Small lump on dog's nose

[SuperWanda]

Hello, I have a 10 year old husky cross with a small sized lump growing on her nose. I first noticed it in the Spring and as it grew had my vet aspirated it - the biopsy results were inconclusive. It has continued to grow slowly since the biopsy in August and is now 5mm in size (about the size of an eraser head).

My vet suggests removing it now (benign or not) just because it is probably easier to do now when it is small.

I guess I should go ahead but for some reason was hesitant - perhaps because our other dog had a large lump removed from her leg in the fall because the biopsy said cancer but it turned out to be benign. However the surgery was very traumatic and I don't like putting them through surgery unless necessary.

I guess with lumps and bumps you don't want to wait but I thought I would post a picture and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Thanks!

[SuperWanda]

No one with a similar lump?

[hazelrunpack]

Not here... We specialize in warty, bald bumps here

Now that it's bigger, does your vet think that another needle aspiration might tell you more?

Certainly, if your vet expects it to grow, removing it now would be your best choice--the bigger it gets, the more traumatic to remove it. The size it is now, it would take only a few stitches to close up the incision.

[SuperWanda]

Thanks - I did ask about another biopsy but I guess she felt it wasn't worth it because she would want to remove it benign or not.

I think you're right - better to remove it when small because it will become more invasive the larger it gets especially when it is right beside her nostril.

It is getting more bald as it grows and protrudes through the fur - and pink like an eraser - although I guess that could fit the description of many lumps.

[mummummum]

How is everything now?

Sorry I missed this one. Sometimes I think I'm the Queen of Lumps and Bumps (eeee-yu-eeewww can you imagine the "Crown"???) in my house with two 9 year olds and one who-knows-how-old ?

Pink to me is almost always a bad sign in a hard lump in an odd place ~ it tells me that it has "life". But, it may just be an ingrown hair gone whacko ~ and THAT is very normal in waggers like yours.

[SuperWanda]

Thanks mummummum,

It's still the same - maybe a little bigger??? It is a rather flat growth and doesn't actually stick out of the fur much. I have been trying to measure it to check the rate of growth. My vet said that she would leave it at pea size but would remove anything that continues to grow or changes in consistency.

I will speak with her in the new year but will probably have it removed in January.

[mummummum]

Good decision given it's inflamed look ~ let us know the results though please and thank you.

[SuperWanda]

Thought i would post a quick update. My vet examined the lump again and felt it looked less inflammed. She will not remove it at this time and wants me to watch if it continues to change or becomes ulcerated. She can feel that it is just on the surface if the skin and does not seem to go into the cartilage below.

She actually did a full body exam and found another larger lump on the inside of her hind leg and did a needle biopsy only to find it was a fluid filled cyst. So no worries about that being cancerous.

Always good to get these things checked out!

[hazelrunpack]

Always good to get them checked out but scary while you're waiting for results!

Glad to hear that the one is just a cyst and the other seems less inflamed!

[SuperWanda]

Yes - lumps and bumps always make me worry. I will probably still worry about the one on her nose just because she loves the sun. I have some natural sunscreen but she continues to lick it off so maybe I'll have to follow her around with an umbrella! Although, no worries about suntanning now with the lovely weather we're having (-30/-40 celcius!)

[hazelrunpack]

If you put her in a sweater and a nose snood, that'd keep the sun off her skin, too!

Gak! That's cold! Our windchill is that far below zero, but at least the ambient temps aren't quite that bad!

[gmainolfi]

SuperWanda,

How is your dog's nose? Our husky just got one a few days ago so I am wondering if we should take him to the vet. It was small then gotten bigger and today it has gotten darker in color.

[SuperWanda]

Sorry - I didn't see this question until today.

Her nose still looks the same. It doesn't seem to be getting any bigger and it is still the same pink color it was before. I am to keep an eye on it for now as the vet suggested. I see my vet again in the Spring for regular health check so she will have another opportunity to reassess.

How is your dog's lump? I think seeing your vet would be a good idea because there seems to be many different types of lumps and bumps and the vet will give you a better idea on what it might be and how to deal with it.

[SuperWanda]

I thought I would update this thread in case anyone was looking for information on a similar problem. I have attached a picture (not great) of the growth on her nose to date and have decided to have it removed.

It has been very slow growing and the vet thought it was probably benign (inconclusive biopsy results) but because it continues to grow and also bleeds every time she rolls around in the grass, we have decided to remove it tomorrow.

Shouldn't be too bad as it is still small (8mm) but it is at the tip of her nose and dog's have sensitive snouts. So, hopefully everything will go okay and it will heal quickly.

[Elizabeth628]

Hi Superwanda, I went through a similar situation with our dog. The needle aspiration was also inconclusive .. so our vet suggested a biopsy .. which we did. Turns out it was not cancer, but we are currently treating it with antibiotics. With lumps and bumps you never know .. but am happy this time that it is turning out the way it has. I've posted a link to my post .. perhaps it's similar in nature. http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread....lump+dogs+nose