My senior dog has a hard neck lump, swelling, and can't breathe. What's wrong?

I know it can be scary when thinking about possible cancerous masses in your pet. But really the only way to know for sure is to have these masses tested through your vet. They can be cancerous masses, inflammatory reactions or benign tumors (non-cancerous). The heavy breathing that Allie is doing does concern me a bit. This can either be a sign of pain or an underlying lung or heart disease. So a vet visit although no desired, is probably the bext best thing to do for Allie in figuring out what's going on with both concerns. Best of luck getting some answers and take care.

Poor guy! In a senior dog, I would be very concerned that his huge bump is a malignant tumor that has now spread to his lungs causing his problems with breathing. Cancer can also affect his walking. I would have him seen by a vet right away. This bump needs to be diagnosed with a fine needle aspirate to see if he does have a malignant tumor, and x-rays need to be done of his chest to see his heart and lungs. Once the cause of this bump and difficulty breathing and walking is diagnosed, the vet can discuss if there are any treatment options for him.

i am afraid these could be benign or malignant tumors. Since Nealy is an older dog, this is not uncommon. Lipomas (fatty tumors, usually benign, they can actually be hard) or mast cell tumors come to mind when looking at your photos. It could also be a very extreme allergic reaction to possibly a shampoo at the groomers. 1) do not panic 2) make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam. He will likely want to take a so-called FNA (Fine Needle Biopsy) where he takes a small amount of tissue through an injection needle, puts this on a glass plate and looks at it under the microscope. This will give your vet an idea what he is dealing with. He may also send this material to a lab to be examined. Once you and dyour veterinarian know what type of mass you are dealing with , you can discuss treatment plans.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Elphaba. I worry that bumps you have noticed are enlarged lymph nodes. I would try to feel other areas on her body for similar and symmetrical bumps. Lymph nodes are also found in front of the shoulders, in the armpits and groin as well as behind the knees. She will need to see a veterinarian to have her condition diagnosed, but enlarged lymph nodes can indicate serious disease. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dante. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today if he is having difficulty breathing. He may have an upper respiratory tract infection, but there are more serious causes of trouble breathing. The veterinarian will examine him and make recommendations based on these findings. For example, if the lungs or heart sound abnormal, then x-rays of the chest are typically needed. Treatment is based on these results. The mass on the chest should also be examined. A procedure known as a fine needle aspirate is used to diagnose a skin or subcutaneous mass. The doctor will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This will tell if the mass is cancerous or not. It is unlikely though that the mass is related to his current clinical signs. I hope this information helps!

It can be very difficult to evaluate x-rays without being on the computer that took them - I can't manipulate the lightness and darkness or zoom in all the way. That being said, I am concerned that there is something very serious going on in Jasmine's liver. It is much, much larger than in a normal dog. I can't see the entire spleen, but the parts that I see appear normal. I can also see that there is some free fluid in her chest cavity - this would be fluid between the lungs and chest wall that can cause trouble breathing. I would recommend re-evaluation immediately with an emergency vet. There could be many things going on, but the heavy breathing you described combined with the abnormalities in the chest have me worried that she may be having severe issues with breathing. This can cause severe anxiety and stress in a dog. The vet will probably want to repeat the x-rays and bloodwork, and may be able to draw off fluid if it is still there to ease her breathing.

Without a physical exam, it is difficult to determine exactly what is wrong with him. The red eyes may indicate infection or inflammation, the elbows may be calloused from laying on rough surfaces, the breathing may be a respiratory issue or it could be cardiac in nature. The tumor may be just that, whether it is benign or malignant is unknowable without diagnostics. If you plan on keeping him, consider a visit to the local veterinary clinic or humane society where he could get an exam to diagnose his issues. Any treatment will depend on these diagnoses.