Over the weekend, hubby told me he found a lump on Storm. It's right above the elbow joint on his left side, kind of in his 'armpit', about an inch big.

We went to get it checked yesterday at Dr. M's, and when she checked it (she took a sample of it to look at it under a microscope), it wasn't all fatty tissue. She found some fatty tissue/cells surrounding something abnormal. Since the stains that are usually carried in a vets office doesn't really tell you what it is, other than it's not fatty tissue, she wants to get it removed within the next 3 months. She said she would know if it were cancerous as there would be more abnormal cells, but at this stage, it looks like these abnormalities surrounded by fatty tissue could be the start of something.

So...she said, 'No need to hit the panic button just yet but I'd like to get it removed within the next 3 months. But if it starts to get bigger, these abnormalities would then be considered 'active' at which time I'd like to get it removed sooner than later. And since you in here monitoring Storm's weight regularly, I'd be happy to check it for you.'

Oh no! Poor Storm Good luck, Claudia! When are you and JD getting it done?

My big boy! I'm glad it's not all abnormal though and that there is no constraining time limit! Thank goodness for Doctor Miller.. he'll be just fine We love you Stormy!

We haven't set an appointment yet, but as long as we get it removed within the next 3 months. If it gets bigger before then, we'll book the next available appointment to have it removed.

Dr. M said Storm should be just fine since we caught it early.

good catch JD! glad you got it looked at right away, and that you have some time to work on getting it removed. storm is in the best hands between you and dr. miller!

i all most feel like i need to go home and check S&J....

lumps seem to be going around

jbealer wrote:

lumps seem to be going around

You read my mind! I was about to say the exact same thing!

Awww Storm...thank goodness that JD felt it and that you took him in right away. Did I mention that when I told hubby that I felt Mya's lump he was like "oh, yeah, I felt that like 2 weeks ago"

I felt Mya's lump again over the weekend to see if it's grown, but I can't really tell. Hmmm, you said Dr. Miller tested it. My vet didn't do that. Hmm....

MelissaI wrote:

jbealer wrote:

lumps seem to be going around

You read my mind! I was about to say the exact same thing!

Awww Storm...thank goodness that JD felt it and that you took him in right away. Did I mention that when I told hubby that I felt Mya's lump he was like "oh, yeah, I felt that like 2 weeks ago"

I felt Mya's lump again over the weekend to see if it's grown, but I can't really tell. Hmmm, you said Dr. Miller tested it. My vet didn't do that. Hmm....

Good luck with Storm! Hopefully it's just fat and nothing else!

Melissa, Frosti also had a lump on her side the first week we got her - felt it the DAY after her first checkup (sigh). Went back to the vet, and the doctor felt the lump and said it's soft - which is generally good. He said it'd either fat deposits, a cyst or a lump from blunt trauma. He then aspirated it (stuck a need and sucked out contents (sounds like what Dr. M did) and then sent it into the lab. We got the results a day (and $220 - darn LA vets) later, and it was just a bump from wrestling at day care. Phew! I was a wreck until I got the results! Is it possible for your vet to do that?

Dr. M did aspirate it, and she stained it and looked at it under a microscope in her office and found they weren't all fatty tissue, but only a few cells were abnormal which makes her want to remove it, but no need to get it removed right away unless it gets bigger. Since she wants to get it removed by October (within 3 months) and October will be a busy travel month for me, I'm going to schedule to get it removed in September - sooner if it gets bigger.

What's cool about Dr. M is that she could have sent it to the lab to get it tested, but she said no need to pay money for that when she already found some abnormal cells that should not be there, and eventually will need to be removed. LOVE that about her that she doesn't charge more money than necessary!

Melissa - you should get Mya's lump aspirated at the very least to see if it's fatty tissue or not. Dr. M had a dog come in 3-4 months after seeing another vet about a lump. The other vet told the owners to just watch it if it grows because 'it just feels like fatty tissue right now'. A few months later, they went to see Dr. M instead, and although the lump didn't get much bigger, and it felt like 'fatty tissue' as the first vet said, it was class 3 cancer, and the dog had to go through chemo which cost them a few thousand dollars. Had they just got it aspirated a few months back or checked it, it would have only cost a few hunderd dollars instead. The dog responded well to chemo and is OK now, but they could have saved themselves and the dog all that grief!

cmanding wrote:

Melissa - you should get Mya's lump aspirated at the very least to see if it's fatty tissue or not. Dr. M had a dog come in 3-4 months after seeing another vet about a lump. The other vet told the owners to just watch it if it grows because 'it just feels like fatty tissue right now'.

yep, that's what he told me! To watch it for a month to see if it grows and if it does to bring her back and he'll determine if it needs to be removed or not.

I'm going to call the vets office this afternoon and ask how much it will cost to get a sample of it and get it tested!

Oh no! Sorry to hear this Claudia. Man, I'd be wanting that thing removed as soon as possible and sent to a lab to determine exactly what it is. I couldn't wait up to 3 months, it would drive me nuts. Hoping it's nothing serious.

It's so sad to hear about all these lumps happening lately. I don't think I ever updated that thread about the lump on my MIL's dog, they had it removed but it was cancer and there is a very good chance it will come back even though they had the lump removed. Hence why I helped her formulate a cancer starving homecooked diet for her dog.

Storm will be in our thoughts and prayers!

As it turns out, my work travel will be busy in October, so I'm going to set an appointment in early September to get it removed - probably right after Labor Day weekend. And if it does get bigger before then, we'll get him in ASAP.

Thank you all for all your support, thoughts and prayers!

Lumps suck, watch it like a hawk eyeing a rabbit.

Would be a good idea to actually measure it that way if it grows you'll be able to tell easier. Sometimes they grow slow enough where you don't really remember what size it was when you 1st discovered it. (What I feel was my error with Mylo)

Best wishes for the Storm.

Len - ever since JD pointed it out, I've feeling it every day, twice a day! And we'll get it removed in September (or sooner if need be) so I can be home for Storm. (October will be a busy travel month for me).

Poor Storm! Glad your hubby caught it early. What a good dad!

September 15 is Storm's appointment to get the lump removed....sooner if it gets any bigger before then.

I'm glad it's coming out soon! Poor Storm =(

How big is the lump currently?

It's about an inch big.

I just got Storm's surgery estimates....
The figure Dr. M threw out when we went to check the lump was so low that when these estimates came in, I have sticker shock
(*SIGH) Oh well....small price to pay now compared to what it could be if we wait to remove it later....

Storm goes into surgery tomorrow morning to remove that lump. Dr. M says that the incision should be small enough that he should be able to make H2M2 on Sunday but I think hubby will want to keep him home.

Here's hoping to a speedy recovery for my Storm and that the lump isn't cancer or anything crazy!

Good luck, Storm!

Good luck Storm!!! He'll be just fine! Does he get to go home after the surgery tomorrow?

I'm taking Mya to get micro chipped and for a follow up on her lump (that hasn't grown at all BTW) next Friday!

Fingers crossed that Storm recovers nicely and the Doc finds nothing serious!!

Storm will be fine and i hope it turns out to be nothing!

I you Storm! Heal quickly!!

Thanks everyone!
Storm should be able to come home as soon as the anesthesia wears off.
I can't imagine it being a long procedure at all....