A Scary Trip

As everyone knows, Jetta will be turning seven in about a month. She is still a very high energy dog and loves to work and play just as much as when I first got her-she just listens a bit better now. But with old age comes strange growths on your older body and on Wednesday, I had to take Jetta to get two such weird bumps checked out.
They were both small, but as a concerned mommy I felt it necessary to make sure that there was not anything to worry about. So off to the vet we went.
Upon arriving, Jetta was weighed and I was informed that she weighs 51 pounds-two pounds lighter than when I first got her. I had been trying to get her to lose weight because somehow in the summer, she gained an extra six pounds and I wanted them off of her. The vet told me to up her food intake a bit since her weight loss program had worked and she was now almost too light. (My previous vet told me that I would not be able to get Jetta to lose the weight because she was middle age now and that I should place her on weight management food. Yeah screw that buddy. I managed to get her to lose the weight just by working her more and decreasing her food just a little bit. I am just not comfortable putting my working dog on diet food if it can be helped). The vet did a complete examination, as it was our first visit to this vet. She was very gentle and extremely thorough. She was not condescending at all and this particular vet charges half price for service dogs. The atmosphere was much friendlier than the other vet as well, so I was happy with my switch.
After taking Jetta's temperature, heart beat, and checking eyes and ears, the vet felt the bumps and said she would take a sample from each. The first, which was located just behind Jetta's left shoulder was a cyst and disappeared as soon as the vet squeezed it and drew fluid out of it. The second is on Jetta's right back leg. It is very small, but feels different from the first. The vet did an analysis of the contents she got from the needle and has come to the hesitant conclusion that it is just a cyst as well. She told me to watch it and make sure it doesn't get any bigger or that fur doesn't fall off of it, or that Jetta doesn't start biting at it. This particular lump has been on Jetta's leg since the middle of August, to my knowledge, and none of these symptoms have surfaced yet. The vet said this in itself is a positive sign. If it does become sore or bigger then I have to take Jetta in to get it removed and then it will be sent off to a pathologist for analysis. I'm pretty sure it's just a cyst thingy, but it's still scary to think that your girl may have something wrong with her. That said, it's been three days and there still have not been any changes and she's just as energetic as ever. She still walks very quickly when we're working so I don't think it's bothering her at all. Sometimes don't you wish your little guys could just talk? Then I would know if it was hurting or itching her. On a positive note, the vet was very impressed at the shape that I keep Jetta in and was very happy with her overall health, which is very nice to hear. :)
So here’s to your health little girl. 