Mass in the Abdomen

[colcolt]

I had quite a scare the other day. I hadn't noticed it before and think it came up so gradually I didn't notice or feel it's presence. My little buddy has a fatty lymphoma on his lower abdomen close to his weenie. It felt about the size of a lemon or slightly smaller. I wasted no time getting him to the vet-in fact we went Friday. She checked him out and that's what she said if was. Even though common in middle age to older dogs, it still scared me as I was thinking either a hernia or some cancer.
She told me it wasn't life threatening but if it started getting larger or causing him problems due to its location it would need to be removed. I don't want to wait until he's 10 years old(he's eight now) to have him undergo anesthesia and the operation as I know the older any of us get, canines included, the harder an operation and anesthesia is on us. So, I'm left with the dilemma of doing it soon or not. I've been told they would die of old age before this type of mass would cause their demise but I still don't like it being there.

 

[pipeinhand]

My Lab Jake has some and was told the same thing. Unless it is uncomfortable just let it be. Glad it wasn't more serious.

 

[gwtwdbss]

My Lab developed some. They never really affected her and she passed before any issues arose from them. I concur with pipeinhand.

 

[crazypipe]

 

[colcolt]

I can't explain in words what this little guy means to me. He's my family-other that a sister in another state, he's all I have.
There was a male Treeing Walker Hound out back and to the side where I live who had large tumors on his abdomen and I don't think his owner knew what they were and let them be. A couple years later I noticed I didn't see him anymore for several days and when asked where he was I was told he died of a stroke. You have to take what this guy says with a grain of salt. My feelings were that those large masses he had were malignant and he did nothing to help him out. I wanted to be sure what Bubba had wasn't cancerous and I'm hoping it doesn't develop into that down the road. I will keep a watchful eye on this area.

 

[cynyr]

I dunno, Colonel. It may indeed be just a benign growth, but I'm betting that the idea of it being there is going to bother both of you. I sure don't like the idea of just "living with it."
I can recommend an excellent surgical vet in our area.

 

[colcolt]

It does bother me but it doesn't seem to bother him or slow him down. He doesn't lick that area or scratch so I feel he probably doesn't even know of it's existence. Anything out of the ordinary bother me about him and this is something that fits that criteria.
I take him to Northshore Animal Hospital for everything from an occult blood test twice a year to things such as this. They have more equipment/knowledge that the usual vet's office I've discovered. Knowing me, I'll probably have it taken out but I hate his having to go under anesthesia. I watched one of these operations on YouTube and it looked rather scary but the mass this dog had was three times the size of his.

 

[jah76]

My old male is full of those fatty lumps. We've gotten the big ones tested, but they came back negative. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[numbersix]

I understand your feelings colcott. Our cocker had the same thing. It is fairly common. Hers kept getting bigger and stayed with her the rest of her life. I would say that there is no good answer.
Our Gracie's got so big, that near the end of her life, it was very uncomfortable for her and we wished we had removed it when she was young enough to have done so. That said, she still lived to age 16 - pretty old for a cocker.
Hindsight is 20/20 and knowing now that she would live to 16, t would have been nice to have removed it. At the same time, she developed more and we had no idea which one would would grow so big. So either we removed each one as it arrived (not practical or wise), or just let them be.
Overall, I wouldn't get too alarmed and I would take the advice of your vet.
Good luck to you and your lil buddy.

 

[colcolt]

I'm just concerned about another taking it's place if this one is removed and/or others forming. they look awful but his hasn't gotten to the real obvious stage yet. I didn't even know it was there until Wednesday when I came up behind him and put both hands under him as I usually do for testing things such as this and that's when I felt it. If he lies on his back for belly rubs you can't see or feel it. It's kind of like a hernia. I have that on my right side and you can't tell it if I lie down but standing up or put your hand there, especially when coughing, it's most detectable.
I don't know. I'll have to chew on this situation awhile. At the moment I'm not sure what's best for him. It's in a bad spot and I'm thinking if it gets larger it could cause bladder problems.

 

[lankfordjl]

I'm thinking you mean lipoma not lymphoma...??
Our terrier has a fatty tumor on her hip about the size of a small lemon. The vet penetrated it with a needle and pulled some cells for a quick view under the microscope. Not cancer only adipose tissue; diagnoses was a lipoma. It came up fast but is now stable. Hasn't grown in a year I'd say. She doesn't mind it and it hasn't seemed to cause her pain. We just keep an eye one it. People have these too...all the time really...just usually not this large relative to body size.
Oh..and one thing to remember, they can come back after removed...you probably didn't want to know that.
Human lipoma

 

[cigrmaster]

colcolt, my buddy just went through this with his doberman. The doctor kept telling him that if it didn't bother the dog then let it go. He kept doing this until it got so big it needed to be removed and she was a lot older. He told me he wished he had done it a lot sooner because at 10 years old there was much more risk. If I was in your shoes and knowing how much you love that dog, I would get it taken out. You will feel much better and so will your dog. I don't care what the vets say, that size lump cannot be that comfortable. You will worry yourself sick over this and you know it.

 

[weezell]

Just lost my buddy Wolfie after almost 14 years to Hotchkins..Doc said it could be a month,or a year...little over a month.Love em as much as they do you my friends.

 

[colcolt]

You're absolutely right, Harris. I think after this ordeal Friday at the dentist and what it's going to cost I'm going to give it more consideration. I've heard they can get more and I sure don't want him to have to go through this but once. He was put under once before at 4 years old due to having some junk down in his ear and kept shaking his head vigorously and they had to sedate him to get it out. I told them while he was under to go ahead and clean his teeth. It added another $180 to the bill but was worth it as I killed two birds with one stone. Since then he gets his teeth brushed three times a week.
weezell, my heart goes out to you, buddy. I lost one back in 2004...a Corgi mix. She was only two years old and it took me months to get over it. I'd have to steal away at work and find a place to bawl. She didn't even live with me but my ex-wife and myself shared her, so to speak, and she lived with her. I had a granite headstone made up for her with her name, date of birth and death and "We love you forever, Katie" under that. Imagine how it's going to be if I out live Bubba since he's been with me 24/7 for over five years. He was just 2 1/2 when I got him.
I never could imagine in my wildest dreams anyone could love an animal like this. Ten years ago I would have thought you were crazy to suggest that kind of affection and closeness to a dog. It's weird but it seems he's a large part of me.

 

[cortezattic]

I have a 10 yr old pooch that recently underwent surgery to remove a walnut sized melanoma from the back of her tongue!

She weathered the anesthesia and surgery very well.
If your vet is not in a hurry to remove the fatty tumor, then maybe that's really the best thing.

After all, some vets would do it just for the money -- and apparently yours isn't the mercenary sort.

Let your vet know that you're really perplexed about this, and maybe she can put your mind at ease

-- one way or the other.

 

[gwtwdbss]

Best of luck to you and Bubba. Let us know how it turns out. Will keep you all in my prayers.

 

[weezell]

colcolt,a prayer for your little buddy....Dave

 

[colcolt]

I trust this vet completely. She runs the hospital(not like your usual vet's office) and has brought him through two corneal ulcers-one in 2010 and another in the other eye in 2011...about a year ago. That was some ordeal. I had to put Atropine in his eye twice a day and another antibiotic after she did a grid keratotomy(scratching the eye with a needle!!)It just bothers me that he has this and as I mentioned, I don't want to wait till he's ten years old to remove it as they can and do get larger. It's a tough call to make at this point.
I'm sure he can go through this fairly well but, I still worry about the operation. Things do go wrong during operations. Many thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

 

[igloo]

A little over a year ago I lost Lucy my German Shepard to breast cancer . I still call out her name from time to time when I let the other dogs in from outside . I think I would have it removed now as it will cost less and be easier on your buddy .

 

[captainprophesy]

Our black lab had a benign tumor... Basically fatty tissue on her hip, didn't really bother her... It got quite big butwas told not worry about it... Probllem is it ruptured, we finally had it surgically removed and she is fine now... None have grown back and it's been a bit over a year now. Still check her out regularly though.
Wishing you guys the best of luck.