UPDATE: Melody is doing better. We saw the specialist today and had an ultrasound. It could be a number of things: cancer, not cancer, infection, intestinal disorder. There are several masses that are mainly around the liver. The vet aspirated several of them and sent the samples off for analysis. Her white blood cell count is sky high and her blood proteins are low. My regular vet had called in a prescription for prednisone on Saturday, and Melody has been responding to that. She now also starts on an antibiotic while we wait for the lab results. Thank you for your support. Thank you all for your support. Dogs just don't live long enough!! And the decision for the final trip to the vet just gets harder and harder each time, too!!!
UPDATE 2: the specialist vet called early this afternoon with the biopsy results. Melody has cancer in her liver!
It might be possible to remove them, but they would just grow back. He consulted with the onocologist who did not think that chemo would do any good. Melody is back to eating just fine, but I can tell she doesn't feel very good. I will see how she feels over the holiday and then decide whether to make the final trip to the vet on Friday or to wait. I don't want her suffering. 
