Feb
01
What could this bump on my toy poodles abdomen be?
ByShe is 8 years old and has had this bump on her tummy for about two years. It was smaller in the past (dime size) and it has become larger now (about quarter size). I have taken her into her vet before and he said that it could be one of two things; either just some fatty tissue or possibly a hernia. I’m just really worried about her because this bump looks and feels like a cyst that feels with fluid as the day goes on. Its very small in the morning when she wakes and gets much larger through out the day and seems to enlarge with stress.
She doesn’t seem to be in pain however I’m planning on taking her in to see another vet soon, but what could this be? What might need to be done?
3 Comments
February 1st, 2011 at 7:15 pm
If this is in the breast area, then it could indicate a mammary growth or mastitis. Even a dog who is not pregnant can develop enlarged breasts and breast infections. You can read about both of these conditions here:
http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/breeding/mastitis.htm
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1638&articleid=460
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/mastitis-in-dogs/page1.aspx
A lump or growth is hard to diagnose even with an office visit, over the internet it is even harder as we can not even see the growth. A lump may indicate cancer, but many such growths are harmless. Many lumps are not painful or bothersome. It may be a fatty tissue deposit called Lipomas or a wart or a hematoma, but to be positive your vet will need to test the lump to be sure.
Any lump found on your animal should be tested to determine if it is a cancerous or benign lump. Your vet will want to perform a fine-needle aspiration or other appropriate test. It is performed quickly and allows some of the cells of the lump to be evaluated by the veterinary pathologist. This test will allow the vet to determine the nature of the lump and take the necessary steps to remove it. Some vets will leave it alone if it is not serious. If it is an abscess, he may just drain it and prescribe antibiotics. Lumps that are solid feeling, feel attached and fast growing should be checked as soon as possible as these are the ones that are more likely to be serious.
Here are a few sites for additional information and pictures to allow you to get an idea based on the physical characteristics..
http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/lumps.html
Picture of Lipoma
http://www.daily-tangents.com/Lipoma/
Picture of Hemangiosarcoma
http://www.answers.com/topic/hemangiosarcoma
Picture of a mast cell tumor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mast_cell_tumor_on_lip.JPG
http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/mct.htm (mast tumor site)
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If it’s a Hernia, nothing to worry about. My dog had a Hernia and had it removed from the vet in no time.
February 1st, 2011 at 7:44 pm
The vet you already took her to is right! It could be fatty tissue or a hernia! If you are uncomfortable with your vets diagnosis, then take her in for a second opinion. The second vet will probably tell you the same thing the first vet told you. What needs to be done, is a question only your vet can answer!
February 1st, 2011 at 8:12 pm
you need to ask a vet