Anyone Ever Dealt With This?

[RileysLegacy]

Jabari, my iggy, has a cyst at the very base of the underside of his tail. It's been there for awhile, but has gotten slightly bigger recently. He licks occasionally, but not obsessively and seems to have no pain. Because it hasn't really bothered him I kept forgetting to mention it to the vet. I finally remembered when he was there last week getting a check up on his teeth (he had a dental about a month ago and lost most of his teeth).

 

Anyway, the vet stuck a needle in the cyst and thinks it is most likely benign. But she wants to do surgery to remove it this week. She said if it grows larger, it will be a lot harder to remove & could effect the nerves in that area which could be very unpleasant. I am worried about Jabari going under anesthesia again so soon after his last dental. Also, I feel like since it's not bothering him, maybe it's best to just leave it.

 

Any thoughts? If I'm being stupid just tell me. I just worry so much about him having surgery, he's almost 11 and my baby. Thanks.

[Guest IrskasMom]

By all means not stupid. We worry about our Furkids and love'm . Hopeing everything goes well with Jabari's Surgery. Sending Hugs and keeping him in my Prayers.

[Guest Swifthounds]

The vet is probably concerned because of the cysts proximity to the anus, anal glands, tail, and lots of nerve endings. It's not bothering him now, but if it grows in size and does become a problem, removing it could damage any of those areas. Nerve damage could potentially lead to bowel incontinence or another issue.

 

My suggestions:

1) if surgery makes you wary, ask if another procedure can be tried?

2) get a second opinion, even if it's from another vet in the same practice - after all different vets have different experiences

 

My senior GH got a scrape that scabbed over and looked like nothing on the outside - like a scabbed scratch. Then the skin underneath tore away from his body creating a pocket. I was out of town so my mom took him to the regular vet, who wanted to do invasive surgery. When she didn't want the $1500 surgery, they thought she was being cheap. I sent her directly to the specialty practice where the board certified surgeon put him under just a bit of sedation, opened it a bit, cleaned it, and put in a drain - for $375. Honestly, I wouldn't have cared if it had been double the other place. My boy was less traumatized and I was less worried. He recovered just fine. Sometimes it just takes a different perspective.

[RileysLegacy]

Thanks guys. Swifthounds, that's a good idea. My vet now is by far my favorite vet that I've been to, but it can't hurt to get another opinion. I will try to get him seen somewhere else today. He has also started peeing a lot more often, I am wondering if he has a UTI as well. Poor guy.