Rocky the Jack Russel has cancer
He has had a fatty cyst on hi side for a while now. The vet did some slides and said that it is not a problem.
However he has a mass on his ribs that we noticed. When we saw the vet for the other, we mentioned it , but it was so small and insignificant that we couldn't find it.
About 3 or 4 weeks later I noticed that it had grown and we made an appointment for him. Dr. Josie did a biopsy and immediately saw that it was not fatty tissue like the other. She came back and told me that it was definitely not normal.
It could be benign, but of course there were other options. At any rate, it was between the ribs and was not something that could easily be removed. She said it could be just a local thing or it could metastisize .
At any rate, we would need to go to Rusellville or Little Rock for the next step. She said that they could do radiation at LSU.
She talked about a further surgical biopsy but if it was aggressive, that could spread it.
We also talked about just watching him , help him handle pain until "the time comes."
At that point it was about as big as the end of my thumb. That was about a week and a half ago. Now it is about the size of a golf ball.
He still doesn't seem to have any pain or to really be adversely affected at all.
There are times that he seems really anxious but does not seem to know what he wants. However, that's been going on for nearly 10 years.
Have any of you had experience with this?
Rocky is a rescue dog we got in the summer of 2010. I had just had my first neck surgery and was home most of the time. I taught exclusively on-line then and Melodie thought I needed a companion dog. He has been out constant -and sometimes annoying - companion since then.
When we were younger and the kids (now grown) were young, we had a dog to get a hold of some chocolate and nearly die. We took him to an emergency vet and they got it out of his system. It took a while and most of the money we could scrape together.
But we were young and there was always a tomorrow with more money. Now we are older and both on disability and always concerned about every penny. We aren't financially able to go to the best vets like we once were.
As I said, at this point Rocky, aka "Mr. Grumbles", seems happy and healthy - all except for this thing growing on his chest. At this point we are just watching.
Sorry, I just had to vent.
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I lost a sweet cat to cancer several years ago and in retrospect, I should have let her go sooner than I did. But she was so feisty right up til the end...
It's such a hard decision with pets and it is not getting any easier for me the older I get!
It is just a little bit scary and there are times I just need
support and affirmation from ya'll. 
of Rocky and me in my memories feed on fb. I had thought this picturee was gone when I had to reform and reboot my computer.
I call it "Dogs playing poker"
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sorry, I don't know how to make thw picture work
We had same problem with our golden last year. He was almost 13, very aged, and developed tumors in the last 6 months.
He seemed to manage with pain meds until suddenly he didn't...was losing bladder control, did not want to move, would go outside then unable to go potty. we knew it was time, and the vet agreed.
Might wanna ask your vet about pain management.
I am sad you have to face the loss of your guy.
Co-incidence my young cat is named Rocky....:hi
Mr. Grumbles knows that you love him and will do whatever you are able to do. He would want nothing more because he loves you just as much. The most difficult thing about pets is saying goodbye. May you have many happy times with him ahead.
I lost my pack of 4 elderly rescues, slowly, and one by one to cancer.
Each under different circumstances. With money, without money, with insurance and without.
I cried every time. They were my family.
I lost my best furry friend and constant protector to a leg cancer that metastasized and crumbled his leg.
Regrets I have many on how I opted to treat him.
But the same is true of all of them.
The best part of it was I let them live their life until it could no longer be a safe and comfortable life.
I think you have the best thoughts on what to do, and I agree with you.
But I know your pain and joys well.
I wish you and Rocky a great time together while you are both together on this earth. 
