difficult child's dog has lumps

[klmno]

I have taken both the female and the male to the vet to catch up on shots, get additional flea and heartworm prevention, and get checked. The vet said these were common in dogs getting older and that there is nothing they typically do. The lumps aren't around her female organs and there are no symptoms of cancer yet so they said not to worry about it until there are "possible" signs, then they could do a biopsy to find out for sure. These lumps are a little smaller than the size of lemons but there are several of them- around her sides and lower back. She is 11yo. What can I expect with this, just so I can prepare myself and difficult child? Is this probably cancer or signs that tumors are going to quickly take over her body? I first noticed something a few months ago but thought it was just a full stomach because I could only feel it intermittently, depending on the position she was in. Now, there are 3-4 and bigger. How much time will she have?

 

[GoingNorth]

Older dogs often get fatty tumors in various places. Usually a vet won't remove them unless they are very large or are interfering with functions.

 

[Kjs]

My chloe had a few lumps. We took her in, vet said same thing. Vet did extract fluid from the lumps and test it. It was just that, fatty lumps. And I was also told it was common. Chloe was about 6 or 7. We had to put her down when she was 8 because she tore her ACL, and then tore the other ACL. She couldn't walk. But the lumps did not affect her health.

 

[Hound dog]

Molly has had various lumps for several years. They haven't been an issue for her, so I haven't really worried about them. It is fairly common in older dogs

She still does all the things she used to do, just for much much shorter periods of time. But then, that's just being the "Nana Dog" we call her. Rowdy is the "Papa Dog". That way the grands realize they're older and don't expect them to be as playful and energetic as Betsy or a younger dog would be. Nor will they play rough with them.

 

[susiestar]

The dog we had when I was a kid had one of these. At the time the vet said that it wasn't a big deal as long as it was able to move around when touched. It was there but just in the space between her body and her skin, and we could sort of move it around under the skin and move the skin over it with-o hurting the dog or even having her really notice it. She lived to the grand old age of 14 and was in great health except for a bladder issue common to dogs who are that old and have been spayed. (She was killed in our backyard when we were not home by someone gfgbro stole from.) She had the lump for at least five or six years and it never bugged her at all.

 

[hearts and roses]

Nala had one on her chest/belly. For years the vet wouldn't do anything, said it was just a fatty cyst. Finally, he removed it-for $500. In the end, I know it didn't need to be removed, but I'm glad we had it done....it was mostly because the girls were creeped out by it and Nala was missing out on some belly rubs. I do remember our vet telling us that they very rarely lead to cancer.

 

[klmno]

I'm so glad I asked you all. These stories have made me feel a lot better and put some fears to rest. Of course I know she'll pass someday and we never really know when but I diddn't want to be blowing off something if this meant the end was near. I can relay these stories to difficult child so he'll have a better understanding, too.

 

[TerryJ2]

Glad you got some good answers here, Klmno. There were many conditions that my dogs had when they were older, and benign fatty tumors were a common one. My vet's favorite phrase was, "He'll die with them, not because of them."

 

[donna723]

There are all kinds of harmless "lumps" that can come up on dogs and most of them are totally harmless. Most of them are benign fatty tumors that can be moved around under the skin and some breeds get them more than others. If it's not "attached" to anything and moves around freely, not worth worrying about. Some dogs get harmless little "skin tags" too that look just like the ones people get. My Katy has one on her elbow but it's not hurting anything and it would be a bad place for her to have stitches so we're ignoring it. The ONLY time I would be really concerned is if you feel firm lumps in the mammary tissue of a female dog and that needs to be checked out by the vet ASAP.

 

[klmno]

It's just that these average about 3" in diameter, she has several, and she only weighs 23 pounds. I do fear that even if they are benign, they might keep growing or she'll get more and they'll start pressuring vital organs. But, one day at a time, and I have already started preparing difficult child that both dogs and I are getting older. It will hurt us both no matter what. The male has developed a small heart murmur but nothing major enough for the vet to rx medications for yet. This is part of it, I know- you get the family pet for years then have to go thru the stage of taking care of them as they age and prepare to pass. I sooo hope difficult child can get himself together and at least help his dog thru it.

 

[DaisyFace]

K--

My older dog also has those kinds of lumps. Generally, they should be nothing to worry about and vets don't usually even "treat" them.