greyhead Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Just found a lump on Spencer's thigh, about the size of a nickel, and it appears to be subcutaneous. I don't see any redness or other discoloration, and he doesn't mind my rubbing it. It doesn't move as far as I can determine. He had some trouble with that leg on this a.m.'s walk, with it drifting outward and the foot turned out more than usual. (He has been treated for LS for 3-4 years, currently on gabapentin and tramadol.) I've called in to the vets' office and requested that one of them call me before they go home and tell me what to look for over the weekend. Meanwhile, can you guys educate me about how to evaluate lumps at home in deciding whether and when vet attention would be a good idea? Links to previous threads,etc.? I'm off to search the archives myself, too. Thanks, Mary Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest twoskinnydogs Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Personally I would have a vet check it, maybe even attempt FNA to get cytology. It never hurts to be too safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) Personally I would have a vet check it, maybe even attempt FNA to get cytology. It never hurts to be too safe Totally agree especially when dealing with a limb. If its recommended to remove it you want to do that while it's small-- there's not too much skin leeway to be able to close the incision. Definetly vet visit. Just re-read your post-- the fact that it's fixed- not moveable makes it all the more reason to pursue a vet visit and a FNA. Keep us posted ok? Edited May 26, 2012 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fasave Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 I would have it checked too. It sounds like a soft tissue sarcoma my boy had on his leg, however, there are LOTS of different types of lumps including many benign. While it was cancer, it was low grade. I had it surgically removed and he lived for another 5 years. Even though the cancer didn't disappear completely, it's not why he passed. He also had a nerve sheath tumor that was removed completely from his back. There are many options for treatments for these types of lumps. You can try a FNA but every time I've done that, it's come back negative and it wasn't until I had the lumps surgically removed, did I find out what they reallly were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 Thanks, everyone. The soonest vet appointment I can get will be Tuesday, of course, and I'll request the "soonest available" when they call back. What I'll ask on the phone also is what developments, if any, should send me to an e-vet before that. Meanwhile I'm reading some scary stuff in the archives, including mention of an unnamed blood vessel cancer (Houndtime's Merlin). It's so small compared to some of the pictures I see of hemangiopericytoma. Haven't gotten to the mast cell pictures yet. Anything else I should be looking for? I'm not trying to make myself crazy. But I've found working with vets is much easier if I aleady have some idea what they're talking about. As it is, based on his walk this morning, I think we'll be doing the p.m. walk with his assist harness on him. Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest twoskinnydogs Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) Thanks, everyone. The soonest vet appointment I can get will be Tuesday, of course, and I'll request the "soonest available" when they call back. What I'll ask on the phone also is what developments, if any, should send me to an e-vet before that. Meanwhile I'm reading some scary stuff in the archives, including mention of an unnamed blood vessel cancer (Houndtime's Merlin). It's so small compared to some of the pictures I see of hemangiopericytoma. Haven't gotten to the mast cell pictures yet. Anything else I should be looking for? I'm not trying to make myself crazy. But I've found working with vets is much easier if I aleady have some idea what they're talking about. As it is, based on his walk this morning, I think we'll be doing the p.m. walk with his assist harness on him. Just because the lump doesn't look like something doesn't mean it isn't. Hemangiosarcoma is the blood vessel cancer that you prob read about and not all of HSA's are skin tumors, I lost my Toby to HSA last week and his was inside a muscle. Just take a breath and relax. Try not to freak out until the time is right to freak out. Just get the vet to do a FNA and see if they can get any conclusive cytology. Trust me, I have been through this recently and it is scary! Just love him and we will be praying that it is nothing! Edited May 26, 2012 by twoskinnydogs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted May 26, 2012 Author Share Posted May 26, 2012 (edited) Just because the lump doesn't look like something doesn't mean it isn't. Hemangiosarcoma is the blood vessel cancer that you prob read about and not all of HSA's are skin tumors, I lost my Toby to HSA last week and his was inside a muscle. Just take a breath and relax. Try not to freak out until the time is right to freak out. Just get the vet to do a FNA and see if they can get any conclusive cytology. Trust me, I have been through this recently and it is scary! Just love him and we will be praying that it is nothing! Yeah, Jason, I followed your and Toby's situation, and I'm so very sorry about the whole thing. (But happy about your new girl!) I'm guessing the vet didn't see the message before she went home. (Message transmission is not their strongest suit.) So it's good that GT is here for us. No freaking out -- got it! He is having trouble with the stairs this evening, so we did just get his harness on him for safety's sake. Now I'm wondering whether the gabapentin is helping or hurting the LS situation, since loss of feeling in the nerves is what leads to stumbling. He doesn't seem to have gotten my memo asking for just one problem at a time! ETA: One of the vets just called. We have an appt with his regular vet Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, this other vet gave me an idea for varying his gabapentin dose and for watching the lump. Edited May 26, 2012 by greyhead Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetdogs Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Hoping it's no big deal & that Spencer enjoys his holiday weekend. Quote Deirdre with Conor (Daring Pocobueno), Keeva (Kiowa Mimi Mona), & kittehs Gemma & robthomas. Our beloved angels Faolin & Liath, & kittehs Mona & Caesar. Remembering Bobby, Doc McCoy, & Chip McGrath. "He feeds you, pets you, adores you, collects your poop in a bag. There's only one explanation: you are a hairy little god." Nick Galifinakis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snakes Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Could be anything, try not to get too worked up, msot lumps don't require E-vet visits. FedX has a mast cell tumor on his hind leg, we were going to take it off and then he had other issues. He gets curcumin now that keeps it under control. Relevant to mast cell tumors is that they tend to swell up and down due to histamines they release when aggravated. They are soft feeling, Not a hard lump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhead Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 It's a lipoma! The vet aspirated it. I asked if there were many false negatives with aspiration, cuz I thought I'd read that somewhere, but she said no. So we're good on that front. Thanks for your support! Quote Mary with Jumper Jack (2/17/11) and angels Shane (PA's Busta Rime, 12/10/02 - 10/14/16) and Spencer (Dutch Laser, 11/25/00 - 3/29/13). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Glad to hear benign. However, not to be a Debbie Downer here-- but, keep an eye on it as absolutely you can receive inaccurate FNA results. Take for example-- years ago my Emma developed a firm mass over her hip-- after many aspirates it was determined it was a lipoma-- long story short-- it was actually malignant melanoma. I lost her to that cancer. Moral-- watch it closely. Maybe next time a dental is needed have it removed just to play it safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.