Emergency Question! (With Update, we saw the vet)

I'd use ice cold water in a paper towel and see if pressure will slow it down.  Otherwise yeah, any tumor or hematoma can bleed like no tomorrow.

Thanks for the quick response.  I tried and he does not want me in his mouth.  He will stay still for a couple seconds and then continue licking himself.  I'm not sure what the licking himself is about.  Should I just let him do his thing?  Will it stop on it's own?

It might - but if it doesn't stop after 10 mionutes or so, call the ER vet and ask for advice.

The bleeding has stopped!!  Thanks!  Now I can relax and go make dinner.
 
My vet and I will be having a serious discussion tomorrow about removing that thing.

Oh, poor Buster!! Glad to hear that it has stopped bleeding. Good luck at the vet tomorrow. Hopefully, it's something that can be removed pretty easily. I'll say a little prayer for your guy. Let us know how it goes!

How did Buster make out?

I've been waiting and wondering if I should post this yet, but I guess I will. 

As soon as the vet saw Buster's mouth she said, "I know you know we have a serious problem here".  I did know, but I didn't want to believe it.  The tumor in his mouth has been rapidly growing and is now quite large so that's how he bit down on it last night.  I broke down and started crying at that point.  SHe said we need to remove it NOW!  Tomorrow.  She said it is probably cancerous, hopefully it hasn't spread, is only in his gums (not his jaw bone), and can be removed easily.  She will do x-rays of his chest and mouth tomorrow before surgery to make sure it hasn't spread to his lungs.  When she removes it, she predicts she will be removing a portion of his jaw (if it is attached to bone). 

I wish I had gotten better news.  I know he is older (almost 13), but I am so not ready for this.  If the cancer has spread she predicts he only has about three months left.  I have been a mess all day.  I hate to cry in front of people, even my own family, but I completely broke down today at the vet's.  The receptionist, who loves Buster, said she would say a prayer for him.  That really meant a lot to me.  SO had to drive home because I just couldn't stop crying.  I have had Buster since I was 12 and he has been my constant companion even since.

So, say a prayer for my baby tonight.  I'm hoping it hasn't spread and is only in his gums.  I just can't believe I'm going through this right now.  It feels like a nightmare that I can't wake up from.

Oh God, I'm so sorry. I'll pray the tumor is confined to the gingiva and has not spread!!

So sorry to read about the bad news you got at the vet and sending you and Buster lots of hope filled thoughts.

I'm sorry...I'll say a prayer for your little boy.

Tippy and I will take some time and pray for Buster.  I hope he makes a good recovery!

We will say a prayer also. Please keep us posted!!!!! So sorry!!![&o]

Lynn, Abbie & Layla

I was afraid of that when you said it was bleeding. 
 
There are a LOT of different things to do with cancer today.  We treated one of our dogs with chemo even -- and honestly it was incredibly easy for him.  Dogs tend not to respond the way humans do to the chemo drug AND we used TCVM (traditional Chinese veterinary medicine) along  with it so he didn't have nausea and he didn't have diarreha. (I'm serious.)  It WAS expensive -- but he was only 8 and he was a therapy dog who gave so much to cancer kids while he was being treated ... I'd do it again in a heartbeat if the right circumstances occurred.
 
Right off the bat, I would put him on a cancer diet.  That's the biggest thing YOU can do to maximize his time and slow the spread of the cancer IF that's what comes up.  If you want to email me I'm happy to send you what I have and tell you where to find more.  A "cancer diet" is a diet without grain carbs but high in anti-oxidants. 
 
I know you are blown away right now.  But don't give up -- At his age, remember 6 months is like 3 1/2 years for us.  So do what you can do -- and he's gonna be happy with you!  None of us wants to deal with that awful disease -- but there are a lot of little things you can do to maximize the best time.  Good luck.

oh, poor puppers!  well, i hope the surgery goes well, and i'm sorry that this is happening to you.  keep us posted, and hang in there.