"Bump" on my dog!

[LindaL]

My 8 yr old Min Pin Gunner is very "fussy"(he doesnt like it) about me holding him on his back, so I can rub his belly...and that makes me do it even more, because I know it bugs him (I know... I am a "mean" mom). Well, I do this every day (at least once) and until today I had never seen or felt any kind of lump or bump on him anywhere. Tonight, I felt a lump!!! :new_shocked: It is soft, about the size of a penny and about 1/8"-1/4" high. I pressed on it to see if Gunner felt any pain, but it's not painful for him at all.

Other "odd" things that have happened recently with Gunner...last weekend we went tent camping and he was not a happy camper (literally!). He wanted to eat grass, was nervous and wanted to sleep more than usual. He seemed to get better when he knew we were packing up to leave, so I'm thinking it was just his not liking the whole experience. Today, earlier, he vomited for "no reason". He seems OK, tho.

What do you think this lump could be from and do you think any of the other things have anything to do with the lump? Should I wait to see if it goes away and he doesnt have any other things going on or do you think its serious enough to take him to a vet right away?

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[White Socks Miniature]

I would take him to the vet. They will do an aspirate of the lump and send it to the lab to see what it is. That way at least you can have some peace of mind as to what it is, whether it is benign or not. Its not an emergency but I would take him in by the end of next week. It kind of sounds like a cyst to me.

Cheers

Masako

 

[runamuk]

Linda just watch the lump and maybe call the vet and let him/her know your concerns. It is unlikely the other symptoms are related but.........

Usually soft lumps are either fatty tumors, old age bumps, or bruising. If they come on suddenly and continue to get bigger I would be at the vets pronto. It sounds like the guy may just need a check up to ease your mind and make sure he is ok. The throwing up would have me worried. It might not have a few years ago but after losing one dog to stomach cancer I take dog barfing, lack of appetite seriously.

 

[Sonya]

Sounds like a fatty tumor to me. Brutus (my lab) has them all over, at least 20, most are small, around size of a quarter to 50cent piece, but one is the size of a baseball. They do not hurt them at all. Definately go to the vet and he will do a needle aspiration and be able to tell you within seconds if it's something to worry about. Brutus has also had mast cell cancer twice, which was just a small bump, but it looked differently than the fatty tumors. Keep us updated.

 

[Dontworrybeappy]

My tiny little Pommie "Bean" is at the vet's right now for surgery to have a strange skin lump removed (it'll be tested at the lab after it's removed.)

I'm all nervous - Bean's a rescue and only trusts me - so I feel like a traitor leaving him there without me.

Last week he weighed 4.4 lbs with all his hair - I shaved him down before surgery into one of his summer cuts - today without hair he weighed 4.1 lbs!

 

[LindaL]

Thanks! I read alittle about what you all are talking about online and this sounds like a "fatty tumor", but will watch it and call the vet to see what she thinks.

He threw up again last night, but seems OK today. I know he is getting older now, so things are going to start happening with him health-wise. But, he has been very well cared for his whole life and is spoiled rotten!

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[runamuk]

Linda,

Not to be alarmist but the throwing up would have me worried. Talk to the vet and maybe get him in for ultrasound. My chow was only 9 when she threw up one night and didn't finish dinner, I thought weird but it was hot 100 +. Same thing the next night so called my vet and he said the same probably heat. The next day she drank water and promptly threw it up we rushed her to the vet the US was inconclusive so they did exploratory surgery (they thought she might have eaten a sock or something), her stomach was completely full of cancer and she was euthanized on the table as I did not want to make her suffer anymore. She did not show a single sign until 3 days before she was gone. Of all the awful experiences I have endured with animals that was the absolute worst.

 

[tigeresss]

It could just be a harmless cyst...however I would get it checked out as soon as possible, just in case it is something terrible that spreads fast.

 

[AppyLover2]

Definitely get it checked out. I lost my Bear to a "bump" on his shoulder.

 

[RainSong]

Keep an eye on those fatty tumors too- my step-dad's dobe had one, and it was the same size for years... then it started to grow. He took her in when it was obvious it was getting bigger, fast- lost her to cancer a few months later.