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Original poster

Worried about my dog - she has a lump

81 replies

CountessDracula · 18/04/2004 23:07

My 3 year old spayed ridgeback bitch developed a lump on her right thigh (quite low down) about 3 weeks ago. It flared up for a few days and then went so I assumed it was a bite.

When we were in Wales recently it flared up again in the same place and went again in 2 days. Last week it then flared up again and I took her to the vet who has given me the doggy equivalent of fucidin (antibiotic and steriod cream) to see if that works. If not he will chop the lump out and send it to the lab for analysis.

I am now worried sick that she has cancer of course. Anyone got any experience of doggy lumps in this area - what could it be? Feels very "surface" ie you can move it freely, but is quite big, about the size of a Minstrel chocolate, maybe a bit bigger.

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Original poster
CountessDracula · 18/04/2004 23:08

sorry posted twice somehow - ignore this one

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Tinker · 18/04/2004 23:21

CD - my mum's dog (border collie) had a lump on her back. Was there for years before it was looked at. Eventually it was removed and I'm almost certain it was just a cyst. Certainly wasn't cancer.

Freckle · 19/04/2004 07:49

Well, I have experience of both - cysts and cancer - in dogs. My first dog developed a lump on her back which I was convinced was cancer (she was very old). Had her checked out by the vet and she said it was just a cyst. She had it for a long time and it was still there when she died (of old age - 18 1/2). My last dog developed a lump on her thigh, which the vet (different vet) thought was a benign lump and decided to do a biopsy. Unfortunately it was cancer and had spread so far that the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep whilst she was still under the anaesthetic

It wasn't a lump which came and went though. I'd suspect that this is some sort of infection or cyst.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 09:42

Oh no Freckle I figured that as it was on her thigh there was nothing there to get cancer IYKWIM Poor you how awful.

Thanks Tinker

It does seem a bit smaller this morning.

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Freckle · 19/04/2004 09:55

I think cancer can appear anywhere there are cells which can mutate. However, I'm not aware that cancerous lumps come and go or change in size other than to grow, unless they are subject to some treatment. The lump your dog has doesn't sound like cancer to me, but I would go and get it checked out asap. Do you know if it is painful? I.e. does your dog react if you press it?

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 09:56

She does whimper if I pinch it. I have been to the vet and he says if this cream doesn't work in a week they will chop it out.

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prettycandles · 19/04/2004 10:31

We had a boxer years ago, and as he got older he developed lots of lumps. We used steroid creams on some, and they went away, but others had to be surgically removed. The vet said that many breeds of dogs are prone to 'lumps', and eventually we decided that unless they were problematic we would leave them alone. So we only had them removed if, say, they got caught on things, or itched him. Some were a sort of doggy equivalent of skin-tags, but larger, and some were, as you describe, under the skin. The ones under the skin were usually bigger than the 'dangly' ones, and the flat ones on the skin (for which we used the creams) were usually the smallest. The lumps were never cancerous.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 10:35

Thanks pc, that's quite reassuring.

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sykes · 19/04/2004 10:41

CD, haven't read all of this but my dog (a lurcher) developed lumps in various places over the period of a couple of years. I was completely freaked when I first found one. Took her to the vets and they were diagnosed as cysts, not cancerous lunps or anything. They told us to keep a close eye on them and initially we took her fairly regularly for checks. They never developed into anything sinister. It's horribly worrying though - lots of luck.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 10:42

Thanks sykes - how were they diagnosed? Did the vet take a biopsy? I took her to the vet fully expecting him to say oh it's nothing, but he didn't and that's partly why I'm so worried!

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prettycandles · 19/04/2004 10:44

Forgot to mention that you should keep an eye on ythem just as you would on your one moles: ie any sudden changes in size or shape, any cracking, weeping etc needs to be checked out. Also any hairless lumps, especially if they are pale-skinned and protrude from the fur, need sunscreen in summer!

sykes · 19/04/2004 10:59

No biopsy, just checked to see if changed in shape/size. How is the lump now - has it changed again?

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 11:05

Well the reason I posted last night was because I had been putting the cream on since Friday and it had got much bigger. However this morning it seems to have halved in size overnight.

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prettycandles · 19/04/2004 15:39

I think, IIRC, that that's a good sign for it not to be cancerous.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 15:41

Thanks

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Lisa78 · 19/04/2004 15:43

almost certain its not a malignant lump Countess, not if its increasing and decreasing like that
Is the vet sure its not a tic? They can cause infection that flares up and subsides like that, especially if its been unwittingly pulled off

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 15:44

Well he had a good rummage and didn't think so

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Babyannabel · 19/04/2004 15:47

My dog has had various lumps and the first thing the vet does is see if she can move it. When she has been able to move it around, she has said there is nothing to worry about at all.

I know you'll be worried whatever we say but from experience, your dog's lump does not sound sinister (I'm touching wood as I type this!!! )

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 15:49

Thank BA that's very reassuring as this one moves all over the place.

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tamum · 19/04/2004 15:49

I think the other key thing is that you say it moves quite freely- tumours are almost invariably ragged and invading the surrounding tissue when you look down a microscope whereas this sounds encapsulated. If it is, then even if it is a tumour it's highly unlikely to have spread. It doesn't sound at all worrying to me, what with that and the size changes.

tamum · 19/04/2004 15:50

Whoops, cross-posted!

sykes · 19/04/2004 15:54

CD, my dog's lumps moved all over the place too.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 15:55

It just gets better and better
Have just emailed this to dh to stop him worrying so much too!

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Babyannabel · 19/04/2004 15:57

Glad you are a bit happier, it is so awful when you think they are poorly isn't it? Anyway, good luck, hope she gets better very very soon.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 19/04/2004 15:58

Thanks BA (btw you need another l at the end of your name if you are to be the true sucky mouthed plastic horror!)

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