OPINION: Prompt action is best whenever lumps are detected
Vet speak by Alison Laurie-Chalmers
Poppy was four years old – a beautiful but feisty miniature dachshund with a lot of attitude!
She was brought in to see me as her owner had found a small mobile lump adjacent to one of her nipples.
I could feel that the lump was a mammary tissue lesion, quite small and mobile.
After discussions I arranged for her to have it removed and for her to have a chest x-ray and be spayed.
I also advised that the lump be sent away for examination to find out what it was.
Benign and malignant tumours of the mammary glands occur frequently in unspayed female dogs aged 5-10.
The mammary glands’ are located in two rows extending from the chest to the lower abdominal area and a female dog normally has 8-10.
Benign growths are often smooth, mobile, small, and slow growing. Malignant growths may grow rapidly, have irregular shape, feel “fixed” and can become inflamed and ulcerated.
This is not always the case though, so all mammary lumps should be examined by your vet.
Spaying can reduce a dog’s risk of developing mammary cancer, especially if the dog is neutered before she has an opportunity to come into heat.
It has been shown that early spaying may reduce the occurrence of mammary cancer because the procedure removes the source of the hormones that cause some mammary cells to change.
Occasionally, mammary tumours will develop in male dogs, and these are usually extremely aggressive and have a poor prognosis.
It is not possible to determine the type of tumour based on appearance and feel alone.
A fine-needle biopsy, tumour removal and further analysis are needed.
If able, a fine needle aspirate can be performed to help with the preliminary diagnosis.
This entails the withdrawal of cells through a syringe. Slides can then be sent for examination.
Needle aspirates may be a helpful pre-operative procedure in many cases, however, it is the full tissue examination which is required to fully determine the diagnosis and extent of disease.
After surgical removal, the biopsy sample will identify the tumour type and indicate whether the tumour was completely removed.
A tumour removed with clean, clear margins carries a much better prognosis.
Mammary gland tumours are commonly categorised as being either benign or malignant.
Chest x-rays are done during the surgery procedure, and close monitoring of the mammary glands and adjacent lymph nodes after any mammary lump surgery is advised.
Thankfully our wee, feisty Poppy had a benign lump removed, and she recovered extremely well – in fact, she became much more amenable and docile during check-up visits and even allowed herself to be patted and cuddled!
Just as with us humans, never ignore a mammary lump.
Early detection and appropriate treatment are always best.
Check your pet’s mammary area for any lumps or bumps regularly.
If you have any concerns please contact your vet for an initial check-up appointment.
Alison Laurie-Chalmers is a senior consultant at Crown Vets in Inverness.