What could these lumps indicate?
Asked by
eferrara (
145
)
September 22nd, 2013
I noticed a few dime-sized lumps on my dog’s back, about two months ago. They feel kind of soft, and movable to a degree. My first instinct was cancer and to take her to the vet right away, but on the advice of a friend I decided to wait and see if they went away or if I noticed other symptoms. One of the lumps disappeared, but the other two did not change. My dog is an 11 month old chihuahua so I would think cancer would be very rare, no? They still are not hurting her. I haven’t noticed anything weird (other than the lumps)... she is eating normally, no weight loss, she’s playful as ever. I’m wondering if they are just fat deposits. Basically I am worried about taking her to the vet and having all the tests they want done, which include biopsies and blood work (which get expensive), and having it turn out to be nothing. I have the money if need be, but I am a student and I don’t want to just throw it away. I know my dog’s health is important and I love her to death… I’m just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation with their dog or if anyone could offer some ideas as to what we may be dealing with.
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5 Answers
Probably just cysts. If they shrink and come back they are probably ok. I have one on my back that shrinks when my hormone levels get low. The doctor says that since it changes it’s nothing to worry about.
Could be fatty tumors… they can sometimes aspirate with a needle and see what it is. 11 months seems young for those, though. I would keep a close eye on them and as long as they don’t change, just mention it at the next routine vet visit. If they grow, become inflamed, scab over, etc. or if the dog seems bothered by them, then I’d make an appointment just for that.
My avatar, Costello, had a lump on her back which showed up after one of her vacines. I have had cats and dogs develop these but they normally go away. It didn’t hurt her so I waited a month to see if it would go away. It didn’t. I took her back to the vet and they removed it. Turns out it was cancer. She was just a kitten and now she is almost 11 yrs old. I just want you to know that even though it doesn’t hurt, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be removed. Maybe a needle biopsy would clarify it. I would check with the vet and see if they think that would be the logical next step. I would rather err on the side of caution instead of kidding myself should something bad happen. My motto with my furry kids is ‘better safe than sorry (especially if you have the funds to do the biopsy). Good luck and please keep us posted.
They could be fatty tissue, but it’s impossible to know over the internet. You need to have her checked. To spend as little as possible, go see a good vet – one that will think before testing. They exist. Better safe than sorry.
They are called lipoma. They are fatty cysts or tumours and in most cases, they are benign. As long as they are soft and do not seem to be growing or increasing in number, your veterinarian will probably be able to reassure you that you have no cause for concern. Do have your vet check it out as @longgone and @Pooh54 and @ccrow all advised.
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