Handsome Sampson
Sampson is a handsome boy. I mean just look at this face.
You cannot see the Sebaceous cyst in this photo.
Besides a myriad of nick names, I sometimes call him Handsome Sampson. Try saying that three times fast. Go ahead. I double dog dare you.
See you can’t. It’s just like licking your elbow. Not possible.
Dogs don’t care what they look like
Sampson’s mother is a Golden Retriever while his dad’s breed is unknown. Since we’ve never had any DNA tests run, we’re guessing Black Lab. His vet records indicate Golden Lab. As you can see from this photo, Sampson is beginning to get the white face that you see on so many Goldens and Labs. When I look at that sweet graying face, it breaks my heart because I know my time left with him is less than the time I’ve already had with him. But Sampson rarely looks in the mirror and when he does, all he sees is a happy dog.
Good gracious sebaceous!
There’s one other thing Sampson has going on on his face and that’s a Sebaceous cyst. (Thanks to poor planning on my part, the photo I took of it, is not currently available. I’ll share it on Friday.)
Sampson of course, is oblivious to the growth on his face. I’ve never noticed him paying much attention to it. It doesn’t seem like it’s itchy because I haven’t noticed him scratching at it or rubbing his face on the carpet to scratch it.
He doesn’t look in the mirror every day to see what the cyst is looking like, he doesn’t pick at it in hopes of ‘popping’ it or making it smaller and he certainly doesn’t rearrange his fur to try and ‘cover’ it up.
Heart Like a Dog Lesson
I on the other hand seem to always touch this when I’m petting him. At least once a day I think Oh no, he’s got a tick before realizing I’ve touched the cyst. It’s well below his eye and in no way affects him. Yet I still obsess over it.
I also obsess over what people will think of me because I’m carrying a little more weight than I feel comfortable with. I worry what people will think when they look at my choice of outfits. I make damn sure to point out the zit on my face before anyone else can.
In a nutshell, I’m vain. I worry about how I look. And because of this vanity, I also worry about how my dogs look too. Which is why when Sampson goes in for his teeth cleaning on December 10th, I’m have that Sebaceous cyst removed.
Why I don’t know, because it’s certainly not bothering Sampson.
Are you like me, worried how others will view you? Do you find yourself projecting that worry on your dog’s appearance as well? Are you struggling to find your inner Heart Like a Dog?
As I have reached the age of 50, I find I care less and less about how I look. No make up on most days, jeans and t-shirts everyday. Although I am trying to wear mascara more days than not. The dogs are cute anyway, so no worries there. My only claim to vanity is exercising to stay the same size I have always been. But, that’s about it.
Suspect that most dogs don’t give a fig about what they look like – now, it would be different if you worried about what they smell like!
I was just going to say have it removed when he is under for his dental. It’s best to have them removed so they don’t rupture causing a mess and possible infection. He is handsome with or with out his friend the cyst. Have a great day.
I always struggle to find my inner dog!
I’m going to pretend like I didn’t just try to lick my elbow 🙂
I think my Poodles are about as vain as I am. They let me know when a grooming appointment is needed in their own way.
No vanity here, we are all too chilled out to care.
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Best wishes Molly
Funny how as I’ve gotten older, I care less about what others think about how I look or what I say/do. As long as I am comfortable, I don’t give a flying rip. That means jeans and a tee shirt or sweater, or sweats, or warm-up suit; and NO makeup other than a little moisturizer for the dry skin. I never really liked makeup anyway — all that other garbage to get it off at night made it more of a pain in the ass than it was worth. And mascara irritated my eyes, even the so-called hypoallergenic stuff. Besides, it’s bad for the skin despite what cosmetic companies would have you believe.
I do get concerned, though, when I find a new bump on my dogs. Not because of how it makes them look, but because it could be something insidiously nasty. The first thing I do is call the vet or, on the weekends, take a picture of it.
Jodi, you are certainly not alone! But it bothers me greatly just how much I care about these things. Logically, I know they shouldn’t. My choice of outfit has nothing to do with my abilities or who I am, but I still stress over it every morning before I go to work. It’s silly but it still matters. I wish I could shrug it off, especially since I know that I am just falling victim to societal norms.
If you are ever able to figure out how to get over these fears, you need to write a book!
Mom is always worrying that I look too shaggy, she is worried about what she wears and what others will think, you are not alone. I would have that thing removed because it may grow, and as long as he is out anyway, why not?
Luke had one of those last year onhis tail…popped and got infected…he was on anitibiotics and vet said it probably will return…so eone to,d me it was high protein…vet said no…but i switched his food anyway…had 34 percent protein…and has not had another since…im afraid to switch back…let sleeping dogs lie…lol
We are not worried about the LOOKS.. butt we do worry about BUMPS and LUMPS and stuffs here on the hill. Ernie had a LUMP and we KNEW what it was from… Puppy shots… butt MOM still had it Removed… beclaws Lumps can sometimes go… BAD.
I do and I don’t worry about how I look… I live in a neighborhood where women seem to dress up to walk their dogs! I’ve seen women in high-heeled boots even. Although their usual outfit is high-end yoga capris, high-end yoga tank in a bright color and floppy cotton hat to protect all that work they’ve had done. I go out w/ my wrinkled face and my wrinkled shorts and t-shirt, and don’t really care.
On the other hand, I am vain about my wrinkles and worry that I’m starting to, gasp, look my age! I read “I Feel Bad About My Neck” years ago – back when I didn’t feel bad about my neck. Now I get it!
And I think if Rita had something on her pretty little face, I’d want to have it removed too. I know that’s the vain human in us, and not what the dog would choose… but it’s probably what I’d do. (Although only if I was already knocking the pup out, as you are for the teeth-cleaning. I wouldn’t knock a dog out strictly for something cosmetic.)
Nah, I’m quite the opposite. I don’t do make-up. I wear my clothes till they’re literally falling apart. I get my hair cut maybe twice a year. And I let my dogs wear their lumps with style – as long as they are benign. 🙂
But, we’re all individuals, aren’t we? And what’s right for one is not always someone else’s cup of tea. (or margarita 😉 )
Nope! I don’t give a rat’s behind what anybody thinks of me! You shouldn’t either!
I think it’s a good idea to get the cyst and teeth done at the same time. Even if it’s not an issue now, it could become one. No reason to wait. Superficial vanity?? Yeah. It should be my middle name.
I am definitely vain too. I try not to be, but just can’t seem to help myself. We’ve had some cysts removed from Kobi, but only when he’s been under for dental anyway also. But that’s more because our vet says why not remove them before they could become a problem, if he’s under anyway.
Sampson is extremely handsome and I don’t blame you for wanting to keep him that way! I love his mix….we had a golden retriever/chocolate lab/german shepherd mix and she was the best dog!
I tend towards vanity myself, and if you’re going to have him under for a dental anyway, I don’t see any harm in having it removed. It would be different if you were rushing him off and putting him under just for that. He might feel a little better with it removed in the long run anyway, even if he’s not showing signs of it bothering him.
I think you are smart to have it removed when he has his dental done. There is no way of knowing whether it might cause him issues in the future and then you would have to have him put under again.
You might remember that kitty had a cyst removed in 2012. We watched it a while and when it started to grow we felt it was best to have it removed. At that time we asked the vet to clean her teeth if necessary since she was already under. Unfortunately she didn’t need her teeth done at that time.
Oh yah, I sure worry about those things more than Lamar–who’s got a cyst on both eyelids as well as a couple in other places. I’ve wanted to remove them–both for vain reasons, like what will people think of me if I let my dog suffer with these cysts, and for good reasons, like they cause Lamar some discomfort–but my vet, whom I trust, is conservative and advises against putting a 13 year old dog under anesthesia. So its a dilemma.
Sampson sure is handsome. I don’t blame you for having the cyst removed–our vanity, even our vanity over our dog’s appearance, fulfills some evolutionary purpose after all!
Your momma is too funny
Lily
Our Dr Z was just covered in sebacious cysts and they a a bit gross. I am probably a little vain in that I really care about Im wearing, at least some of the time. My problem is I have no middle ground, either I care a lot and like to have an outfit and nice clothes and dress up a bit or Im in PJs or sweat pants and a total slob. I am about 50/50 with this. For my dogs I do care a bit how they look in that I like their appearance to refelct the love I have for htem, when they look good I feel good that they look nice and loved. Id probably remove a cyst if they were going under because I would obsess over what it was.
urban hounds
Of course! To all three questions. But we try to sweep it under the carpet and not think about it too much, 😛 Donna has her priorities right. She thinks about her food.
I think you already know that Sampson is my very favorite dog breed – Golden Ret / Lab mix – like my Lucy and Rosie. Handsome? Sampson is a beautiful boy and all that sugar on his face is just the love seeping out.
If I say Handsome Sampson three times fast, will he appear to me like Beetlejuice? Because if so, I’m totally doing that right now.