My dog has a lump or bump on its skin!
Many clients come in with this concern. Most of these growths they found while petting their dogs. These are responsible, loving and concerned clients and very lucky pets.
Lumps and bumps can be from many causes, ranging from harmless fatty deposits to serious cancerous tumors.
Consulting your veterinarian is crucial and should be done in a timely manner.
Some lumps are small and appear insignificant but may be cancerous and require immediate attention before they metastasize into internal organs.
Your veterinarian will do a fine needle aspirate (FNA), which involves aspirating cells from the mass with a needle and then examining these cells under a microscope to identify if a lump or bump is benign (noncancerous and not likely to spread to other areas on the body) or malignant (cancerous and may spread to other parts of the body).
A FNA is not a painful procedure. Early detection may save your pal’s life.
Lipomas are fatty tumors and are benign. They are the most common lump found on dogs as they age. They are soft and slightly movable.
Your veterinarian can do an FNA and tell you if this is just a lipoma (fatty tumor). If the lipoma interferes with a dog walking, such as a large lipoma in a dog’s armpit, it should be removed.
Lipomas grow slowly but when they get large and put pressure on nerves or other tissues they should also be surgically removed.
Dogs also get a variety of cysts, which can rupture and become infected, painful and itchy. A FNA will tell your veterinarian if your pal has a cyst or another type of mass.
Squeezing a cyst yourself may lead to infection or inflammation. It is best to have cysts removed by your veterinarian as they typically are in a capsule and, if squeezed, will more than likely refill. Cysts are benign.
Skin tags on dogs become more common as they age. They typically are small, fleshy growths that look like a tiny cauliflower. They can get infected and bleed and are usually harmless.
Pulling them off yourself will be painful for your dog, and they will bleed and may become infected. Your veterinarian can determine if a skin mass is a benign skin tag.
Mast cell tumors are cancerous. They can vary in appearance and behavior from being raised, flat, ulcerated, reddened, or even feel just like a cyst, a pimple or a small fatty tumor.
They may also be firm, swollen and even itchy. If left untreated, they can metastasize to internal organs such as the spleen, liver or lungs, as well as lymph nodes, bone marrow, kidneys and heart.
They are wicked tumors and need to be removed and biopsied. They can kill your dog if ignored and not treated.
The FNA can identify if a mass is a mast cell tumor, and a biopsy can grade the aggressiveness of these tumors.
Young dogs get a benign skin growth called histiocytoma that often appears in young dogs that resemble a mast cell tumor.
All skin growths need to be evaluated by your veterinarian. Any lump or bump that comes up quickly; starts to grow rapidly; is painful; has a discharge (blood, pus-like fluid or even clear fluid); is itchy enough that your dog scratches it; changes its color, texture or shape; or bleeds and is ulcerated are indicators that it may be cancerous.
A trip ASAP to your veterinarian is seriously recommended.
If your veterinarian suspects cancer, a biopsy may be recommended to determine the type and stage of cancer.
Masses may be removed by surgery, cryotherapy, cautery or laser. Treatment of a cancerous mass may also involve radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy drugs.
There are veterinarians who are board-certified oncologists here in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties who can create an individualized treatment plan for your dog.
I know this is all a bit depressing, but I feel people need to be aware that small lumps and bumps can be cancerous. Early detection of cancer can definitely increase the time your dog has to be with you.
Many types of cancer can be cured or put in remission for a very long time.
