Don’t panic. Before your mind goes straight to the worst-case scenario, keep reading for advice from your Jacksonville vet on what that bump might be and what to do if you’ve noticed one on your cat or dog. Lumpy, bumpy skin tumors are so common that they are among the top 10 reasons people bring their pet to the veterinarian.
A Common Issue
When veterinarians talk about skin masses, growths, or tumors, we’re referring to lumps and bumps that appear on (within) or just under the surface of a pet’s skin. These masses can appear anywhere on a pet’s body, but they’re more likely to be noticed by owners when they show up on a pet’s head, back, or sides.
Although lumps and bumps are rather common on older pets (dogs in particular), they can appear on a dog or cat of any age.
These growths can develop in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be small or large, flat or rounded or even pointy, soft and movable (common with fatty masses), or firm and fixed/immovable. They may be hairless, skin colored, or discolored.
A growth’s appearance can give your vet an indication of what type of mass it is, but some masses with different causes may look similar on the surface.
Causes and Types of Skin Masses
Viruses, sun exposure, chemicals in the environment, hormones, and genetics are all factors that may be to blame for skin growths in pets. Some types of skin masses have no obvious cause.
Finding a growth on your pet may be scary, but you can rest assured that many lumps and bumps are benign (noncancerous). However, certain masses can be a sign of a serious condition. Below are some common types of lumps in pets:
- Benign superficial masses—Fatty tumors (lipomas), fluid-filled cysts (cystic tumors), skin tags, moles, warts (papillomas) or wart-like masses, histiocytomas, sebaceous cysts (blocked oil glands), and benign melanomas are all types of noncancerous masses.
- Abscesses—These painful swellings on the skin are often the result of a puncture wound, typically from an animal bite. More common in cats than in dogs, a bite wound abscess is usually found on the face, neck, or tail.
- Malignant tumors—Soft-tissue sarcomas, fibrosarcomas, basal and squamous cell carcinomas, and mast cell tumors are all types of cancerous masses. Some melanomas can also be cancerous. The sooner these are caught and treated, the better.
Checking for Masses
Some lumps and bumps are more obvious than others. You’ll probably notice growths that show up in areas where you normally touch or pat your pet (such as on your pet’s back or head). But masses can appear in other areas, like a pet’s legs, feet, and belly, which is why it’s important to check your pet all over for lumps.
If you brush your pet daily, use that opportunity to check your pet for lumps and bumps.
Ideally, you want to feel for any new masses every day. To check your pet for lumps and bumps, run your hands firmly (but gently):
- Over the top of your pet’s head and down the cheeks
- Down and behind the ears
- Down your pet’s chin and throat
- Down the back and sides of the neck
- Over the chest
- Down your pet’s back
- Along the stomach
- Around the groin
- Under the armpits
- Down the legs
- Over the tops of the feet
- Between the toes
Make sure you feel through the fur, not just over your pet’s haircoat. Note if you find any lumps or bumps and whether your pet reacts to your touching them (by pulling away, for instance).
Even tiny lumps can be a sign of something serious, so don’t wait to let your vet know what you’ve found.
Contact Your Vet
If you’ve found a lump or bump on your pet, give us a call right away to make an appointment. Because the difference between a benign mass and something more serious isn’t always obvious, your veterinarian needs to take a look.
Besides asking about when you first noticed the mass and whether it’s changed, your vet will also perform a physical exam on your pet and examine the mass. Depending on the type of growth, your vet may:
- Perform a fine-needle aspiration, which involves inserting a small needle into the lump and removing cells that are then looked at under a microscope or sent to a lab for examination. This method can’t always tell us exactly what the mass is, but it may help guide next steps.
- Recommend a biopsy, a procedure in which part or all of the mass will be removed.
- Recommend surgical removal, if the mass is cancerous or is causing your pet discomfort or pain.
- Recommend other treatment, based on your vet’s diagnosis or suspected cause.
- Choose to watch and wait. If your vet knows or suspects that it’s a noncancerous mass, he or she will note its appearance, size, and location and ask you to keep an eye on it for any changes. At your pet’s next exam, your vet will check to make sure the mass hasn’t changed, but let us know immediately if you notice anything different (size, shape, or color).
Even benign growths can turn cancerous, which is why it’s important to regularly check for masses on your pet and to let your vet know if anything has changed, even in a previously diagnosed benign growth. Don’t hesitate to call or visit our mobile pet clinic.
