My dog has large lumps. Should I get a second opinion or surgery?

Hello, sorry to hear about Sophia. It looks like it could be a hemangioma (benign), however given her age and the appearance of the tumor, there is also a chance it could be more aggressive such as hemangiosarcoma (malignant). It would likely need to be removed and sent for biopsy to confirm/rule-out the presence of cancer. If you feel like your primary care veterinarian did not answer all of your questions, then you may indeed seek a second opinion. The appearance of this mass does warrant further diagnostics of it, especially if this mass has developed suddenly. These masses as they continue to grow, may occasionally bleed intermittently or have discharge. Hope this helps and best of luck.

While surgical closure may be difficult, surgical excision of a mass, though expectedly benign, is the best recommendations. Prior to surgery, please make sure that your pet has been screened for other tumors or neoplasia with chest x-rays and an abdominal ultrasound. Consultation with a board certified surgeon may be considered.

It could be that Lady has a cyst causing this lump. In a senior dog, it could also be a malignant tumor or a benign tumor. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain. If your vet sent her to a surgeon, then I would suspect that your vet believes it needs to be removed. I'm sorry you felt this surgeon was only worried about money, so I'd suggest speaking to your vet about a referral to another surgeon to get this lump diagnosed and possibly removed. It sounds like it's quite large if it's grapefruit size, and if it continues to grow, it could affect her ability to walk. In addition, if it is malignant, it needs to be removed as soon as possible. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Cysts can be left alone if they aren't getting bigger or bothering the dog, but if the number and size of these have increased, then I would take Mimi into another vet for a second opinion. In this case, it might be a good idea to have them surgically removed. I hope this helps!

It's difficult to know what this may be, but it's generally not normal for a bump to be growing on the back. I think it would definitely be worthwhile to seek a second opinion for this. Below is a link to some more information about lumps and bumps on dogs, which may help to give you an idea of what it may be. https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-and-bumps-on-your-pet/ I hope that helps and all is well with Seren.

With any new lump or lump that is changing, it is always best to have your veterinarian look at them and a fine needle aspirated can be done to obtain a sample of cells. If these cells look suspicious of a malignancy, then your vet can recommend surgery. From the photos that you have posted, my guess is that these may be benign, non-cancerous masses. These can still cause problems, though, by bleeding and getting infected. I would schedule Max for an exam at your earliest convenience so that you and your vet can weigh the pros and cons of surgery since he is a senior.

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Bubba. Fatty cells are typically indicators of a lipoma, but based on the fact you posted here asking if you should get a second opinion, I have the feeling you'd feel better if you did get one. There's no harm in getting a second opinion, especially if it will give you more certainty. I hope this helps!