My dog's recurring lump below her rib changed. Is it life-threatening?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

  Veterinarian

  Published on May 7th, 2018

  That could be due to a mastitis (infection of the mammary gland) or possibly the tumor could have turned not benign anymore.
  This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration).
  The biopsy usually give definitive/reliable results.
  Chest x rays may be needed as well in case of a tumoral growth.
  Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
  

  

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• Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

  Veterinarian

  Published on June 30th, 2019

  It could be a mammary gland tumor. It's concerning that it keeps getting bigger every day. 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 Alice's vet a call to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

  

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