# Lumps on your Maltese?



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

I found a lump of some kind on Sammie's lower side a few months ago. Vet took fluid and did ultra sound few weeks ago. We have been watching to see if it will go away. So today I took him in for consult. About all we can do is remove it. He said sometimes he can kinda drain them and he can tell right then it is a fatty tumor. Which he said he doesn't see much of on 4 yr old small dogs. The plan is to just remove only necessary (lump) now and send off. 

*So, I'm wondering how many of you have seen these lumps in younger dogs and in general and what they were. * 
Thanks!!

Side note: 
We are checking his liver first. Sammie had a high enough BAT at about 9 months old (his brother died at 7 months old of shunts) to have MVD. He did his blood work today and if high he will repeat a BAT prior to surgery. If high he will call in an internist. I really dont know what he would do yet and Vet said lets don't go there yet till we get tests back. May not even happen. (ok--you all know how that is :w00t 

He will also clean his teeth. This part upsets me too..:angry: I know he has those few crooked front teeth with some periodontal gum disease and he warned me long ago he may lose a tooth there. I am just not ready for him to lose one. Luckily I've cleaned his teeth best I can over last 2 years or would really be bad. We have done lot to clean his front teeth. Vet has cleaned those while he is awake every couple months -- but it builds up there. So he is consulting with a Vet that knows more about teeth first. She is not a dentist but he wants her opinion I guess. He said they get pockets and if too many they just remove the tooth. He had a dental 6 mo ago and he said then his mouth looks good except front crooked teeth.

He might have a front tooth gone..I can't think about that now. :angry:...Luckily dogs teeth don't really show when they smile/open their mouths.


----------



## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Sorry, no experience - just hoping the little guy will be fine.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

wkomorow said:


> Sorry, no experience - just hoping the little guy will be fine.


Thanks Walter. I just kept wondering what members thought, and about fact he doesn't see them often in our little guys.  I know little Lisa here had one removed recently but only one I've heard of. 
xxxx


----------



## ladodd (Jan 8, 2012)

Lily has a couple but she is about to be 10. My sister's Peekapoo had a couple removed and they were just lumps, nothing to worry about. I know that you are worried as we all would be. He will be adorable with a missing tooth, will add character.


----------



## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

Bogie has a lump right under his chest. The vet did an aspiration and said it is just a fatty tumor.  Unless it changes, he recommended doing nothing. Bogie is 9 and has had the lump about a year.


----------



## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

My Lhasas were notorious for getting subacious (sp?) cysts which resemble fatty cysts. It was not uncommon to see one at 4 but usually closer to 6 before they begin. They're benign and nothing to worry about. Hoping that may be what Sammie has.

And I had a huge lump (skin tag) removed from Tilly's back about 1-2 years ago. That would have made her 5 at the time. I had it removed because she began licking is (even though it was on her back) and it got infected a couple of times. It was also benign.

Sending lots of prayers for your special boy.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm no help, Kandis. Tyler's had no lumps. (but I had a sebaceous cyst myself many years ago. Doc said if it bothered me I could get it cut out but I left it and it hasn't changed at all). Hope that's it for Sammie. 
Tyler has lost a tooth other than his baby teeth. As much as I hate for it to happen, I also would hate any kind of gum issues caused by infection from not removing one that has to go. It's never easy.


----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Kandis I have no experience with lumps. Alex never had a lump in his 14 years of life and Charlie is only 3-1/2 years old and nothing till now. But when it comes to teeth and you don't want them to loose some, they need to have a professional cleaning done at regular intervals especially if they are prone to periodontal gum disease. Cleaning them without anesthesia is not worth anything. Periodontal disease is under the gums and they cannot clean it when they are awake. They put them under to be able to go under the gums. Same for people. You don't want to have done this without anesthesia. But that's the way they can go to the root of the problem.


----------



## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

I never mentioned that Ozzie has one too but I think it is an umbilical hernia and that we just need to keep an eye on it. 

Lisa is doing great and the wound has healed well. I hope little Sammie feels better soon! :heart: 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

SammieMom said:


> I found a lump of some kind on Sammie's lower side a few months ago. Vet took fluid and did ultra sound few weeks ago. We have been watching to see if it will go away. So today I took him in for consult. About all we can do is remove it. He said sometimes he can kinda drain them and he can tell right then it is a fatty tumor. Which he said he doesn't see much of on 4 yr old small dogs. The plan is to just remove only necessary (lump) now and send off.
> 
> *So, I'm wondering how many of you have seen these lumps in younger dogs and in general and what they were. *
> Thanks!!
> ...


I am sorry that Sammie has a lump...I disagree with your vet:angry: about fatty tumors in small dogs...they are common...my first Maltese, Noah, got fatty tumors when he was middle aged..mostly on his abdomen..these are harmless and do go away on their own...the way you can tell it is a fatty tumor..it will be smooth, painless, and rather soft..you can kind of move them around a bit..I would not have it removed until you get a second opinion...if it IS a fatty tumor, these may come and go for the rest of his life..surgery would not only be useless, but put unnecessary stress on Sammie and you..also, I don't see the need to repeat a BAT...these values will continue to go up and down which can drive you crazy...he's already had a BAT...it wasn't near as bad as Eva's, as I recall. I would do the liver panel before any surgery though...also, if Sammie had a dental 6 months ago, it is too soon to do another one....I would take him to a veterinary dentist for his teeth....I don't think I like your vet( no offense toward you, dear)...:wub:


----------



## Chardy (Oct 30, 2008)

Hi Kandis,

I had a vet that took advantage of me too with my little Chardy years ago, so I kind of agree with what April just posted to you.-- I saw a lump too (small) and at the time of a dental they went and took it out and charged me an extra 50 dollars to find out it had a hair follicle inside of it. I was told later that the vet was well aware just by looking at this what it was. $50.00 dollars my bad back then  -

I don't have much experience with BAT results except I had one done on McC when she was 7 months old and it was good, then after a screw up of blood work for her spay (in house lab showed ALT off but when sent to outside lab the numbers were normal. So they had to calibrate their office equipment- I didn't get charged either) But in the interim, I freaked out and had them do another BAT test right then and there. This one came back much higher than the first one. Probably, because I fed poor McC dry Stella and Chewy in the car (she was hungry and ate a lot too) so I am sure that had a huge in pack on the results-- But it has not changed one single thing I am feeding now. I would have never known this ever if I just had the BAT results that were normal. 

Also, I had a BAT done on Bimmer too, But I had it sent to Cornell and didn't frig around - It came back normal and I would never do another again because all it does is make you worry. I think that is quite reasonable to say that at least 60-70% of maltese dogs have asymptomatic MVD- For all I know my last dog did too, and I never knew. In the interim, I got the green light to continue feeding Stella and Chewy (I just do the white meats) and make sure I add the proper water to it. We have never had a symptom of anything, but deep down inside I worry, and that is what BAT tests do make you worry.

In a lifetime of having maltese dogs, vets do make a big difference in the care they get and I will leave the one I have had for years if he started telling me what I had to do.. I refused the vaccines and he pounded his fist on the table. I presented the titers to him, and should have pounded my fist back. 

I would get a second opinion too. 

Good Luck


----------



## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

Most likely a sebaceous cyst. My bichon had one. They can get nasty. Best to remove. the vet would do an elliptical incision around the mass and the suture line will be straight! Hope all goes well!


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

MalteseJane said:


> Kandis I have no experience with lumps. Alex never had a lump in his 14 years of life and Charlie is only 3-1/2 years old and nothing till now. But when it comes to teeth and you don't want them to loose some, they need to have a professional cleaning done at regular intervals especially if they are prone to periodontal gum disease. Cleaning them without anesthesia is not worth anything. Periodontal disease is under the gums and they cannot clean it when they are awake. They put them under to be able to go under the gums. Same for people. You don't want to have done this without anesthesia. But that's the way they can go to the root of the problem.


Janine--Thanks for sharing. :wub: Sorry I did not explain it right in my post. :blush: Sammie does get his yearly dentals. Problem is with one area, so Vet is trying to do all he can by removing the food and applying fluoride between those few teeth around his regular dentals. I am trying to find out if he is candidate for anesthesia every 6 months and if this is right for his problem being one area only.


----------



## BeautifulMaltese (Dec 4, 2013)

Although I don't have experience with lumps on Zoe, what both Carol and April are saying - makes sense to me on all counts - especially seeking another opinion!

:goodpost:


Chardy said:


> Hi Kandis,
> 
> I had a vet that took advantage of me too with my little Chardy years ago, so I kind of agree with what April just posted to you.-- I saw a lump too (small) and at the time of a dental they went and took it out and charged me an extra 50 dollars to find out it had a hair follicle inside of it. I was told later that the vet was well aware just by looking at this what it was. $50.00 dollars my bad back then  -
> 
> ...


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

aprilb said:


> I am sorry that Sammie has a lump...I disagree with your vet:angry: about fatty tumors in small dogs...they are common...my first Maltese, Noah, got fatty tumors when he was middle aged..mostly on his abdomen..these are harmless and do go away on their own...the way you can tell it is a fatty tumor..it will be smooth, painless, and rather soft..you can kind of move them around a bit..I would not have it removed until you get a second opinion...if it IS a fatty tumor, these may come and go for the rest of his life..surgery would not only be useless, but put unnecessary stress on Sammie and you..also, I don't see the need to repeat a BAT...these values will continue to go up and down which can drive you crazy...he's already had a BAT...it wasn't near as bad as Eva's, as I recall. I would do the liver panel before any surgery though...also, if Sammie had a dental 6 months ago, it is too soon to do another one....I would take him to a veterinary dentist for his teeth....I don't think I like your vet( no offense toward you, dear)...:wub:


No problem April. I understand. Thanks for sharing. :wub:


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Thanks for sharing all your lump experiences. :wub: Sounds like most are not serious.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

aprilb said:


> I am sorry that Sammie has a lump...I disagree with your vet:angry: about fatty tumors in small dogs...they are common...my first Maltese, Noah, got fatty tumors when he was middle aged..mostly on his abdomen..these are harmless and do go away on their own...the way you can tell it is a fatty tumor..it will be smooth, painless, and rather soft..you can kind of move them around a bit..I would not have it removed until you get a second opinion...if it IS a fatty tumor, these may come and go for the rest of his life..surgery would not only be useless, but put unnecessary stress on Sammie and you..also, I don't see the need to repeat a BAT...these values will continue to go up and down which can drive you crazy...he's already had a BAT...it wasn't near as bad as Eva's, as I recall. I would do the liver panel before any surgery though...also, if Sammie had a dental 6 months ago, it is too soon to do another one....I would take him to a veterinary dentist for his teeth....I don't think I like your vet( no offense toward you, dear)...:wub:





Chardy said:


> Hi Kandis,
> 
> I had a vet that took advantage of me too with my little Chardy years ago, so I kind of agree with what April just posted to you.-- I saw a lump too (small) and at the time of a dental they went and took it out and charged me an extra 50 dollars to find out it had a hair follicle inside of it. I was told later that the vet was well aware just by looking at this what it was. $50.00 dollars my bad back then  -
> 
> ...


April & Carol-- Thanks for sharing your experiences. Sometimes it is difficult to convey what transpires with our Vets. I appreciate your concerns, but ethics are not a worry for me here. I know he has Sammie's best interest at heart. He has put off removing this lump for months and did an aspiration and US both free of charge. He said same as April did. If its fat then he might have more but you know what they are. Everything is a gamble with a lump but looks like most are not serious. Will keep you updated.


----------



## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

SammieMom said:


> April & Carol-- Thanks for sharing your experiences. Sometimes it is difficult to convey what transpires with our Vets. I appreciate your concerns, but ethics are not a worry for me here. I know he has Sammie's best interest at heart. He has put off removing this lump for months and did an aspiration and US both free of charge. He said same as April did. If its fat then he might have more but you know what they are. Everything is a gamble with a lump but looks like most are not serious. Will keep you updated.


I am sorry Kandis, I guess I misunderstood you...sounds like you are on top of things with dear little Sammie...:wub:


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

aprilb said:


> I am sorry Kandis, I guess I misunderstood you...sounds like you are on top of things with dear little Sammie...:wub:


Thanks April. I appreciate your take on BAT I said same thing yesterday. He said we have his baseline # and I'd only do it if his liver values are bad to see how high it is now reading pre anesthesia. Wish me luck. I know you been there GF 
xxxx


----------



## Chardy (Oct 30, 2008)

Kandis, please keep us posted and it sounds like you have great trust in your vet which is very comforting. I misunderstood it too thinking you weren't sure that you needed to have it done. Please accept my apology if you thought I was applying anything about your vet. 

As for BAT tests, I just hate them so much... the last results I got sent me into a tale spin for weeks with worry when I already had a great base line. Keep me posted I care about little Sammie :wub::wub:


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Chardy said:


> Kandis, please keep us posted and it sounds like you have great trust in your vet which is very comforting. I misunderstood it too thinking you weren't sure that you needed to have it done. Please accept my apology if you thought I was applying anything about your vet.
> 
> As for BAT tests, I just hate BAT them so much... the last results I got sent me into a tale spin for weeks with worry when I already a great base line. Keep me posted I care about little Sammie :wub::wub:


Awe, thank you Carol. :wub: so sweet. I wondered how many here had them. BAT are confusing. We have a baseline and would only be looking for really out of range # since his brother died of shunts before I consider anything long term. 

I think my vet meant he doesn't see as many in young dogs versus big. He been watching it long time now. Now that its gotten bigger and he has to get to those front teeth regardless to clean them or remove the one, better do it now. He gave me name of dentist that is hrs away. The weird thing is rest of his mouth has been (good so far). He said he will know more as to if/what to do after this dental.


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Kandis, it sounds like you have confidence in your vet---that is a biggie. I have been fortunate to have vets that I really worked well with and were able even to argue with on certain issues. 
Sometimes I think it is easy to second guess someone else's vet, but we are NOT vets regardless of how much we study, and learn. Yes, we are advocates both for our own pets and for each other's, but if you are happy w/your vet then I think you should stick w/him. Just my own personal opinion.


----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

SammieMom said:


> Janine--Thanks for sharing. :wub: Sorry I did not explain it right in my post. :blush: Sammie does get his yearly dentals. Problem is with one area, so Vet is trying to do all he can by removing the food and applying fluoride between those few teeth around his regular dentals. I am trying to find out if he is candidate for anesthesia every 6 months and if this is right for his problem being one area only.


Wow, he really has bad teeth. I don't know if I would do a cleaning with anesthesia twice a year. That's a lot of anesthesia. With Alex I did it every 2 years. But some dogs have worse teeth than others. Charlie had a dental in fall 2011. Vet said it can wait till end of summer to do another one.


----------



## kweldon (May 1, 2013)

Angel had multiple fatty tumors removed at age 6. My dalmatian had one removed in Dec at the age of 3 1/2(it was just a fatty tumor).

Then around 9 or 10 yrs old Angel got another tumor which seemed to be more on the surface. I was told by 2 vets "it's nothing.....just watch it....see if it grows." Well it didn't grow, but when she was 11 she started chewing on it and the surface seemed to seep something. Again I was told "don't worry" but I insisted on at least a needle biopsy...it was a mast cell tumor and cancer this time. 

Trust yourself. You know your dog better than any vet and it's always better to biopsy early than to find out it's cancer later.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

There is no reason to repeat the BAT. It is high. It will always be high. Every time you test you will get a different value. It is a wast of money and stress on your dog to repeat this test. The only time you repeat is if it was not done properly OR you a rechecking a dog after shunt surgery. 

Dogs of that age can get benign tumors and cysts as well as cancerous ones. If the aspirate was not definitive then removing it is an appropriate next step. 
Lipomas (Fatty growths) can be benign OR they can be liposarcomas - cancer. Just because something feels like a fatty growth does not necessarily mean it should just be monitored. Each growth should be evaluated by your vet to decide an appropriate plan for that individual mass.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

jmm said:


> There is no reason to repeat the BAT. It is high. It will always be high. Every time you test you will get a different value. It is a wast of money and stress on your dog to repeat this test. The only time you repeat is if it was not done properly OR you a rechecking a dog after shunt surgery.
> 
> Dogs of that age can get benign tumors and cysts as well as cancerous ones. If the aspirate was not definitive then removing it is an appropriate next step.
> Lipomas (Fatty growths) can be benign OR they can be liposarcomas - cancer. Just because something feels like a fatty growth does not necessarily mean it should just be monitored. Each growth should be evaluated by your vet to decide an appropriate plan for that individual mass.


Thanks for info Jackie. He said he couldn't tell from the aspirate so he wants to look at it/take it out before the dental. I want to do both same time and then go to (dentist only) that is 2 hrs away for consult about his future. My Vet said they can clean but leave teeth that he feels should be removed. But he is bringing in a vet that has more dental experience about those fronts. 
Here is my dilemma. I am guessing if I wait for the specialist dentist for this dental he won't remove the lump too so I would have 2 surgeries.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Thanks again everyone for your support :wub:!! I know Sammie is not alone with teeth issues, or a lump but this is weird situation needing two things addressed. A first for me. :blink: I am praying its benign.


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

jmm said:


> There is no reason to repeat the BAT. It is high. It will always be high. Every time you test you will get a different value. It is a wast of money and stress on your dog to repeat this test. The only time you repeat is if it was not done properly OR you a rechecking a dog after shunt surgery.
> 
> I had another reason to repeat Lisi's BAT. I was in Greece where things are not always done well--in fact, they often aren't. So I repeated her's just to be sure with another lab. My vet had some bad returns w/the other lab so at least when it came back even higher the 2nd time I knew it was still OK.:thumbsup:


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

What about acquired (later) shunts? If a dog had a high baseline as puppy (MVD) and began having symptoms wouldn't an internist want a new bile acid # for comparison? I thought that was what having a puppy baseline were good for. 
Thanks!


----------

