Why is my senior dog suddenly acting off, not walking, and has a lump?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sage. Her mobility issues are most likely untelated to the new bump. She may be experiencing an exacerbation of age related arthritis if she fell a bit from the vehicle. This could make her very sore. Keep her quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. She will need to see her veterinarian for an exam and possibly x-rays. Pain medication will likely be prescribed as well. The mass can be evaluated as the same appointment. A procedure known as a fine needle aspirate is commonly performed. The veterinarian will collect a small sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This will let you know if the mass is cancerous or not. It is a rare for a mass to affect mobility, but it is possible. I hope this information helps!

It could be that this dog (if she is spayed) has spay incontinence causing the leaking. This can be treated with medication. As for the lumps, it's always a possibility that any lump on a senior dog could be malignant. I agree with you, if they love her, they would take her into the vet for these issues. Dogs need regular health care, and when there is something wrong, they have to see a vet. Otherwise, they could be causing the dog to suffer. You can point that out to them, and tell them you spoke with a vet who strongly urged them to take her into the vet. I hope this helps!

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!

Please have her checked by your vet as soon as possible. This is not normal and although any lumps are concerning, any that are painful or rapidly growing are very suspicious for underlying issues such as cancer. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital to improve outcomes and reduce undue pain and discomfort.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear Sidney is having issues with using her back legs. An inability to use the rear legs can be due to a variety of reasons, including neurologic issues, tick borne diseases, orthopedic issues, or another underlying metabolic disorder. A mass like you are seeing can be due to a mammary tumor, hernia, or other growth, among others. Due to the severity of what you are describing, I would recommend Sidney be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible to determine what may be going on, have any necessary testing done, and a treatment plan made for her. Good luck!

The growths you are seeing on Pico can be unrelated to the lameness. It is not uncommon for older dogs to get arthritis similar to humans. They make several classes of medication to help with pain in older animals. It is worth consulting your vet to see which Pico is a candidate for to extend his quality of life.

Poor Lily! These lumps look quite irritated and ulcerated. She may already be experiencing some degree of pain and discomfort from these lumps, as indicated by her chewing on them. Other signs of pain in dogs include a decreased appetite, lethargy, and abnormal vocalization. When it comes to surgery, age is not a disease, so if Lily's physical exam and pre-operative blood testing is normal, she is likely to do well with surgical removal of these lumps. It may be worth discussing surgical options, as well as pain medication options, with Lily's vet. I hope this helps and that all goes well!