Help! Tumor?

[Horsefeathers!]

I'm absolutely freaking out. My Schnauzer had a knot on his side seen by my vet a couple of weeks ago. It was about pea sized then. The vet told me to watch it (whatever that means). Well, over the last few days, this thing really seems to be bugging him (lots of licking) and I just checked it again to see if it was maybe bleeding and HOLY BALLS this thing is now the size of a golf ball! In two weeks! Obviously, I'll be taking him to the vet first thing in the morning, but I was hoping that one of the clinical scientific folks on here could tell me something... ANYTHING to make me not freak out all night. Is there something it could possibly be besides a tumor? What else could grow that fast? I know I can't expect a diagnosis via internet, but I'm just hoping for ANY sign that it doesn't HAVE to be a cancerous tumor. I'm hoping one of the scientific types can tell me, "Oh, we see these harmless _____ all the time!" so that I can at least sleep tonight thinking that it doesn't have to be doom and gloom. This boy is estimated to be 6 - 7 years old (rescue). Anybody? Any little ray of sunshine...? :cry:

[avaloniaboerboele]

Wasnt he hurt and its an infected sore maybe??

[Guest Anonymous]

Horsefeathers! napisał(a):

I'm absolutely freaking out. My Schnauzer had a knot on his side seen by my vet a couple of weeks ago. It was about pea sized then. The vet told me to watch it (whatever that means). Well, over the last few days, this thing really seems to be bugging him (lots of licking) and I just checked it again to see if it was maybe bleeding and HOLY BALLS this thing is now the size of a golf ball! In two weeks! Obviously, I'll be taking him to the vet first thing in the morning, but I was hoping that one of the clinical scientific folks on here could tell me something... ANYTHING to make me not freak out all night. Is there something it could possibly be besides a tumor? What else could grow that fast? I know I can't expect a diagnosis via internet, but I'm just hoping for ANY sign that it doesn't HAVE to be a cancerous tumor. I'm hoping one of the scientific types can tell me, "Oh, we see these harmless _____ all the time!" so that I can at least sleep tonight thinking that it doesn't have to be doom and gloom. This boy is estimated to be 6 - 7 years old (rescue). Anybody? Any little ray of sunshine...? :cry:

Fatty tumors (totally harmless but ugly) can do that and so can infected spots from a nick that healed over the top leaving a little infection underneath.
I hope its just a 'schnauzer bump' that needs draining!

[Guest Anonymous]

Ah, you were both right, thank you! He had an abscess! It ruptured during the night (ew, ick and yuck), but the swelling had gone down today. The vet put him on antibiotics (he still seems not to feel too good, poor baby, but certainly feeling much better than last night) and said to watch the spot to make sure it doesn't begin to swell again. If it does, vet may have to go in and remove tissue(?).

Thank you both for the input. I just needed any little consolation that all wasn't doomed (we had some really disturbing news recently concerning our Lab and I just knew it was more bad news)! :D

[Guest Anonymous]

Horsefeathers, I'm so glad your dog is okay, and I certainly hope it heals completely w/no further tissue removal. A lot of vets ask you to watch a lump or a bump, but I have boxers and they are very prone to lumps and bumps both benign and malignant. Therefore, when there's a bump of any type that I know is not a bug bite, off they go for a biopsy and removal. There are, however, some rather awful looking cysts that usually occur in dogs under two that are called histocytomas. As ugly as they are, the are benign and with some medication usually clear up and are not necessarily removed. There are also some very benign LOOKING cysts that can even look like a little pink wart and these can be very dangerous and malignant. They are called mast cell tumors. So, I just don't take a chance with any type of lump.

[Guest Anonymous]

Horsefeathers napisał(a):

Ah, you were both right, thank you! He had an abscess! It ruptured during the night (ew, ick and yuck), but the swelling had gone down today. The vet put him on antibiotics (he still seems not to feel too good, poor baby, but certainly feeling much better than last night) and said to watch the spot to make sure it doesn't begin to swell again. If it does, vet may have to go in and remove tissue(?).

Thank you both for the input. I just needed any little consolation that all wasn't doomed (we had some really disturbing news recently concerning our Lab and I just knew it was more bad news)! :D

This can help healing if the vet didn't suggest it to you already - warm wet towel (very clean as in bleached before using it and between uses rinse it in bleach water) applied to the area 2-3 times a day will increase blood flow and help the area drain and heal from the inside out instead of over the top.
It IS yucky but beats the alternatives you were worried about now doesn't it ;-)