A MUCH-LOVED family pet is enjoying a new lease of life after a lump the size of a melon was removed from his abdomen.
Eight-year-old Springer Spaniel Moss underwent surgery at Bromyard Vets, which is part of the VetPartners group of veterinary practices, after vet Monika Mirando made a worrying discovery during a routine health check.
Despite not showing signs of being unwell, Moss had been concealing a large mass weighing 1.7kg – around 5% of his bodyweight – within his abdomen.
Thanks to the care, skills and expertise of Bromyard Vets, and the dedication of his owners Mac, Annie and Will Henderson, Moss has made a full recovery. Now his owners and the veterinary team have joined forces to highlight the benefits of regular health checks for pets.
Monika said she found the lump when Moss came into the practice in Kings Arms Yard, Bromyard, for a vaccination.
Monika said: “I examined Moss before giving him his injection and when I examined his tummy, I could feel something that shouldn’t be there. We did an ultrasound scan straight away, which identified a mass that was attached to his spleen.
“The mass was very large and there was a high chance it could be an aggressive tumour that would have a life-limiting prognosis. However, after discussing all possibilities with Moss’s owners, they decided that we should operate and remove it because they wanted their pet to be as comfortable as possible and pain free. Because of the size of the mass, we had to perform a splenectomy to remove his spleen as well.”
The surgery went well and the lump was sent to a laboratory for analysis and luckily it was found to be a non-cancerous haematoma – a mass of clotted blood. However, Monika adds that the lump could have been life-threatening if it had remained undetected for longer.
She added: “The mass would have continued to grow, putting pressure on Moss’s other organs, and there would have been a high risk of it rupturing and causing serious internal bleeding, which could be potentially fatal.
“This shows how important regular checks are, as there was no sign of the mass when we saw Moss six months previously, so it had grown quickly. He’s very lucky that his owners bring him in regularly to see us, and as a member of our health plan he has six-monthly checks.
“Lumps like these are seen in older pets so regular vet checks are a good idea, and you can also check your pet yourself when you groom them. Grooming them regularly helps you learn what’s normal for their body and it’s a good opportunity to look and feel for any unusual lumps or bumps. If you find something and you’re not sure about, give your vet practice a call for advice.”
Moss is now back home with the Henderson family and their rescue dog Ned. Mr Henderson says since his surgery, Moss is much livelier and has praised the Bromyard Vets team for the care they gave to his pet.
Mr Henderson said: “We are indebted to Monika for finding the lump, and if she hadn’t been so thorough during his vaccination appointment there could have been a very different outcome.
“It was a complete shock to find out that Moss was carrying such a large mass inside his abdomen, especially as he hadn’t been unwell. In hindsight, there were a few subtle signs that we took to be age related, such as moving more slowly and having a dull coat, but there was nothing obvious to tell us he was so poorly.
“We are delighted how well Moss has recovered and the team at Bromyard Vets were so caring and were genuinely concerned for him. We are regular visitors with our pets and Moss has been going to the practice since he was eight weeks old. I’d urge anyone to have their pets regularly checked over because it helped us find out about a health issue before it was too late and has saved our dog’s life.”