Am I Losing My Mind? It Can't Be Osteo, Of Course, Right?

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I was bathing my VERY full coated and magnificent Sarov (Borzoi) and when soaking wet so his hair is flat, there's a fairly obvious lump on the butt bone on the left side of his tail (know what I mean, the two boney bumps on either side of where the tail comes out of the body?). It's on the left. He's dry now and it's much harder to notice, impossible by sight, but I can feel it. I've stacked him four square, held the tail out, and felt and felt; it's there. It could just be a fat pad or something, right? He's not fat at all, but he was fat in his prior home. I mean really, there's no way another of my dogs could have osteo, right? I am being a paranoid idiot. Clearly, I wouldn't amputate his pelvis anyway, even if it WAS osteo, and he is not in any pain, though he did whine some when I was messing with it repeatedly. I am going to have my "lump pro" friend check it out tomorrow and tell me if I am being ridiculous. Of course it could just be lump, even a swelling cos he's HUGE and insists on laying on the Pergo and it's a pressure point? But the coat is perfect, lush, and the skin 100% normal. I need to go to bed before I lose my mind. He's almost seven. He's fine, right?

 

[Guest BorzoiMom]

Awww, using my picture.

[Remolacha]

maybe just a fatty cyst? Let us know!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Yes, he still has a lump, I wasn't imagining it, so we'll be keeping a very close eye. I did a lot of reading though, and it seems osteo virtually never occurs on that bone.

[carronstar]

With all heartfelt sincerity, please accept my wishes that you are, indeed, losing your mind. Anything else is unacceptable. Your boy is beautiful.

[Yamaha_gurl]

Please take this the right way...I hope you are losing your mind

[Guest GryffinSong]

He's gorgeous, and I hope you're just crazy.

[Guest jettcricket]

...is it hard or soft?

 

He is a magnificant looking boy and we're all thinking good thoughts.

[LaFlaca]

You are certifiable. It's just a cebaceous cyst.

[Sighthounds4me]

I agree with the others - it's nothing major, and you're nutz!

 

Here's hoping!

[RobinM]

He's fine. your crazy. the way it should be.

[LuvAPuppy]

You're completely daft and certifiable, and we wouldn't have you any other way

[Guest PhillyPups]

Yep you're nutz. I have lost two to osteo, three to cancer, and in my experience, I have never heard of osteo of the butt.

 

If I were that concerned, I would take my pup to a vet rather than a message board or "lump pro", but I am over cautious when it comes to cancer in my hounds. It is nothing to joke about.

 

My osteo hounds first developed a limp and once that limp was confirmed osteo, I limited their activity to leash walks rather than running, as the worst pain they can have is for an osteo bone to break, and the pain meds do ease the pain. That is just me.

[ripley488]

Yes, he still has a lump, I wasn't imagining it, so we'll be keeping a very close eye. I did a lot of reading though, and it seems osteo virtually never occurs on that bone.

 

 

Someone in our group just lost one last month to Osteo in the pelvic bone. He was diagnosed 10mos ago, so she was lucky to have him as long as she did.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

For your information I was at the vet today to the tune of half a grand, and he was fully examined, checked, blood tested, lump aspirated, etc. I really wasn't going to rush to the ER vet at 2AM over it. And no, it's not Osteo. And where the hell did I say cancer was a joke? I have a dog dying of it. Also I missed where I said I would run a dog with osteosarcoma and not provide pain meds

 

To the kind responders, thank you I'm just crazy/paranoid.

Edited September 25, 2010 by FastDogsOwnMe

[Guest GryffinSong]

I'm SO glad its benign. Did they figure out what it is? :

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Unusually hard fat.

 

I over reacted, but I worry about my dogs a lot. My osteo dog (who is on leash restriction and on $200/month pain meds, at a minimum and has been since diagnosis) is hanging in there, but now every lump or limp makes me freak out.

[Guest GryffinSong]

I hear ya on that. Gryffin lasted two months with pain meds, and every little thing made me worried that it was his last moment. I haven't totally panicked about my other dogs yet, but the next time one of them limps for any reason, I'm going to lose it I'm sure. Gryffin never developed a lump with his osteo (in the shoulder) so lumps may or may not trigger my "freak out" button. But limping is most definately going to start the tears and fears going.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

I think OS is really rare in IGs, right? I hope so. I know it's not common at all in Whippets. Still scary.

[Guest GryffinSong]

Yes, its quite uncommon. In fact I can't remember ever hearing of an IG with osteo.

 

They're prone to luxating patellas, seizures, alopecia, broken legs, and eye problems (I forget the name of the eye issue).

 

Willow had a luxating patella, which I had repaired immediately after adopting her. Luna has alopecia. Merlin has broken both front legs. Luna, Rosie and Merlin have all had seizures, though none of them get them frequently enough to be on meds for it.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Yikes! I think they're cute as can be, but the broken leg thing scares me.

[KF_in_Georgia]

I think osteo is supposedly most common in the big-boned guys: Greyhounds, Deerhounds, Wolfhounds, Borzoi (so sorry about Rose, but thrilled about Sarov)--the other tall sighthounds. Also in Great Danes.

[LuvAPuppy]

Yay for crazy and paranoid and unusually hard fat!

[Guest deanna]

I missed the boat on being able to publicly call you a crazy lady

 

Glad the God Sarov just has a pushy tushy.

[seeh2o]

Here's to crazy and paranoid and to fabulously firm fat!!!