I had noticed some weeks back a small wart like thing surface on my dogs arm, about the size of a pea. I have been monitoring it and it has grown into like a blister/cyst about the size of a cashew nut. It seems to be not growing any more. It doesn't bother him at all and no change in behaviour / eating / drinking etc.
This prompted a more thorough search for any further irregularities and I notice on the same arm by the elbow he has a pea like lump, but this one under the skin. It has not grown at all. He also has a similar one under the skin that is a bit larger under his ear.
We took him to the vet for examination and the vets advice was to sedate and surgically remove them all. Once removed, test to see if cancer or not. He can't tell what they are but advises 1 in 3 of all lumps like this are cancer. We're early in spotting and dealing with.
Whilst I obviously want the best option, cost is not an issue, the advice seems to contradict what various online sources suggest as normal protocol, i.e. needle biopsy to test cells before going surgical removal if at all necessary.
Has anyone got experience with this kind of thing?
I am split between getting a second opinion, just going ahead as suggested by the vet or pressing for a sample biopsy before surgery. I guess ultimately if sample biopsy is bad news he'll have to remove any way so just go straight for removal?
Part of reason I am torn between what to do is the two pea like under the skin lumps are very different to the surface cyst/blister one that was first noticed yet they're being treated all the same.
our german shepherd suffers from random lumps, she's had a few removed, the vets seem to assume if they can move them, so they are not actually attached under the skin, then they are ok - not cancer
now they just poke them with a needle and 'milk' them out if they get too big.
the first couple where a worry (for us) and where removed and tested, personally I'd get them removed and tested, at least you'll know then.
Our cat gets these -- they are roughly pea-sized and totally round, from which our doctor concluded that they were likely fluid-filled. His advice was to leave them unless they caused the animal any discomfort.
Yeah these are all moveable and not attached to the bone.
One thing I heard was that by messing with these lumps, particularly if harmless, it can trigger a reaction for numerous more to pop up.
I think because he had very invasive surgery after being attacked at daycare earlier this year I am reluctant to cut him open unnecessarily again. But of course, best to be safe.
The vet seemed to suggest the needle biopsy wasn't reliable hence pushing to just remove them all and then find out what they are.
Our 13yr. old Cocker has had warts and wart-like skin growths in the last couple of years - apparently a sign of getting old.
He had one on the top of his head which got quite big and he either caught it or scratched it, causing it to open, and the vet had to remove it - plus several other smaller ones, including one on the eye lid and one on the foot (about a year ago). Not a big deal, but not cheap, either.
The one on the foot was inconvenient as it was bandaged and he had to wear a 'shoe' when he went out, which was always getting wet and coming off.
He's since grown another one on one of his back feet, like an extra toe. He was only at the vets a couple of weeks ago, for his yearly's, and the vet checked it over and was happy that it wasn't a problem or causing discomfort - more of a risk to remove it because of previously mentioned problems and risk of infection.
My mutts have had all sorts of lumps and bumps. How we have treated them - or not treated them - has differed widely. Whether or not one does a biopsy first, goes for surgical removal first, or simply 'watches and waits' really depends on the vet's estimation of the likelihood of the lump being something serious or not, and on which steps to take in the best interest of the animal.
Some lumps are clearly harmless, such as a sebacious cyst or a wart. Whether one leaves them be or opts for removal depends on whether or not they bother the animal or interfere with normal functioning.
Some lumps are suspicious and merit further investigation. How one investigates depends on the nature and location of the lump. Sometimes a needle biopsy is recommended as a first step, but depending on what is suspected removal might be a better course of action.
If you are not comfortable with what is being suggested, by all means get a second opinion - even if only to set your mind at rest that you and your vet are on the right track.
(Do you need a recommendation for a vet to give a second opinion?)
JBZ86, if I were you, I would go for a second opinion, because I am not sure that these lumps need to be cut out immediately.
Most likely they are "lipomas" (fatty skin tumors).
What I did was that I went to the Tierspital with our girl, vets did a puncture with a tiny needle and they sent these samples to the lab. The results has shown that there is only fat in these lipomas. They also told me that the results are not 100% though, but based on years of experiences with lipomas, they adviced me not to cut them out if they don't bother my girl. So I left this as it was (also because of the risk of anesthesia as she doesn't do well with it), but I do observe all of the lipomas weekly.
Now it has been almost 7 years since I noticed the first lipoma and some of them are getting bigger over the years, some of them remain the same. If your dog has one or two lipomas, it is quite possible he will develop several.
All the best to your boy and keeping paws crossed that the lumps are "just" lipomas.
None of mine have needed sedation for needle biopsies... but then, I always volunteer to hold the end with the teeth.
Dogs are often more tolerant of poking and prodding when the owner is involved in the procedure, saving the need for sedation. If you and the vet are comfortable doing so, it's often at least worth a try. In many (most?) cases a needle biopsy is very quick.
(BTW, I recommend the late great Dr. Sophia Yin's 'Low Stress Handling' to all dog owners.)
We have had our share of lumps and bumps. In the early days when I found one it was alarming.
Veterinarians have different ways of treating lumps. Some aspirate them, or try, examine them carefully and then decide to send them to a lab. Anaesthetic has never been used for this. It seems that a pet can develop multiple lumps which are all the same type.
The ones we have removed were when the dogs were younger, and a general anaesthetic was used. It is also possible to use a topical anaesthetic if the dog can be kept still for the procedure.
As the dogs age only the lumps which interfere with mobility have been removed.
I second the idea of getting a second opinion particularly if your dog has has major surgery and you want to avoid invasive treatment if possible.