Yes, Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks

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New research has shed some light on dogs’ ability to understand what humans are saying, showing that even completely untrained dogs can follow simple hand signal commands.

Related: Here’s How to Include Dogs That are Elderly in Your Outings

The study, which was published in January in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, demonstrated that 80% of the untrained stray dogs in the study successfully followed pointing directions given by people to a precise location. That dogs can comprehend complex hand gestures and respond to them, despite not using similar communication with their own species, suggests an even deeper connection between dogs and humans than previously thought.

Top photograph: Wavebreakmedia | Getty Images

Read Next: Here’s How to Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

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Your Dog Can Go Green, Too

The post Your Dog Can Go Green, Too by Wendy Newell appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

It’s easy to think of things to do in our human lives in order to go green and work to leave the earth in the best shape possible for future human and animal generations. You may have a recycling bin by your trash can or maybe you bring your own bags when you go shopping. But, have you ever thought about how you can help your dog go green?

First, what is your dog’s ecological paw print? An ecological footprint is the effect your dog has on the environment. Specifically, the demands he has on global natural resources. The goal is to live in a sustainable loop where everything taken from the Earth is returned to it.

You can help your dog attain this goal by using our “get-green” tips.

Photo: RobHainer | Getty Images

Go natural with flea, tick, shampoo and cleaning products

Cut back on water-wasting dog baths by using dog bathing products that use less water, like dry shampoo and wipes. Use products with natural ingredients for health and beauty. For example, the founder of Spina Organics, a company that makes pet-care grooming products, uses the antifungal and antibacterial benefits in plants to produce a clean product that is vegan and all-natural.

Embrace the natural predators of fleas in your yard. Snakes, ants, beetles, spiders, frogs and lizards all snack on them. Nematodes can be purchased online or at a local garden store. They are deadly to flea pupae and larvae. Even fossil organisms can help. Diatomaceous earth absorbs into insects with an exoskeleton and causes them to dry out and die.

For cleaning up after your pup: Use eco-friendly cleaners and reusable rags instead of paper towels.

Look for products that contain pet- and earth-friendly ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and lemon. If your dog drinks from the toilet or licks anything or everything off the floor, you need to have natural cleaners that are safe for your pet to digest in small quantities.

Try using a cup of white vinegar as a toilet bowl cleaner. Let it sit for 10 minutes then scrub as usual. A spray bottle filled with equal parts white vinegar and water is a good all-purpose cleanser. A mixture of equal parts warm water, white vinegar and a couple tablespoons of baking powder makes a great carpet cleaner for where a pup had an accident. Spot test any homemade or store-bought cleaner to make sure it won’t harm or fade the specific surface you are using it on.

Photo: Alona Rjabceva | Getty Images

Get informed on poop bags and composting

Some believe the most earth-friendly thing to do with their dog’s poop is to leave it where it has been plopped. This isn’t the case. Animal waste can contain harmful organisms (Salmonella and E. coli, for example) that can make other animals sick or contaminate the waterways. Luckily there are some things you can do to make picking up after your dog more environmentally sound.

• Flush the poop. For daintier droppings, pick up with toilet paper and flush down the toilet.
• Use compostable dog poop bags. The EPA requires “compostable” plastic to be broken down by composting treatments found at commercial or industrial composting facilities. Look for bags that meet the “ASTM D6400”
  standard.
• Do yard composting. There are products on the market that will help you safely compost your dog’s poop.
• Try a resuable and washable dog poop bag. Yes, they exist.
• Check out reusable and washable pee pads. Yup, they exist, too.

Support environmentally positive impact companies

Visit petsustainability.org to find pet companies that strive to support the nonprofit mission of advancing business through profitable environmental and social practices. Cardinal Pet Care, a founding member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, offers eco-friendly grooming products, first-aid items and treats. It was one of the first in the pet industry to convert its buildings to solar power. The company also provides free car-charging stations for its employees and chooses to work with certified vendors and suppliers that are also committed to sustainable work practices.

Tom Wien, VP of Marketing at Cardinal Pet Care says, “There are numerous case studies that demonstrate that companies that operate with sustainability in mind financially outperform their competitors that operate without a sense of sustainability. Part of the success of sustainably minded companies stems from the competitive advantage. As more consumers demand socially responsible companies, they are also choosing to vote with their wallet as well as their voices.”

Tom adds that it’s not just consumers who are making values-driven decisions about products and businesses. Nine out of 10 prospective employees said they would choose a company whose values align with their own over a job that pays a higher salary, according to a survey by insurer MetLife.

Pure and Natural Pet, a company that makes and sells a large range of grooming products and is also a member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition and Organic Trade Association, has an entire page on its website reviewing its sustainability as a company. Like Pure and Natural Pet, see if the company has a corporate recycling program, locally sourced materials, is part of green-driven associations and gives back to earth-friendly initiatives.

Pure and Natural Pet also uses organic farmers that practice and partner with eco-friendly companies. The company believes that as its ingredients come from the Earth, it makes sure its products are not harmful to the Earth.

Tavor White, founder and CEO of Chews Happiness, says ”Because we love the environment and we love dogs — and we’re fairly certain dogs love the environment as much as we do — we’re serious about our sustainable business practices.

Chews Happiness, creators of the Barkaron Decadent Doggie Dessert, artisanal handwoven collars and leashes, handcrafted apparel and dog toys, sources its ingredients from free-range or organic sources (or effectively organic when organic is not available). The company partners with indigenous herders and artisans, who maintain traditional lifestyles, keeping their carbon footprint low. This is in keeping with the company mission to support low carbon-footprint lifestlyes. The company also supports small farmers, beekeeper and women’s cooperatives, small dairy farmers, and yak herders in Bhutan. The company uses eco-friendly packaging, and the dog treats are made in Bhutan, a carbon-negative country. These are just some of the company’s eco-friendly highlights.

David Yaskulka, CEO of Nature’s Logic says, “Pet food company Nature’s Logic’s mission is to apply the logic of nature to everything we touch, which means creating all-natural nutrition for pets from whole foods and being a voice for sustainability. Our pet food line is 100% natural with no synthetic vitamins.”

Through the company’s Better Food, Better Energy program, for every pound of food it sells, the company buys 1 kWh of renewable electricity to help power the future. “Our headquarters is powered by and all of our bags and kibble are manufactured using 100% renewable electricity,” David says. “We’re introducing seafood certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and our newest product is the first in the industry with Certified Plastic Neutral packaging!”

Invest in products that last

One way of keeping items out of the landfill is by purchasing products built to last versus disposable items or those that need to be replaced frequently. For example, Andis, a grooming products company, doesn’t just create quality products allowing the user to keep their tools for several years, they also offer industry-leading tool repairs and blade sharpening services to extend the life of the products they sell even longer.

Recycle, Reuse and Reduce

When considering your dog’s or your environmental footprint, follow the three Rs.

• Limit packaging waste by bringing your own bags to purchase bulk treats at the pet store.
• Wash and pass along gently used items like dog beds, blankets, towels and toys to a friend or local animal charity.
• See if your vet and your dog’s insurance company have a “go-paperless” option.
• Talk to your vet on what “food scraps” you can safely feed your dog. Parts of certain vegetables or bone broth made from the carcass of tonight’s dinner, for example.
• Reduce overpopulation by getting your dog spayed or neutered, and support your local humane society or shelter.

I like to think about the phrase someone once said, “We did not inherit our future from our ancestors, we have borrowed it from our children.” By incorporating these tips into your dog parent daily routine, you are making the world a greener, healthier place for both future human children and furry children.

Top photograph: RossHelen | Getty Image

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Brittany

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The long-legged, stumpy-tailed Brittany is an athletic dynamo in a compact package. He has become a familiar sight in both city and country, always ready to tackle anything you throw at him. Here are seven fun facts about this energetic Sporting breed.

Vive la France

The breed gets its name from the Brittany region in northwestern France, surrounded by the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south, where the breed originated. Orange-and-white dogs of Brittany type, hunting and retrieving game, are depicted in paintings and tapestries of the 17th century by French, Flemish and Dutch masters. A Reverend Davies in 1850 describes hunting with small “bobtailed” dogs that pointed and were excellent retrievers. Around the same time, it is rumored that the modern Brittany came about through matings with English Setters. The Brittany’s original fans were medieval peasants and poachers, who lived a thrifty life. They lacked the means to support a large kennel so they needed a dog that was capable of being an all-purpose worker. That versatility that was bred into the Brittany remains a hallmark of the breed to this day.

Photo:Emmanuelle Grimaud | Getty Images

Coming to America

The Brittany was first recognized as a breed in 1907 when an orange-and-white male named Boy was registered in France. The first breed standard was drawn up in the same year. The breed was introduced to the United States in 1931. In 1934 the American Kennel Club registered its first “Brittany Spaniel.” Here in America, hunters considered the Brittany more of a pointer than a spaniel in its working style, and in 1982, the AKC dropped “Spaniel” from the official breed name.

American and French dogs diverge

During the 20th century, American and French bloodlines split and went their separate ways. Black is an acceptable coat color in the French dogs, which also is genetically linked with black noses and dark eyes. This gives the Continental dogs a very different look from the dogs we are accustomed to seeing in this country. The AKC standard allows only orange-and-white or liver-and-white dogs, with amber eyes, and the nose ranging in color from fawn, tan and shades of brown to deep pink. A black nose is a disqualification, as is a black coat.

Photo: Olga Turkas | Getty Images

A breed of moderation

To function efficiently as a hunter, the Brittany must remain a medium-sized, agile dog, never clumsy. The breed standard specifies that the Brittany should range in height from 171/2 to 201/2 inches at the shoulder. Any Brittany measuring under or over these limits is disqualified from dog show competition. Ideal weight is between 30 and 40 pounds. Overweight or oversized dogs cannot function in the high-energy manner that is so typical of the breed, whether in competition or as an active family companion. The breed standard states, under “Substance,” that the Brittany must not be “… too light in bone, yet never heavy-boned and cumbersome.” Too much hair would also bog down the dog in the field, so overly long or profuse feathering on the legs and ears is severely penalized. A Brittany should be moderate in all respects.

High energy

To quote the standard, the blueprint of the breed, the Brittany is prized as a “leggy dog having the appearance, as well as the agility, of a great ground coverer. Strong, vigorous, energetic and quick of movement. Ruggedness, without clumsiness, is a characteristic of the breed.” Does this sound like a couch potato to you? With his unlimited energy, the Brittany requires lots of rigorous, daily exercise and a job to keep him busy. If you have active children, or you bicycle or jog, the Brittany will make a superb companion. A tired Brittany will be happy to hang out and chill with you. Without a suitable outlet for his energy, the Brittany can exhibit neurotic and destructive tendencies, as any Brittany rescue volunteer will confirm.

A Dual Champion brag

Many Sporting breeds have, over time, been split into the dogs that do field work and their fancier counterparts that win in the show ring. Not many dogs of these breeds can perform in both arenas, and the look of the show and field specimens has changed over time. Not so with the Brittany. The “Dual Champion” designation in front of a dog’s name means that he has won both a field title (FC) and a show title (CH). The Brittany boasts more Dual Champions than any other breed: 608 and counting, according to the American Brittany Club’s website. This is a testament to the dedication of breeders and owners who are committed to keeping the Brittany a dog that can do it all.

 And in other departments

With the emphasis on the Brittany’s great success in the field, it must not be forgotten that this super dog also excels in agility, obedience, flyball, rally, and as a therapy and service dog. The breed thrives in any climate and loves the water. If you can keep up with a Brittany’s energy level, you’ll quickly discover what a versatile breed this is.

Top photograph: Przemysław Iciak | Getty Images

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What Are the Differences Between the AKC, CKC and UKC Registries?

The post What Are the Differences Between the AKC, CKC and UKC Registries? by Allan Reznik appeared first on Dogster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.

If you have a purebred dog, many people will ask if he has “papers.” This actually means two things. The first is: is he purebred? Are both parents of the same breed, which will ensure predictability as the puppy grows up and comes to resemble his parents and family ancestors in size, appearance and temperament.

The second is: is he registered, in which case you will receive registration papers from the American Kennel Club, Canadian Kennel Club (if the litter was born in Canada) or the United Kennel Club, along with a pedigree (or family tree), certifying that the puppy’s parents, grandparents and past generations are registered members of the same breed. These are the largest, oldest and most reputable dog registries in existence. They also oversee competitions like dog shows and performance events like agility, rally and tracking, so if you’ve ever thought about trying any of these with your dog, your dog will need to be registered.

The registries differ in the number of breeds they recognize and how their sports are organized, so here are some useful facts about each.

Photo: SanyaSM/ Getty Images

The American Kennel Club

Founded in 1884 and with headquarters in New York City, the American Kennel Club, is the largest registry in the country. Currently the AKC recognizes and registers 193 breeds and varieties of dogs. For each breed, it is a process of getting it established, fostering breeders in different parts of the country and introducing the breed to the public. Besides governing dog shows and performance events, the AKC does a huge amount of education, including sponsoring “Meet the Breeds” events in different cities where dog lovers can get up close and personal with breeders and dogs, and find the breed best suited to their lifestyle.

To make learning about all the breeds easier, the AKC divides them into seven groups, based on their original function: Sporting (the pointer, setter, retriever and spaniel breeds), Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding. As you do your research, you can decide if an apartment-sized Toy breed or an active Sporting breed is a better fit for you. The AKC website, www.akc.org, is a wealth of information on all-things dog.

Photo: Barb/Getty Images

The Canadian Kennel Club

The Canadian Kennel Club, founded in 1888 and with headquarters in Toronto (Etobicoke), Ontario, currently recognizes 175 breeds and varieties of dogs. As you research the breeds, it may be that you choose an unusual one where the only breeders with puppies are located north of the border.

Dogs registered with the CKC can easily have their paperwork transferred to the AKC and become registered here. The two registries have a very cordial and reciprocal relationship. The CKC divides its breeds into the same seven Groups that the AKC does, Sporting through Herding. However, while the AKC is a club of clubs, the CKC is a club of members, and any individual may apply to join. Go to www.ckc.ca for more information on the organization.

The United Kennel Club

Founded in 1898 and with headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the United Kennel Club, is considered an international dog registry. Going to a UKC event can be quite exciting as you will be met with many dogs you’ve never seen before.

The UKC currently recognizes more than 300 breeds, and they are divided into eight Groups, different from the AKC/CKC designations, but again based on historical function: Guardian Dog, Scenthound, Sighthound and Pariah Dog, Gun Dog, Northern Breed, Herding, Terrier and Companion Dog.

At AKC and CKC shows, you will see that many owners choose to have their dogs shown by experienced professional handlers who travel every weekend and do this for a living. (Some owners can’t run around a large ring, or take time off work to drive to shows; think of jockeys riding racehorses.) By comparison, UKC events are intended to be family-oriented recreation for owners and so the use of professional handlers is prohibited at dog shows. The result is that UKC dog shows feel more casual and informal. Many owners new to showing find UKC events less stressful, and even some seasoned AKC exhibitors like to give their young dogs some practice at the UKC shows before hitting the AKC show ring.

The United Kennel Club emphasizes the total dog, and many more owners participate with the same dogs in multiple UKC events, from dog shows to weight pulls to herding and field work, than is typically seen at AKC and CKC competitions. For lots more information on the many breeds and events of the United Kennel Club, go to www.ukcdogs.com.

Top photograph: Stanislav Hubkin / Getty Images

Read Next: The Truth About Puppy Mills 

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Stop Small-Dog Syndrome

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Think about what the world looks like if you are very small. Lie on the ground and look up around you, and you’ll see that you’re surrounded by legs. And as you look up, think what it must be like to have to look up all the time. Apart from making your neck sore, looking up at things that are bigger than you can be overwhelming. Now how will you react when a stranger leans over to say hello, touches you and then tries to pick you up? Welcome to the world of small dogs!

Photo: GlobalP | Getty Images

It’s no wonder we call it “small-dog syndrome.” It’s normal and almost comical when we see little dogs lunging on the leash toward larger dogs as they walk by. But it’s not funny from the small dog’s point of view because when you are small and the world around you is big, things can seem very intimidating.

If you have a small dog who is nervous and reacts negatively to the world around him, all is not lost. There are plenty of things you can do to help him feel more comfortable. As a small-dog guardian myself, I understand what it’s like. One of the best ways to prevent small-dog syndrome is to understand what the world is like from your dog’s point of view. It will give you a whole new perspective.

Small dogs and humans

I teach all dogs, regardless of their size, to cope with rude human greeting behavior. Ideally, dogs would make the decision whether they wanted to greet someone or not, but they rarely have that luxury. Teaching small dogs to accept people coming into their space will help prevent problems developing later on. You can achieve this by doing the following: Lean over your dog and give him his favorite food with one hand as you pet the top of his head with the other.

• Once he is comfortable with you leaning over, take a few steps back, walk toward him and repeat.
• When your dog is comfortable with you approaching, leaning over and touching him, ask a family member to do the same.
• When your dog is content being touched by family members and you are sure he sees being greeted and touched as a positive experience, ask friends to do the same inside your home as long as it is safe.
• Once your dog is used to being touched by newer people in the home, you can take this exercise outside.
• Don’t overwhelm your dog by repeating this exercise too much. Quality is better than quantity. When your dog is relaxed about people coming into his space, you can start using food sparingly.

Photo: cynoclub | Getty Images

Small dogs and bigger dogs

Little dogs, like all dogs, need to feel safe. If your small dog lunges at other dogs on the leash out of fear, help him cope by doing some of the following:

• Redirect nervous behavior onto a game that your dog likes to play. This might be a game of tug or searching for treats you throw on the ground for him. Play these games at various times inside the home and outdoors when there are no other dogs around.
• When you see other dogs in the distance, start playing the game as they approach, and continue to play it as they walk past, making sure there is enough space between dogs so that your dog is comfortable and can focus on the game as the other dog passes. If your dog reacts negatively, gently remove him from the situation by quickly walking him away.

Photo: Christine Bird | Getty Images

A safe place

If your dog is still too nervous and unable to focus, then try picking him up. Jasmine, my Chihuahua, feels very uncomfortable around larger dogs, so we have a system: When she sees other dogs, she either has the choice to walk past or she can look at me, which is my cue to pick her up.

I always advocate for my dog’s safety and comfort, so if being in my arms is her safe place, so be it. The fact that she has the choice to be picked up or not gives her more control over the situation and makes her feel more confident.

Understanding your small dog’s wants and needs means that you can say goodbye to small-dog syndrome and help your dog overcome challenges in the big world around him.
Small dogs have big hearts and brave temperaments, but sometimes living in a big, bad world can be truly overwhelming, and understanding that size does matter will improve their lives considerably.

Top photograph: freemixer | Getty Images

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How This American Ninja Warrior Competitor is Saving Dogs

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We’ve all had that one dog who showed up in our lives and changed everything. For Andrew “Roo” Yori, that dog was Wallace. While the Minnesota native had plenty of experience as a shelter volunteer and dog trainer, Wallace was his first Pit Bull.

“Wallace was a handful — he was a lot of dog,” Andrew says. “Not that all of them [Pit Bulls] are, but he was, and it just took a lot of focus to work with him.”

Andrew discovered that Wallace loved playing Frisbee, so they focused his energy into becoming a National Champion, winning over plenty of hearts in the meantime. “I’d go to competitions and people that were scared of Pit Bulls would actually come up and want to meet him,” Andrew says.

Wallace lives on

Wallace passed away in 2013, but his memory lives on with the Wallace the Pit Bull Foundation and the self-named book by Jim Gorant, who also wrote Lost Dogs about the Michael Vick dogfighting case.

After Wallace was gone, Andrew wasn’t sure how to continue his work. He asked himself: “Wallace had a huge social media following and tons of fans, but when he’s not around, how do I continue to reach people?”

The answer came in 2016 when Andrew was chosen to compete on the obstacle course TV show American Ninja Warrior. “I’ve been an athlete my whole life, so I thought it looked amazingly fun and I wanted to give it a shot,” he says. “I put in my application and was fortunate enough to get called.

I did really well my first season and ever since then, it filled that void and has given me a platform to continue to advocate for these dogs in a completely unique and different way that I wasn’t really expecting, but I think is pretty amazing.”

Now known as the “K9 Ninja,” Andrew has competed in four seasons of American Ninja Warrior. Each year, he takes pledges for completing obstacles and then uses that money to sponsor adoptions and support spay/ neuter clinics. Being on a popular TV show has also given Andrew the platform to speak at schools and events around the country.

“The main thing is just to have people think about shelter and rescue animals the next time they are thinking about adding one to their family,” he says simply. “These dogs aren’t broken, they’re not damaged. There are a lot of good dogs sitting in there that need a chance and, unfortunately, don’t make it out all the time.”

Top photograph: Joshua Grenell

Read Next: You Need to Watch A&E’s America’s Top Dog

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What You Need to Know About Canine Lumps and Bumps

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Some of the most caring, educated and vigilant pet owners tend to ignore the little lumps until they become colossal catastrophes. Yep, it was going to be one of those days.

Sitting calmly on my exam table was the cutest Chihuahua you could cradle in two hands. Chloe was “103/4” according to her owner, a smartly dressed young woman who couldn’t have been more than a teenager when Chloe was born. The problem was obvious: a dime-sized mass caked in dried blood protruded from Chloe’s left shoulder.

“It was only a tiny bump until a couple of months ago. My groomer has been watching it and said it looked fine. It started bleeding after her last haircut, and now it’s growing like crazy.”

I gingerly began feeling around the base of the mass, carefully watching Chloe for any signs of discomfort. The base of the swelling was hot and inflamed. As I applied pressure, Chloe informed me she’d had enough. I knew what we needed to do next.

Benign or dangerous?

Skin tumors and growths come in a tremendous variety of types: from deadly cancers, such as malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and mast cell tumors to benign warts, skin tags, cysts, abscesses and hair follicle tumors. The challenge is distinguishing a relatively harmless bump from a lethal lump — they can look the same.

Related: Skin Tags on Dogs — What to Know

To tell the difference, you need to study the cells inside the mass using fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or a surgical biopsy. If you’re female, you’ve heard the importance of having any lump or bump in your breast or underarm area aspirated immediately. For over 30 years, this quick and safe procedure has saved innumerable lives and spared countless women surgery. FNA is also essential in dogs, but many owners aren’t aware. Chloe was a reminder of the importance of “Don’t delay, FNA today.”

Don’t ignore those bumps

Too many times in my career I’ve had to inform a loving dog owner that the little “freckle” or “cyst that’s been there forever” was actually an aggressive malignant cancer. Too many times I’ve wished I could go back in time and take an FNA that could have saved a life. Too many times I had to clutch a paw as a grieving pet parent sobbed, knowing things could have turned out differently if only they’d acted sooner. Dogster family, help share this important message. If you or someone you know notices an unusual skin discoloration (especially “dark and domed”), any lump or bump (no matter how small or insignificant) or just plain “weird skin” on any pet, have it checked by a veterinarian ASAP. Together we can save lives.

How FNA works

I explained to Chloe’s mom that I wanted to numb the area surrounding the mass and insert a needle into the swelling. I’d aspirate some cells and examine them under a microscope.

Based on our findings, we’d either remove the mass or submit the cells for a pathologist to review. It’s critical to determine if the mass is malignant or benign before proceeding with surgery. If the tumor is cancerous, the key to successful treatment and reducing the risk of spreading (metastasis) is to excise the malignancy with a wide, deep margin. If it’s a benign cyst or growth, you can be quicker and more cosmetic by only removing the mass.

Chloe’s mom agreed, and I got to work. After anesthetizing the area around the bloody mass using bupivacaine and buprenorphine, I carefully began my FNA. I chose this combination because I was hoping it would be a benign growth and that combination was perfect for a quick surgery. I’d also been a veterinarian long enough to have been fooled more than once when guessing the origin of a skin tumor.

As I collected the aspirate, I began to feel more optimistic. The mass contained fluid and pus, which I confirmed under the microscope. I continued scanning for any sign of suspicious or malignant cells and found none. I relayed my observations to the owner, and we elected to remove the mass and submit it for a full biopsy. Forty minutes later Chloe was back in her mom’s arms with a neat row of “cute little baby stitches!”

The next day the pathologist confirmed the mass was an infected benign follicular tumor. Chloe would be fine.

“Dr. Ward, thank you so much,” said the owner. “I feel terrible for ignoring the bump until it grew so big. I promise I’ll never wait again!” And that’s a promise all of us should make.

Top photograph: Bill Bachman | Alamy Stock Image

 

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