Just checking.... can a lump be the start of trouble?

[Beverleycuddy]

My Oscar has had a lump come up very quickly between his pin bones - it's about an inch or so wide in just a few days. Doesn't seem to be painful. Had a needle biopsy and a scan, now on antibiotics as sample inconclusive. It's probably nothing, but I'm a worrier! I took notes but they are pretty unreliable and I've not yet Googled what he said and found the right spellings so this is all phonetic and frenetic! He said the cytology was a bit confusing and not definitive but there were neutrophilic (best guess) cells and leukocytes but no bacteria. So it looked like he was fighting something - but there wasn't obviously an infection and the scan was inconclusive. Best guesses - foreign body and the abscess hasn't ripened enough for it to be obvious or (and I don't like the sound of this) a skin infection like furunculosis (best guess?). Whatever it is we've started antibiotics with apparently good skin penetration tonight for a week and Wolfgang the vet will have another look in a week to see what's happening. Presumably if it needs lancing or if it is a form of hair folicle weirdness. For all those who like the detail he's on Cephalexine 300mg x 14 - 1 tablet twice daily. Just checking that this isn't the start of wonky immune response? Anything I should be looking out for? Thank you! Sorry should have said - Oscar is a 6 year old Beardie boy who is otherwise very healthy.

[gschellinger]

Hi Beverly,

Sorry no ideas here. I know that dogs as well as people get bumps and cysts and such, that are not fatal. And that the reverse is possible. Just writing to fill in until someone with brains in the arena comes on board. My daughter's bully got a lump in his groin a few years back. The tests were also inconclusive. So they did surgery and removed wide margins, just in case. It was benign and he recovered like a good boy. I hope your dog is having a little blip like that. Doesn't hurt to be optimistic until you go further with it 
Best.
gail.

[Beverleycuddy]

Being slightly paranoid I know, but Oscar's brother died very young and very suddenly without any real conclusion despite a PM. I've always had a nagging worry about autoimmune problems generally in the breed and have met pet Beardie folk in the vets who had spent many month struggling for a diagnosis of an immune problem because the vet didn't know the breed was prone. Would prefer to encourage the vet in that direction than go all around the houses to get a diagnosis if a weird large bump could be a symptom of any of the Immune mediated diseases so he can check it out sooner rather than later. Would rather start treatment asap rather than have him go under to get it removed and put him at risk if he is likely to have a dicky immune system.

[Jo CIMDA]

Welcome Beverley.  I'm sorry Oscar's lump is causing you concern. 

It is very unlikely that a single lump would be the result of an AI disease, but only time will tell if more appear.  Inconclusive results are not uncommon, unfortunately, and it is so frustrating after having a biopsy etc., that you are none the wiser.

I don't know if any of your previous beardies have had hair folicle cysts, a few of mine have, and they can get very large, but usually over time.  They are filled with the most stomach curdling gunk. Sometimes the substance inside will burst through the pore and it can be cleaned out this way which saves a surgical procedure. Generally these are of no consequence but occasionally they can become infected and if this is allowed to continue the infection can involve the muscle, which can be a problem.  You may have experience of these lumps.

It might be the result of an insect bite?  I hope the anitbiotics will sort out the problem but for now I wouldn't think it is an AI problem.

Hope you and your family are keeping well.

Jo

[Penel CIMDA moderator]

Hi Beverley,
welcome.  Is the lump going down now that Oscar has been on ABs for a few days?
my Lola has had a couple of cysts that came up v quickly but they also burst (homeopathic Hepar Sulph is good once they've burst) - I know Chris Day is one of your fb friends so perhaps he can help with that.
One of the vet receptionists at my vets has a dog who had a lump come up really fast and it was a mast cell tumour - she said it was like an insect bite it swelled up within a day.  I would imagine that the needle biopsy they did would have shown some nasty cells if that had been the case though?
if you're in doubt and need a 2nd opinion, Wey Referrals is v local isn't it - Kit Sturgess is fab. 

[Beverleycuddy]

Hello Jo and Penelope. Thank you for indulging me!. I'm probably just being a paranoid wuss. I think we have a second bump coming up, the other side of the spine, he's six and his skin has always been really clear and he's healthy, full coat. He's lost a bit of weight, though. He's a bit of a toast rack to be honest. I'm worried about him without knowing really why. Just can't put my finger on it, but I have a feeling there's something wrong - nothing scientific. Just don't like these lump(s). I had a Beardie with a lump on its head many years ago that the vet thought was an abscess but when he tried to lance it was incredibly painful and it just bled like a volcano - if you know what I mean! Changed vet and they knocked him out and  took it out and it turned out to be a hair-lined cyst which was not what he'd expected. Some hair cells in completely wrong place that started growing and as the hair grew the lump grew. Looked like something out of the Beano. After the op he was fine. His dad was VERY old when he sired that litter, often wondered if that might have played a part in the gene soup. Back at the vet on Friday. Just trying to second guess possibles so we don't have to do every test known to man to get to diagnosis.

[gschellinger]

Good luck Beverly and let us know what the tests you choose reveal.
gail.