My soulmate dog, Peanut, went to the vet to have an epulis in his mouth removed last week. The good news? It’s not cancer! And it was small enough that they could remove it without taking out any teeth, thank dog.
The bad news? He’s a wreck at the vet and it was a $500 experience. Dogs are not cheap!
The picture here is Peanut as a baby. He’s 6 now and I saw at the vet that once dogs turn 7, it’s a time to look for a “rapid decline in the dog’s health.” Wonderful. He’s almost a Senior Dog.
Now is as good as a time as any to say that if your older dog is suddenly aggressive or shows other brand new behaviors, it’s probably health related.
I’m ecstatic that Peanut doesn’t have cancer. Of course, he doesn’t know what he was doing there, just that it was no fun. It’s always tough to have your dog all groggy and sad. He whined all the way home, poor guy.
But there’s nothing like a (somewhat) near brush with disaster to make you live in the moment. Why can’t I live in the moment all the time? I’m still working on that. For now, I have this moment and I love my dog. Give yours a smooch for me and enjoy your time together.
Some dog health books for you are below. Always read any book with a critical eye and use the parts that are helpful. But don’t ignore it just because it’s new, either.
As Buddha (supposedly) said, “Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.”
“Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
Here are the books:
“Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy Life,” by Nancy Kay Between you and your dog, your English is much better. It’s your job to protect your dog from humans who interact with them, from vets to dog trainers to groomers to your own family. Never forget that you are your dog’s protector, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease!
A book about vaccination, food, and why we might be damaging our dogs is, “Shock to the System – The Facts About Animal Vaccination, Pet Food, and How to Keep Your Pets Healthy,” by Catherine O’Driscoll.
Another book that looks good, but I haven’t read, is “The Natural Vet’s Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer in Dogs,” by Shawn Messonnier. If you’ve read this book on canine cancer or have other health books for dogs that you recommend, particularly about cancer, please comment on our blog.
