160 Bear Christiana Rd
Bear, De 19701
302-322-6488
Dr. Jim Berg
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Dog Questions
Dear Dr. Berg,
My dog has a lump on his back that has been there for about 3 years. It doesn't get any bigger, but it worries
me. Could it be cancer? Should I get it taken off?
B.J., Hockessin
Dear B.J.,
Many of our 4-legged family members may develop growths as they grow older. Some of these may be harmless and others
may not. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if a growth is cancerous or not by looking or feeling.
I'd strongly recommend that you take your dog to your veterinarian for a general check-up and to have the lump
examined. Your veterinarian will feel the lump and will advise you what needs to be done next.
I've seen a lot of lumps and bumps in 23 years (and HAD a lot of lumps and bumps, thanks to my 3 brothers), and
there are some general guidelines that I use.
Where the lump is located is important. Lumps on the back, on the neck, on the side tend to be harmless. I get
much more concerned if I see lumps inside the mouth, around the rectum, and especially in the breast tissue. Over
50% of the lumps found in breast tissue are cancerous.
The shape and consistency of the lump can be important. Cancerous lumps tend to be uneven in shape, hard and lumpy,
and tend to be attached to surrounding tissues.
A lump's rate of growth is one of the most factors that I watch for. I suggest that my clients draw a picture of
the lump on their calendar (I also draw one on the pet's file), and ask that they check their picture and the lump
every week or so. If the lump is growing fast, I recommend that it be removed immediately and biopsied. If the
lump doubles in size every 2-3 years, chances are it is not cancerous.
Your veterinarian may also suggest doing a "needle aspiration." A needle aspiration is done by inserting
a needle into the lump, suction applied, then the needle withdrawn.
Sometimes the syringe will fill up with fluid, and the fluid can be examined under the microscope. Often, nothing
will come into the barrel, but there will still be a few cells that are left in the needle. These cells will be
put on a slide, stained, then examined under the microscope. By looking at the cell types, your veterinarian gets
a better idea of what is likely to be in the lump.
Unfortunately, the needle aspiration has its limitations. Some cells are hard to capture with a needle. Also, if
there are tumor cells not evenly spread throughout the lump, the needle may miss tumor cells and only pick up normal
cells.
The best way to determine whether or not a lump is serious is to do a biopsy. Your dog is sedated or anesthetized,
then a portion of the lump is removed through an incision in the skin. If the lump is not too large, it is often
best to remove the entire lump while the dog is anesthetized, then send off a piece of the tissue for analysis.
Unfortunately, lumps often appear in our older pets, and sedating +/or anethestizing a pet can be riskier as the
age goes up. Your veterinarian may do a complete physical exam, bloodwork, and possibly an ECG to help determine
whether or not your pet is likely to handle anesthetic and surgery successfully. The risk of the surgery to remove
and biopsy the lump must to be weighed against the risks of leaving the lump alone.
Biopsy results can tell us not only if the lump is cancerous, but also greatly assist your veterinarian in determining
what courses of treatment would be most effective.
A biopsy will often tell you whether the lump is malignant (rapidly multiplying and spreadable to other parts of
the body), or benign (slower growing and likely to remain in the same spot). It tells us a lot about what to expect
in the weeks ahead with or without treatment.
Sometimes the biopsy will show that a larger area should be removed around where the lump was. Sometimes the biopsy
will indicate that chemothereapy would be beneficial, or that radiation treatment may help. Knowing the type of
cancer is essential to planning the most effective course of treatment.
So, for the safety of your pet and for your peace-of-mind, have your pet checked at your veterinarian's office.
Your pet will love you for it.
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