# Guinness has a lump!



## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

My lab, Guinness, has a lump. Sort of right where his collarbone and sternum meet. I believe it's the same spot where the prescapular lymph node would be found, but my vet doesn't think it's the node (too superficial).
By feel, my vet says it feels like a lipoma. When she did the needle aspirate she said it felt "crunchy" which she didn't like. She couldn't get enough cells for a good slide (with 2 tries). So right now it is inconclusive.

Honestly I think this lump has been there for a few months. It is in close proximity to a lipoma that he does have by his armpit, so when I would pet him without looking at it I think I was assuming it was the preexisting lipoma, but this one is a little deeper and not as easily felt.

Now my options are wait and watch or get a biopsy.
He is 12-13 years old, although in great shape!
He has no spleen.


Is it worth putting him under anesthesia to get a diagnosis?


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

Any thoughts, I'm really torn on this.
Part of me doesn't want to know and part of me does want to know. And a part of me thinks it most likely is just a benign lipoma.
Even though he's in great shape he is still an old guy so I do worry about anesthesia. Plus how would not having a spleen effect the anesthesia risks?


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## mainegirl (May 2, 2005)

I think it depends on: 1. Will you do anything if it isn't a lipoma? 2. Do you really want to know, or do you know in your heart? 3. Do you want to risk the anaesthesia and stress on a 12 year old? I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers
Beth, moose and angel


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## Doug (Jul 17, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear this. Only you know your boy well enough to decide this.

I lost my girl when she was 12. She had so many lumps and bumps for so many years. But the last one felt different. It felt way more solid. I personally did not want to put her through any kind of tests that involved any kind of stress on her which included putting her under at her age.

This is a very personal decision and it basically comes down to what would you want someone to do for you if you were in that situation. 
Would you want a biopsy? What if you did get bad news? Would you want surgery or chemo at that age? I personally would choose quality of life over quantity. 

I hope that this is just turns out to be another lump that one gets when they mature and that you have way more time together than anyone ever expects.

Good luck, no doubt it is a tough decision.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I think I would go for the DX/anesthesia (with heavy duty anthistamine)if your vet had a suspicion of mast cell, since it really can come off with a clean margin and make a big difference. Maybe a quick chest xray first, and a thorough examination of the lymph noses. However, for me if it seemed like a sarcoma or something really dreadful, I would leave it be and really monitor the dog for pain with tramadol or fentanyl right on hand for any crisis. 

I relate with this. My old dog Finn has lots of lipomas even though he is trim and active, and it is hard to chart them and test them all. He also has one that is suspicious, but I know I am not going to do chemo, radiation, etc. For now, I just don't want to know, and I am valuing the happy time with him as he is feeling so good and chipper.


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## Jennifer1 (Mar 31, 2012)

My vet mentioned she was seeing a couple of sub-q cells. She said that could be just because she had to go through sub-q tissue but I think her concern is some sort of soft tissue sarcoma.
I think with his age I would not pursue any treatment beyond just removal.
If it is just a benign lipoma, that would be nice to know as well. I think my vet was fully expecting it to just be a lipoma when she was feeling it.

I guess my concern is if it comes back as cancerous, than the emotional aspect of "I have to try" will kick in, even though right now I would say no.

My vet has a lab about Guinness's age, and she mentioned she has quit checking his lumps.

He did get a chest xray in August/September when he was having some other issues. The X-rays looked good, as well as his bloodwork at the time.

I went in to this exam half thinking it was a lymph node. She didn't think it was a node as it was too superficial for the prescapular node. I'm fairly certain she checked his other nodes during the hand on part of the exam and didn't mention them.

Part of me wants to get a Dx just to know for sure. The other part of me doesn't want to put him under anesthesia since the rational part if me wouldn't treat it.


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