Just thought I'd chime in..
Recently (Monday), our pet labrador went to the vets for an operation to remove a growth from her foot. No big deal.
Anyway, while we were there I asked about some other lumps that I'd found on her body; long story short, the vet told me what he did last time I saw him.. they were fatty deposits and nothing to worry about. So, I finish work today (pretty late) and I stop by my parent's house on the way home, to see how she's doing (the dog). Apart from the hobble, and obvious tenderness our dog seems fine.. wagging her tail and being as playful as usual.
That's when my mum hit me with the bombshell; It turns out that they weren't fatty deposits at all, but cancer, and it's all through her body. Lumps on her head, feet and stomach.
She's about 15 years old now, which is pretty old for a lab, and to be honest as she's been apart of my life since I was 9, I am devastated. So much so, I cancelled my night out. Had a long talk with my mum, and we're in two minds about putting her down. Half of me can see the deterioration (she's lost about 2 stone recently), but then the other half of me sees the life still left in her.
We haven't decided what we're going to do, just yet. I've got a feeling that we'll just wait and see a bit longer, I just seems too cruel to end her life when she's still so active, but I don't want her to suffer further.