PatricksMom Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 So I took Patrick in because he has developed a small lump (the head of a large pin) in the skin on his head, it's fairly firm. The vet thought it might be cyst, but it turned out not to be. She's 99% sure it's nothing to worry about, and said if it were her dog, she'd wait until the next dental and then remove and biopspy it while he's under, assuming there's no change. That's what we are planning on doing (his next dental is in June), because I hate to have to give him lidocane and do the punch biopsy because I've had it done and know how much they hurt. Does this sound like a reasonable plan of action? For what it's worth, I really trust my vet, but I do tend to be a nervous mom about this stuff. Quote Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SoulsMom Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Soul has "bump" larger than that that my vet isn't worried about at all either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrsDooLittle Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Mr Green Jeans has a bump like that on his leg and my vet isn't worried either. I would just keep an eye on it, and if there is a change before his dental, you can reassess then. I'm like you though....why make them uncomfortable unless it's a necessity. Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Waiting until June while having a dental sounds like a good plan to me. If you see a significant change in the lump before that you could contact the vet earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Why bother with a biopsy if that much time has passed with no change? Did they do a needle aspirate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BlackandBrindle Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Spud has a bump on his butt that I've been keeping an eye on for the past four months or so. I think the vet's plan of action is sound. We all get bumps. I wouldn't worry if the vet isn't worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DebR Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I agree with everyone else..I'd wait until June unless there was a sudden change in appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerlinsMum Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Spud has a bump on his butt that I've been keeping an eye on for the past four months or so. I think the vet's plan of action is sound. We all get bumps. I wouldn't worry if the vet isn't worried. What she said. If you trust your vet, I wouldn't worry too much. Quote Kerry with Lupin in beautiful coastal Maine. Missing Pippin, my best friend and sweet little heart-healer 2013-2023 Also missing the best wizard in the world, Merlin, and my sweet 80lb limpet, Sagan, every single day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahicks51 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Take a good photo of it now, and compare every couple of weeks or monthly. But, yeah- no reason to jump into it. Quote Coco (Maze Cocodrillo) Minerva (Kid's Snipper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greensleeves Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 What happened to make you know it "turned out not to be" a cyst? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatricksMom Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Thanks everyone, I feel better. Basically she poked it with a needle and there was nothing to come out, like you'd expect with a cyst. Quote Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meandmy Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Yep, we had one of those. A small lump on Shadow's head (at first I thought it was a tick and tried to remove it with a tick spoon - oops!!!). We kept an eye on it for about 3 months until his dental in December. At that point the vet took it off since Shadow was already put under. Sure enough, it was nothing. Quote Jenn, missing Shadow (Wickford Big Tom), Pretty Girl (C's Pretty) and Tori (Santoria) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Why does your vet think it isn't a cyst? Batman had a teeny little doober on his head -- couldn't see it without parting the hair, but you could feel it -- for well over a year. And then it just disappeared. As long as it isn't growing rapidly, looking suspicious, or bothering him, I'd leave it be. When the time comes, seems like your vet could either take it off while he's under for something else, or do a fine needle aspirate, which doesn't hurt at all. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vtgreys Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Well, based on my own experience (not with a dog, but with myself), I'd err on the side of caution. Several years ago, I had a weird thing on my eyebrow, not very big, but I did see my GP and she referred me to a dermatologist. Both my GP and 2 dermatologists looked at it and said, ah, just a wart, we'll freeze it off. So they did, and they were about to throw it in the trash when they thought to ask me if I wanted it biopsied. I decided to go for the biopsy. Good thing I did, cause it was skin cancer. So I'm now very weary about any lumps, bumps etc. on myself and my animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 If Jack's vet took off every tiny skin lump, every time I noticed one, he'd be leaking like a sieve right now. He must have a dozen or more 'old dog' lumps - and I'm only counting those bigger than a pimple. I run my hands over him regularly so I keep up to date with what's where, and I take as good a look as I can, and monitor them. Next time we're in for something, I get them to take a look. So far, several have grown, but not dramatically, one has become an obvious lipoma, one is now clearly a wart. None have been deemed worthy of biopsy or removal. Good idea to get any lumps and bumps checked out by the vet, but I wouldn't panic, especially, if your thinks it's nothing. Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TBSFlame Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I waited till Tessie's dental to have a fatty tumor removed. If the vet thinks it's okay to wait it will be. Better than to put her under twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sage7 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 my elderly pointer has more lumps than body, and that's not joking! she has a huge one along the length of her shest wall, a large one deep in her neck. numerous ones over her body & rump, and smaller ones on her head. She has had then for years and we call her our lumpy dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyPoopon Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 (edited) Basically she poked it with a needle and there was nothing to come out, like you'd expect with a cyst. Cysts can apparently be filled with different things. I'm with most everyone else: I wouldn't worry. If it changes, you can revise your decision. Edited January 4, 2009 by GreyPoopon Quote Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13) Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23). Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09-4/24) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest myneedlenose Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I too am with everyone else. Mayhem had a lump on his back for months which I kept an eye on, vet didn't worry about it until it changed. It was almost a year later and it began to grow so back to the vet. He removed it only because of it's positioning at his spine, afraid it was going to impede nerve conduction if it grew anymore. We had the lump biopsied, turned out to be absolutely nothing of interest in terms of pathology. Just keep an eye on it and get it checked out again if it changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Good Advice from everybody ! Wait for his Dental and then take a biopsy while under , but deffinitly keep an Eye on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Trusting your vet makes it a bit easier to feel confident that you're doing the right thing. Sounds like it's pretty small and if it isin't growing, waiting until the dental sound like a good plan. Please keep us posted Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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