when to be concerned about a lump

[cragarmom]

Hi all,

I haven't posted in awhile (again), mostly because I've been recouping (again) from yet another hard drive crash, partly because I've been lazy!

Anyway, we found a lump on Cragar about 2 weeks ago - I guess you'd say it would be under his "armpit" (LOL) and to the back a little bit (so it's kind of on his side).

It's between the size of a pea and a chickpea, it's mobile (like it's in the skin and it moves around with the skin), and we don't see a particular color to it. When we first saw it, we figured we'd let it go for a little bit to see if it changes in size (smaller OR bigger) - my husband thinks it got bigger, and I can't really tell a difference.

I feel a little bit silly making a vet appointment for something that just might be common (it just might be an insect bit or allergy or something), but its location kind of bothers me, in addition to the fact that it hasn't gone away in a couple of weeks. But then again, it's probably the best thing to do.

So I was just curious, when should concern arise over a lump?

Thanks!
Joanne

[briarlow]

Have to admit any kind of lump I go to the vets and if it's nothing it's nothing but I feel better in myself knowing that!

Hope all's OK.

[Pearlulm]

I think that any kind of lump should be looked at by the vet. Better safe than sorry! Good luck!

[Agile PAWZ]

If it does not appear to be attached it coud be a fatty cyst but it would be wise to have a vet look at it. Over all if the lump changes color, becomes ulcerated, inflamed or sore to the touch, grows drastically in a very short period of time these are all large red flags

[cragarmom]

Thanks for your replies.

Well, I made an appointment with the vet. Unfortunately I've got to wait until April 26 (mostly because there's one dr. that's excellent in the practice, and soooo many people want to see only him, it's hard to get in to see him)... We'll be keeping an eye on it until his appointment to make sure nothing radical happens with it in the meantime.

The location of the lump bothered me because aren't there lymph nodes in that general area (or am I thinking humans? LOL)? Not to mention that since his hair is so short and his coat is rather thin, it's so easy to see anything on his skin (which is sometimes a bonus so we can see ticks, but sometimes a drawback because I freak out every time I see something new). We can even see he's got a freckle right in the middle of his head - I started calling him Frecklehead.

Anyway, I had my own encounter with skin cancer (nothing really serious, though) last year, and after seeing Cragar's lump was mobile in the skin, I'm beginning to wonder if he could have something similar.

Thanks again, I'll post an update when we get it checked out!

Cheers,
Joanne