and would say that it is never wrong to seek a second opinion if there is a question about what is best for your pup. Different vets are going to have different comfort levels with anesthesia and surgery on high risk or senior dogs, and that is ok. At the end of the day, you want them to feel comfortable with what they recommend so you can feel confident too. Sometimes a specialist has the tools and expertise to safely anesthetize and do surgery on the high risk seniors that a general practice vet may not have access to. So if there is every a question about doing a procedure due to your dog’s age, a specialty clinic with a board certified anesthesiologist and board certified surgeon can be a great resource.
Our dog, a beagle terrier mix, was hit by a car 2 years ago. The vet did surgery on his hind end and he is able to walk up stairs etc, quite normally. We found out the other day, the accident caused a diphrametic hernia and his organs are in the wrong places causing him to have the use of only one lung. He was coughing a few times a day. That’s why we brought him in. At times he seems normal. Other times he seems a little lethargic. The vet said they could do a surgery but at his age, 11 or 12, I’m worries that doing open chest cavity surgery, and the longer healing process, may inflict more pain than is necessary for possible years of life. It’s a really tough decision as doing nothing means we are basically keeping him in in-home palative care and counting the days. It’s just tough, and we want to do the right thing for him but have no way of knowing the outcome. All the sites online talk about this surgery in puppies, but I haven’t found any talking about older dogs.
Hi Holly,
I understand your concern with anesthesia and such a difficult surgery on your senior guy. The surgery is complicated and has risks, but like you mentioned, without surgery you are counting down the days. You may want to talk with a board-certified veterinary surgeon and get their opinion on risks verses reward with this possible surgical procedure. Specialty facilities will also have other support staff, like veterinary anesthesiologists, that may be more comfortable with complicated procedures and issues commonly faced with senior dogs. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for and make the decision that is best for you and your sweet boy. If you have time, keep us updated!
Max, my Shih Tzu is approaching the 12 year mark. He has suffered for several years with bouts of severe abdominal pain. The first vet ran a set of expensive tests, which yielded no “definitive results”, but wanted to repeat the tests. This made no sense to me, so I sought out a second opinion. This vet wanted to start with an ultrasound, which we did, and he then followed up with an X-ray, and he stated he wished he had taken an X-ray first, as that told him what he needed to know. Max has a very large gallstone, and has been on 30 mg. of C-Ursodiol twice daily for over 19 months now. The latest X-rays show no real decrease in the size of the stone, but the pain attacks have been tremendously reduced. The vet advises against surgery because he states that gall bladder surgery in small dogs often creates pancreatic problems and you end up losing the dog. While I respect this vet, I am not certain from what I am reading that it makes omplete sense to me. Is such surgery actually ill-advised for a 12 year old 16 lb. unneutered male? I would love to see him rid of the pain attacks, but I lost my husband this year and don’t know if I could stand losing Max, too. Any advice will be very much appreciated.
Hi Carole,
I’m so glad you were able to get to the bottom of your pup’s abdominal pain episodes. Those sorts of cases can definitely take some time and lots of tests sometimes, which can be discouraging and frustrating for everyone involved. This reminds me a bit of Conrad’s story in one of my other blogs (The 5-Year Mystery of Our Little Dog’s Pain) Sounds like you did a great job continuing to search for answers and advocating for Max. I’m glad that the ursodiol has made a big difference for him! What your vet said about the surgery does make sense, but I have to admit that I haven’t ever performed gall bladder surgery, so I can’t definitively answer your question. It might be a good idea to schedule a consultation with a board certified surgeon who routinely performs this sort of surgery. He or she would be able to assess Max, look at the previous diagnostics, and give you a good idea of the risks and benefits of surgery based on his or her specialized surgical expertise.
Also, I am so sorry for the loss of your husband. How heartbreaking. It is very understandable that you don’t want to risk losing Max either. I hope that through talking with your vet and the board certified surgeon, you will be able to find a plan for him that you can feel confident about. ❤
My 12.5 year old Chesapeake bay retriever was diagnosed with degenerative neuropathy in his hind legs about 8 months ago. He has a hard time getting around but is still happy and eating/drinking normally. He was just diagnosed with a testicular tumor and a parathyroid tumor. His vet doesn’t think these two tumors will effect him before his legs are too weak. I was planning on letting him go once they got worse. I’m willing to do the surgery to remove the testicular tumor but am confused on whether or not it would be worth it for the parathyroid gland surgery. He would likely have to stay in the hospital for monitoring for a day or two. With how quickly his legs are progressing, I doubt I have more than 3 more months with him being comfortable. I don’t know if it is worth the recovery time, I just want his final months to be as happy as possible.
Hi Melissa,
What a difficult situation you are facing with your sweet pup. A neuter to remove the testicular tumor is a pretty straightforward surgery, but as your vet explained, parathyroid surgery is quite complicated and requires very careful post-op monitoring. If you have a specialty clinic or veterinary university in your area and you are still debating about surgery, you could consider a consultation with the specialists there to get a realistic look at the pros and cons of the two surgical procedures in light of the fact that he also has degenerative neuropathy. They may be able to help give you additional peace of mind with whatever you decide to do.
On another note, he may benefit from my signature product, ToeGrips. I have seen them make a huge difference in the lives of so many patients with mobility issues, including degenerative neuropathy. If he is scuffing his feet, you would need to glue the ToeGrips on as shown in this video: How to Glue Your Dog’s ToeGrips® dog nail grips. ToeGrips also come with a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can try them risk free! Our customer support team is phenomenal too if you have any questions or concerns.
I wish you all the best as you try to determine the best ways to make your dog’s last months as happy and comfortable as possible and as you make decisions about the surgeries! ❤
Grateful to find your website..I am crying while typing..we have a half breed chow and some other mix.. she’s almost 14 years old, name Sasha. She has a pot belly and took her to doctor. Blood test says bleeding tumor. ready to euthanized her but still active til today…. now I want a surgery after I read all stories… but I can’t afford it
Hi Bernadette,
So sorry to hear that Sasha was just diagnosed with a bleeding tumor. It is always devastating to get news like that about your sweet pup. I know it is difficult, but please don’t feel guilty about not being able afford surgery for her. She had a wonderful 14 years with her (although I’m sure that doesn’t seem like nearly enough), and like you are considering, sometimes the kindest thing you can do is to chose to end her suffering through euthanasia. I hope that you are able to smile through the tears and you look about at all the wonderful memories you shared together and find some measure of comfort. ❤
Hello we have a 14 year old blind jack russell. She has a non cancerous tumor on her back that is getting worse. Because of the location when she moves alot the muscles strain causes the place to open and drain or bleed. We are now taking her monthly for antibiotic shots and she seems miserable. Her appetite is still good and she’s sharp. Vet says we may need to consider removing but there is a 50% chance she won’t handle being put under. Tough decision…
Hi Terri,
I’m sorry to hear you are facing such a difficult decision about whether or not to pursue surgery for your senior dog. I think it would be worth having an in-depth conversation with your vet about the risks vs benefit analysis. This could help you can get a better idea of which factors (i.e heart disease, kidney or liver disease, lung disease, etc) are contributing to that 50% chance that she wouldn’t survive surgery and tell you if there are steps that can be taken to decrease those risks. Alternatively, you could consider having a surgery consultation with a specialty clinic that has a board certified anesthesiologist and board certified surgeon to perform the anesthesia and surgery. These specialists are well equipped to tackle some of the higher risk cases. I hope you are able to find clear direction and make peace with whatever you decide. ❤
Hi Dr. Buzby,
First of all, I am so happy I came upon your website a few months ago. My near 17-year-old shih tzu/lhasa apso mix was slipping all over our kitchen, but has had incredible success using your ToeGrips! I’ve already recommended them to many of my friends with senior dogs.
I am also very happy I came across this article as I now have a decision to make about putting her through surgery. A sebaceous cyst on her neck has grown significantly in the past month or 2 (it’s about the size of a large round grape), it does not stop her from living her life but it is infected for the second time now. The sample came back as benign, but the pathologist recommended it getting removed because of how fast it has grown in a short time and the potential for it to change to something worse. Because of the location she will need to go under general anesthesia, but she has kidney disease and a heart murmur, so the vet did say there is a risk. She believes the benefits outweigh the risk due to the potential to get worse and the recurrent infections. Her kidney levels have been relatively stable in the last year (which the vet said was a good sign going into surgery), but I am still struggling so much with this decision. She last had dental surgery in 2017 and was fine, but she is much older now and of course I am so worried. How do I make this decision?
Hi Julia,
I am thrilled that ToeGrips are working so well for your sweet senior dog. It never gets old to hear how lifechanging they have been, and I am honored that you are recommending them to your friends with senior dogs as well. ❤
Making the decision about whether or not to pursue surgery for a senior dog can be so difficult, and I am sorry that you are in that position. As you can gather from the comments on this article, you are not alone in that struggle, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier. it sound like you and your veterinarian have done a wonderful job of talking through the pros and cons of surgery together and evaluating her kidneys, heart, and other parameters in preparation for the potential anesthesia and surgery. These are all things I would recommend, so you already have that step covered. If it would help you feel more confident about moving forward with the surgery, you could always consider seeking a second opinion (because sometimes hearing multiple opinions helps solidify what you think) and/or having the surgery done at a facility that has board certified anesthesiologists and surgeons. I can tell that you care deeply for her and are carefully weighing the options so I have no doubt that you will be able to figure out what is going to be best for your sweet girl. Wishing you both all the best as you move forward with making this decision.
I just took my 12 year old Australian Shepherd into the vet yesterday because she injured herself running in the woods. The diagnosis was a torn acl, and the vet recommended surgery, though he did say that some level of healing could come with 4-8 weeks of rest, but that it wasn’t guaranteed. I’m feeling conflicted about what to do and what is best for her quality of life over the next years. Other then some mild arthritis and this acl tear she is really healthy and energetic, people always ask me how old my “puppy” is. I want her to be able to enjoy the rest of her life to the fullest for however long that is.
I have a few concerns with have the surgery done. I have read so much about weather surgery is the best option for this or more conservative methods might be better. I just want her to have the best life, but I am confused and overwhelmed about what might be best. I have a few concerns about having the surgery, namely the cost, I could afford the less invasive one at around $2k, but I can’t really afford the full bone surgery at $4-5k, but I want her to have the best out come and it is hard to put a price on that. I am also worried about the recovery post surgery and what the whole process might do to her. I opted to rest her for 2 weeks to see if there is any natural healing while I try to figure this out, but I don’t want to drag this whole process out for her where she can’t be active and what that would do for her quality of life. Any experience or advice you would would be really appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Lydia,
I’m sorry to hear about your sweet pup’s ACL tear. Trying to decide whether or not to do surgery for an ACL tear or which surgery to do can be so difficult, and it is something that many of my readers struggle with, so you are not alone. It sounds like you are doing a great job researching your options. If you haven’t already read them, I would suggest you check out the my two blogs about ACL injuries in dogs (The Dog ACL Brace: 5 Surprising Answers to the Question “To Brace or Not to Brace” and Torn ACL in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, Surgery Options) as well as read through the comment section for some other perspectives. A consultation with the surgeon who would perform the ACL surgery might also be a good way to help you come to a decision and address some of your concerns about the surgery types, outcomes, and recovery process. The surgery specialists could examine your dog and discuss the pros and cons of each surgery option with your dog’s specific factors in mind. I can’t examine your dog, so I will ultimately defer to the opinion of your veterinarian/veterinary surgeon, but based on what you have told me about her, I would lean towards doing one of the surgeries if possible, assuming your dog is a good candidate for surgery (no concerns on bloodwork and physical exam, high likelihood of surgery being successful, etc – all factors your veterinarian can assess and discuss with you). It is true that over time scar tissue will form around the joint and lend stability so that a dog may be able to regain use of the leg (to a varying degree) but without surgery the leg will be more prone to reinjury and more likely to have significant arthritis compared to a leg that has been surgically repaired. I’m not entirely sure what you mean by the “less invasive surgery” but if it is a lateral suture surgery, I have seen dogs have good functional success with that one and go on to do great for years to come! Yes the “full bone surgery” (I’m guessing TPLO/TTA) is the gold standard surgery but if your surgeon feels that the “less invasive option” would work well for her and it is the one that makes the most financial sense for you, then please don’t feel guilty if you decide to go that way instead of the “full bone surgery”. In the same way, if surgery doesn’t end up being the way you go, again, please don’t feel guilty about that either. It is so hard to be the decision maker for our pets. I wish you all the best as you wrestle with these decisions.❤
Hi, I have a 16 year old Shepard mix who has mammary tumors. One of them is huge and red and split and has a terrible smelling discharge. The others are not big and probably won’t be for a good while. I am planning to have the big one removed. She already has issues standing up sometimes and I am concerned if he removes them all (which the vet wants to do) she won’t be able to handle getting up and down with that many sutures. Of course I am also concerned about the anesthesia. We know she doesn’t have “years “ to live and are just trying to give her a better quality of life with the time she does have. This sounds reasonable doesn’t it?
Hello,
This is definitely a difficult decision and I applaud you for wanting to make the choice that gives your dog the best possible quality of life for the time she has left. It may be helpful to seek a second opinion from another veterinarian in the practice or at a different practice so you have several perspectives to compare and to have a frank discussion with them about your goals and concerns. They can examine your dog and look at her bloodwork and other diagnostics so they should be able to give you a more specific idea of the risk of anesthesia and how they plan to manage her post-op pain than I can. I think in the end, you also need to decide for yourself what the acceptable risk vs benefit ratio is. Removing all the tumors has the benefit of keeping them from breaking open in the future and (if chest x-rays don’t show spread to her lungs) potentially decreasing the risk that the tumors will metastasize. However this is a longer surgery time and larger incision so it is going to take longer to recover and perhaps be more challenging to control her post-op pain in the short term. On the other hand, only removing the large tumor that broke open has the benefit of helping her be more comfortable once that tumor is gone and would be a smaller incision with less recovery time, but does leave the potential for the other tumors to spread or break open over time (which may or may not happen during her lifespan). I can’t make that decision for you, but I do support you in whatever you decide because you know your dog and what you want for her. Sending you love as you wrestle with this difficult decision. ❤
Hi! I have 12 year old shihtzu and he is recommended to do dental sugery and pull a few teeth. Is it safe for him to go under anesthesia? Vet says its a 30 min procedure but has no heart monitor. Is it needed? Or is this minor only for dog procedures?
Hi Melissa,
I think it is great that you are considering having a dental done on your dog because this has the potential to greatly improve his quality of life. I’m guessing there was a misunderstanding somewhere because monitoring during anesthesia is considered the standard of care in veterinary medicine. I would recommend you talk to your veterinarian to clarify what their anesthesia plan for senior dogs typically entails and to ensure that you are both on the same page. Having clear communication can be so important when trying to make these decisions for our pets so this would be a very worthwhile conversation to have. All the best to you and your dog. ❤
Hi,
I just took my lil pom x to the vet yesterday cause she had a few lumps on her. She has a kinda big lump bout 2.5 cms near her parts. She is 11 and not spayed. Turns out she has mammory tumours because of it. Vet suggested to get surgery to get the mammary glands removed that has the tumours. I’m just so worried about her getting surgery.
She seems healthy, eats and poos well and energetic. But there have been once every 3-4 months where she’d not eat and vomit, nor step out of her kennel except when needed. Though last time that happened was 3 weeks ago.
Vet just got her blood to get tested. I want to go for surgery for her but I’m just super scared about the success rate on surgery and how will she be under anaesthetic and of course how recovery will be.? Also after that, I plan to get her spayed. Is it too much on her small body? And what’s the likeliness of the tumours coming back?
Hi Karen,
I’m so sorry to hear your dog was just diagnosed with mammary tumors, and I can understand how concerning it can be to think about surgery for her. The blood testing and other pre-op testing (such as chest x-rays to look for tumor spread to the lungs) will help predict if she will be a good anesthetic and surgery candidate, but there are still no guarantees because anesthesia and surgery always have some risk level. I think it is a good idea to have a discussion with your veterinarian about the expected recovery period, surgery length, and any other concerns you may have because they will be doing the surgery and have a better idea of what the tumors are like than I do. There is also nothing wrong with getting a second opinion from another local veterinarian or consulting with a veterinary specialist (oncologist and surgeon) to talk about the options. Without knowing if the tumors are benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) and if they have spread to her lungs, I can’t really give you an idea of how likely it would be that the tumors would come back. That is information that your veterinarian should be able to help you with though. I wish you and your dog all the best as you navigate these difficult decisions.❤
Hi dr. I have a 15 yo poodle who has a small tumor on his mouth that we discovered last month, because of his age he also has dementia and heart murmurs, I’m obviusly very sad because one dr told me “he’s too old” and the other one wants surgery. This article is helping me to calm down my anxiety, so thank you so much for this, I want to always give him the best, so I guess I will go for a third opinion but honestly I think that surgery is the best way to try to give him a higher quality life.
Sending a lot of love from Argentina.
Hello Fiorella,
I’m glad this article has helped ease your mind a little, and I think that you are on the right track with getting a third opinion. I am sure it is difficult to be hearing different things from different veterinarians, but that is the unfortunately reality of medicine being more of an art than a science. I haven’t examined your dog, so I can’t say for sure what I would do, but in general, I am a believer in moving forward with a surgery that could improve a pet’s quality of life when possible, assuming we feel the risk is tolerable. Hopefully this third opinion will help give you peace of mind and clear direction. Sending love from the USA.❤
Hello.
My dog is a springer spaniel and 13 years old. Today we had to bring her to the vet. Her renal gland burst and they found a massin it and also a lump in her nipple area. They put her on antibiotics for a week and have to go back next Friday for a check up. They are advising against surgery and anaesthetic as they say she is too old. I don’t think she is old and at times she goes on like she is a puppy. Do you think I should get a second opinion?
Im heartbroken over the news and don’t know what to do. I want her to have a good quality of life and she isn’t in any pain
Hello Sharon,
I am sorry to hear about the masses that were discovered on your dog and understand how heartbreaking that can be. I would definitely urge you to seek a second opinion because it sounds like she still has a good quality of life and is feeling spry. I wish you and your sweet pup all the best as you navigate through these decisions.❤
I have a 12 yr old mixed breed with a torn cruciate. Is she too old for cruciate surgery? I need a 2nd opinion and does she need an x-ray to show the degree of tear in the knee! A reply would be great and thank you!
Hello Lorraine, It’s my opinion that a dog is never “too old” for this surgery. As you probably read, cruciate tears are one of the few places that, for most dogs, surgery is my first choice recommendation. Radiographs (x-rays) can aid in the diagnosis, but won’t really help assess a “degree of tear.” That’s mostly a diagnosis made on palpation. I hope this helps!
I have a 15.5 year old yorkie that was thought to have Cushings but did not. He has a rather large tumor near his kidney and possible heart murmur but strong heart. The tumor has grown and now could burst if nothing done. Not sure if he could handle surgery but probably could use dental work while under as well. He is almost blind and going deaf but still such a joy to have. I don’t want him in pain. How do I make the right choice for him? ?
Hi Marian,
I’m sorry to hear about your dog’s tumor. What a difficult decision to be faced with making. It might be helpful to get a second opinion at a specialty hospital that has an anesthesia and surgery department because removing a large tumor near the kidney could be a challenging and risky surgery. These specialists are a great wealth of information and experience and would probably be able to give you a clearer picture of how best to proceed. Sending hugs as you sort through this decision ❤
I have a 12ish year old mixed breed rescue. We suspect she is part Staffordshire terrier or pit ball, and hound of some sort. She has been vomiting bile multiple times a week for the last several months. Her blood labs are within range. X-rays and ultrasound showed a tumor the size of a baseball attached to her spleen. She doesn’t show signs of discomfort; however her frequent vomiting certainly can’t be comfortable. We’re conflicted about the surgery because we don’t know how much additional time it will give us with her or how long it may take her to recover. We are getting a second opinion. My husband is more practically minded and also has communicated that if we go with the surgery The majority of the caretaking would be my responsibility.
Hi Jen,
So sorry to hear your pup has been vomiting frequently and was diagnosed with a splenic tumor. It can definitely be difficult to decide if you should go forward with surgery, especially with cases of splenic tumors because you don’t know what the prognosis will be until after the tumor is removed and analyzed to determine if it was cancerous or not. I’m glad you are getting a second opinion about the surgery because that can be very helpful for the decision making process. I would also recommend you check out my article Splenic Masses in Dogs: Types, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis for more information specific to splenic tumors. Best of luck with your girl!
Hello, My 18 yr old female Chi 5 lbs needs dental surgery. I went to a low cost ($275) vet surgical clinic. Because of the corona virus they required me to drop her off, no contact with vet regarding my concerns I did the lab and xrays they were good. They set operation date but once I ask for the vet to talk to me they said no…..I canceled operation date…Is this the new procedure now?
Hi Karen, I cannot speak for that specific practice, but I know how key communication is in the veterinary-client relationship and I understand your concern. It’s the topic of my latest blog: https://toegrips.com/advocating-for-your-dog/
Perhaps there was a miscommunication because I know veterinarians, even if not seeing clients face to face, are still willing and happy to talk to clients about their pets and address their questions.
Dr. Julie,
I have a 15.5 year old bichon. I took him to have his anal glands cleaned. They found a small ( half the size of a pea) tumor. My vet wants to remove it. He has cushings disease. I am not sure what to do.
Thank you.
Hi Debbie, I’d definitely follow the recommendations of your vet. It’s important to get that off and biopsied, and the earlier the better because it will likely grow bigger. I know it’s a hard decision but I hope this helps. ♥️
Hi Dr. Buzby, I have a 14 year old chihuahua/dachshund mix with a soft tissue growth on his front left paw. After a scan, we find that there’s no bone involvement, thankfully, however it keeps growing larger to the point where the skin ruptured (no bleeding). He still puts weight on it (sometimes all his weight when he sleeps funny), eats regularly, runs, everything! A completely healthy youthful 14 yr old dog! He only recently even noticed it and started licking it because of the rupture. My vet seems pretty reluctant about having it removed and it’s really worrying me; he said not only would the growth maybe grow back, but the possible side effects of the anesthesia would cause him to have kidney/liver dysfunction. He’s currently on anti-biotics/anti-inflammatory medication and we’re giving his paw epsom soaks and bandaging it to keep him from licking. Please let me know your thoughts! And thank you for this article, it gave me a lot of hope.
Hello Violet, that is a tough one, namely because of the location. There is concern that once removed, the closure will be difficult and it will be a mess to heal. I think your vet is wise to be cautious about it, but I completely understand your desire to get it off, and it’s something I’d want to look into for my own dog too. Do you think your vet would be willing to refer you to a board certified veterinary surgeon for a second opinion? I think there you will get really really good information on the surgical and anesthetic pros and cons and can then make an informed decision. I often refer my patients to specialists for second opinions because these doctors have advanced training in a specific area of interest (ie. soft tissue surgery, in this case). I hope this helps. Good luck!
I have a very similar issue with my 11 year old Yorkie 3lbs. I had the growth removed last year, but it has regrown along with his hind leg swollen above growth area this time.. Vet has recommended amputation of limb before it speads. What are your views? Age and size have me worried.
Hi Sylvia,
I’m sorry to hear your sweet Yorkie’s growth has returned and you are looking at potential amputation of the leg. This is a difficult and heart wrenching decision. There are definitely situations in which a leg needs to be removed in order to get good margins on a mass because there isn’t a lot of extra skin on a leg to be able to close a more aggressively margined incision. Only weighing three pounds will make it easier for him to get around on three legs, and most tri-pawed dogs do great. That being said, it is never wrong to seek a second opinion from another local veterinarian or request a consultation with a board certified veterinary surgeon (specialist) to see what other options they may be able to offer. Sometimes a board certified veterinary surgeon can use some specialized techniques to remove the mass and spare the leg, but I can’t make any guarantees. If your veterinarian and your second opinion veterinarian feel that she is a good surgical candidate based on her bloodwork and physical exam, then I would consider proceeding with a surgery. Many surgery specialists also have a specialized anesthesia team working with them, so considering referral to a specialist for the procedure may help put your mind more at ease about the procedure even if they also feel that amputation is the best choice.
Hi! My 19 year old pomeranian mix needs a large bladder stone removed, but he does have elevated liver enzymes. He was actually diagnosed with liver disease about a year ago and we were able to get his liver enzymes down with diet and exercise. Hypothetically, if we go in to run his blood pre surgery and his liver values are high, is there more risk to reward? I mean, how much greater are the chances of him dying from anesthesia in this situation compared to the average 1 in 2000 statistic? I feel like removing a bladder stone is a must and I dont want him to he in pain obviously. What’s your take on this?
Hello Jaclyn, I understand your points and they are good ones! I don’t know how the “risk” numbers change specific with his situation, but I have some thoughts:
1. Do you know why the liver values are elevated? ie. Cushings? Primary liver function issue?
2. Is he on a supplement like SAMe or milk thistle (or some combination therein)?
3. Do you know from urinalysis what type of stone is suspected? There is one specific type that can usually be dissolved with diet change and getting infection under control.
I’m sure these are all issues you’ve discussed with your vet, but I wanted to throw them out there for discussion.
I’d want to exhaust all other options before going to surgery (for obvious reasons), but I don’t think being 19 nor the liver issue precludes surgery.
Hi Dr. Buzby- in January of this year my (then) 12 year old lab/malamute/sharpei mix had what I though was a anal gland burst. After 4-5 vists to two different vets, I was told it was a polyp and I should have it removed. I was scared to have it removed because I didn’t want my senior girl to have surgery. I couldn’t imagine losing her instantly to an anesthesia issue. And I think she will be so nervous left alone at The vet all day in a cage. She had good blood work but has slightly elevated liver levels and I have twice been told her heart sounded fuzzy. She has arthritis that effects her ability to climb stairs and she trips a lot but otherwise she has so much energy, still has her huge appetite and has such a positive attitude. A couple weeks ago we noticed she was eating slower. They I started to notice her mouth was bloody. I had recently started her on DES so I wasn’t sure if it was a side effect but then I noticed she has a mass in her mouth. She is back to eating normally but the mass is definitely growing. It’s probably been three weeks since the first song of eating slower. Should I try surgery to remove the mass or is it likely cancer has spread to other places? Should I be afraid of surgery? Are there natural options that would also help ( I’ve tread timer of, mushrooms and cbd). My dog is my family and I want to do everything I can and give her the beat life. I don’t want to put her through surgery if it will not help but I can’t imagine doing nothing. Thank you!
Hi Jessica,
I’m sorry to hear your dog has a mass in her mouth. It is so difficult having to make the decision about whether or not to pursue surgery, and I think you asked some good questions. Without being able to examine your dog for myself, I can’t really tell you how likely it is that the mass is cancerous or has spread to other areas or how risky it would be for her to undergo anesthesia and surgery. I recommend you schedule an appointment with your veterinarian so they can evaluate the mass, her heart, and her bloodwork to determine what the risk vs benefit analysis looks like for surgery. I know these are tough decisions to make, but hopefully having some more specific information from the veterinarian and getting a chance to have a frank conversation with them about your concerns will help you make the decision with more confidence. I wish you and your dog all the best as you navigate these tough choices.❤
I have an 8.5 year old Cairn Terrrier that we are suppose to have fixed. Is this to old for her to get fixed. She does not have any underlying health conditions and are going to do blood work before hand. We just don’t want to lose her in surgery. Her checkup went well this spring and they said she was doing awesome. She did have 12 teeth removed a year ago and did very well. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thank YOu. Lori
Hello Lori, I would certainly have her spayed if she were my dog. If she ends up getting a pyometra, it will be a much much more complicated and risky surgery than an elective spay. I like taking the preventative approach to wellness! ♥️
Hello I have a 11 year old chiweenie who recently tore her ACL, the vet told me to wait it out two weeks and see if she improves if not surgery should be seen as an option. I am not sure if she should get surgery or not because of her age. She hasn’t had any problems besides the torn ACL so I honestly do not know what to do?
Hello Jocely, I just wrote a reply to your question on another blog about the ACL tear…generally I always recommend surgical correction for these dogs, and I’m not particularly concerned about her being 11 and having surgery. However, the one think I didn’t know in your other post is that she is a chiweenie. Because she is so small, she may actually do okay without surgery. Turns out these dogs can be so tiny and light that they just compensate really well and the body heals okay and they do much better than a 90# Rottie with a torn ACL. As I said in the other comment, at this point I’d recommend a consult with a board certified veterinary surgeon for a second opinion on the best course of action for her. ♥️
Hi
I have a golden retriever she will be 13 in August. We noticed a growth on her side last week so took her to the vet the vet tested the growth (it needs surgery) but the vet also noticed a small nammory tumor as well. We were told not to wait and book her in with a vetenary surgeon. We went to the vet clinic and they did usual blood tests and x ray. The x ray came up with something small in her lung. The vet said it’s suspicious and quite likely to be cancer spread from memory tunor.. But on the other hand they cannot be certain. They told us it was a big decision to make. Doing the surgery wouldn’t be right or wrong and not doing the surgery wouldn’t either so how certain is the vet??? Surely it would be wrong to do surgery if it was likely to be cancer in lung. Dont know what else it could be in the lung if not cancer. We want to give our dog the best chance but not put her through needless surgery (if its lung cancer no point). We are really struggling to know what to do and we have to act quick. Any help would be great.
Hello Nigel, Wow, I understand what a tough decision that is. A few thoughts for you:
I would get 3-view chest radiographs (meaning shots taken from BOTH sides and also front to back) and then I’d ask to get them evaluated by a board certified veterinary radiologist. There will be an extra fee for this, but this is a huge decision and you need to base it off of accurate information. I want to warn you that you still might get an inconclusive answer after all that, but I strongly believe it’s your best chance of getting a diagnosis and I’d do it for my own dog in a heartbeat. I hope this is helpful! ♥️
Hi, Our 16 year old dachshund is a pretty healthy dog has a few old aged spots and or growths. Hasnt had to many health issues vet said she is pretty healthy up until about a month and half ago. She developed A tumor on her left leg. She has been taking pain meds to help with the pain. Just the other day she was walking a little off. And she was chattering her teeth. I called the vet and they looked at her said the tumor had grown and possibly fractured her bones in her leg. She looked at me and said “I think Its time” I lost it started to cry and she said “it doesn’t have to be today but considering her age she wouldn’t make it out of surgery” . she was telling me I need to put her down. They gave me a steroid and more pain meds to help her through the next couple days. If she improved they would keep her on them and go from there but if she doesn’t then I have to deside when. But by the weekend or the begining of the week! I am beside myself! I don’t know if I should demand the surgery or just ride it out or put her down. She has been apart of our family for 16 years. She was just a couple months old when we got her. I know you can’t help me make that decision. But would like your opinion.
Hello Corinne, This is a HUGE decision and I can understand how much this is breaking your heart. I think you’re 1000% correct to want a second opinion on what to do next, but sadly I don’t have enough info to be that opinion for you. I’d strongly suggest you find a local vet in your area (ask friends for referrals) and get a second opinion on what would be the best course of action. Remember you can always go to a specialist for the second opinion and/or surgery if your primary care vet doesn’t feel comfortable with the anesthesia or procedure for your 16-year-old dog. I routinely send tricky cases out to specialists for treatment because I know it’s the best case scenario for them. I pray that you find peace in whatever decision you make. ♥️
Hello! I have a 13 year old Chihuahua. I was told last November that my dog needs to undergo a surgery to remove her back molar because it seems to be decaying causing her breathe to have an odor. What kind of procedure will she need to undergo and will she be okay if needed anesthesia?
Hello Jazzlyn, I would encourage you to discuss all this with your vet. I cannot guarantee that your dog will be fine under anesthesia, but for me, the potential benefits greatly outweight the risks for most patients. Your vet will tailor the anesthesia for your older, tiny dog’s needs. And I’m positive your dog will feel so much better after the “decaying” aka “rotten” tooth is removed. When your vet is doing the procedure, he or she may very well find more teeth that needs to be extracted. The end result is a dog with a fresh-smelling, comfortable mouth. And that means a happier, healthier dog!
Hi I have a 12 year old chocolate lab. He has a ruptured eye. He will never see in that eye again. The other symptoms are arthritis joint problems, he also has kidney problems. Just had blood work done a second time the kidney appears to be getting better but not up to par. He is on KD food for maybe 6 weeks. His eye has glaucoma. He doesn’t eat like he used to. Maybe once a day. About the kidney since he doesn’t eat that much the kidneys health will slow down. He must be in some kind of pain, l was thinking to have eye removed. However with the kidney and arthritis joint problems I think I should put him down.
Emelio, It’s impossible to get the full story from a few sentences, but I can tell you that glaucoma is extremely painful and also a “ruptured eye” sounds painful and in need of treatment. I recommend you seek veterinary care immediately. I can’t tell you if surgery or euthanasia is the more appropriate option for your senior lab, but I think I can safely say that doing nothing/waiting is not appropriate. I hope that you are able to get your dog the help he needs right away.
Hi – my 9 year old dog has a huge lipoma under his stomach. It is pushing his stomach out so much now his back right leg pushes out and sometimes gives out. My concern to remove it was his age until I read your story. Now I am concerned about complications from how large it is and where it is located. Any thoughts?
Hello Melissa! I was just reading a story today on a vet board posted by a colleague about this very thing. She described a senior lab patient of hers who had a huge lipoma in his neck/jaw. The first veterinary opinion was that it was not worth removing because he was too old. She was the second opinion. She sent the dog out to a specialist (surgeon) who removed a 5 pound lipoma and the dog is doing great! So my thoughts are this: 9 is fairly young. I would definitely consider removal. Yes, the size is the biggest concern because it will leave a big void once removed that will need to be properly thought out in terms of surgical approach, drainage, etc. If your vet isn’t comfortable doing the procedure, absolutely consider referral to a board certified surgeon (specialist). Please keep us posted. I’m optimistic that great things are ahead! 😉
My schnoodle (schnauzer poodle mix) will be 12 in July. She has mammary gland growths that have gotten bigger in the past two years. I noticed the growth when she was young and take her for her check up every year. Why wouldn’t this have been addressed before it got so big? The vet thinks it is cancer and if she opens her up, it will go straight to her lungs. After she told me this my little dog got prolapse infection. Again the vet told me the treatment was to have her spade but she didn’t want to open the tumors to get to the infection. We treated the infection for several months. I am so afraid she may be in pain although she is playful and eating well.
Hello Judy, The great news is that if she is playful and eating well and acting like herself, she is likely not in significant, ongoing pain. As for metastasis of mammary cancer to the lungs, I want to be clear that even if she is not “opened up” this is a very real possibility, I’m sorry to say. I would advise following your veterinarians recommendations, but taking her back for a recheck at the first sign of any changes. I would also revisit the topic with your vets of having her spayed, now that the infection sounds like it’s cleared, to see if they think it’s wise to do while she is stable.
We have a 13 year old Yorkshire Terrier. She doesn’t look over weight, but she is a solid 15 pounds. When we took her to get her shots the vet checked her mouth and said that she needed her teeth cleaned and that she needed three teeth removed. He checked her heart and did not detect a murmur. He does not appear to be in any pain and is active and healthy. She has always had a good appetite. He said it could lead to a heart valve problem. We are worried about putting her under anesthesia. at her age..
John, I totally understqnd your feelings and they are valid. I will just say that I’d much rather do an elective procedure on a 13-year-old healthy Yorkie than an urgent procedure on a 15-year-old Yorkie with healh problems (ie. down the road).
Hi. My 15 year old terrier mix was diagnosed with Cushing’s about a month ago, had a tumor on his adrenal gland, moderately high liver counts and was just diagnosed this week with a very angry and uncomfortable mast cell tumor. We go to see an oncologist on Monday, and I know they will recommend surgery to remove it, but I am so concerned about surgery given his other underlying health issues. I want to do what is best for him as he is truly a fighter, but I am honestly unsure as to what the right answer may be. Lisa
I understand your concerns, Lisa. They are certainly valid. By going to an oncologist, you are doing everything you can to get the answers you need. I commend you for going to see a specialist.
What a truly helpful article. This is exactly what I needed to read. My mini schnauzer will be 15 in six weeks. He needs a dental badly, and also has an enormous lipoma on his chest. It is so big it is impeding his walking, jumping and even lying comfortably. The dental I feel is needed, but unsure about the lipoma. It might be considered cosmetic. I wasn’t even going to consider surgery but this article helped me decide to at least explore the options. Thank you.
Jennifer, you totally made my day! If you do nothing more than explore the options, I will be thrilled and I think you’ll have peace of mind in the present and future. Thanks so much for taking the time to post your comment. I hope you get all the answers you need as you move forward.
My dog is 13 years old. He just had surgery about 2 weeks ago. They removed a stone in his bladder and after the surgery the vet noticed another one but in a different place which she wasn’t sure what it was until she sent the x-rays for review. She confirmed it was another stone. She tried to move it to the urethra with sterilize water and it moved so now she is telling me that she would like to do surgery to remove it.. This made really upset and nervous because my dog just had surgery and now she has to remove another stone when she could have done it the first time. She’s been our vet for the past 8 years and always been so good. I’m afraid that my dog has to go through anesthesia again. I just don’t know what to do at this point.
Hi Nati,
I understand your concern and frustration. Unfortunately, I always tell my clients that the practice of medicine is an art and not a science. No dog ever reads the book and sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned. I would be honest in expressing your concerns to your vet, but I’d also follow their recommendations, especially if the first anesthesia was uneventful. I hope this helps.
My 17 yr old Lab has pyo would she survive the surgery? So hard to make a decision we know it’s open pyo as she is leaking pus.
Hi Nicki, I’m sorry to hear this. I’m sure you are very worried. Thankfully it is an open pyo. There is some debate on whether or not those can be resolved fully with medical treatment (as opposed to emergency surgery), but it may be a reasonable option to try, all things considered. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough information to advise you on the surgical decision and would rely on your veterinarian’s recommendations.
My boxer Roxie is 12 years old. She was diagnosed w/ an enlarged heart years ago but it hasn’t effected her to my knowledge. Still very active, playful, energetic & just a ball of joy. I recently noticed growths in her mouth. Some seem almost connected to her gums but others are dangling from her gumline. I brought her to the vet & we decided on having the hanging growths removed via surgery & sent off for biopsy. The more I think about it, the more nervous I’m becoming. She is still eating & acting as normal as ever but I’m worried about complications under anesthesia. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Hello Travis,
I understand that this is a big decision in a senior dog, let alone a senior dog with a heart condition. However, I’m sure your veterinarian weighed all the factors when recommending anesthesia and biopsies. The mouth is a common site for cancer in dogs, so I think you’re doing the right thing by pursuing these growths and getting answers. I would recommend you ask to speak to your veterinarian before the procedure by phone to express your concerns and hear his/her plan and expectations. I think this will help put your mind at ease because knowledge is power!
My retired precious service dog, a German Shepherd mix is 14 yo. She has had a keratinizing cyst off and on above her paw pads most of her life. It has been large and infected for several months now. She has also been ill with increased liver enzymes, and 2 large liver masses. After taking the liver med and changing her diet, she is perky and playful, but in paw pain . My vet wants to operate on her paw. She is just now doing well. She’s had previous cancer surgeries and really struggled afterward. What do I do? I feel that every answer the Veteranarian has to my pup’s problems is to operate. What do I do? This is hard! The last surgery was so traumatic for my girl, and she developed a nervous tick afterward.
Hi Christine,
I’m a huge believer in you (mother’s intuition) knowing your dog best. Given that you have so many valid questions and concerns, I would strongly recommend getting a second opinion before proceeding to surgery. I would seek word-of-mouth recommendations to find another veterinarian in your area who could do a full exam, listen to your concerns, and provide a second opinion. If both opinions match, I think you need to pursue surgery, but hopefully you can do so with more peace of mind.
My senior Minature Pinscher had dental work 6 months ago. He has been a disaster since then. Severe nerve pain in his mouth and collapsed trachea resulting from the procedure. It has literally cost me thousands of dollars after paying $3,700.00 for the procedure. IThe dentist was highly recommended by his veterinarian and a specialty clinic. His senior years have been ruined. I struggle with whether or not he now has quality of life. My heart is broken for him. I seriously don’t know what to do now….He has a neurologist, Internist, etc…but suffers daily even though he is on Prozac, Hydrocodone, Neurontin, Trazadone, Diphenhydrate, etc….Nothing is helping. ???
Oh, Denise. I’m sorry to hear how difficult this has been for you both. It sounds like you have an incredible team of veterinarians—specialists in many different areas—advising you in his care. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a story of an advanced dental procedure, done by a qualified professional, making the dog worse. Typically it’s like the fountain of youth. Perhaps there is something else going on? Have you reached back out to the dentist for a follow up examination/consult. I would certainly give him/her the opportunity to recheck your dog and provide their thoughts on what you describe.
What about a geri cattle dog with a heart murmur? Needs a dental. Also severely allergic to shellfish/iodine.
Hi Beth,
I’m not sure about the allergies impacting anesthesia. I don’t think that shellfish or iodine produts are ingredients in the common drugs we use, but your dog could be premedicated with diphenhydramine to reduce chances of a drug reaction [see: https://toegrips.com/benadryl-for-dogs/%5D
With proper monitoring and a well thought out anesthetic plan, I would have no problem anesthetizing a geriatric cattle dog with a heart murmur for a procedure. But as I said in the article, if you and/or your vet are not comfortable, referral to a specialty facility is always an option.
Thank you!! I recently did surgery on two of my seniors and have before… Im scared every time but my vet is very good and I trust in what she does..❤
I do senior dog rescue…small one but I love the seniors others tend to throw away…many need surgery… Thank you for all you share and do.
Thanks for your kind words, Charlotte. It’s wonderful to hear that you recently had successful surgical procedures on two of your seniors. It’s also wonderful to hear that you have so much confidence in your vet. My hope is that every client would feel that way, as we partner with our clients to help their pets!
As always, Dr. Julie, you provide such great information. Having a senior pet does bring challenges but even more joys. If only our pets could tell us what they are feeling but since we can’t understand in words, knowing that certain steps can improve the quality of whatever time they have left is priceless. There are no guarantees that a puppy will live a long life or any of us, but if you can alleviate discomfort in your older best friend’s mouth so that he can enjoy his meals if only for another 6 months, that is a blessing, but YES! Of course, discuss with your vet all the options and potential outcomes.
Thanks so much, Denise! I couldn’t agree more with your comment! We strive to do all we can to help our pets live wonderful, happy lives for the time that they are with us.