I was sitting on the couch with my dog Piper resting his head on my lap, and as per usual I began to gently stroke his head, back and chest.
Science has proven that slow petting of a loved dog releases oxytocin into the blood stream of both the dog being pet and the owner doing the petting. So I was in the middle of getting my daily dose of euphoria via Piper when a different hormone shot through my veins, cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone.
As I ran my hand across Piper's chest I felt a lump. My heart sank into my stomach faster than a rock tossed into a pond. Images of my dog Harley, who died of cancer eight years ago, were running through my mind. I poked and rubbed this lump moving it around atop his rib cage. It didn't seem connected to anything and Piper didn't seem to be bothered by it. Then I heard my inner voice of wisdom say, "It's not what you think, it's just a lipoma, but go get it checked anyway."
Lipomas are one of the most common lumps found on a dog's body. They are soft, round non-painful masses located just under the skin and are generally benign. They are often found on the areas of the chest-rib cage, under the armpit and on some occasions on connective tissue between muscles. Being benign they tend to grow to a certain size and just sit there. They do not invade the tissue surrounding it and do not metastasize to other parts of the body.
For the most part, lipomas don't have to be removed, unless they happen to get big. Then, they may cause discomfort for a dog to lie down or may inhibit the normal range of movement of limbs. In that case surgical removal may be required.
Getting the lump checked by a veterinarian will give you a better idea of how to treat it. Most dogs get these lumps as they reach the end of middle age and start to teeter into their senior years. Unless the dog is uncomfortable, the lump is simply monitored as surgery on a senior dog can be a bit dodgy.
Cancer is always on the back of your mind when you find a lump on your dog but you are only really guessing as to whether it is something serious or not. That is why it is best to seek the expert advice of a veterinarian and not simply ignore the issue. Most veterinarians take a conservative approach to common lipomas and only remove them if they are growing rapidly or are located in a sensitive area.
Piper's visit to the vet resulted in him having some fluid removed from the affected area and a pathology test done to ensure the lipoma was simply a fatty lump.
There are times that the lump is more than a collection of fatty cells. Some superficial lumps are due to plugged oil glands in the skin called sebaceous cysts. These cysts can be composed of dead skin cells or clear fluid and often rupture on their own, heal and disappear. In some cases they can become chronically infected and may need to be removed. Often a change in diet will reduce or eliminate the reoccurrence of sebaceous cysts.
Genetics can sometimes play a part as to whether a dog develops lipomas. If one or both of the dog's parents had them, chances are your dog will develop them as they age.
Thankfully, the lump on Piper has changed very little after first being detected but if it begins to increase in size rapidly and the skin covering the lump changes colour and texture, that will mean another trip to the vet ASAP.
Joan Klucha has been working with dogs for more than 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her at www.k9kinship. com.
