“Bumps” in the Road

by Shannon M. Pecora, M.A.

Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital

            Recently, while giving one of my dogs his daily tummy rub, I noticed a small lump on his chest.  As he is almost twelve years old, I wasn’t entirely surprised, but I will admit to a small surge of panic.  This is one of my furry babies, after all, and I just discovered something that could be a simple “old dog” fatty mass or a scary cancerous tumor.

            Many pet owners can relate to this scenario, and it’s not just older pets who develop lumps.  Masses are pretty non-discriminatory, and they can crop up for a myriad of reasons.  Allergies, hair follicle inflammation, insect bites, bacterial infection, viruses, and cancers can all create lumps and bumps.  Some masses may simply “go away” and resolve on their own, some can be drained, some can be treated with medications or creams, and some will require surgical intervention.  The problem is that you can never be quite sure which of these will be the case without a full work-up by your veterinarian.

            So what should you do if you find a lump on your pet?  First, make sound note of its location, size, feel, and appearance.  With long- or thick-coated pets, it can be helpful to trim or shave the area.  This information and marking will aid you when you make an appointment with the vet.  You’ll be able to find the mass more easily to show the doctor, and, especially if a few days pass before your appointment, you can track any growth or changes.  However, we do recommend an exam as soon as possible when you first notice a lump.  And if you see that the lump is bleeding, ulcerated, oozing, painful, or rapidly growing, it may be considered an emergency.

            The vet will likely want to sample the mass, for example via needle aspirate or biopsy, or even schedule surgery to remove the mass altogether.  The goal is to obtain a sample of cells or tissue to help identify the type of mass.  Under the majority of circumstances, it is virtually impossible to identify a mass with 100 percent certainty using only sight or feel.  Sometimes technicians and doctors can view the sampled cells under a microscope and tell what they are dealing with.  They may also choose to send the cells or tissue to a pathologist at an outside lab to help them make a diagnosis.  Though surgical removal can offer a sense of relief that the lump is “gone,” we still recommend that removed masses be sent out to these pathologists.  Particularly if the mass turns out to be cancerous, there is the chance that it could return, and with a firm diagnosis, we can develop a treatment plan as needed.

            When I had my dog’s mass aspirated, thankfully it turned out to be a lipoma, or a benign fatty mass.  Though it wasn’t necessarily dangerous or bothersome, I opted to have it removed during a dental cleaning that same month.  There is a chance that non-cancerous masses can continue to grow until they inhibit day-to-day life; depending on where the mass develops, a pet can experience trouble moving around or even just sitting or laying down comfortably.  I decided it would be best to remove my dog’s mass before it got to that point.  He recovered wonderfully, and, though I could have safely waited a while for diagnosis and treatment, taking care of it right away gives me peace of mind in regard to my fuzzy buddy’s health.

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