Poor Levi

While you may have seen him in pictures on the blog, my almost 10-yr-old Levi has never been the subject of a post.  Levi is a Blue Heeler/Jack Russell mix.  As can only be assumed with that combination of breeds, Levi is one naughty dog.  The average dog owner would likely have given up on him.  Levi has bitten kids, killed chickens & a rabbit, found himself at the animal shelter, among other things we won't mention.  He just *is* trouble.  I, of course, appreciate Levi for who he is.  He's my running buddy, and actually very sweet and comical, with good intentions.  His genetics just get in the way sometimes.  I always tell my husband that Levi will live to be 18, just because he is naughty.  Levi, too, has proven to be our most expensive dog when it comes to vet bills.  He gets crazy tears in his skin in the yard.  Don't ask me how.  We've spent hundreds on stitches for him, and have even resorted to some superglue repairs on a few occasions. And since it has been more than a year since he had any injury requiring veterinary attention, I guess it was due time...

Levi earlier this year.  He hates it when I make him stay for a picture!

Levi had surgery this week to remove a few growths of undetermined cause from his shoulders.  They are definitely NOT mast cell or of cyst material.  Levi also has extremely irritated skin.  My vet does not feel the two are necessarily related, and is puzzled as to what is going on.  The tumor popped up in 3 days time.  Not kidding.  Last Thursday, I gave him a bath with a special skin shampoo.  No lumps.  On Sunday, I noticed 2 pretty good sized hard lumps.  On Monday, they were connected as one.

Pre-surgery blood work showed all normal.  So the both the lump and a skin biopsy sample were sent into the lab to aid in the determination of what is going on.  Results by Monday.  I hope this is some bizarre thing easily resolved as this has been tough on the poor guy.

Here he is post surgery: