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Question
my maltese has two bumps on her back. i took her to the vet two weeks ago and they took fluid which came back inclusive. they sent me home with antibotics. the bumps have increased over the last two weeks. she is full energy ......could it be a bone spur? does this type of thing always require surgery?
Submitted: 582 days and 16 hours ago.
Category: Dog
Value: $9
Status: CLOSED
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Optional Information:
Age: 3; Female; Breed: maltese
Already Tried:
antibotics for 10 days and a fluid draw which was incnclusive
Accepted Answer
Hi tarabrawn,
Unfortunately, there is no way to know what a lump is definitively, unless it is removed surgically and sent in for biopsy. One way to try to find out is by doing a test called a fine needle aspirate. During this test, the vet places a needle inside the mass and pulls out some of the cells and other materials inside. This is then sprayed and smeared on a glass slide and is stained for viewing under a microscope. A pathologist can tell what a lump is 50% of the time with this test. The major benefit of this test is that it may give you an answer without having to put your dog under anesthesia. In your dog's case, it sounds like this test was in the 50% that come back inconclusive. I can tell you, however, that a fluid-filled cyst (that deflates when fluid is removed and then fills back up again later) is by definition, benign. The only way to get rid of the cyst, however, is to remove the entire thing surgically.
Most people opt to surgically remove the lumps, even when benign, because this will give a definitive diagnosis, and the lump will then be gone if it is malignant (cancerous). Furthermore, many benign lumps do continue to get bigger and this can be cumbersome, unsightly, and sometimes uncomfortable for the dog. Cysts, specifically, will often rupture, bleed and can become infected. So, in these cases, surgical removal is best.
I hope that this information is of help to you, and I wish you the best of luck with your dog. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Dr. K
Expert:
Dr. K
Pos. Feedback:
99.6 %
Accepts:
Answered:
4/20/2008
Veterinarian
9 years experience as Veterinarian
573 days and 5 hours ago.
Reply
tHANK YOU DR. k. ,
I took her back to the vet again and then they gave me additional information that there was pus in the fluid so they gave her stronger antibotics. The cysts seems to be getting smaller and she has another 5 days of antibotics. Is there any other way to avoid surgery and what are the chances of recurring even if it is beneign? thank you for your answer.
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