My Cookie Monster dodged the big C
 

About three weeks ago I was brushing Cookies hair and noticed a growth on her head that looked pretty scary so got an appointment with our vet that week. He was concerned it was a melanoma because it was black but he told me it was still pretty small and that he should be able to remove it with good margins around it so booked his next available slot for surgery. It was a stressful week and a half until then but she did well on her surgery even if she did look like Bride of Frankenstein with her punk haircut and stitches right in front of the right ear. I remember how difficult anesthesia was for her when she got spayed but this time she bounced back really well the next day with a bit of painkillers the vet sent home with her. But I was still on pins and needles waiting on that pathology and whether the margins were clear. Doc said it would be a two week wait but only took one week and he called me and told me it was benign and a slow growing so everything's clear! What a load off my mind, not ready to lose Cook any time soon. She's 12 right now and I have had her since about 14-15 weeks. Had a doberman named Jello when I was a kid who died of stomach cancer and it wasn't pretty so thrilled this melanoma got removed and was benign.

Happy to hear lil Cookie has with a clean bill of health and no surgery issues.

You guys like Cook's punk haircut after the surgery? :D

OMGoodness that was some surgery. Thankfully hair grows back, Cookie is a sweet lil trouper.

So happy to hear all is well!

Melanomas on the hairy parts of dogs are usually not aggressive. It's bad when on the toes or in the mouth.

I had a foster with it on one of her legs years ago and it was removed and never came back or metastasized. She lived to be 15.

So glad your adorable Cookie is ok!!!

Interesting. Minnie had a growth on her mouth that my vet wasn't very concerned about but I still had him cut it off just in case and it came back benign. But he was concerned about this one on Cookie because of the color: namely that it was black. Minnie's wasn't, it was just the same color as her skin.

I was telling the vet tech Cook has a bald spot just like me now and she said yeah you guys look like twins. Then I told her she didn't have to be so quick to agree haha.

Yes, melanoma is black but on the skin it is not like in mouth or on toes....

This is a great link where you can read about it:

https://marvistavet.com/malignant-melanoma.pml

Thanks for the link, very interesting read!

My pleasure!

Cook is thrilled to finally have that cone off after getting her stitches removed today. That first day she kept bouncing into stuff with that cone on but she figured it out after a couple of hours.

Yay! I hate those things as necessary as they are.

I would like to thank you for posting about the black spot you found on Cookies head. Had it not been for your post my Cody could have had serious issues.


In June my groomer found black marks on one of his legs, I thought it was a bruise reason being, I live in the country in a heavily wooded area, many deer come on the back yard, Cody sees them and wants to fight them. When I let him out to potty, (he has a designated area on the deck to use) I open the door, he fly’s out like a rodeo bull out of the Shute ready for the fight, he slides across the deck and slams into the deck spindles that stops him, that’s why I thought was a bruise.


Then you put up your post and I immediately made an appointment with my vet. My vet diagnosed it as Melanoma, surgery was set up for 2 days later. I just got the biopsy report, it came back as benne. He had Pigmented viral plaque.


I was told to periodically check his entire body for signs of more, if found my vet can remove it with laser, no surgery would be needed. to periodically check his entire body for signs of more, if found my vet can remove it with laser, no surgery would be needed.
His stitches will be taken out tomorrow July 20, it can't come fast enough for me to get this cone of him. He is 14 years old and high spirited wants to play fetch, run and jump on sofa. People do not realize how one members post can help, possibly save the life of another members pups life.
Again, thank you for posting about Cookie :love::love::love:

Glad to hear Cody got a good bill of health too! Ugh the wait to get the stitches out seems like it takes forever.

For it was the waiting for the biopsy results. ladyjane's replies to YOU were helpful for me too and I am sure many of YT lurkers benefited as well.


I reached out to ladyjane, asked many questions, she answered them all even tho she had just lost her precious baby and was still grieving, she took the time to help me. ladyjane is a wonderful and supportive woman, always willing to share her knowledge to help these precious babies.


I am happy our pups are both fine and now healthy :love: .