The sad stories on this list can really get you down, but I have some
good news to share.
 
My 5 YO sprite Eris had an abcess on her lower jaw.  It was treated with
antibiotics and went away for about a month.  Once I noticed the swelling
coming back, ever so slightly, I took her in again.  After an X-ray and
surgery (which removed some bone), it was the doc's opinion that it was
almost certainly a tumor with accompanying abcess... but we lucked out,
and the biopsy came back indicating no cancer.  The diagnosis was
"chronic/active and fibrosing osteomyelitis, mandible." Whew!  So she's
on a 3-week antibiotic regimen, and she'll get a recheck which might
indicate she needs to lose a tooth, depending on how the root looks...
but it isn't cancer!  Thank goodness.
 
She's a tough little critter, she was eating kibble as soon as I got her
home from surgery even though a small piece of bone had been removed from
her jaw.  She was still on metacam for a week just in case, but she did
not seem to be in any pain.  Amazing little animals...
 
Best,
Matt in Kirkland
(and Eris, Cracker, and Huey)
[Posted in FML issue 4933]