GA in elderly dogs help please

My cavalier bonnie had a small lump dangling from her chest, when she went to be groomed, they cut it and its got swollen and infected. she now needs it removed.

In light of everything she has been through, we requested some bloods to see about he rgeneral health before embarking on a General Anasthetic, for my 13 year old cavalier.

The tests came back good, she is very good for her age. but she has a dreadful heart.

We are now debating whether to go ahead and have the lump removed or to let her go. i dont want to let her go but i worry i am outting her through alot to make myself happier.

so i would like some advice please

We had a similar dilemma a couple of months back, when our Kali had to have a GA while he had two cysts removed from his bum, and then castration ( ). He had just passed his 14th birthday. As the cysts were potentially cancerous, we didn't see that we had much option but to take the risk of the GA.
The result was that he sailed through it with his usual aplomb and in a short time, was eating his dinner with his usual greed.

I notice that you mention that your wee pal has a bad heart: we were lucky that that wasn't a consideration in Kali's case (he may be an old b*gg*r, but he's a tough, fit old b*gg*r)

It's easy for me (or any other Dogseyer) to come up with ideas, because we don't carry the can for them, but I'd be tempted to listen very carefully to the vet, and go with that. If she doesn't make it through the GA, she is unlikely to know anything about it, but if she does, she gets an improvement in her life.

Your choice, I'm afraid, and not an easy one. All the very best, whichever way you go with her!


Snorri

E.T.A. We should try to have faith in our oldies - they didn't get to be old by being soft!

I'm sure you know that none of us will be able to tell you what to do.

If she were mine, I would listen to what my vet said about her chances to recover post op. If he felt that it is something she will recover from (if she gets through the GA) and if she still had a joy and eagerness for life, I would risk the op.

But if she's withdrawn and sad and purely 'existing', I would let her go.

I know its not easy, I had the same decision a few months ago and although my old boy had a joy for life, we did let him go. In his case it was a seriously major operation he needed and the vet thought the chances of him getting through the op and recouperating after it were less than 10%.

my thoughts are with you, whatever you decide.

Reah went through emergency operation not so long back, infact I don't think they had time to consider whether she had a bad heart or not. Thankfully she came through it with flying colours, but I have to say I was panicking.
Fortunately she didn't have a bad heart, but she is 13.

Like snorri said, we should have more faith in our oldies-

Whatever you decide Best of Luck.

I had a large 13yr. old gsd with pyometra, one vet wanted to put her to sleep there and then, so I took a 2nd opinion, he operated, she lived right up to the age of 16! You will have to listen to your vet, you know your dog, you'll know if she's fit enough to go through a GA in herself too I'm sure of that just like I was with mine at 13, so I just want to wish you all the best in whatever decision you and your vet make together. Bless her little heart. More questions at the vets I think? Maybe, just maybe they could do this under a local perhaps if you ask them, they did that for me with an old dog with a heamotoma (blood clot) on her ear which had swelled up as they said she wasn't fit enough at 14 to go through a GA, so there must be options for you? All the best.

WE are facing a similar issue with our elderly cross breed. He has a large lipoma by his willy that may be starting to annoy him, so we need to consider surgery. He has a mild heart murmer.
I don't want him to have surgery and our vets know we are anti surgery for him (he is happy and plodding along at the moment). We lost our BC last year when he went to the vets for x rays and they discovered an extensive nasal tumour that could have severed an artery at any point. The kindest thing for us all to do was let him go at that point. We had the option of waking him up, but felt that wold have been selfish as it would only have been to say goodbye to him. We are scared of that happening again.

Having said that our vet said modern GAs are excellent and when it is a simple lump removal (Biff's is) then he would be in and out of surgery quickly...the only risk is the GA and he is also reluctant for Biff to go through it...BUT feels it could be beneficial if the lipoma is starting to bother him...

I think in cases like this you need to listen very carefull yo everything your vet is saying and if there is more tha one vet at the practice, perhaps get a couple of opinions. Ask them directly what they would do and just say you need guidance and why. I have always found vets to be incredibly understanding....but they also all have very different opinions.

Ultimately it is your choice and no one can make it for you. We knew with our BC that we may lose him that day he went in for his x rays as he had been poorly...but we felt we had to give him a chance. Ultimately with Biff and his lipoma, we will also have to give him a chance at a more comfortable life. It is always so hard to make decisions for our older dogs huh?
Hugs.

If the vet is willing to give her a GA then I would go with that . As someone else said if she then dies under GA she won't know anything about it and you will have tried everything you could . In my experience vets won't give a GA where the risk is too big

hmmm alot to think about.

just took her for a walk and she is racing up as fast as our collie cross, rocky. she was running through the heather and jumping over fallen trees. she is knackered and asleep now, but she is so happy. she runs and jumps up at me whenever its dinner time.

unfortnatly she does have syringomelia too, so it is hard bcus whenever she is stressed, she scratches n cries, n hits herself over her head with her leg.

but all things considered,she has shown me today she is a happy doggy.

i think i know what to do.

thanks everyone, i dont post much but you are very helpful. have some photos of the walk today too.

bonnie is having her op and chest xrays tomorrow. i am sick with worry at losing her. but they r doing the xrays first and if there is anything bad on them he is going to call me prior to sorting out her lump.

please all think of bonnie tomorrow.

Healing vibes and a speedy recovery being sent to you from here. (((((((((hugs)))))))))) and our fingers/ paws are all crossed for her XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX