Lumps and Bumps On Dogs: What To Do From Experts
Over the past 30 years, I’ve accidentally found dozens of lumps and bumps on dogs. Perhaps one day, you are sitting around petting your dog as your fingers glide over a lumpy spot.
You might be tempted to dismiss it as a bug bite or harmless wart, but I’d ask you to go one step further: Have your vet assess it. Take a photo, mark it on a chart, and document it in your dog’s journal. Don’t wait; aspirate in most cases.
Early detection of any skin growths is crucial and may even save your dog’s life. I know because this happened to me and my Cocker Spaniel.
Lumps on a dog can range be any number of things, some of which include a lipoma, abscess, cutaneous histiocytoma, sebaceous cyst, melanoma, hematoma, basal cell tumor, mast cell tumors, plasmacytoma, fibroma, papilloma, or any number of things.
Oncologist Dr. Sue Ettinger shared at the Fetch DVM360 2020 Conference,” I can’t look at a mass and know what it is and you can’t look at a mass and know what it is.”
Dr. Ettinger recommends all her clients perform a monthly lump exam and we recommend dog parents perform 10 touches a week to be sure there are no new growths or changes in any lumps or bumps.
Log in any slow growing lumps or bumps, measure them with calipers, and go one step further and mark them on the chart you can download in this post.
I also take photos and store them on my phone for future reference. Any unusual lump should be reported to your veterinarian immediately.
When a tiny raised lump appeared on my Cocker Spaniel’s shoulder blade about two weeks after getting her then yearly vaccinations, I felt a twinge of “something isn’t right” course through my veins.
But I waited – after all a raised, small but swollen area at the site of vaccination is common, according to the veterinary literature I read. (at the time that didn’t mean Internet, it meant the UC Davis Book of Dogs).
My dog’s veterinarian at the time tried to “squeeze” the lump and said it was probably nothing more than a pimple or perhaps an insect bite. Looking back, I have no idea why he would try to squeeze an insect bite.
That was back in the 1990s. He was wrong. The lump ended up growing in a few days, bleeding and was removed by an emergency veterinarian who diagnosed my dog with stage 2 mast cell cancer.
The C Word. You could have knocked me over with a pin.
You cannot tell what a lump is by visually inspecting it. Unless you have a superpower greater than Superman, a fine-needle aspiration or biopsy is needed in order to properly diagnose lumps on a dog.
You may not even know that your dog has a lump, so home touching and veterinarian examinations are necessary and potentially life-saving.
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What To Do About Lumps and Bumps on Dogs
If a lump or bump appears on your dog, there are a series of steps to take. I will outline these steps below and also include a handy printable diagram to document lumps on a dog that you can pin to your bulletin board or hang on the refrigerator.
Do Not Panic
Easier said than done. Since my last Cocker Spaniel had cancer from a seemingly innocuous lump, I do react and do not wait unless said lump is an obvious bug bite.
Take a peek at these dogs lumps in the photos below and see if you can decide which lump is canine cancer and which ones are benign growths. The answers will be provided at the bottom of this post with the printables.
FUN FACT: A dog’s skin is their largest organ.
Cocker Spaniels and other breeds tend to get more lumps and bumps on their skin because they have more sebaceous oil overall.
Like people, dogs suffer from reactions to over-vaccination and the use of too many chemicals, including topical flea and tick preventatives. I am not anti-vaccine, but I am anti-overvaccination.
The mast cell tumor found on my first Cocker Spaniel was a side effect from yearly vaccinations. The actual site of injection is where the mast cell tumor occurred, so you can understand my apprehension. I know better these days, so I do better for my dogs these days.
Aspirate or Biopsy
I am of the “don’t wait, aspirate.” As Dr. Ettinger says, you can’t know what a lump or bump on a dog is simply by looking at it. Veterinarians go to school and promise to do no harm. I have total respect for veterinarians who act on a lump and refuse to tell their clients the lump is an “old age wart.”
Similarly, not every lump or bump on a dog has to be removed. Some can be monitored and watched, others can be lasered off, and some can be frozen off. I’ve had lumps on a dog removed using various technologies and various methods over three decades. Not every lump needs to be removed.
If your veterinarian refuses to act on a lump or tells you the growth is benign, I would recommend a second opinion. No one has the superpower to discern a malignant lump from a benign one. Just recently my dog was diagnosed with a plasmacytoma on the inner flap of his ear. Treatment consisted of cryoprobe (freezing).
A friend’s dog was going through the same diagnosis with a lump on her dog, but the plasmacytoma was on his gum line. He required extensive surgery under anesthesia and inner organ aspiration to be sure there was no spread of cancerous cells.
Read our journey as to why some dogs need surgery for lumps and others do not when it comes to plasmacytomas.
Here’s Dr. Ettinger performing a fine-needle aspiration on a Golden Retriever’s lymph node in the office:
Fine-needle aspiration is a simple test, the dog only feels the gentle prick of the needle (if anything), and no anesthesia is required. A small needle is gently inserted into the lump. Fluid within the lump is drawn up into a syringe and then the veterinarian can assess it.
Our veterinarian would look at the slide in his office for a first glance and to ease our minds. The pathology is then sent out and assessed at a laboratory.
This is a first line of screening for most lumps and depending on the results, the pet parent knows how to respond. If mast cell is suspected, a veterinarian will usually give the dog an injection of Bendryl antihistamine first to ward off any mast cells in the bloodstream. Early detection is key with cancerous tumors.
Pros and Cons of Fine Needle Aspiration of Dog Lumps and Bumps
Pros
- It takes minutes to complete
- No anesthesia involved
- No sedation or in-clinic stay overs
Cons
- A fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cannot discern if cancer cells have moved to cells or other areas of the body. So if the FNA comes back as cancerous or malignant or suspicious, more testing/procedures will be needed.
- Sometimes the results are inconclusive: Maybe there are not enough cells for accurate pathology reporting. The best way to know what type of cancer your dog has is to get the diagnosis early from a professional.
- There can be a false positive with an FNA or an incorrect diagnosis.
Fine Needle Aspiration Concerns
There is a school of thought that sticking a needle into a potentially malignant tumor can actually spread the disease.
“For tumors under the skin, or in the skin, the benefit of a diagnosis far outweighs cancer spread risk,” says Demian Dressler, DVM on his Dog Cancer Blog. Fine needle aspirate is almost always a good idea.”
Dressler says that at this time, there is not enough data to suggest that in the dog doing surgical biopsies causes distant spread of cancers. This may change later, time will tell. There are some tumors in other species where biopsy does increase tumor spread odds, but very slightly.
For me, I err on the side of doing the aspirate and will continue to do so, especially for a lump on a dog. I want my veterinarian to look at a sample of cells under a microscope and ask a specialist to double check at an outside laboratory.
How To Manage A Dog With Lumps
Do not attempt to squeeze or pop the lump unless you have a directive from the veterinarian to do so. For example, sometimes a sebaceous cyst will respond to warm compresses, but a veterinarian should direct you on if the lump is a benign cyst and how to manage it.
Squeezing or attempting to treat a lump on your own can lead to infection and dogs can get very sick, especially if the infection enters their bloodstream.
If pathology determines the lump is benign, and most end up being benign, you need to monitor it. Photograph each new lump and keep the image safe and secure. Be sure to note EXACTLY where it is located on the dog’s body.
When you write “ear,” that might not make a lot of sense if more lumps develop. I like to photograph my dog’s lumps and make a chart that shows the exact location of the lump. My vet measures each lump with calipers. Speaking of calipers.
Invest in digital calipers or manual calipers. I got mine on Amazon. They are accurate if used correctly. The human eye cannot discern whether a lump has increased in size ever so slightly.
Calipers minutely measure the width of a lump. Document it in your dog’s notebook or our DogMinder.
Write it down, or even better, take a photo of the location and print that photo for your dog’s wellness book. Monitor the lump for any sign of growth or physical change.
See the veterinarian. Your dog’s veterinarian should be measuring the lump in-office with calipers as well. Our dog’s veterinarian does this for every lump and bump on my dog.
Understand that some breeds (Akita, Poodle, Cocker Spaniel) produce more sebaceous oil in their skin, and therefore they may produce more lumps and bumps.
Malignant diagnosis: If a malignancy is confirmed, your dog’s veterinarian will discuss any number of next steps with you. In most cases, the lump will need to be removed.
Factors such as age, overall health, chemotherapy and/or radiation if needed, and tumor location will need to be considered. Older dogs tend to have more lumps and bumps that do come with age. They are not necessarily cancer, but only a biopsy or aspirate can provide answers.
Guess Which Dog Lump Is Cancer
See if you can determine which of the following lumps are benign and which are cancerous.
The first image is a benign lipoma on my dog, Dexter, that we monitored throughout his life. The diagnosis was made with in-office fine-needle aspiration. Whenever I find small bumps, strange lumps, or anything that looks out of the ordinary or not, I see the veterinarian for aspiration.
The second picture is of a dog with panniculitis. Not sure what that is? Read here about panniculitis and one woman’s journey through it with her dog.
The third photo is a plasmacytoma lump on my dog’s inner ear pinna that was diagnosed this summer and treated. Read more about dog plasmacytomas here.
The fourth photo is a puppy wart on the gum of a Cocker Spaniel. Dogs with warts are contagious to other dogs, but not to other animals or people.
The fifth photo is mast cell cancer of the skin, stage 3. It is malignant. You would not know this by simply looking at it.
Now take a look at these photos.
The photo on the left reveals a plasmacytoma. Woody’s plasmacytoma had to be surgically excised.
The photo on the right is an actual image of the roof of my dog’s mouth. I was very concerned when I saw this lump. Dexter was sitting on my chest with a bone in his mouth and I had my phone next to me and managed to snap a photo.
This is called an incisive papillae and all dogs have them. Some lumps in this location can be dangerous but this particular one was concerned by the veterinarian to be an incisive papillae. Dogs have them as part of their olfactory system and it is sometimes called Jacobson’s organ.
Because cancer can look seemingly harmless, every lump and bump on your dog should be documented and examined by your vet with fine-needle aspiration or biopsy.
Dogs can have allergic reactions to bug bites or bee sting, which may cause a sudden lump or bump to occur. Pet owners should be cognizant of what is normal on their dog’s skin. That way, when abnormal happens, you are prepared.
Where To Touch Your Dog For Lumps and Bumps
I recommend every dog parent touch their dog on at least a weekly basis. I feel my dog head to tail and underneath at least once a day. This is a good way to find any ticks, critters, or fleas that are hitching a ride on your dog, too.
Get to know where your dog’s lymph nodes are. If you know what normal feels like you will know what abnormal is if and when there are changes. Here’s a chart of the canine lymph nodes:
Dedicated dog mom Nancy B., regularly runs her fingers through her Cocker Spaniel’s coat. She touches his skin and ensures to examine his body, armpits, belly, and gives him a thorough scan with fingers and eyes. Of course, her best friend, Mayor, thinks he is getting a puppy massage.
Thank goodness for Nancy’s due diligence: Twice she found small lumps on her dog and twice they have been removed. Both times, mast cell cancer was the diagnosis.
Mayor has been given a stage 2 so now they sought the help of a veterinary oncologist. He has had two lumps appear on the skin within months of each other and lived a long life.
Should Benign Dog Lumps Be Removed?
Yes, sometimes, dog lumps should be removed.
Dr. Karen Becker recommends, “The only reason other than cancer that I recommend surgery for lumps or bumps is if the patient’s quality of life is compromised.
For example, skin tags that grow on the margins of a dog’s or cat’s eyes are entirely benign, but because they are on the eyelid, as the pet blinks it can cause corneal irritation and pain. In a situation like that, even though the mass is not cancerous, I do recommend surgical removal because it’s causing the animal discomfort.”
Also, warts may cause itchiness and a dog may lick or bite at them. Even though the wart is harmless and benign, if it becomes bothersome to the dog, it should likely be removed.
Sometimes a dog with a weak immune system may develop lumps or any number of health conditions, but there are things you can do in conjunction with the veterinarian to help strengthen your dog’s immune system, which I wrote about.
How Can A Dog’s Immune System Become Compromised?
- Poor diet. A high-quality diet is imperative. Garbage in, garbage out.
- Sugars and dyes and artificial colorings.
- Genetically modified organisms in the diet (GMOs).
- Over vaccination/adverse reactions to vaccines: Read here for the reality of dogs and vaccines.
- Chemical-based topical treatments and preventatives for fleas and ticks. Use safer flea and tick preventatives, as we do.
- Poor quality shampoos and skin treatments/conditioners: Shampoos can harm your dog: Be aware.
- Household cleaners. I am very careful about whatever I use in my house and especially any place my dog walks. We have been using the Clean And Green Line for over a decade.
- Pesticides, walking on chemically treated lawns, roads, and sidewalks with ice salt/chemicals.
- And the list goes on: Very much like people, dogs react to their environment: Both externally and what we put into their bodies.
Can Dog Lumps and Bumps Be Prevented?
According to Dogs Naturally magazine, statistics show that 1.7 million dogs in the United States are treated for lipomas every year. WOW! Some experts believe that lipomas and associated fatty tumors are the body’s way of ridding itself of toxins and other unwanted materials. These growths, they say, are a sign of an underlying issue and are not acute.
Some things you can do to prevent lumps and bumps as best as can be expected – keeping in mind that sometimes even the most well-cared for dogs can and do develop lumps in their lifetime.
1.Feed a healthy diet. A healthy diet running on the front of a bag of dog food does not mean the dog who eats that food will be healthy. Know how to read a dog food label. Want to know what I feed my dog? Click here for my dog’s healthy diet.
2. Ensure your dog drinks a good supply of clean, filtered water daily.
3. Avoid over-vaccination. I am not anti-vaccine: I am anti over vaccine. Read here as to why.
4. Maintain a healthy weight: Overweight dogs, like overweight people, tend to have more health issues. Your dog’s mobility can also be affected by too much weight.
5. To prevent sebaceous cysts, try to keep your dog well-groomed and brushed: Stimulating the oil gland and hair follicles helps keep oil from building up.
I give my dog essential fatty acids in his diet and supplement with omega-3’s in the form of fish oil. I rotate with organic coconut oil to help maintain a healthy overall sense of well-being.
6. Maintain clean air quality and do not smoke around your dog. Second-hand smoke isn’t healthy for any family member: Human or pet. We run an air purifier year-round in our household for a cleaner quality of air. We are not smokers. Once you see the filters after a few months, you (and your lungs) will be grateful.
My first Cocker Spaniel had several sebaceous cysts throughout her life. They burst and were subsequently removed under twilight anesthesia. She was a puppy mill rescue dog and had a multitude of health problems, and we loved her heart and soul.
She had a number of immune system issues as she aged and a weakened immune system leaves the dog’s body prone to infection and illness.
Here are two images of sebaceous cysts. The first one is of a dog who had a sebaceous cyst that burst. She was subsequently seen by a veterinarian and sent home on antibiotics. The second photo is a canine sebaceous cyst in its early stages that eventually had to be surgically removed.
What About Sebaceous Cysts on Dogs?
Another very common lump found on dogs is called a sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous cysts on dogs can resemble a mass, may feel fluid-filled, and sometimes can rupture on their own. They are generally benign fatty tumors.
Never pick or attempt to pop any lump or mass on your dog. Instead, make note of the lump, record video or photo evidence of it, and show it to your veterinarian for further examination and diagnostic testing.
For More Information On Lumps and Bumps On Dogs
What Are Dog Plasmacytomas And How Are They Treated?
How To Treat And Prevent Lipomas in Dogs
Unexpected Warning Signs of Dog Cancer
Your Turn
Has your dog ever developed a lump or bump? How was it treated? Let us know in the comments below.
Great post Carol!
I love the fact that you included images of a few lumps found on dogs. This could definitely help a pet parent identify what sort of lump they are dealing with (although a vet should always be contacted in my opinion). Helping pet parents to understand what to keep an eye out for ensures that readers of this post know the potential risks, as well as the proper steps to take when dealing with a lump on their dogs body!
Keep up the awesome work!
Matt
Brilliant advice. Lumps are scary, and should always be checked out promptly by a veterinary professional as soon as they’re spotted.
sumskersandearlskers13.blogspot.com
I think I would DIE if I ever found a lump on my dog. I would be sick with worry until I could get to the vet.
This makes me sad that owners have to worry about all of this, but it’s good information for sure. So many of my friends are going through hard times with this right now.
Lumps are very scary. I had first one at 2 and is scared Mom to death until the results came back. Now we know I get them and they go away on their own in a couple months, but Mom still keeps tabs on them all the time. Katie has a benign lump that is egg sized. We watch that one too. You have to know your dog and breed, and know some of those lumps are obviously bad. Even though mine come and go, we always have the vet check them when we go in.
So true, Emma – safety and precaution 😉
I know so many families that have found lumps on their dogs. Great information and photos for dog parents!
I love how you said “don’t panic” because we would be camped out at the vets until we could be seen.
So sorry your pup had to fight with cancer..that adorable face broke my heart and I can see why you would miss her so.
Your kinds words mean so much – thanks, Heather.
It’s so scary and my first instinct is to panic.. about any lumps ever. My old dog had quite a few.
It’s really helpful for parents to be able to understand what to look for and what it might mean.
My JRT dies of this, so I empathize. I agree with all the suggestions.
Our vet aspirated a lump on Bentley. Thank God it was nothing but it sure did give me a scare! Great article.
Having that aspiration is a first line of monitoring and assessment defense.
It’s so important to take good care of our pets. they are family after all.
Great advice Carol. Finding lumps is scary. To ease my mind I think stopping by the vet to have it looked at is the easiest.
oh how precious our dogs are all of them like family members. When ever health conditions come up on them or us it is important to know what to do. Thank you for sharing this information
We can never be too careful when it comes to our little angels. Nicely written.
Thanks, Cathy!
Great information ! The dog of the next farm is sadly dying from cancer. He has very big lumps on his back. Mum will show your photos to the farmer, because she’s not sure they know that those small bumps can lead to cancer and have to be shown to a vet ; they are rather thinking “it’s okay, nothing serious” for such “small and insignificant” things.
It is so sad to see lumps and some folks just don’t have them checked. I hope the photos help.
This is such good information. Your mini-test with photos really made me realize that you cannot diagnose lumps and bumps by just looking at them. It’s really important to involve your vet and to monitor it closely.
I’m so sorry that you had to go through this with Brandy! My very first pet, who was a black lab/collie mix passed away from cancer. It was a very difficult time. She had been a wonderful dog and the best friend a girl could ask for.
Thanks for your kind words, Robin. I am sorry about the pet you lost – it is never easy.
My “humom” and I understand and feel for what you have been through!
This past February a lump appeared in the fold under my nose. Of course my humom was beside herself, and even though she wished the vet could tell her it would be alright and that it “was nothing”, that was just not the case.
We kept an eye on the lump for a week but it increased in size so the vet removed it and had a biopsy done.
Waiting for the result was just as difficult. Thankfully, it was a benign cyst.
I think it’s very important to have any lumps, bumps or abnormalities checked out as soon as possible.
Hugs to you and Brandy
I am so glad to hear it was benign!
My dogs are my babies, so if I ever found a lump we’d be right at the vets. I freak out but I couldn’t let anything happen to them!
Thanks for the informative post, I will keep in mind if ever find anything on our pup
WOW what a scary situation to be in 🙁 I couldn’t imagine! Thank you for the tips. I always like to use grooming days to go over their bodies to make sure there are no lumps and bumps.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
These are great Tips .. I like the first point about “Not Panicking” …
You just don’t think about things like this with dogs. Great info!
This is a wonderful post Carol! Very informative and down to earth while still giving us great information! I like how you used the photographs for comparing, this is what they do for my Nurse Practitioner continuing education for humans as well. 🙂
That means a lot to me – thanks, Denise!
I appreciate that so much!
I do not have any pet, my 5 kids is enough. I would think this would be horribly scary. Thank you for educating.
This is a great and very informative post!
I really like the part about having owners be proactive! I work in a veterinary clinic and I have seen dogs with “just fatty lumps” that the owners left to grow in odd places [like an armpit] when the fatty tumor really decided to take off, surgical removal was risky and difficult because the owners waited until the mass got HUGE and was impeding movement. So, while it is okay to watch them, be mindful that if they get big enough they can cause an issue!
Two of my dogs have had warts zapped off of their faces. One of my dogs had a lump show up out of nowhere on his hip. I chose to have the lump removed. I can’t for the life of me remember what it was called, it was benign but is a tumor that could reoccur. We had clean margins for removal. Knock on wood no one in my crew is really lumpy and I hope it stays that way!
You make a fantastic point, Suzanne: Sometimes the benign lumps can become dangerous if pressing or impeding something. Then the location and side effects or dangers of surgery need to be assessed, with potential removal.
I know this was written several years ago, but thank-you so much for the info and the pictures! My Chihuahua developed a small, pea-sized lump shortly after her yearly vaccinations, about 3″ from the injection site. (Which makes me wonder… my Chichi is 6lbs, and given the same vaccination as my 55lb American Bully and 25 lb (3 month) Boxer puppy?) The vet tech told me not to worry, it should go away… but it’s been 2 weeks and its grown slightly. I have been taking pics every 2 days, and have an appointment next Wednesday. I’m praying it’s nothing serious… thanks so much for putting my mind at ease for now, but also prompting me to go ahead and get her seen.
This is a great post! And can I add something?
Any cancer check should also include a mouth check, and spots found there should also be brought to the attention of the veterinarian. That’s a topic near-and-dear to my heart, as my first Boston terrier had a terrible mouth tumor at 2 years old that needed a massive surgical correction. If I hadn’t seen it, he would have needed an even bigger surgery. Diligence is key.
My pug now has a fatty tumor we’re monitoring. And thanks for the tip on the calipers! Gonna go get some of those this weekend.
Jean from Welcome to the Menagerie
Spot on, Jean! We always watch when we brush teeth to see the gum color and examine the mouth. Great point.
My friends dog hasn’t been feeling well. I totally have to share this with her. Good to see the pros and cons for FNA.
My parents dog has a LARGE (softball size) lump and the vets just said to leave it be
My friend’s dog has a lump and they got it checked out. Thank goodness for articles like these!
I didn’t know second hand smoke was bad for dogs. I don’t smoke, but I grew up in a house where people did.
These are great tips. I will for sure to a routine lump check on our dog. Thanks for sharing this.
I always opt to get bumps aspirated just so I know what’s going on. I love your advice about taking a photo of the bumps to compare later. Great advice on those dreaded lumps and bumps, Carol!
I remember when our Brandy Noel was diagnosed with cancer, the vet at Cornell gave us a diagram of a dog’s body. He told us to mark lumps. Well it ended up looking like connect the dots and not very helpful. So we started photographing and measuring with calipers as well as watching them.
Great post! Luckily my dog Kitsune, at 6 years old, is the picture of health. I did, however, have a rabbit who ended up passing due to cancer. The first sign that anything was wrong was a small lump and slightly swollen lymph nodes. He was still acting normal – eating, playing, etc. It’s important to get any abnormalities you notice checked out, just to be safe. I’m a huge proponent of regular grooming sessions, as it can be a great time to not only bond with your pet, but to also carefully check them over for any abnormalities.
You are a good pet mom to diligently screen your pets. And I totally agree about grooming and having the opportunity to look (*and feel*) the pet. I am very sorry about your rabbit.
It must be so scary to find a lump on your precious fur baby!
Mickey has a grape-sized lump on his back between his shoulder blades. It is moveable under the skin and does not cause him any discomfort when I touch it. We noticed it shortly after he had his yearly vaccines last month. We’re keeping an eye on it at home, but we haven’t taken him back to the vet yet. I’d be beside myself to find out it’s something serious. Honestly, I don’t like our vet and I don’t think he takes our concerns seriously enough, but he is the vet my boyfriend has been using since he was a child and he really likes him or else feels comfortable going there. I’d prefer we switched to a different vet.
OK see this is where I get confused,angry,sad! When my baby’s lumps swole(happen to be her lymphs and all seemed to appear out of nowhere of course I’m thinking she was fighting a bacterial or fungal infection because her itchy skin hadn’t gone away last winter and wasn’t diagnosed in fact I was told a flea allergy but even so it probably had gotten an infection along the way. So dry,flaky,itchy but no puss or scabs! Anyway her lymphs were swole and she had an appt coming up that next week but her tummy actually swole up after a walk one afternoon to the point she wouldn’t even sit, that’s when I checked on her and noticed while she did her best to get her head to her rear so she could bite an itch it made her tummy look as if it were going to bust! I thought for sure it needed to be drained! Even read that it could be . we took her in and this vet barely touched her,no listening to heart,or things vets do! When I mentioned I was worried it could be cancer its as if she latched on to that and told me it probably was. I ask her if there was anything she could do for her now, the issues that caused the swollen lymphs and itchy skin!? No not really. I said she’s in fact pain, I gave her wet food for two days and her little bumhole seemed to be infected to me,can’t you give her anything can’t you drain the lump on her tummy!? No,not at all. She said she could do an aspiration to see if it was cancer. Do she took her back I never saw a thing, came back in a cpl mins and said she was sorry, I got all upset and crying, I ask are you sure how do you know what do you mean. She said it was deffinate and had spread into her organs and blood and she was late stage and had maybe 2 weeks! My dog was never symptomatic,never sick,never lost her appetite! Only reason she had diareah was because I gave her wet food because I thought it would be better in case she had trouble eating. She said there were cancer cells and it was all she could do but since I was so upset she said shed give me tramadol for pain, prednisone for swelling and an anti biotic. No blood work or other test were done, I had to change her diet to brown rice and chicken well I was going to spoil her so I bought lamb,calf liver,chicken liver and breast, I had tumeric,and milk thistle and that tea everyone claims is so great. After medication started she would have a bad day every other day but still never lost her appetite or acted sick! So this vet this lady said she could not drain nor remove lumps! And said the cancer was not just in her lyphs but bones and blood and all this from a needle aspiration. I also had ask her 2 or 3 times that day if the lump was going to drain by itself since she had aspirated,she told me no more than once and said she was absolutely sure! Yet it did that night! I’m angry because after 4 weeks she got to a bad day so bad I made the decision I had been dreading. Now I read these articles that talk of false positives and other reasons all her lymphs could’ve been swollen! I really wonder if this lady no girl she was very young the vet I wonder if she made a conclusion based on something say like high white cell count!? Did she have me make a terrible wrong decision!? I’m so freaking out! Can she tell by looking at fluid only that it was late stage cancer!? Why couldn’t she drain it because i he read that ppl drain their dogs lymphs when lyphrmdectomy occurred!? Plz advice!!???
I feel a tight knot in my stomach reading this. A few years ago I found a lump in the fold above Edie’s nose. I don’t need to tell you how my heart dropped to the floor. It was decided to wait a week to see if there was any changes. Within a week that lump grew and Edie was scheduled to have it removed and biopsied. All kinds of things went thru my mind! When the vet phoned with the results I thought I was going to be sick! “Just tell me, wait, I don’t know if I want to know the results!” Benign! The emotional roller coaster was almost too much. However! I can’t stress enough that one should never ignore any lumps and bumps on your pet. Get them seen and dealt with as soon as possible – no matter how much you are afraid of the results.
I soooooo hate lumps. And with Cockers, they have so much sebaceous oil in their skin, it is common. I am glad Edie is okay and all is benign.
I thank goodness have an ask the vet online with my vet clinic so when I find lumps or anything else on Layla I just email them and get a reply within a couple of hours so do not have to stress her out with running there. We have thank goodness been lump free till now but I do watch her plus she gets bi-annual check ups a year too.
The C word is so scary, there’s still so much to be learned and improved upon in terms of treatment. I try to examine my Husky’s skin, it’s difficult because her fur is thick & double coated but I do my best. This is so helpful, thanks for sharing.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv them
What a great and informative post
Why thanks, Kim!
My 1.5 year old female golden retriever, Emma, has a weird lump on her breastbone – or in that area. It feels like a slightly rubbery nipple thing. She is not in pain, it’s not hot to the touch, not red, it’s under the skin and fur, kinda feels wormy-like when you move it around, etc. She is acting normally. We are getting it looked at on Tuesday and maybe aspirated. It’s not circular like a cyst, but nippley/wormy in shape. Not really long, but weird outward shape. Not that hard, but not liquidy. Any thoughts?
I have been through dozens and dozens of growths and lumps with my dogs for over 25 years. You do not know what a lump or bump is until it is examined by a vet and definitely, at a minimum, aspirated. Keep us posted and all our best for your Emma.