# bulge on side & rimadyl questions



## lizbethc38 (Sep 13, 2007)

My almost 8 yr old GSD/mix male has a bulge on his left side, just behind & above his ribs, maybe the tail end of the latissimus dorsi muscle. It's been there long enough to rule out swelling from a bite. Our neighbors dog just had a 4 lb tumor removed from his spleen, so of course I start freaking (internally)....
The vet thinks it could either be a pulled/torn muscle or possibly a lipoma that formed under the muscle. She gave Muggsy a prescription for Rimadyl & said if the inflammation doesn't go down in a week she would do an aspiration.
She said she isn't worried about it, so I said I wouldn't worry either. 
Well, ok, so that is so totally not possible for me lol The first lump I felt on Muggsy turned out to be a malignant fibrosarcoma. The second lump turned out to be a benign fatty lipoma.
The only reaction to the bulge is when I flea comb or brush Muggsy, his muscles bunch & jump & he twists a bit when I pass over that spot, but he doesn't try to move away or anything. He gives no indication that it pains him at all. He is completely normal in all of his movements, jumping, running, being a general goof. He bypasses his ramp & jumps from the floor up onto our bed which is pretty high (at least he goes down the ramp). I would think if it was a torn muscle he would exhibit some signs of pain or at least favoring it? Has anyone dealt w/muscle injuries?
The only incident I can think of is he miscalculated his jump up into the car once a good while ago & twisted as he tried to stop his fall. He seemed totally fine after though, we were going to take a walk in a park & he acted normally. 
Also, I'm not too sure about the rimadyl. Any opinions on it?
Thanks for any response!


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

I would hesitate to use rimadyl on a dog not showing pain.
At that dog's age I'll vote for Lipoma. They're pretty common. My vet never aspirated any of my dogs' lipomas. Just left them alone as long as they weren't in an area where they interefered with their movement.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

I second the vote! I think the rimadyl may have been for you, to help reduce swelling (?) a little faster.

My 11 yo Lab mix is a lumpy puppy, born with a tetroma. He has 10 - 20 fatty lipomas (pain-free) which my Vet has aspirated with no issue. Sometimes, it is obvious as she tries to prepare the slide, that the lump is fatty. Otherwise, he's very healthy, altho he likes to sleep on my bed all day long.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

My dog has the exact same symptom in the exact same spot. It's been there for around 2 months now I think... But I got it aspirated and it's just a lipoma. I was told to keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't get any larger (it's maybe the size of a raisin right now). I also wouldn't use Rimadyl unless something was inflammed or causing my dog pain; none of which seem to be happening to your dog, thankfully.


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## lizbethc38 (Sep 13, 2007)

Thank you all so much for your responses!
Muggsy has a benign fatty lipoma, which is why this bulge is worrying me. His lipoma is a round nodule & doesn't bother him at all. He shows no reaction when I comb, brush or run my fingernails over that area. 
This bulge area is approx. 4 inches long & 1 inch wide & runs diagonally down his left side. His muscles twitch & his body twists when I comb, brush or run my nails over the area. If it is a lipoma that has formed under the muscle, I don't know that it would make the area of muscle sensitive?
I've decided against the rimadyl. Probably was just to make me feel better :redface: 
As long as the vet isn't worried about this, I am going to let it be until we have some time. We have our own business & this is a busy time (though we would close down in a heart beat if this was an emergency). As soon as I can staff a week day, I am going to take Muggsy to the university's teaching hospital that is about an hour & a half away.
Muggsy & I are both cancer survivors, no thanks to the original doc/vet consulted, so my faith is kinda gone, so I like to break out the big guns lol This university's small animal hospital is just amazing! I don't mind being called chicken little


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Totally understandable. It's better to be 100% sure the growth isn't malignant rather than leaving it to chance. I feel like the general advice is "keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't get bigger," but given Muggsy's history and age, it'll be worth checking it out. Good luck


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Just to be pollyanna and over-optimistic, I'm sure it's nothing. My lumpy puppy has a few lumps that impinged on a hair follicle to make a strange lump and irregularity in his coat. His large lipoma doesn't bother him, but a 1 inch lipoma on his hip, makes him scratch it, if I scratch around it... My Vet offered that it may irritate a nerve, but can't be sure without surgery... which neither of us think is warranted on yet another fatty lump. His congenital tetroma (on top of his head) will occasionally open up and leak a thick liquid (details not needed  ) .... but it doesn't bother him... just me. So, I'm confident (hoping) that yours is nothing to worry about, also.... BTW, we check every single lump, just in case!


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

hanksimon said:


> Just to be pollyanna and over-optimistic, I'm sure it's nothing. My lumpy puppy has a few lumps that impinged on a hair follicle to make a strange lump and irregularity in his coat. His large lipoma doesn't bother him, but a 1 inch lipoma on his hip, makes him scratch it, if I scratch around it... My Vet offered that it may irritate a nerve, but can't be sure without surgery... which neither of us think is warranted on yet another fatty lump. His congenital tetroma (on top of his head) will occasionally open up and leak a thick liquid (details not needed  ) .... but it doesn't bother him... just me. So, I'm confident (hoping) that yours is nothing to worry about, also.... BTW, we check every single lump, just in case!


Awww, hanksimon  
Lumpy dogs are just more lovable!


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