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It is so hard to make decisions for our hounds-a huge responsibility. We just decided not to put 14 year old Charles through a third butt surgery. He had one at age 10 and another at 11.5 - they were both peri-anal adenomas and were benign. So now there is a 3rd butt lump and I just do not want to put him through the surgery and the risk of anesthesia. The recoups were bad - it was painful and took forever. Now there is a huge note in his file at the vet that if he has any kind of emergency or is knocked out for some other reason then - get that butt lump! But we won't do the surgery just for a probable benign growth.<BR>
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So my advice for a 13.5 year old is to give her the best life in the time she has left and not do the surgery - a terribly hard decision to make but we have just made a similar one. I used to have a doggy daycare center and one of our clients - a GSD - had a splenectomy and died several days later. The owners wished they had not put him through the surgery, which is a tough one, but rather enjoyed the time he had left and fed him all his favorite things and enjoyed some more beach walks and car drives with the windows down.<BR>
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On a related note - how long are these drooling lovers living? I used to think 10 year olds were way over the hill but it seems to be just the cusp! My 14 year old has the bloodwork, heart and lungs of a 10 year old and seems like he will go on forever. Anyone have healthy dogs over 14? 15? Bassets, that is. I fully expect my dachshund to live 20 years and make us all crazy for the next 11!<BR><BR><BR>
<DIV><EM><FONT face="Lucida Handwriting, Cursive">GinnyTata-Phillips, co-author of DOGKU, PETKU and the all Bassets all the time BASSETKU!</FONT></EM></DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR>
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