Part of the Job

Sometimes I hate my job. Mostly the pros always outweight the few cons. But today was a rough one.

I am a dog groomer. I own my own business and have a shop out in my barn. It's not pretty, but it is functional and keeps the dog hair and random fleas out of my house. It's nice, too, because I use it to get my dogs bathed and groomed for a show. I get to make my own schedule and can take off (within reason) any time I want to. But the best part is I love working with dogs.

But on the other side, I have to contend with owners who want me to "save the coat" of the cocker spaniel who lives outside 12 months of the year. Don't forget the cattle dog that the owner won't admit may bite if I handle his feet. Or the white bulldog whose fur moves on its own because the dog is so loaded with fleas and the owner is oblivious. But it's all part of the job.

My job is such that I also touch these dogs all over every time they come in - kind of like a mini-physical. And sometimes I "find" things. I hate that.

Today a 13 yr old bi-black sheltie bitch (spayed) came in for her 'summer' cut. I've seen her every eight weeks for her entire life. Over the winter we leave her coat longer but they like it short for the summer months. I only hand-scissored her coat two months ago to shape it and tame the flyaways. I did her nails and took the hair out from between her toes. I cleaned her ears and expressed her anal glands. And I shaved her sanitary areas to help keep them clean. She got a bath and was blown dry by hand. So I'm pretty sure that it wasn't there two months ago.

But this morning this sweet little bitch had a large, hard, bumpy growth surrounding her vulva. I could see it inside her vulva. It made me sick to have to tell her elderly owner what I found. I have very little doubt that it is some form of malignant growth. If it wasn't there eight weeks ago, then that is very bad news, because something that grows that fast is not good. I'm hoping that I missed it somehow last time. But she had also been to the vet for her annuals around the same time as her last groom and I can't see a vet missing it, too. So that means that it grew quite rapidly over the past two months.

I consider it part of my job to educate owners about dog care. So I took the time to lay out some things for her owner to consider. One thing I am very careful about is not to tell them what they should or shouldn't do. It is not my dog so it's not my decision. But I do try to let the owner know that there are options.

Like with this dog. She is still very active and bright. She bounces when she walks and is still eating and drinking well. Pee and poop seem normal, too. (I was a bit concerned about incontinence or inability to urinate with a growth that size.) Mostly I stress "quality of life" and this dog still exhibits an abundance of quality life.

If it were my dog, I would get her into a competent vet and get a start on a diagnosis. It seems to be a contained growth so surgical removal may be an option but the side-effects of the surgery would be something to consider (incontinence for one). Anesthesia is risky for an old dog.

Money is also an issue. People don't want to admit it, but it is an issue. If you can't afford thousands of dollars then you can't afford it. I can't see putting yourself in deep debt for an animal that may only live another year or so, even if healthy.

And then there's the other side if surgery isn't an option. As soon as I said 'growth' the owner said, "So I'll have to put her down?" Absolutely not! And I didn't want her going into an appointment with the vet with that in mind. The little dog doesn't know she has that growth. She's happy and full of life. Why end it now? When quality of life is no longer there, when the dog is suffering, enduring pain that is unrelieved - THAT'S when you put her down. Not when the diagnosis comes in - not with a dog that is still so full of life.

She took the dog home and was going to try to get an appointment as soon as possible. She was crying when she left and that broke my heart. But I had to tell her. It's part of my job.