# HELP! My pit has a large Lump/mass!?



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Hi Everyone, this is my first post and I am very worried and need some help/info!

About 2 days ago I noticed the my pitbull has a large lump/mass under his armpit. I touched it and it felt as if its filled with blood or a liquid. Its squishy not hard. My dog didn't react when I touched it, as if it didn't hurt him as I touched it. Now this morning I checked up on him and fed him before I left the house to go to work and the lump/mass was slightly red and bleeding a little. The hair has also fallen from the lump/mass area. I don't know what it could be. Please help with a little more info on this, thank you!


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

Please take him to the vet. It could be so many different things from an abscess to a tumor etc.


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Thank you! I have an appointment today after work to take him.

Thanks again!


----------



## mygirlmaile (Mar 26, 2009)

Let us know what the vet says!!!!


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

I bet it is an abscess but I agree a vet visit is needed. If it is tumor removing it now is a great idea. I have had several taken off my dogs over the years it is fairly simple.
Let us know what the vet says and welcome to GP.com


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Will do!

P.S. I'm glad that there are people out there that care!

Loving this forum, I'm new to this.


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Is it Expensive?


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

The cost will depend on what exactly it is and the vet you go to...

I hope it is nothing major and your pup is back to good health asap!

Let us know what happens please!


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

it can be as cheap as 150 for an abscess or as expensive as 300 for a tumor removal, well that is what it would cost here. It really depends but if you go in just for an office visit (around 30-50) they can tell what is it and give you a heads up. It if it a tumor your can save up for it and get it take off in a few weeks, if it is an abscess you will need to take care of it as soon as possible.

Each vet is different but at least you have an idea of what costs might be.


----------



## Mr. canelo (Oct 4, 2009)

i payed $500 for my dogs abscess, mostly what they charge is the anestesia


----------



## Akasha (Oct 30, 2009)

You could always call around to your local vet offices and find a decent one. Like performance said it all depends.

Make sure if it is costly, some vets will alow you to set up payment plans. You could try paying the bill with 50$ here and there, untill its paid off.


----------



## HART (Oct 15, 2009)

I had the same issue with my last pit. Granted he was older when it started. He started to get cists (er spelling?). they were like sacks of blood/puss filled skin. Some would pop before i could get him in and made a mess of my carpet. So far out of the 5 apbt's i have owned in my life 2 of them had this same issue when they were older.

Best of luck to you!!


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Thank you all for your help! I appreciate it.

Well I took him to the vet and unfortuantley its a TUMOR.

He is surgery right now. The total is $900.


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

MyDodger said:


> Thank you all for your help! I appreciate it.
> 
> Well I took him to the vet and unfortuantley its a TUMOR.
> 
> He is surgery right now. The total is $900.


Hugs and prayers! Hopefully it is benign.
Hang in there!
I hope the surgery goes well and they get clean margins on it .


----------



## DogsLife (Sep 19, 2009)

Glad you got him on into the vet. Praying for a good report.


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

WOW! I am sorry it is a tumor! You can call around for prices on a tumor removal 900 sounds really high. Good luck and please keep us posted.


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

So our dog Dodger is home from surgery and his wound is about 8in in length. Vet said he needs to have the stitches in for 2 weeks. My dog needs to drink antibiotics for 7 days.

My husband and I are awake taking care of dodger. Dodger is very goggy and is sleeping a lot, he gets up and positions him self differently evry few mins. Dodger is also wearing an Elizabethan collar to prevent him from licking & reaching his stiches. We are very new to this, we've never had a dog that needed surgery. It's very hard to deal with this....we have dodger in the house so he can be out of the reach of dirt, cold temps, etc, etc.

In order for us to really know if its a tumor or not we need to send the mass that was surgically removed to a lab to be tested, that cost and extra $125.00, and even if it is a tumor it can grow back....ugh! Total we've spent offically is $800.00

I'm confused and scared.!


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Hang in there! there is a big chance it will not come back and it is not cancer. I have had several removed from my dogs over the years and none have every come back and none were cancer. One more thing you might want to do it get an old clean shirt to put on your dog so he cannot scratch his arm pit and rip out the stitches. It may not itch now but when it heals it will become itchy and he could scratch with his rear legs and get out the stitches. A tee shirt ties at the waist will offer some protection. Good luck and let us know if you have any questions and give us updates!


----------



## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

Poor Dodger ... Atleast he has you taking care of him ~! 
Get well soon Dodger Hugz & kisses big guy~!
Wishing you a speedy recovery ...


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Thank you all for the support.

Gonna get some rest now.

I will keep you all posted. =)


----------



## mygirlmaile (Mar 26, 2009)

God Bless Dodger and your family! You will be in my prayers and I hope for the absolute best that can come from this. Please stick around and keep us posted!!!


GET WELL SOON DODGER!!!!


----------



## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

How big was this rumor? 8 inches is a _huge_ incision! How old is Dodger? Sorry if I missed that you posted that already...


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

Go onto pitbull talk there is a whole forum section dedicated in the health area to dogs with cancer or possible cancer and there is also a vet on the forum and many who have dealt with a variety of things.

Hopefully it isn't cancer and the waiting for the results can be very hard , so having more support is helpful.

Here is the link:

***Pit Bull Talk • View forum - Canine Cancer

Do an intro saying Patch O' Pits sent you and you are looking for info on tumors because your dog just had surgery and you'll get into the forum faster.

I hope mods don't mind me promoting the other forum. I think it is important to get people the needed advise and support fast in situations like this.

Did your vet mention whether or not he got clean margins? Getting clean margins whether it is cancerous or not usually is a factor in if it comes back or not along with what stage it is in if it is cancer.

That is actually a very cheap price for the size and area of the tumor. I'm surprised they did not keep the dog though at least over night.

Hang in there, think positive and do not let the dog see you upset.


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

Goodmorning to all! Im in California.

We've had Dodger for 6 to 7 years (our years).Well the vet didnt exactly say it was a tumor. He said that he doesnt know what it is. It seems like if was a tumor. However in order to know exactly what it is he needs to send it to a lab so it can be tested. It's going to cost us $120 to send it out, but we dont have that money right now so the hospital is going to hold on to the mass he cut out of Dodger for 1 week until we can come up with the money.

* The incision, we measured it and it measured about 8 to 10 inches. Really long and ugly looking due to the stiches.

So Dodger has slept a lot but he kept waking us up because he would stan up and re-postions himself and then go back to sleep. So we would help him lay down. We also put baby socks on his front paws so he wont take off the Elizabethan collar. so his paws just slide off when he tries.

I'm very tired right now, I only got about 3 hours sleep. Dodger hasnt ate or drank any water since yesterday. Im worried but I pretty sure its due to the anasthesia.

Thank you all for the helpfull information!


----------



## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

He may not want to eat today at all my this evening but don't worry if he does not want to eat today. I am sorry he is having to deal with this but after the results come back you will know what treatment if any you have to do. Get some sleep and keep the updates coming!


----------



## Mr. canelo (Oct 4, 2009)

i know what your going through, my dog had an abscess, i had to constantly be cleaning his wound so it would not close, he had drain tubes in his neck for about a week, keep track of his medication, it was a simple surgery but the worst feeling is not knowing what it is, what is going to happen to your dog, that feeling really sucks!! hey, who says grown men don't cry...lol


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

I hope he is feeling better today! Give you baby a ton of attention!


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

So, now heres a new thing.

Dodger has now developed a sack of fluid near his incision!! What is it?
Were taking him back to the vet today however does anyone know if this is normal?

I'm scared...besides that I hand feed him and give him water. He's eating and drinking water but he hasnt urinated or pooped....hmm?

He's becoming difficult to take care of now. Due to him not sleeping as much becuase the anasthesia has gone away completely but I am giving him his antibiotic (Cephalexin 500mg).


----------



## Hirihat (May 5, 2009)

It can take up to 3 days for some dogs to poo after anethesia so don't get all freaked by that! The meds cause the digestion to slow to a crawl and usually they aren't interested in eating for a few days as well. He needs to drink plenty of fluids though especially with the antibiotics. Maybe try ice cubes? 

Does he have a soft/cushy place to lie? Usually after a surgery they will doze a bit fitfully for a few days rather than just sleep like normal.


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

*Yes, he does have a soft/cushy place to lie.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm still going to take him to the vet/hospital to get that liquid filled sac that he just developed after surgery...doesn't look normal....so I guess better safe than sorry, right?*


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

Definitely take him back, that isn't normal it sounds like it will need to be drained. Hopefully, it is not an abscess developing. As for the pooping it is normal for his system to take a couple of days to return to normal.

Did they give you any pain meds?


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

*I'm definatley taking him to the vet!

No, they didnt give me pain meds, only antibiotic.
Do you think I can ask for pain med or a sedative so he's not so active and it will alow him to stop moving andheal faster? Or is that just bad?*


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

MyDodger said:


> *I'm definatley taking him to the vet!
> 
> No, they didnt give me pain meds, only antibiotic.
> Do you think I can ask for pain med or a sedative so he's not so active and it will alow him to stop moving andheal faster? Or is that just bad?*


Ask for pain meds that is probably why he hasn't slept well. Poor boy.

Sending up more prayers and cyber well wishes


----------



## DogsLife (Sep 19, 2009)

Dang, I was hoping to hear that Dodger was feeling much better and returning to normal. I will keep checking to see how he is progressing. Tell the vet to give him a couple of days of pain meds.


----------



## 888Black888 (May 28, 2009)

Come on Dodger!


----------



## SnoopsMomma (Nov 5, 2009)

I will keep dodger in my prayers. I hope he is getting better and Im glad he has a good owners to take care of him.


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

*So heres an update!

**TO GET MORE OF AN IDEA WHAT HIS INCISION LOOKS LIKE AND HIM, GO TO MY PROFILE AND LOOK AT MY ALBUM**

I took him to the dog and cat hospital where they did the surgery and the dr. said that the sac of what I thought was liquid is actually just his tissue that is swollen due to fuid retention. So the dr. precribed dodger diuretic pills that make him urinate A LOT! Also I asked for a relaxant, she gave him a sedative to make him relax, they usually prescibe it to dogs that get car sick, etc etc...so it worked for him...at least hes not so active and messing with his stiches, he actually scratched his incision with his hinde legs yesterday and we told the dr. and the area wouldnt stop bleeding so they bandaged him and put cold compression and sent him home. I have to take him back again today to get it looked at to make sure its not oozing blood still.

Also the dr. gave him medicine to stop the bleeding/clotting.

So hes basically on 4 different meds.
So I'm home from work today to take care of him. Also I just noticed that his bandages slid off....I'm soo scared to put it back on, maybe I'll just put an old clean t-shirt on him. Till his appt at the hospital today.*


----------



## SnoopsMomma (Nov 5, 2009)

I hope you get a good report at the Vets today. An old clean shirt maybe the way to go atleast it will add some protection. Thanks for the update


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

*So here is another update.

My Husband and I took Dodger to his appt and the vet said that his stitches are looking GREAT!!! Whooohoooo! Thank god!

So Dodger is doing better, we put an old clean t-chirt on him so he doesn't scratch his incision/stitches with his hinde legs.

I'm so happy that the situation is looking a lot better. I hope everything stays that way.

The first few days & nights were very difficult however it's getting better.

I want to thank you ALL for the helpfull information,tips,advice, etc etc.

P.S. I posted pictures of Dodger in my profile/user cp. Idk what you call it.

Much love to all! I will keep you all posted! =) *


----------



## JFlowersLA (Oct 14, 2009)

Glad it's on the up and up now!

But that is one Gnarly cut and stitch...that's pretty big!


----------



## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

I'm glad things are going better! I've been thinking about your baby!


----------



## DogsLife (Sep 19, 2009)

YEAHHHHH
I was so glad to click on this thread and find out that things were beginning to improve. Hang in there!

Holy Jeebus that is a big scar! I think I would like to give your vet a big E-smack (if there was such a thing) for sending Dodger home without pain meds. :stick:


----------



## MyDodger (Nov 2, 2009)

*LOL!!!!!

You guys made me smile!

Sorry for not posting something sooner, soo busy with Dodger, work, etc!

Anyways, so Dodger is doing good so far....he's still in the house. Now we actually let him walk around the whole house with us, so he doesnt feel alone. But he feakin pooped and pee'd in the house. He's doesn't know any better. He's not house broken, he's an outdoor dog. So we take him out on a leash every once in awhile to see if he has to pee or poop....so far so good, oh yeah he also eats and drinks water on his own now. So he poops fine and pee's fine! yay!!!

So I have to coem to work so my sister in law is watching him for us. Thank God my husband and I have such a wonderful family that cares.

Dodger has an appt on Nov. 17th to remove his stitches. PHEEEW!! Fianlly, I'm exhausted!!! Hopefully everything goes smoothly from now to then.*


----------



## SnoopsMomma (Nov 5, 2009)

Thats great to hear, way to go Dodger.


----------



## DueceAddicTed (Sep 28, 2009)

I am so happy for you ... Hugz and Smooches Dodger ~!!!


----------



## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Oh man I missed everything! Poooor Dodger! I am so glad to hear he is doing better and coming along ok now. Fast recovery wishes to you!!!


----------



## Chaos4ever (Oct 2, 2009)

So glad all has worked out for you and Dodger


----------



## bluefamily (Aug 8, 2007)

soooo glad to hear he is on the mend ! I hope it continues! Welcome a-board too by the way.


----------

