Google’s Cancer Surgery – A Gentle Giant’s Brave Journey

Name: Google McDougall
Breed: Bloodhound
Age/Sex: 7.5 years old, Male (Neutered)
Weight: 90 kg

Google McDoughall isn’t just any dog—he’s a massive, 90-kilogram Bloodhound with a gentle soul. He was brought in from Yuen Long for a very special reason: his family had discovered a large, smelly lump beneath his neck. The lump had started to give off an odor, making the situation more urgent. Given his size, even a simple exam required extra hands just to move him onto the table.

Because of his weight and age, anesthesia carried additional risks. But with careful planning and expert teamwork, Dr. Adam took on this challenge head-on.

Add Lab test -> Cancer

Suspect cancer from day 1

After a full check-up, including blood tests and imaging, Google’s internal health looked surprisingly good! His:

• Kidney, liver, and thyroid values were all within normal range
• Mild anemia and increased white blood cells likely pointed to inflammation from the lump
• Eye stain test was clear

The team also noticed moderate tartar on his teeth, but given the neck mass, dental cleaning was not the main priority.

On the day of surgery, Google was given a gentle sedation protocol (Gabapentin and Trazodone the night before), which made transport and handling easier. He was too large to fit safely on the surgery table, so Dr. Adam performed the entire operation on the floor, making sure Google was as comfortable as possible.

Under anesthesia:

• The team made a large elliptical incision to remove the neck mass
• Lignocaine was used both as a block and lavage to reduce pain
• Despite his size, blood pressure and vitals stayed stable the whole time
• Minimal bleeding occurred, and the surgery was successful

Instead of internal sutures alone, skin sutures were used so that they could be removed later without full sedation—though the team prepared for possible self-dehiscence due to his size.

Post-surgery, Google was slow to wake up—expected for such a large dog with a lot of body fat. Dr. Adam had already planned fluid support and used medications that would metabolize slowly and safely:

• Pain relief: Rimadyl, Buprenorphine
• Antibiotics: Co-Amoxy
• Eye drops: for concurrent discharge

Google was stable but couldn’t fully stand after surgery. His family was advised that he might need to stay overnight, and they were prepared with extra help for transport.

• ✅ Managed a high-risk anesthesia in an obese senior dog
• ✅ Adapted to patient needs with on-floor surgery
• ✅ Balanced surgical efficiency with safety
• ✅ Applied multimodal pain management
• ✅ Followed up with tailored recovery support

• Obesity adds risk to any procedure—even minor ones. Early weight management makes a difference
• Foul-smelling lumps should be checked quickly, as infection or tissue death could occur
• Planning sedation and transport ahead of time helps reduce stress for both pet and vet team

Big dogs need special handling—from anesthesia to post-op care, every step counts