Should I be concerned?

[ESetterLove]

Our Vet clinic is going to get tired of seeing us soon. My setter has had more frequent medical care this last year than our entire family combined. We have been in for vaccinations, allergy treatment and injuries at least 2X per month since hunting season started.

My setter (male) is just a little over a year old in case that matters. A little over a week ago we noticed a tumor/cyst like bump on his side along the rib cage. I made the decision to monitor it for a week to see if it might be injury related. Within this past week it has grown from approx ½ inch when noticed to approx 2.5 inches in circumference and is quite noticeable visual.
What could this be?
It is not located in an area close to any previous injection sites.
2 weeks ago he also received an injection of Depo Medrol and is currently on antibiotics 2X/day due to allergic reaction problems.

I am planning to take him in ASAP. But does anyone know what this might be?

I am also wondering if I should contact his breeder to let him know about the allergy problems we have encountered. My Setter has shown himself to be everything one expects in the breed. He has more drive and natural ability to hunt than most. He is a perfect gentleman when at home or in the field. My setter is an inside dog and the "baby" of our family so I am worried.

Thanks all for any advice!

[kninebirddog]

I would defintely advise your breeder of allergy issue and the other what could be gentic issues going on with your pup

is the lumphard or attached or soft and free moving

[ESetterLove]

Hi And Thanks for the swift reply!

The lump is soft but does not move with the skin. There is no redness or bruising around the area either. It is located on the side of his rib cage that I would describe as the middle. We have not noticed any puncture wounds close to the area.
I would think that if it was an infection, the high dose of antibiotics he has been recieving would not have allowed it to grow so rapidly?

He also had a skin tag this past summer that the trainer was concerned about. Before I had the chance to let the vet take a look, the hub removed it himself.

I was told that Setters have a high incedence of skin problems? I will pass the info along to the breeder though. (for what it might be worth) I emailed some requests for info about a litter recently that went unanswered.

Any ideas what the lump might be?

Thanks again.

[kninebirddog]

I was thinking some kind a forgein object maybe but if it isn't moving

that would cause me concern

As for issues I don't think setters are any higher or lower then other breeds for skin specially if a breeder is not breeding dogs with issues
not to say they don't ever get a pup every now and then that might have a problem
but

saddly many people with good intentions and some very misguided ideas think that a female will miracously get over medical problems if they ahve a litter
or they hvae great papers and have issues and still will breed those dogs thus perpetuationg problem pups

hopefully the breeder replies back

[ESetterLove]

I was thinking some kind a forgein object maybe but if it isn't moving

that would cause me concern

As for issues I don't think setters are any higher or lower then other breeds for skin specially if a breeder is not breeding dogs with issues
not to say they don't ever get a pup every now and then that might have a problem
but

saddly many people with good intentions and some very misguided ideas think that a female will miracously get over medical problems if they ahve a litter
or they hvae great papers and have issues and still will breed those dogs thus perpetuationg problem pups

hopefully the breeder replies back

You post was a little hard to understand.

But I understand that you feel that the lump might be something to worry about?

We have already planned to attempt a "walk in" appointment in the morning.
Will be through the area for other reasons.
But I doubt they will be able to fit my dog in withought a call.

What could this lump be?

If they are unable to see him in the morning, should I stress that we need an appointment this week?

What would cause this type of lump?

[Karen]

As long as he's acting himself, and isn't refusing food or lethargic, I'd make the earliest appointment possible for the vet. I wouldn't rush off to the emergency vet.

The first thing that came to mind was an absess or hematoma....neither are life threatening of course, although an absess is unlikely because of the antibiotics your poor boy has been on.

Have you seen him take a yelp-worthy fall or bump?

[kninebirddog]

Sorry....
If the lump isn't moving then yes that would cause me more concern as that would be more along the lines that it has attached it self to the muscle or bone which there are to many things it could be from nothing major to something that could be cause of concern


Let us Know...Hopefully it is nothing major

[Kiki's Mom]

ESetter...where are you from and where have you been hunting?

[Theresa]

I've known a couple of dogs with lumps like you describe - on the ribs, and don't seem to move/seem to be attached.

One was biopsied and found to be a fatty deposit and not a tumour; the other dog never got a biopsy, and the lump got bigger over time, but it never seemed to cause a problem and felt just like the other dogs lump, ie fatty deposit.

Fingers crossed this is de nada!

[ESetterLove]

Thanks all for the replies!

The hub's was able to have my setter looked at this morning. As I was not there myself, I can only relate what I was told.

Some fluid was extracted from the site and examined. Some possible reasons given were:
Injection site (Not likely in my opinion considering the location and the fact that I am the one that normally takes the dog in. (I always take note of the area of injection)

A possible "thorn" penetration.
Will not rule that out myself... But considering the recent antibiotic's taken, seems unlikely to me.

A fatty deposit that some have mentioned seems reasonable to me.

Was told to keep an eye on it for signs (of what I interpret as infection)
Or a considerable enlargement.
But considering it has more than doubled since first noticed... I have my doubt's that it will suddenly resolve on it's own

So at this time, it more of a "wait and see" from my understanding.

Also:
Teresa, LOVE your line! How True!

Sometimes she wished she were sleeping with the right man instead of with her dog, but she never felt she was sleeping with the wrong dog.



Thanks everyone!

[e49735]

Hi,
I have a 21 month old setter whose story sounds very similar. He recently had a growth on his neck, by his collar, that grew to the size of a grape. The vet checked it...I put ointment on it , she aspirated it, but nothing came out, and she said keep an eye on it. "Oftentimes young dogs get these and in six weeks or so they go away on their own", and sure enough! It started to shrink and around the seventh week, it was gone.
go figure....
mine has also, had allergic reactions (I think) with his eyes, where they get a lot of gray matter, all goopy and if I use the ophthalmic antibiotic ointment, it seems to go away, but I don't know what causes its reoccurence...
I can only figure he's extra susceptible to environment bacteria.
He likes to roll around in the slop and swampy areas to keep cool, and look cool, but he picks up bacterias doing that as well. He was on a round of doxycycline in early October with a bad infection.
so I appreciate your concerns over raising a yound hunter. I would be interested in feedback from others with young dogs seemingly extra susceptible to infections.
thanks,
T
T

[big steve46]

I'd guess a cyst, which can start with foreign irritation or trauma. Don't think a fatty tumor would grow that fast.

[dog dr]

if it is growing as fast as your letting on, i would get it removed.

[ESetterLove]

if it is growing as fast as your letting on, i would get it removed.

It did grow that suddenly.
Although I was not there at the last visit, I believe there may have been other factors considered before rushing to remove. My setter had an allergic reaction to the stitches used in the past. He also had a very difficult time waking up from the medications used to "knock him out" last month. It was more than 12 hrs before he was fully alert. 3 hours after we left the clinic, I pretty much had to pick him up to get him into the house. He would lay down and sleep every 2-3 feet. (Not an easy feat for me to do with such a big dog)

I did notice that after the vet was able to extract some fluid, the lump was slightly smaller. But as of tonight, is is still becoming larger and feels more solid, But I think it might be due to the irritation.

Considering he has been recieving antibiotics off and on for so long, (by both injection at every visit and oral after) Could this really be due to an infection or forign body?

Also, his appetite did not seem to increase after the Depo-Medrol.
I was told it might..
Even after a long day of hunting, he is eating less than 2 cups per day.
He also appears more swollen than fatty and shows signs of fever often.
(Red muzzle area and panting)
Thanks for any thoughts

[ezzy333]

One suggestion------------get him to a vet. No one can diagnose the problem from here.

Ezzy

[Karen]

Ezzy, the OP posted that the dog was taken to the vet yesterday who did a needle aspiration, and wants to keep an eye on it for now.

[ezzy333]

Thanks Karen, I missed that.

Ezzy

[hubweims]

i would take him to another vet. if it's growing that fast, decreased apetite, and signs of fever, i would have a second opinion. if the fluid extraction made it smaller but then it grew larger and more solid, I would think that a second vet would help eliviate some concern. not saying that your vet isn't a good one, but vets are human and may be missing something. with it being hunting season and your dog out hunting, eating less than 2 cups per day may not be in his best health interests. i know we can't make our dogs eat, but if he is burning off all those calories working afield and not replinishing is body is gonna get tired and not properly fight off any illness that may occur.

[hubweims]

btw, have you tried compresses with a warm towel or wash cloth. especially if starting to get solid. from my understanding, if the fluid solidifies and becomes like a rock that is when it can cause a cyst. as long as it is fluid the body can reabsorb it naturally once whatever is causing it has run its course.

[dog dr]

that thing needs to come off. period.

[ESetterLove]

that thing needs to come off. period.

dog dr, are you a DVM? If so, I will do what I can to follow your advice.

I am not clear where someone got the impression my setter has been recieving Docycycline.
He has recently recieved a dose of Depo Medrol. ( a corticosteroid)

I also need to point out, our vet options are limited in our area. We are already traveling 1 hour to the current clinic. All clinics close to us focus on large animal.
Just as the clinic we now visit does.
But we go there because they do deal with small animal and see many hunting dogs. (most of the dr's are gun dog owners as well)

I would be more than happy to seek out a second opionion, but "Where" is the big question. Although the clinic we visit is very busy, they have been very good to us when we need it.

dog dr, please PM me if you can help.

Thanks All!

[hubweims]

that thing needs to come off. period.

I am not clear where someone got the impression my setter has been recieving Docycycline.

i obviously pulled it straight from my rear end......LOL i swore i was reading a post where someone was giving it to their dog and was concerned about allergies. well, it obviously wasn't this thread. Sorry, i had a big goof. i edited the other post to take it out since we were never talking about anyways.

[hubweims]

that thing needs to come off. period.

dog dr, are you a DVM?

he is and for what it's worth his advice is usually spot on. i would talk to him and take his advice.

[dog dr]

there are 5 things i look for with any kind of a lump, bump, etc.

1) is it growing rapidly?
2) does it feel as though it is attached to muscle or bone under the skin?
3) is it ulcerating or discharging any fluid?
4) is it bothering the animal or preventing/interfering with their normal everyday activities?
5) is it oddly shaped (as opposed to spherical or ovoid)?

if i can answer yes to any of these, i recommend surgical removal. from what i have read of your posts, you can answer yes to at least 2 of them. good luck!