Lumps and Bumps
Whilst we all want nothing more than to ensure the health and wellbeing of our beloved pets, lumps and bumps on your dog or cat often go unnoticed. Lumps and bumps can occur anywhere on your pet, including the insides of their mouth, and the severity and seriousness of lumps and bumps can vary widely, ranging from benign (non-cancerous) to malignant (cancerous). Benign lumps can even turn malignant! Below, we’ll explore how vets approach lumps and bumps and why it’s crucial to have them checked, the common types of lumps and bumps and how to routinely check for lumps and bumps at home.
Approaching Lumps and Bumps as a Vet
From the moment of observing a lump or bump, it is important to make a diagnosis. A question that is often asked is, ‘Why can’t we treat it right away?’ or ‘Why do we have to diagnose what it is?’. It is important for both the vets and you to be aware of the cause of the lumps and bumps, as this can affect IF it needs treatment and if so, HOW we treat it. This can be as a result of many factors, including malignancy and the type of cells affected.
Depending on the lump or bump, vets can progressively diagnose through a:
- Physical examination
- Fine need aspiration
- Biopsy
- X-ray and/or ultrasound
Upon diagnosis, treatment options can vary, including:
- Monitoring for changes
- Cryotherapy or laser treatments
- Surgical removal
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
It is important to recognize that a visual inspection of a lump or bump (for example, from a photo!) is not sufficient for a definitive diagnosis, therefore contributing to the importance of having a vet physically examining your pet.
Common Lumps and Bumps in Dogs
Common lumps and bumps that we see presenting in the clinic include, but are not limited to:
- Lipomas
- Papillomas (warts)
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Histiocytomas
- Mast cell tumors
- Soft tissue sarcomas
- Mammary lumps
- Abscesses
- Osteosarcomas
- Sebaceous cysts
Dog with papillomavirus presenting as a mouth wart.
Don’t forget, just like in humans, insect and parasite bites can also present as lumps and bumps!
Common Lumps and Bumps in Cats
- Lipomas
- Cysts
- Squamous cell carcinomas
- Mammary lumps
- Abscesses
- Fibrosarcoma
- Epulides
Routinely Checking for Lumps and Bumps at Home
For a lump or bump to be checked by a vet, it first has to be noticed at home! We encourage pet owners to routinely look over and feel their pet at home to help detect any potential lumps or bumps faster. To describe lumps and bumps, we often ask ourselves questions such as:
- What is the size of it?
- How fast do we think the lump or bump has grown?
- What is the colour of it?
- Has the lump or bump changed in appearance since forming?
- Is it just one or are there multiple lumps or bumps?
- Has the pet’s energy and appetite been impacted?
- Is the lump or bump painful or itchy?
- Does the lump or bump appear to be contagious?
It is important not to confuse general itchiness with lumps and bumps, and contagiousness may be more easily determined if you have more than one pet.