Gunner
PADUCAH — If you have a pet, you know they’re a big part of your family. If they’re in bad health, taking care of them is a priority.
Staci Drake has been a dog owner her whole life. “I’m not alone when it comes to dog time,” Drake said.
With owning a dog comes responsibility, especially for their health.
Tuesday was her dog Gunner’s turn to go to the doctor.
“When Gunner had his first bump on his ear, my younger son just happened to be petting him and found it when it was very small and brought him in,” Drake said, “And immediately the next day they did surgery.”
That was last year.
“It scared us to death,” Drake said.
One year later, it’s happening again.
Veterinarian Marty Wynn with Lone Oak Animal Clinic said most tumors in cats and dogs are benign, but the tumor that Gunner has — which is pink, round and hairless — can be concerning.
He said the bond between pets and their owners is stronger now than years ago. “They’re no longer a dog to go out and go hunting or bark when somebody comes up to the house,” Wynn said. “They’re now apart of our family.”
For many owners, that bond means doing whatever it takes to keep pets healthy.
“Maybe 20 years ago, people wouldn’t have gone to a specialist or they wouldn’t have had these other treatments,” Wynn said. “Because they are living longer, we are seeing more of these cancer-like changes.”
Wynn said cancer is an unfortunate reality for dogs.
“With Gunner today, we’re going to remove this mass, send this to the pathologist to find out what kind of tumor it is — whether it’s a benign or cancerous growth,” Wynn said.
Drake hopes everything will turn out OK, so she can have more years with Gunner.
If you see a lump on your pet, be sure to take them to a vet as soon as possible.
[PS – As of this writing, Gunner’s surgery went well.]
