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My dog has a stomach tumor. Can he live happily without removal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Gerbil | Male | unneutered

As sammy is 3 years old and has a tumor on his stomach, can he live a happy life without getting it removed, he seems to be in no pain, eats and drinks as normal

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 6th, 2019

It depends on the kind of tumor we are dealing with. Some tumors are fast growing and can shorten the pets lifespan if not treated in some manner, while others (i.e. lipomas) are not cancerous and don't affect the pets lifespan at all. The first step is to get the tumor properly identified through your vet with proper sampling, then you will have the information you need to decide whether surgical removal should be pursued or not. I hope that Sammy's tumor is benign and nothing to worry about. Best wishes and take care!

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    Answered By Todd Cecil

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Thanks for reaching out about Sammy. It is impossible to determine whether this will be a long term problems, depends on the rapidity of growth and type of tumor. Malignant tumors grow faster and are more likely to metastasize. Remember, it is probably easier to remove when small than after getting large. Otherwise, monitor quality of life. Good luck.

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