Got a question about Mr. Blue's bump for all of you

[Mary Plummer]

But first, I hope you're all having wonderful Christmases! I think I posted about the bump we first noticed last February. The vet wasn't able to get any aspirate out of it, and said she thought it was a cartilege lump. Since then, it seems to have grown some. I'm not at all eager to have Mr. Blue undergo anesthesia, but I have to admit the bump is making me nervous. I talked to some friends this morning, whose dog had a fatty tumor removed last week. The man said he had to kind of press their vet, and now is glad he did, because the fatty tumor had a small hard core of cancerous material. I'm off work all of next week, so I'm thinking of taking him in tomorrow to see if they think we should take it out, just to be on the safe side. I don't want to be a pain to our vets, assuming I know best for him, but I would be reassured to find out it isn't cancerous, and to get it removed ASAP if it is. So what do all of you think? Should I take him in and at least talk to them more about it, since it is making me nervous?

[Athen's Mom]

You never know for sure without a biopsy. You could try a needle aspiration again. Whatever the lump is, it certainly is not aggressive if it's grown very little since Februaury. Benign tumors can have some cystic degeneration. This could make some fluid available for aspiration. An ultrasound could be useful before considering surgery.

Best wishes.

Merry Christams.

[Traci]

There's certainly no harm in having it checked, Mary, and you're right to be concerned. While fatty lipomas can grow, despite their benign tendency, if it is bothersome or if there are other growths, you do need to confirm if they are fatty lipomas vs other types of growth (such as a mast cell, or basal cell, which may or may not be benign). Benign lipomas can also infiltrate in some areas, like muscle and eventually cause soreness, lameness and pain in those areas (which would be reason to remove it, although they still can reoccur after excision)

An x-ray might not be a bad idea at this time to monitor for other growths, whether these be near bone or organs. I don't want to scare you, but x-rays can be a very good diagnostic tool when identifying potential lymphoma, other neoplasias, especially since your vet couldn't say for sure without an aspirate/biopsy the first time (which is why she advised you to keep an eye on it). A full blood profile might also be opted for at this time.

If this lump is located in front of or behind a major bone (like a limb), I would definately opt for x-rays (for that limb in particular, rib area and chest area as well)...

[Mary Plummer]

Thanks Athena's Mom and Traci! I think I'll definitely bring him by tomorrow or Saturday for a talk about this bump. I really would feel better knowing what it is.

[Mary Plummer]

Traci, I forgot to mention that the bump is almost right over his left hip joint, and fairly close to his spine. It would be nice to not have it there! I was just reading an article in the "Your Dog" journal talking about how anesthesia is safer and there are more options now than there used to be. If they decide it should come out, I'll definitely ask about the anesthetic used. I know that worry about them is part of being a pet person, but I don't like that part very much!

[Traci]

Well, anesthesia is a risk as with anything else, but depending on what you and your vet discuss/decide, will depend on the procedure and length of time/type of anesthesia used. She would probably only want to use a combination pre-anesthetic injection, then induce with ISO, the entire procedure might be a short one at that. You know that if you are concerned, you can always get a pre-surg blood screen prior, and depending on his age, you can also opt for an ECG prior to check heart function (I can't remember Mr Blue's age, but if he's over 7 for example, and hasn't ever had a heart check-up, an ECG would be something you can surely discuss with your vet prior to an anesthetic procedure.

Let's not jump the gun just yet, she may be able to get an aspirate this time (which wouldn't require anesthesia), be able to look at it under slide exam and hopefully determine from that if it needs to be removed. Since you have noticed some growth, regardless of how slow, it's always best to get these things checked and followed up on. Lumps should never be disregarded and you know you should always trust your instincts. Chances are, it is only a fatty lipoma, but again, if it is in a bothersome area, the solution may be to remove it.

Hope it's nothing more than that.....don't be afraid to ask questions of your vet, I'm sure she's seen a great deal of these and will exercise good judgement.

[Mary Plummer]

Thanks again, all! I took Mr. Blue in today. I figured I was worried enough that I wanted to talk to them. The same vet saw him today that saw him in February, and she looked at it really closely. Again, no aspirate. The good news is, she really doesn't think it's a mast cell tumor or anything. She says it doesn't look like one, and that she thinks it is a cartilege bump. She said that they see them a lot in middle-aged to older dogs. She took a lot of notes on it, and said she doesn't want to put him under anesthesia to take it out. She wants me to keep my eye on it, and said they'll take it out right away when/if it becomes necessary. So I feel a bit better. I really trust this vet, so if she says it doesn't seem like a tumor I'll trust she's right. He got lots of loving from people there, and as always really enjoyed his visit!

[Athena's Mom]

That is good news Mary. Now you can relax and enjoy the hoiliday season. Athena sends hugs.