My dog has a mass and nodules but acts normal. Will he get worse?

Poor Yogi! This is such a tough situation. His timeline turly depends on how comfortable he continues to be and how quickly this mass grows and spreads. I would expect that he may only live for a few months since it looks like there are some nodules in the lungs and the mass currently looks pretty big already. The key is to make sure he stays on pain meds as he needs them and don't be afraid to give him the high end of his dose of meds if needed. The key is to keep him comfortable until he has a poor quality of life and at that time, you may choose humane euthanasia. I hope this helps and my thoughts are with you.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would agree that the mediastinal mass is very evident and I would also be very suspicious that it is in fact cancer even if the biopsy did not show that. Sometimes dogs appear to be comfortable even when they are in pain. These new lumps you describe could be somewhat related to this or may be unrelated. I think it would be ideal to have Yogi reevaluated to see if the mass has progressed and if the nodules in the lungs (which likely represent spread of the tumor) have also progressed. I would maintain him on pain control medications even if he does not appear to be obviously in pain. Good luck and have a great day!

I'm sorry Yogi has a mass! From the images you provided, it looks like he has a mass in his mediastinum that has spread into his pectoral muscles, fluid in his right lung, and nodules in the right lung. I would be suspicious that the nodles in his right lung are cancer that has spread from the medilstinal mass. Dogs can have tumors and still appear normal, and then suddenly appear sick. Without seeing him in person I can't say for certain, but these images do not suggest good news for him. I certainly understand your concern about going on holiday and him going downhill while you aren't there. Speak with your vet to get their opinion on how long he may have left. You can decide to not go on your holiday to spend time with him, or you can go on the holiday, but leave him with a trusted friend and plan to head back home right away if things look poorly for him. It's a very hard decision to make, and I'm so sorry you are in this position. First speak with his vet to get a better idea of what he is facing so that you can make a more informed decision. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

I am sorry to hear about Yogi. With your description of nodules in the lungs and liver, I would be much more suspicious of cancer unfortunately than an abscess. A dog with an abscess may have a fever, but cancer can also cause a fever. The lesions could both cause difficulty breathing or discomfort. You can ask your vet to send any imaging they have done to a radiologist for a review and they may be able to give an opinion based on the images of the potential causes.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Yogi! I am sorry you are going through this. It is hard to jump in to a case like this with only a CT image. It might be better for you to sign up for a consult with one of out Vets to have a one on one text conversation. My impression of the CT is that there is a mass in Yogi's chest, in the mediastinum. There is abnormal fluid accumulation likely from the mass and there are also suspicious nodules with in his lung tissue. Which I think is safe to assume is metastatic. If Yogi was my dog and he had a chest tumor with suspected metastatic disease I wouldn't pursue further diagnosistics or surgery as his prognosis is very poor. To put him through a painful surgery when it has spread seems unfair for him. If the "biopsy" was really an aspirate they tend to sometimes be non-diagnostic as most tumor cells do not exfoliate well in to a needle. A true tissue sample would be needed. I am not sure knowing which type of cancer he has will change how I would proceed. Another option is to see a Veterinary Specialist. I would recommend an Oncologist. Sitting down with all the tests and having a discussion may help you. You can also call your Vet and ask to sit and talk about the results with out Yogi present. Just so you know all that you can before making any decisions. I am again very sorry for you and Yogi. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

Poor Yogi! It’s hard to know if this is related to the tumor or a problem by itself. Since you saw the blood in the phlegm, I recommend to have him examined by his veterinarian. Even if this is related to the tumor there are medications that can control inflammation and keep him more comfortable. One thing you can do at home that may help us start him on an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for dogs. This will act as a natural anti-inflammatory and improve the lining of the respiratory tract. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

If the liver mass grows slowly then with medication Blue may continue to do well. The pills won't stop working but the liver disease and mass may continue to progress causing Blue's condition to decline. Since you've had improvement on the medication there is a good chance that Blue will continue to do well for some time. Remember to enjoy every day with Blue. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.