My dog has a painful growth on her back and won't eat. What's wrong?

Poor Spazz. I would talk to you vet about the nature of these tumors. Your vet should be able to do a cytology and tell you whether or not they are cancerous and whether they are infected. Your vet will be able to advise whether they need to be surgically removed and whether she needs any antibiotics or pain meds. If your vet thinks it is cancer, I would discuss with them about whether or not they think it has already spread as this may affect your decision on surgery. Your vet will also be able to prescribe her an appetite stimulant if she isn't eating right now. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry that Sasha is so ill! Based on your pictures Sasha looks very sick and very thin. Possible causes: infected uterus since she is not spayed, cancer, foreign body (ate something that is stuck in her stomach or intestines), or intestinal parasites. I would need more information about what tests your Vet ran: blood work, stool sample or X-rays of her belly? If those things have not been done then I would recheck with your Vet as soon as possible. An infected uterus and a foreign body are emergency surgeries and can be life saving if done early. If she has cancer the best thing would be to discuss humane euthanasia since Sasha is suffering. I am very sorry and I with you and Sasha the best.

I would recommend that you have Shanova Maye checked out by a vet. Dogs can get mammary (or breast) cancer and it can look lumpy or cystic. Some types of cancer are metastatic and can make the dog very ill. There are lots of other causes for her poor appetite, including stress, dietary intolerance or indiscretion, intestinal parasites, GI blockage, gastroenteritis, bacterial or viral infection, IBD, pancreatitis, among others. Your vet will do a thorough physical exam and may recommend diagnostics such as bloodwork and x-rays so they can get a complete picture of would could be ailing Shanova.

This lump on Siu q could be a benign tumor, a cyst, an abscess, or a lipoma. It would be rare for such a young dog to have a malignant tumor, but it is possible. 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 it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would take Siu q into the vet today or tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed. As for the lack of appetite and lethargy, those are very general signs of illness in dogs, and it could be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. Because Siu q is going to see the vet for this lump, I would have a health check done on her as well to diagnose the cause of the lethargy and lack of appetite.

Poor Bella! It definitely sounds like Bella is uncomfortable. The hard knot does not necessarily indicate organ enlargement, but it can be a mass or tense muscles from the pain. Abdominal pain in dogs has many causes, including pancreatitis, intestinal torsion, and obstructions. Given her level of discomfort, Bella should be seen by a vet right away. Your vet can perform x-rays and blood work to determine what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment. I hope this helps and that all is well with Bella!

Oh my. Poor girl. This is either a hernia or a really badly infected anal gland. I would highly recommend taking her to your vet asap to have this evaluated. I am leaning more towards a hernia as the cause, and she needs to get medical attention for this soon if this is the case. I wish you all the best moving fowrad with your pet Baby girl! Best wishes and take care!

Thank you for your question. A lump the size of a cupped fist on the neck of a 10 lb dog is a big lump!! I can't tell you exactly what it is, but there are a few possibilities. Depending on the location, an enlarged lymph node is possible, but that is pretty huge for a lymph node. I would suspect this is either an abscess or a tumor. You will want to get Zuki to the veterinarian so they can perform a fine needle aspirate, which is where they use a needle to collect cells and look under the microscope to make a diagnosis. If this is just an abscess, they might be able to lance and drain it and make Zuki feel much better. If this is a tumor, it will not be so simple. Until you can get to the veterinarian, you can trim the hair, and place a hot pack over the area for 10 minutes several times a day. If it is an abscess, this might help it break open and drain. But don't wait long to seek veterinary care, as it could get much worse. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.