# Small lump under skin, not visible... WHAT IS IT?



## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

So the story is 3-4 weeks ago I took my dog for both his Bordatella and Rabies vaccine, and a general checkup. 
One or two days later as I was checking him, I felt a small, pistachio-nut-sized lump in his 'waist' (the softer part, where the rib cage ends and the hind legs begin, side of the body). It's completely invisible if you just look at the area, and you can't feel it if you just rub him down; I had to press in a little bit to even discover it was there.
No pain, no weird behavior appetite etc. Everything else is normal 

I've called the vets, and everyone agrees we should just keep an eye on it. Though the vet said it was probably due to the shots and that it should have gone away by now. I'm not home at the moment but I called my mom today and she said it's still there, no bigger nor smaller. I will definitely go back to the vet for a second check up when I get home in 2 weeks. It doesn't seem serious, but anyone have any ideas??


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## CoverTune (Mar 11, 2007)

Do you know if that's the spot he got his rabies vax? If so, I wouldn't worry. For whatever reason, it's fairly common for the rabies vaccine to cause a lump that may take several weeks to go away, it's happened both times Corona got her vaccine.


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## McBee (Jul 1, 2011)

If it's at the injection site then I wouldn't be worried. Had this happen a couple times. Within a weeks time they have always gone away, but my vet said it could take up to 2-3 weeks for the lump to disappear.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks guys! It wasn't directly ON the injection site (muscle of hind legs). He got one shot on each hind leg. 
This dog is NOT my dog, but I drew a dot on where the lump is, and where he got his shot.


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## OliveSheprador (Jul 14, 2011)

Hi Canyx - 

Is it possible this lump existed before you took him to the vet's?

I want to let you know that fatty tumors (called "lipomas") sometimes grow in dogs: http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseasesl/a/lipomas.htm They are often benign and nothing to worry about. 

However...

My dog Ginger was 12 years old when she passed - she developed a tumor when she was much younger (in the same spot you describe, not at the injection site) and I remember bringing it up with the vet who told us the same thing: "Keep an eye on it." I noticed it getting larger over a period of years, and every time she went in to the vet the vet always told us the same thing: "Keep an eye on it". It grew very large with no concern from the vet until one day it began to peel and bleed - the tumor had grown malignant - Ginger was diagnosed with cancer and we had to put her down. It took years - but IMO, that could have been avoided if the vet had removed the tumor or at least biopsied it when we told her it was growing instead of just telling us to "keep an eye on it"..... I don't go to that vet anymore, but keep this in mind!


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

OliveSheprador said:


> Hi Canyx -
> 
> Is it possible this lump existed before you took him to the vet's?
> 
> ...


Thanks for the insight!
Yeah, the first thing I thought of when I discovered it was "It might be a lipoma." You're right though, it could have existed before the shots. I'm pretty good about checking him so it's *unlikely*, but I won't rule that out. 
My main concern is also that it will not show it's true colors until it's too late. I'm taking him to the vet as soon as I get home (in 2 weeks).


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## DoggieGirl (Jul 21, 2011)

I would get the lump aspirated!


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## lizbethc38 (Sep 13, 2007)

When I felt a lump on my fur baby, the local vet's response was that it was a fatty lipoma. I am a cancer survivor who coincidentally had my lump in the same place, so long story short, I pursued it & took him to a teaching hospital & it was a malignant fibrosarcoma. Surgery & he's fine 'cause my hypochondria caught it early  One & a half years later, felt another lump, so back he went. This one is just a benign fatty tumor...(but I still lost more years off my life from the scare) Bottom line to me is, always err on the side of caution & do the diagnostics. Good luck


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks for the insight, everyone! 
It's been 5-6 weeks since I've been home and the first thing I did was give my dog a full checkup (physical and behavioral). Thus the sudden wave of threads by me, but that's besides the point 

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I think the lump either got slightly bigger, AND/OR it just moved closer to the skin. If you look back at my first post I wrote *"It's completely invisible if you just look at the area, and you can't feel it if you just rub him down; I had to press in a little bit to even discover it was there.*" But now I can definitely feel it if I just run my hand gently over the area.

I have him scheduled for a vet appointment first thing Monday morning. 
But just through talking on the phone earlier today, the vet said something along the lines of 'we'll assess it, but a biopsy requires him to be under anesthesia so we would rather not do that if it's not necessary.' I completely agree about not wanting to put my dog under stressful situations if it doesn't call for it. But I'm also worried my vet will give me the 'wait and see if it gets any worse' answer. I guess I should just wait until Monday and see how that interaction with the vet goes.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Your vet should be able to take a fine needle aspirate without sedation. Many (not all) lumps can be identified that way without having to take a surgical biopsy.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Aspiration is 'roughly the same' as getting a shot, but in reverse. In fact, my vet uses standard syringe, sticks it in the lump, and tries to pull some cells. It is usually a very minor and quick procedure. Then, the vet deposits the biological material from the lump onto a slide. She will then go examine the slide for fatty tissue or other. (I have no experience with 'other', so I can't provide a suggestion...)

Sometimes, she has trouble getting anything on the slide, which may be typical of fat in my dog's case, but she doesn't charge me. My dog is healthy, but tends generate lots of fatty lumps... We think it is genetic, because he was born with a tetroma (harmless) and had a few small lumps when he was about 12 weeks....


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## DoggieGirl (Jul 21, 2011)

Needle aspirated are not 100 percent. My vet explains it like sticking a needle in a lemon. Take your dog to an oncologist who is experienced in looking at fine needle aspirates. There are so many different kinds of tumors. Your vet might want to send slides to pathologist. Needle aspirate is not a biopsy but your pooch doesn't need sedation. A punch biopsy can be done to take a biopsy of lump but your dog needs to be sedated. My doggie has had several masses removed. Good luck.


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks again everyone! Today's checkup went well. The vet said aspirations are not 100%, as DoggieGirl said. It would have cost $200 for that, and $375 to just remove the lump. But my vet felt it and strongly thought it will go away. So it's warm compresses, massages and keeping an eye on it for 2 more months. If it's still there after that, I'll see about having it removed.


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## DoggieGirl (Jul 21, 2011)

Glad your appt. went well. WOW, $200 for an aspirate. I hope that was the cost for sending the slide away to the pathologist. My dog's oncologist will look at the slide herself for $50. Hopefully, it will go away on its on. When massaging the bump, if it gets bigger or fills up with fluid, please get it aspirated.  It might just be a sebaceous cyst.  Good luck!


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