Types of Lumps and Bumps

How are you to know which lumps and bumps are dangerous and which can be left alone?  Truthfully, you are really only guessing without getting the pathologist involved.  Most veterinarians take a conservative approach to the common lipomas and remove them if they are growing rapidly or are located in a sensitive area.  But caution needs to be observed because even the common lipoma has an invasive form called an infiltrative lipoma.  However, when a nasty looking, reddened, rapidly growing mass is detected growing on the gum, for example, aggressive action is indicated.  Keep in mind that not all lumps and bumps are cancerous, and some are fairly innocent and do not warrant immediate surgery.

Non-cancerous lumps:
Cysts, warts, infected hair follicles, hematomas (blood blisters) and others do cause concern and can create discomfort for the dog.  Non-cancerous lumps, though, have less health impact than cancerous growths.

Cancerous lumps:
Cancerous growths can be either malignant or benign, and occasionally even share characteristics of both.  Malignant lumps tend to spread rapidly and can metastasize to other areas of the body.  Benign growths tend to stay in the place of origin and do not metastasize; however they can grow to huge proportions.

Treatment:

SURGERY
An important basic tool in eliminating a nuisance or dangerous lump is to surgically excise it.

CHEMOTHERAPY
Chemicals that are highly toxic to rapidly dividing cells make up an important mode of treatment for fast growing tumors. A combination of surgery and radiation/chemotherapy can help the veterinarian gain the upper hand in achieving a cure. Chemotherapy is often employed as an additional precautionary procedure after a mass has been "removed" via surgery.

RADIATION
For invasive tumors that do not have well defined borders and for tumors that tend to spread rapidly, radiation therapy can be a lifesaver. Available at most veterinary medical schools and some Veterinary Specialists in Radiology, radiation therapy is appropriate for certain types of tumors.  Radiation is often employed in addition to surgical excision.

EXPERIMENTAL
Emerging science such as gene therapy and immunotherapy hold promise for some amazing ways to combat tumors. The future looks bright for these new methods of dealing with tumors.

According to Dr. Dubielzig, the best approach to understanding what to do about a lump or bump on your dog is to be vigilant and treat each situation individually. "In cases where vigilance for tumors is part of the animal's care, such as in animals where a malignant tumor has been removed and the veterinarian wishes to keep abreast of the stage of disease, then EVERY lump should be submitted for histopathology. In other cases where the clinician is sure of a benign diagnosis such as lipoma or a wart-like skin mass then it might be understandable to use discretion. The clinician also has to take into consideration the risk of surgery compared to the risk of health problems from a particular lump or bump."

Take a good surface inventory of your dog today, then at least once a month from now on.  If you find any imperfections, take heart in knowing that modern veterinary medicine has some very effective remedies for almost all of these lumps and bumps.

 

Comments

I have a 4 yr old Boxer who has just recently had her 2nd surgery to remove lumps. The first 2 lumps removed in July were infected hair follicles. Shortly after that surgery I noticed another on one of the same legs that had been operated on. It looked and felt exactly the same. Dr. said probably is. So she gets another on in Dec however, this one is above the skin, is red and changes size. Dr said immediately upon examination that it had to be removed, surgery to be schedule within 2 weeks. Post surgery, surgeon says he found another lump in there and removed both, that they looked same, etc... I am waiting on the pathology report. But my question is why would all of a sudden she started having problems with infected hair follicles? Is this weird or is it just me? And if that is what they really are shouldnt antibotics help instead of having to put her through surgery every couple of months? Can this just happen one day and just keep happening?
Thanks. I am interested to hear what anyone has to say about this.

[Jen]

Are you sure this isn't allergies? I had a boxer who, at around age of 3 or 4, showed skin irritations. Boxer are VERY prone to allergies. You can ask for a RAST test and see if there's something bothering her. I'd strongly urge getting a second opinion. best wishes.

[Marcela]

My mother in law has a cockatail bird. Just recently he developed a large grape size lump on the top inner part of his wing. It looks like a big purple gape. Last night, he must have picked on it or bumped it into something and it popped. Blood was coming out of it. She hasn't taken the bird to a vet yet. Thery are planning on taking him this weekend. By any chance, might you know what it is by my discription?

[steve]

my dog got a bump on her foot,it dosen t bother her(not sore,pinkish colour,)just on top of her foot ,grew within a week)i have been soaking it in salt water and puting oniement on it and wrapping it just wondering what it may be