My old Mastiff has a black tail bump & trouble standing. What to do?

I recommend to have Leia examined by the veterinarian. Skin masses can be many things but red raised masses are especially concerning for a skin cancer called a Mast Cell tumor. Your veterinarian will need to collect a sample of cell to examine under the microscope to determine what this is and if further treatment is needed. Have this checked out soon.

The bump could be caused by an infection, allergic reaction, cyst, benign or cancerous mass. The only way to know for sure is to have your vet do a fine needle aspirate. It is a very easy proceedure that takes just a few minutes. Once it is diagnose, your vet can decide the best treatment. Please call your vet and schedule an appointment, especially since it seems to be bothering her.

Difficulty walking is a situation that always warrants a visit to your veterinarian. We could have a musculoskeletal injury or a neurological issue, such as a herniated/slipped disk in the spine compressing the spinal cord. Your vet can do an examination to see if there are neurological deficits and may also recommend an x-ray to help determine the cause of the trouble walking, and if it is related to the swelling of the tail. Limber tail doesn't normally cause a swelling of the tail, but can cause the tail to be carried strangles, where it will stick out for an inch or two and then hang down limply. If the tail is truly swollen I would be more worried about an injury and x-ray may be needed.

This hard mass could be due to anal sac impaction or it could be an anal gland tumor, both of which would cause him to drag his bum on the carpet. Given Angelo's age, cancer is unfortunately always a possibility, and I would not squeeze this mass to try to relieve the pressure. I also would not wait until Tuesday to get him into a vet. If it's an anal sac impaction, it can rupture, and it's best to have them expressed as soon as possible. If it's an anal sac tumor, early treatment is imperative, as this is a malignant and very aggressive cancer. I would have Angelo seen by a vet first thing on Monday.

This looks like a large tumour or abscess which is blocking her back passage and likely causing pain or nerve compression preventing her from walking. She needs urgent veterinary assessment to determine what if anything can be done at this stage but be prepared that euthansia may need to be considered in order to prevent further pain and suffering

As for the bump, my biggest concern would be an enlarged lymph node and mammary cancer. The black stool, lethargy, and thirst are suggestive of bleeding in the intestines. Since she is not spayed, a pyometra would also be a possibility. You need to get her to a veterinarian as soon as possible for bloodwork and abdominal x-rays or ultrasound.

This lump could be a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma, or a growth. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give Rosemary's vet a call to make her an appointment.