Lumps & Bumps

Dear Dr Jody:  Our six year old Bernese Mountain Dog “Hickory”, has recently developed a lump on her shoulder.  It doesn’t seem to be bothering her.  Should we be concerned?

This is a very common concern.  We are asked to examine lumps and bumps on pets almost every day of the week.  While many lumps are benign, others are not.  Because it can be very difficult to tell the difference between the two without further investigation, it is always safest to have your veterinarian examine the lump.  He or she will then be able to determine if the appearance of the lump warrants further diagnostics.

Your veterinarian will begin with a thorough head-to-tail exam which can sometimes reveal other lumps that you may not have noticed.  In addition, your veterinarian will be able to thoroughly palpate your dog’s abdomen and lymph nodes to rule out irregularites.  Finally, a careful auscultation of your dog’s lung sounds through a stethoscope, occasionally followed by chest x-rays, can help rule out growths in these areas.

Following the physical exam, your veterinarian will take a close look at the lump in question, paying close attention to its size, colour, shape, and texture.  Occasionally, a visual exam of the lump may give your veterinarian a reasonably good guess of what type of lump your dog has, however, another step is often required in order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.

If the lump is of adequate size and of a certain texture, your veterinarian may be able to make a diagnosis by using a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA).  In this test, a very small needle (about the size of a vaccine needle) is inserted into the centre of the mass and a syringe is used to draw cells into the hub of the needle.  The cells are then expressed onto a glass slide, stained with a special dye, and examined under the microscope.  Cancerous cells will often display certain microscopic characteristics that make them identifiable with this test.  In some instances, your veterinarian may send the slide to a laboratory in Calgary for a second opinion.

If a diagnosis is not reached with the FNA test, your veterinarian may recommend a biopsy of the mass, whereby a piece of tissue the size of a pencil eraser is collected under sedation and submitted to the lab. 

If any of these tests support the diagnosis of cancer, rest assured that recent significant advancements in veterinary medicine now enable our four-legged cancer patients to receive the same care and treatment that is available to humans.  Your veterinarian will be able to refer you to a veterinary cancer centre where your pet will be under the care of a board certified veterinary oncologist.  Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and even acupuncture are all modalities that can be used effectively in the treatment of our canine and feline cancer patients.

While most of the lumps and bumps we see on a daily basis are benign, occasionally we do come across some less pleasant masses.  Since early detection and diagnosis is the key to effective treatment, please do not hesitate to contact your veterinary healthcare team if you detect any unusual masses on your pet.