Nipple - to be removed :(

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M.F.

Jelinga said:
Poor lad, that looks a bit vicious, I suppose I am used to the neater surgery my vets do. Drift had a shaving rash when he was a blood donor, has the vet given you any cream to help? However, the wound will heal whatever.
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Thanks for the idea of cream. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that! Been putting on milking cream (lanolin + chlorohexidine) and hopefully that will settle his skin. I often use it on him, he has such sensitive skin.
 
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M.F.

Yesterday was SOOOOO hot. Officially 31 C, but really, it felt like the baking heat of a desert. Snowie desperately wanted to cool off in the pond. Stood at the pond barking. I poured water over his back, but apparently that did nothing. He threw up his dinner. So it was a case of wetting the wound or heatstroke. Decided wetting the wound was the lesser problem.

Happy HAPPY boy!! Net is now permanently off. Pond is in use. Wound is being dutifully checked by me. I have an antiseptic spray, and I’ve also used betadine. We were meant to wait til tomorrow before letting the wound get wet. Thankfully the wound appears to be healing fine.
 
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M.F.

Back to vet this morning to check on the wound. We saw a drop of blood on the ground and Snowie has been licking it a lot, it’s quite red in parts. We also wanted a cone now! Am sick of monitoring him 24/7 and having to tell him to stop licking!! And mostly I want the wound to heal quickly and without infection.

Vet (not our usual one) said wound looks good but is swollen, but normal. But being swollen, the stitches are now tighter, too tight. But nothing we can do now.

Snowie would have nothing to do with the plastic cone! Anyway, it was too tight and they couldn’t find one for his neck size—his neck is rather big! He backed away when the vet assistant brought the plastic cone. And then barked the house down, I’m guessing cos he wanted treats for his stress, which the usual vet dispenses in large amounts! We asked for a collar, and they brought out an inflatable collar. It’s not ideal cos he can’t sleep in it, but at least I can quickly slip it on him if he tries to lick, and it works a charm.

My mom reckons he looks like he’s about to board an airplane!Snowy (2).jpeg
 
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Sorry about sideways image. I can’t see how to reorient it.

We’re sitting in the car outside of Emergency. My husband cut his thumb with very sharp new kitchen knife while he was chopping fruit. Didn’t want to leave Snowie at home in case he did too much licking, and didn’t want to leave him alone with collar on cos he can’t sleep comfortably. Thankfully in the car he’s not interested in licking at all! Collar isn’t on. But he’s groaning now, we’ve been waiting about an hour. My husband is getting three stitches.
 
JES72

JES72

Location
SW London UK
Was it here or somewhere else I saw a pic of a German Shepard with pieces of pool noodle to make a collar that would prevent licking a wound. We tried a cone collar once with Homer. It was a disaster. I think they are better for smaller dogs but have to stick out far to far for larger dogs to be practical.
 
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M.F.

I’ve also seen the pool noodle collar somewhere—here or Facebook. Probably would’ve been cheaper than this inflatable collar, but it was so convenient to just buy it there and then. I really did think we were going in for a plastic cone, and I was so surprised when they didn’t have a big enough one. It’s not like Snowie is massive, but I guess the major dog population in our area tend to be on the smaller side—Yorkies, Frenchies, miniature schnauzers, and smaller Labradors—people often ask if Snowie is mixed with mastiff or boerboel.
 
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Got the news from the vet yesterday via email:

“Hi again
I wanted to let you know that we received the histopathology report and the good news is that the lump is a benign growth called a Fibroadnexal hamartomas.
The can be associated with sun damage or trauma, but they do not spread and should not cause any further problems.
I will see Snowie on Friday to remove the sutures
Have a great day”

Relief!! But I immediately felt very angry about having put Snowie through this and ending up with a huge wound and endlessly having to stop him from licking. I wish I’d opted first for the biopsy, or taken him to a specialist vet for a second opinion. Brought back the anger I felt a year ago when I had a mammogram (I’d not been in a few years and it was breast cancer awareness month so I felt obliged) and they saw something they didn’t understand. Went for tons of tests. Came back benign but inconclusive what it was. Surgeon said she didn’t like leaving lumps in breasts. I was in a state. Thought I’d be dead tomorrow. Considered a second opinion, but was in too much of a state to find a breast specialist and my gynaecologist said he trusted this surgeon. Underwent the whole f%*^ procedure, lots of pain, breast is now smaller, to find out it was just connective tissue. And then a year later my GP, who I’d not consulted then, said this young surgeon is ultra cautious and took over the practice from the leading breast specialist, and is not wanting to miss a single cancer, so opting to remove every lump she comes across.

So, yes, all the anger came up when we got Snowie’s result. I told my husband I’d be swearing a lot yesterday. He’s very understanding! I just felt I’d not done right by Snowie by not seeking a specialist opinion or going the biopsy route first.

Weirdly Snowie has calmed down a lot, not licking as incessantly. My husband reckons he has picked up that there’s nothing to worry about regarding his lump.
 
Oberon

Oberon

Location
Canberra, Australia
You DID do the right thing by Snowie. He will not care a jot about this experience and he will recover 100%. The main thing is - he doesn’t have cancer. He is ok!!!!!!! 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

Humans are a bit different...over-diagnosis/intervention can cause psychological harm in us. I’m really sorry about what you experienced. But I’m glad you’re alive.
 
Atemas

Atemas

UK Tour Guide
Location
North Cambridgeshire
Well good news the lump is benign but understand your anger. Try to see the positives - that he is ok. Trouble is hindsight is always such an easy thing.....the what if’s (I know, I perpetually suffer from it!). Be easy on yourself
 
kateincornwall

kateincornwall

Location
Cornwall , UK
You did the best thing for your dear boy at the time , I would have done the same and now, you can relax knowing that its nothing to worry over, hindsight is a wonderful thing but please dont be angry with yourself , you took advice and Snowie is fine, bless him x
 
Shaz82

Shaz82

Location
Essex, U.K.
Snowie is thankfully ok and you did the right thing, if it had been serious then you would have been thankful for the vets decision, in hindsight of course they probably went over the top but you were not to know that.
I can understand you being annoyed, I would be too but it is done and he will be right as rain in no time. x
 
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