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From all the literature I've read online and from what the oncologist says, these specific kinds of tumors always grow back. I did read two posts on other sites from owners who said it grew back within 2 weeks and even larger! That's why they have to use a wide margin of healthy tissue and bone to be completely curative. Not good news...
Although the oncologist began our meeting with "it's good news..."... I guess in retrospect this is better than something malignant that will kill him. There is also no way to know how fast it will grow.
I felt pressured to proceed with surgery as he started saying "Well.. you never know the biopsy could always be wrong and maybe its something worse... and then 'you never know this might be the tip of the iceberg and while it seems small - it might have already grown extensively into the bone' and then 'you need to act quickly - getting it removed when it is smaller will mean less of his jaw will need to be removed'.... And of course the hefty price tag! Not sure how any of this is "good news" in his world...
My fear is that I am doing a radical surgery on something that is not causing the dog any problems so far and disfiguring him for his remaining years. I know they say dogs don't care and live 'in the moment', but I'm pretty sure he will notice half his lower jaw is gone!
As well... $5K for this benign tumor and what if something else goes wrong 6 months later... something more serious where $5K might be better spent... I know these are all 'what ifs' and impossible to see into the future...
I am taking him to his regular vet on Tuesday and while there I will ask her opinion on the oncologist's opinion....
Funny but I would gladly go into debt and pay the $5K to have him cured "magically" without the surgery, but I am just really concerned that I am traumatizing him with such aggressive treatment... =-(
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