Canine tumor

"Signs of cancer in dogs"

What are canine tumors?

Wondering if a canine tumor is something to be concerned about? Or is it just something ugly and nothing more? Just like a human as a dog ages there are different health concerns that arise. My Hanna is no exception.

Tumors in dogs

One day I noticed a small protrusion or lump on her underside. It was quite small so I wasn’t real concerned at first. It didn’t seem to bother her at all. I kept my eye on it and how she was acting but for months nothing seemed to change.

Canine Tumors

As time went on I noticed this lump began to get larger. I began to think canine cancer. You could now see it when she was standing and you looked at her profile. It seemed to grow overnight.

There are different types of tumors that develop on a dog. Fatty tumors are very common in the middle aged and older dogs. So we didn’t treat this as an emergency but did have the vet check it and keep an eye on it.  The vet said it was a fatty mass tumor and not to worry.

(Note) A tumor is nothing more than a lump of cells that don’t grow normally. There are two types of tumors a benign tumor and a malignant tumor.  A benign tumor grows slowly but a malignant tumor will grow right through nearby tissue and organs.

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Mass cell tumor

A mass cell tumor develops when cells begin to grow out of control. Only about 1/8 of these tumors are malignant. Most appear as raised masses that feel soft to solid. They can appear on male or female dogs equally, one sex is no more prone to get them than the other.

It is wise to pay close attention to your dog. While petting check for lumps or bumps or any swelling. If you find one, do have your vet check it out.

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Hernia operation success

Hanna had to have her teeth cleaned and we decided while she was already under to have the fatty tumor removed. It is a good thing that we did because behind the fatty tumor was a hernia.

The vet said she approached removing the canine tumor as if it were a hernia. Why she did this I don’t know but we are all glad she did. She said if she had gone in any other way the outcome could have been very different.

Under the fatty tumor was a hernia. This hernia could not be detected because of the position of it; it was hidden behind the tumor. She was able to successfully remove the tumor and repair the hernia all in one procedure. Surgery was a success for Hanna and she is now healthy and happy.

So while loving your pet always check for lumps and bumps that don’t belong. Our canine-kids depend on us.

Canine tumor to Health