Hi all,

I need some advice. My girl girl is 8yrs coming to 9 next year and she hasn't been spayed. Around 2 years ago she started lactating and I brought her to the vet who said it's nothing just hormone imbalance and it would go away. FYI she's a full time indoor girl, no other dogs at home. Rescued her back from the old folks home back when she's less than a month old as they were going to have her for "dog kut teh". So there is no chance of her being pregnant.

The lactating did stop for a while and it comes on and off. Since the vet says it's ok and that spaying her would be unnecessary at the time since she's already a senior so I did not do anything. After 2 years (during which I went abroad to work and left her with my mum) she started developing lumps and after my mum took her to some other vet in Penang, they think it's cancer but benign.

Recently I came back and brought her back to stay with me and took her to another vet in Bandar Sri Damansara where the vet said that it would be better to operate her and take out the lumps and also perform the spaying at the same time. But that there are dangers obviously since she's so old.

What I need to know is, would you guys do it? I mean she's a healthy dog with no major health issues (apart from her skin problem which is just sensitive skin and food eventually cures it as long as the environment she's in is clean). She wee wee twice a day (on walks in the morning and evening) and poo poo (once a day ; sometimes twice on the same evening walk) and eats and drinks normally. She has never been an overtly active dog, quite passive so I dont think she's sluggish or anything. Basically I can see nothing wrong with her, i.e. the lumps are not affecting her at all.. or if it is, I cant sense it (and I do check everything, ears, eyes, discharges, smell, stool, etc).

My mom's advice is that she's already this old and since she's perfectly happy and enjoying herself there's no need to put her through the pain of surgery. But then there's always this nagging fear that the cancer might turn malignant.

Can anyone advice me if she should undergo the surgery? and if so has anyone had any experience with the vet in question? (I.e. the Bandar Sri Damansara chinese vet)? and if there's any better vet out there? (I am prepared to spend for her well-being but obviously within my means and is reasonable and not overt. I am afterall on a student's budget.)

Thanks in advance for all your advice.

Thanks a lot Sashan and I'm very sorry about your doggie and the bad experiences with the vet.

I'm still considering abt the op and yes I do have sufficient funds to cover the costs but probably not enough time to dress her and keep an eye on her all the time as I'm still working.

Anyways, I'm still keeping an eye on the health of the lumps and there are at least 4 lumps but all are just lumps with no pus no nodes even and no smell. So, if there are any changes I think I would bring her in for a 2nd opinion before putting her under the knife.

P.S. She's 9 this year. and the wound according to the vet will be knit closed immediately as there are plenty of loose skin around that area that they can use.

She doesn't seem like she's slowing down though still prancing around in parks like mad, muzzle's still dark, no sign of arthritis. Only thing is the lumps....