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This is an odd question


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I was playing with him the other day, and noticed he has two baseball sized lumps on this chest just below is neck. They are evenly spaced and really pretty much the same size. He is a very muscular dog, and has a large frame for being 50lbs. The vet always comments on his muscle structure.

 

When I palpate them he doesn't mind, they are fairly firm and moveable. Zoey feels like she has the same thing but much much smaller and I attribute that to her being so much less active, she's the only couch potato BC I've ever known.

 

Do any of your dogs have something similiar? DW tends to be a bit irrational, so she thinks he has cancer.

 

I feel like an idiot if I go to the vet and it really is just muscle.

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I thought lymph nodes too Karen, but not sure if that's the right place for them (I would think you'd find some up by the jaw line and then in the armpit area. Are there also some at the base of the neck?

 

Oh, so I went and looked. here's a diagram of the lymph nodes an owner might be able to feel:

 

caninelymphomanodesbig.jpg

 

From this site..

 

The image looks pretty accurate to me. So I'm guessing not lymph nodes, unless the OP was feeling higher up on the chest (i.e., in front of the shoulder).

 

J.

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I would talk to your vet. Odds are it's not cancer, at most maybe fatty cysts or some such, but when it comes to weird lumps on dogs, I'd rather be sure. It's worth it for your peace of mind to at least speak to your vet and get an opinion, before going in for anything more serious.

 

Best of luck! :)

 

 

Gloria

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Thanks all! I made an apointment for tomorrow. On that diagram the lumps are basically where the prescapular nodes are shown, more to the inside of the bone. He is getting over lyme so maybe that has something to do with it. He's still young, will be 5 in May. I know cancer can strike young. I believe the rescue where got him lost a dog to cancer at roughly the same age; between 5-7 years.

 

He has had an appetite, he took and ate a head of iceberg lettuce of the counter yesterday ;) he was smart enough to leave the hard root part.

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Karen,

I would definitely have something like that checked out--it's just that the OP's original description was "chest" and I took that to mean the area between the shoulder blades below the base of the neck (easier to picture if you think of a horse's chest), but now it seems that the lumps might well be in the vicinty of the prescapular lymph nodes. In any case, as you note, any odd lump that suddenly appears should probably be checked by a vet, and especially multiple lumps. The fact that the OP mentioned symmetrical is what made me think lymph nodes in the first place (and apparently you too), but given what I consider a dog's chest, the location just didn't seem right, and that's why I looked for a diagram. Now I'm just hoping it's not serious.

 

J.

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The diagram was a great move Julie, helps us all know a more precise local. Structures being so variant, one has a neck like a swan an the next is built like a weight lifter!

 

Having lost a special one to lymphosarcoma (sp?) odd lumps in certain locations make me pause (OP, please don't read anything into this) though something that size could not have popped up over night, and would have been checked way before they got that size. My boys, oddly enough, were the rear inside ones that caught my attention.

 

Being movable, I assume it meant *not attached* just doesn't fit with lymph nodes, from my understanding. Sounds more like fatty tissue, hematomas?

 

Either way, I do hope all is well, being a worry wart in some cases is good! What time should we expect your post regarding vet results tomorrow Izzysdad :)

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My boys, oddly enough, were the rear inside ones that caught my attention.

Maia's inguinal lymph nodes were the ones that enlarged on her as well (primary tumor on her vulva), though the largest they ever got was maybe they size of a large egg. Interestingly, Willow has the same cancer Maia had, with her primary tumor essentially right where the inguinal lymph nodes are and yet her lymph nodes have never been involved. (I'm not trying to scare you either, Izzy's dad; I just find interesting all things immunological--immunology was my absolute favorite course in college, with virology a close second....)

 

J.

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I'm wondering if it's swollen lymph nodes relating to the lyme?

 

Good luck at the vet today!

 

 

Thanks all! I'm really not too worried, but like I said DW gets freaked (she's a nurse practicioner and hates that she doesn't know enough about animals). I agree with either fatty tissue or inflamation due to the recent lyme.

 

The appoitment is at 4pm est. Updates as soon as I have them. I fully expect to have the vet tell me I'm crazy, and thank me for the $40 exam fee. B)

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The appoitment is at 4pm est. Updates as soon as I have them. I fully expect to have the vet tell me I'm crazy, and thank me for the $40 exam fee. B)

 

I am hoping the vet tells you you're crazy. :) It will still be worth every cent of that $40!

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In this episode of as Toby's World Turns, the vet thinks and is 99% positive that he has two lypoma's. We did send out a sample for Cytology just to be safe, but everything looks good. :D

 

The lumps were more towards the center of his chest rather than truly pre-scapula so his lymphnodes are NOT enlarged after all.

 

He is about 3lbs overweight :blink: so a diet is in order :rolleyes:

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I'm glad to hear the vet thinks it's not something serious but still sending off a sample. I don't believe being 3 lbs overweight is the cause of it though. I found this

 

What causes a lipoma?

 

The cause of lipomas is not completely understood, but the tendency to develop them is inherited. A minor injury may trigger the growth. Being overweight does not cause lipomas.

 

here Lipoma Causes. Granted, it's in regards to humans so it might be off base but I have a feeling if/when Toby loses weight, he'll still have the lipomas.

 

Are Zoey and Toby related?

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