I noticed Stella's Lump of Doom Saturday afternoon. She seemed fine; she wasn't in any pain but she had this protrusion coming out of her back. I thought maybe it was a rib. She tends to run into things a lot (she takes after me) so I thought maybe she'd bumped herself out of alignment. Don't ask me how I thought this was possible, I just did. I tried to push the lump back in (thinking it was either a rib or a hernia - either way I thought I could just push it back and it would be fine.)Stella was having none of it. It wasn't painful to her, just really annoying. I know this because she was doing her sniffy thing. When Stella is annoyed she huffs and sighs like an adolescent girl. When Stella is in pain she bites like a mofo (I know this because of the time I was cutting her nails and accidentally cut her toe off. Ok, I didn't cut her toe off, I just cut the nail too short, but it f-ing bled like I cut her toe off. And she bit me like I cut her toe off. I don't want to talk about it.)
The lump is not connected to her innards. Stella has a lot of extra skin, so I was able to actually lift the lump up away from her body. The lump is big (about the size of a peach pit - a BIG peach pit) and worrisome. At this point I decide that Stella has cancer. S agrees that we should call the vet so I call and make an appointment for the next morning. And then spend the rest of the evening fawning over my poor, sick puppy (who is acting like her usual, monster self.)
Sunday morning I walked Stella to the vet (the logic being that if she has a 30 minute walk before she gets to the vet, she won't act like a demon when she gets to the vet. This logic has yet to pan out but I'm sure one day - one day! - it will.) We get to the vet and wrestle Stella onto the scale. She's now 14.6 lbs - double the weight she was when we got her. My baby's growing up.
The vet tries very hard not to laugh at us when we tell him what's wrong. Apparently it's really common for dogs to have reactions to the rabies vaccine. Stella had her rabies shot 2 weeks ago though so I didn't even think of it. Also, if it's so common, shouldn't the vet tell you that when you get the shot? So that you don't freak out when your dog grows a lump the size of a peach pit on their back? And have to spend $34.13 getting the lump checked out? Gah!
Stella's Lump of Doom should disappear on its own within the next 6 months (I know, right? 6 months!) It's not a problem unless it starts to grow or ooze pus. Apparently these rabies vaccine lumps can become infected AND they can turn cancerous - how screwed up is that?
In other Stella news, tonight we start puppy school. Hilarity ensues.
Very cute pup.
ReplyDeleteMy pup is all grown up now (she's going to be 3, i can't believe it) and she's 17.5 lbs. So about the same size as your puppy.
Because she's a terrier, puppy school was very interesting. during free play, they put her in with the small pups (she was by far the smallest of the small dogs). That consisted of her running around the area while all the shit szhus and cocka shits and poodleshzu's cowered in a corner.
Two times of this, they put her in with the big dogs, so the little ones could play. And Jinx dominated the big dogs too. All 4 pounds of her.
Ahh, good times.
Anyways, enjoy puppy school, and make sure you bring good quality treats (the crappy commercial ones don't work well, as the puppies get sick of them. Think of what happens if you eat too much candy)
That's awesome - I love small dogs that rule the big dogs. My parents have a german shepard black lab cross and Stella is all over him. He will actually run away from her. I'm not sure if this is a dominance issue as much as an annoyance issue, but still. It's funny.
ReplyDeleteAs for the treats - I refuse to give Stella the commercial dog treats. They're so gross and smelly. It's bad enough that we give her commercial dog food. For treats I cook up chicken livers and thighs. It's like crack to her - she will do anything for chicken bits :)
I'm so glad your little baby's Lump of Doom is nothing to worry about!
ReplyDeletei just love that damn dog. she's sooo freaking cute!!!
ReplyDeleteand i'm glad the lump is nothing. that would have freaked me out, too.
puppy school! i think our shit zoo needs that. (misspelling on PURPOSE)
Ugh. Leave it to a puppy to make you realize that: you know what? having kids is going to be a total shit show. I've had enough stress and poop in my life for quite some time.
ReplyDelete