Big Jerome landed as a stray in a shelter with one HUGE lipoma (benign fatty tumor) on a shoulder. With that “deformity”, of course no one wanted to take home an otherwise very handsome happy lab. So we did, and that giant lipoma was surgically removed so that he could move much more normally. Freedom! Labradors seem to be lipoma factories as they age, and Jerome next had one removed from next to an anal gland. Such a delicate place (and the worry that it was malignant) meant surgery was done by a specialist – fortunately it too was benign. In the 18 months since then Jerome has grown quite a forest of lipomas all over his trunk which we will ignore until they bother him. This big guy loves tennis balls, loves walks, loves lying out and watching the property (and guarding it from the neighbors way across the road). He has lots of arthritis in knees and back so takes anti-inflammatories, and needs his anal glands expressed monthly, but he’s not slowing down yet. Jerome is always cheery and ready for an adventure or to some petting. Or a tennis ball toss.

Update:  We had a little more than 2 years with big Jerome; the last 6 months neurologic problems surfaced in his back end and he started tiring easily.    Then symptoms began that indicated a brain tumor and his weakness increased.  When he started having bad nights and collapsing, we sent this big shiny handsome guy on to a peaceful rest – way too young.    We put all his tennis balls away and will remember how happy he was at the beach, being a Labrador.