growth on 13yr-old beloved Lab

Question
hey Patti,
     Regretfully, I am in a position with a brand new baby at home and my husband was recently laid off; I simply cannot afford a visit to the vet at this time. If I could I absolutely would but it may not be till Christmas at least.
     My lovely choco Lab T. is ageing rapidly at 13.5 yrs old. She is having trouble with foods but we are mastering this issue with a senior canned science diet so far, and if this ceases to work I will by her the canned nutritionally bland food from the vet.
     What bothers me alot is a small, irregular, pea sized, funky looking growth on the top of her head which has appeared in the last year. It seems to be slowly growing and the shape itself is spattered with small lumps and dark discolored spots. It has a dark end on it which is continually open and oozing, the hole is no larger than a millimeter. I clean it regularly with peroxide or alcohol and put antibacterial ointment on it to no avail. I know it sounds horrible not to take her in to the vet but honestly, it is all we can do to buy her good food and keep up with the baby's expenses, too. I almost feel like we should just remove it and see if it heals but of course we should not attempt something like this without a doctor!
      What could it be, do you have any home rememdies or recommendations as to how to treat or care for this? Aside from being particularly scary looking and unsanitary, it doesn't seem to bother T. a bit.
       Any ideas or tips would be wonderful, thank you!
                         Sincerely,
                                jennifer

Answer

Hi Jennifer,

Your dog's problem with solid food is probably due to a tooth decay or periodontal disease. She may well need an extraction or antibiotics. Until you can have her examined, using an oral rinse especially made for dogs might be helpful, especially if there is an infection. Brands to look for are Nolvadent Oral Cleansing Solution, C.E.T. Hygiene Rinse For Dogs, or Dentahex Oral Rinse. Do not use human oral care products, it can make your dog sick.

Alternatively, you can make an oral rise from 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal amount of warm water. Holding your dog's lips up, use a squirt bottle to apply the peroxide solution onto your dog's teeth. The hydrogen peroxide solution will start to bubble and foam, which is a result of the chemical reaction between the hydrogen peroxide and the contaminants in your dog's mouth. It is important not to use too much hydrogen peroxide at one time since its volume will expand in her mouth due to the foaming action. The foaming action will penetrate to all areas of her mouth, even between your teeth and will help to rid her mouth of harmful bacteria that can cause bad breath or gum disease. Do this daily.

There's really no way of knowing what kind of growth your dog has without the vet exam. There are many kinds of growths common to older dogs, and the way to tell which kind a dog has, is with a biopsy. Not all growths are cancerous. You should continue to keep the area clean. If you're going to use hydrogen peroxide to clean the growth, you should dilute it with water. Using hydrogen peroxide straight is too powerful for cleaning wounds. Used straight, it can cause tissue damage to healthy cells that are needed for wound healing. It actually inhibits wound healing!

If you are having trouble afford veterinary care, first talk to your regular vet. Ask your veterinarian if he or she will let you work out a payment plan. Many veterinarians are willing to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you do not have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front. Another option is to contact your local shelter or Humane Society. Some shelters operate or know of local subsidized veterinary clinics or veterinary assistance programs. If you happen to live within driving distance to veterinary school, check with them to see if they offer discount services to the public. There are two special credit cards to apply for which help with medical bills (including veterinary bills) read about them here:

http://www.carecredit.com
http://www.healthcard.citicards.com

There are organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need. Please keep in mind that each organization is independent and has their own set of rules and guidelines. Therefore you will have to investigate each one separately to determine if you qualify for assistance:

http://www.imom.org
http://www.thepetfund.com
http://www.canineaid.org/
http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=28
http://www.angels4animals.org/index.html
http://www.browndogfoundation.org/home


Best of luck,

Patti