Why does my dog have a chest lump and won't lie down after surgery?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is possible that he has developed a hernia again and the concern would be that it could be causing him pain and discomfort, especially if he did not like it touched. The other possibility is a seroma which is an accumulation of fluid at the incision site though that seems less likely. I recommend that you have Columbus evaluated by a veterinarian perhaps tomorrow when your veterinarian opens again. If at some point he develops loss of appetite, vomiting or lethargy, have him evaluated sooner. Good luck with your boy!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to see and hear that Stanlee is having a problem. Lumps can be a variety of things such as an abscess (infection), a hematoma (bruise), a seroma (fluid filled pocket), a granuloma (collection of inflammatory cells), or a tumor which could be benign or malignant. Usually with firm lumps we get concerned about granulomas or tumors but some of the other causes for lumps can appear hard or firm depending upon their depth in the body and what is covering them. The best thing to do is see your vet. Let them get a detailed history and do a good physical exam. Most likely they will want to do a fine needle aspirate and look at the sample under the microscope. If that is inconclusive, a biopsy would be needed under anesthesia/sedation most likely. Biopsies are sent to a pathologist who can then process the sample and examine it microscopically. Large tumors that are common in dogs are called lipomas, which are benign tumors of the fat tissue. These can be very soft or more firm as discussed above. Since mobility is becoming affected, I wouldn't advise monitoring this situation. Good luck with Stanlee

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The lump there could be from many different causes: 1. infected ball of pus under the skin from a previous wound. 2. A foreign object stuck under the skin from the wound 3. A lump there unrelated to the wound (lipoma, tumor, etc.) 4. Scar tissue and non-infected inflammation secondary to the wound. 5. Other causes. From the image the little red bit is suggestive that there might be a component of infection/inflammation ongoing, but overall it doesn't appear very angry or inflamed. Ideally I would recommend having it seen, and your vet will likely put a needle into it to see if it is a ball of infection or something else. Otherwise, if it isn't bothering Chase you can monitor it for now, and if it is getting smaller/going away don't worry, but if it is growing or hasn't started to shrink in 5-7 days I would get it checked. Best of luck with Chase!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry Champ isn't feeling well. Lethargy, trouble walking, not eating/pooping are all signs of weakness and being generally unwell. This can be due to many causes however for a dog that is 2 years old I would be concerned about things such as fungal disease, parasite disease, heartworm, Addison's disease, or sometimes it can be more simple like an abscess. The wheezing is concerning that he has trouble in his lungs or heart, so heartworm is a concern. The squishy lump could be an abscess (pus filled pocket) and this could cause all the signs you are seeing as well. Either way, I recommend you get him to a vet right away, even a simple thing such as an abscess, which is fixed fairly easily, can be fatal if not treated in time. Best of luck with Champ! I hope he feels better soon!

Hello. That is a lot of bruising, but it just indicates that there was some subsurface capillary bleeding. This can occur in any surgery, but most often is the result of too much activity too soon after surgery. Try to confine Barklie a little more, by keeping him indoors & leash walking only for another week. If he is licking a lot, you may have to put an Elizabethan collar on him for a week or so so everything can heal. You can pick up the collars at most pet stores or even Tractor Supply if one is near you. If you are truly concerned, it is always best to have the veterinarian who did the surgery take a look to make sure everything is OK. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Oh no, poor EB! I'm very concerned that the swelling has gotten so big that she has trouble walking, sitting, laying down, and moving. I would be very concerned that this swelling could eventually affect her ability to breath. Based on what you have described, I would consider this a medical emergency as this is not a normal thing seen after surgery. She needs veterinary treatment now in my opinion, and waiting to have her seen could be life threatening. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. I hope this helps!

If the bump is under the skin, smooth and you can feel almost all of the way around it you are probably feeling a lipoma or fatty mass. If the bump is hard, irregular, firmly attached to the underlying area, getting bigger, or is painful to the touch then I'm more concerned about it being a tumor and I would bring Sammy in for an exam. Most masses you feel in the skin are benign and as long as you are keeping a close watch on it you should be fine to monitor it at home. It also could be from aninjury or insect bite and it may go away on its on in a week or so. If you are still concerned please take Sammy in for an exam. They can feel the bump and remove cells with a needle and look at them under the microscope. That way they can tell if it's fat, infection, inflammation or a tumor, and they can they recommend the appropriate treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sammy.