HT Vista Cancer Check

(5min read)

Diagnosing Lumps and Bumps

Finding a lump on your pet can be a worrying experience. Although most lumps are harmless it is impossible to tell what a lump is simply by looking at it. If your pet has a swelling that lasts for more than a few days, always ask your veterinarian to check it for you.

Are all lumps cancer?

There are many different things that can cause swellings: bruising or fluid build-up, abscesses, things attached to the skin, e.g. ticks (small parasites which latch onto your pet and suck blood swelling as they do so), and of course cancers. If you find any unusual lump or swelling on your pet you should make an appointment for your veterinarian to check it out. Although most lumps are harmless, some can be very dangerous if left untreated. The biggest concern for most people is whether their pet has cancer.

Cancers are divided into two groups:

Benign– These lumps may grow bigger but do not spread elsewhere.
Malignant– More aggressive lumps which not only grow but also spread through the body and may affect organs such as lungs and liver.

Some benign growths can also cause problems if they continue to grow. Even fatty lumps can grow to a huge size and may cause problems due to their size, eg restricting leg movement or pressing on the airways and causing breathing problems. Malignant growths are obviously more worrying – they must be removed before they have spread elsewhere.

What can be done at home?

Things we can look out for as pet owners can include:

Bad breath – this is from plaque and bacteria building up on the teeth, gums and tongue
Pawing at the mouth
Difficulty eating and favouring one side of the mouth.
Red or inflamed gums
Discoloured teeth
Swelling under the eyes

There are many ways to help aid in the prevention of dental disease. This can include teeth brushing, diet, toys and dental treats. However, nothing beats a check in with your vet. When we do dental work, we can get inside and have a thorough look. We can explore the teeth and see if there are fractures, exposed pulp, periodontal pocketing, and movement of the teeth. X rays are the only way to investigate the multilayers of the teeth and see what’s going on under the gum line.

If you’re interested in knowing about dental disease and the way we can help keep our animals’ teeth healthy and clean, please talk to our friendly staff today. We can offer diets, tips and tricks, toys and even show you how to brush your animals’ teeth.

We can also grade your cats’ and dogs’ teeth and keep you up to date with how their teeth are progressing.

What will my veterinarian do if I find a lump on my pet?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to diagnose a lump just by looking at it. Even your veterinarian probably won’t be able to tell whether the lump is cancer, or some other kind of swelling, just by looking at it.

If you find a lump on your pet your veterinarian will want to examine the lump to see if they think it is likely to cause a problem. They will also examine your pet to see if they are otherwise healthy or if there are any other growths elsewhere. Your veterinarian will likely suggest further testing to find out what sort of lump it is. Fine Needle Aspirates (using a needle to collect a small sample) can be helpful for some lumps (such as abscesses and cysts) but is generally an unreliable way to diagnose a cancerous lump. A more reliable screening tool is the HT Vista which is a new non-invasive device that uses heat diffusion to scan the lump and determine whether it is likely to be a benign or malignant mass. Your veterinarian may recommend a HT Vista scan which can then determine whether any further testing is indicated or if the lump can be monitored.

If it is recommended to investigate the lump further, this would involve a general anaesthetic and removal of a small portion of this mass (biopsy). This sample is then sent to a pathologist at a laboratory who will be able to tell your veterinarian what kind of lump it is. Once your veterinarian knows this they will be able to advise you on the best treatment for your pet.

Why does my veterinarian need to do other tests?

In most cases, the only treatment needed for small growths is to remove them. However, if it is a type of cancer that could spread elsewhere your veterinarian may want to make sure that there is no sign of spread and to do this they may need to take X-rays or perform an ultrasound examination.

Why does my dog need a general anaesthetic to biopsy or remove the lump?

In human medicine, skin lumps are often removed or biopsied by a doctor using a local anaesthetic. It is unusual for this to be done in veterinary medicine. Even if the lump appears very small it may be necessary to cut quite deeply to remove all of it or to get an adequate biopsy sample. It is important that your pet lies still during the procedure – if they jump or move the operation will be more difficult and dangerous. It is necessary to give patients a sedative to make sure they stay still and sedation is no safer than a well-monitored anaesthetic. Sedated patients may take many hours to recover whereas the effects of a short anaesthetic should wear off more quickly in most animals. If you are worried about the treatment of your pet, mention your concerns to your veterinarian who will be happy to discuss all the options with you.

What lumps are common?

Fatty lumps
Probably the most common lump found on dogs is a fatty lump (lipoma). These are more common in obese animals. These are benign cancers that rarely spread and are often quite slow growing. However, over many years they can become very large and may need to be removed because they cause physical problems.
Sebaceous cysts
Often seen in older animals – these are swellings filled with a creamy substance similar to toothpaste. They are often found in the middle of the back. Sometimes the swellings become red and sore but normally they do not cause any problems. Sebaceous cysts can be removed but removing one does not stop others from developing.
Mast cell tumors (cancer)
These are one of the most common types of lumps found in the skin. Mast cells tumors are a type of cancer that can take on many different appearances and can easily be confused with all sorts of other lumps. Some mast cell tumors are harmless and cause no problems, others are very nasty cancers. It is difficult to tell how a mast cell tumor will behave, and so, removal of the tumor plus histopathological grading and checking for spread to other parts of the body is recommended.
Histiocytoma
These are button-like lumps about 1 cm across found on the skin of young animals. The lump may look quite red and usually comes up very quickly. Often they will go away as rapidly as they appeared without any treatment.
Warts
Warts look like small tags of skin. They are more common in older animals. Often animals that have a wart will go on to develop many others. Sometimes warts bleed and may be irritating in which case they will need to be removed.
Mammary tumors (breast cancer)
Lumps in the mammary glands of female dogs are very common and account for nearly half of all cancers in bitches. Most of these are relatively harmless but some of the most aggressive types of cancer can also be found here. Mammary lumps in male animals are often very nasty. Surgical removal of all mammary lumps is advisable and in some cases removal of all mammary tissue (mastectomy) is also necessary. Before removing mammary lumps your veterinarian will want to check your pet thoroughly to make sure that the cancer has not spread anywhere else.

The most important thing to remember is that most lumps, even cancers, can be cured if they are caught early enough – so always check with your veterinarian if you find anything unusual on your pet. In most cases your veterinarian will be able to reassure you.