Is this melanoma?

[Ginny Nightingale]

My darling little red-haired girl, Mattie, aged 4, has a black spot on her lower lip that has not been there long. I just compared photos of her taken over the past year and did not see it until now. It looks very scary to me--off to the vet tomorrow.

Has anyone dealt with melanoma on their dog? If so, what is your opinion of this spot?

Here she is last summer with no spot:

And this is what is there now--look just under the two lower center teeth (incisors) and just to the left. The spot is very black just like the photo shows.

Scary, right?

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Thank Goodness this is probably just a freckle. I have started to look at Daisy with a more watchful eye since Murph and his spot. I hope all goes well tomorrow.

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

Sure hope this is just a freckle.  We'll be keeping you and Mattie in our thoughts today and looking for an update today.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Mattie can't be seen until Thursday! But it is nothing urgent so that is OK. But now, my puppy Rio can't put any weight on his left front leg and cries out when he moves it--oy! Looks like it is going to be an expensive week---the vet is going to take a quick look today between surgeries and Xray if necessary --they will keep him there all day and give him something for pain. I will pick him up before they close and they don't reopen until Thursday, so it will be a long two days waiting to see what the vet says about both of the dogs. In the meantime, Lyric (my third doodle!) looks ready to burst--she is due to have pups in ten days--lots going on here in the Nightingale household. Good thing my REAL kids are all out of the house.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Hoping for the best for all 3 of your doods. Mattie has beautiful clean teeth!

[Ginny Nightingale]

She loves to chew on cow hooves--that is all it takes! (Plus no canned food--that really gunks up the gums.)

[Ginny Nightingale]

Rio appears to have a bruised shoulder. Xrays didn't show much and luckily, no damage to growth plate. He is on an analgesic for pain and is sleeping like a log right now. Hopefully a few days of rest and meds will clear up his problem. Now, i just have to get a clean bill of health on Mattie and we are done with the vet for a (short) while--until the pups come, that is!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Glad to hear this on Rio.

[Linda and Murphy]

Great news on Rio.  Will be waiting to hear about Mattie.

[Ginny Nightingale]

It is so hard to see a puppy in pain and afraid to move--I felt so bad for him. I am glad he is starting to feel a bit  better. Thanks for all of your comments and concerns everyone--I love being a part of the doodle family!

[Ginny Nightingale]

Well, more good news! Mattie is just fine--I should expect to see alot more of these black spots in the future--they are the equivalent of freckles. When we looked INSIDE her mouth at the inside of her gums and lips, there were hundreds of spots! Never thought to do that--duh!

So, for now...all is well in doodle-land.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Great news for the freckly Mattie!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Glad to hear this good news!