That is a good question. A lump or mass can be many things including cancer. It can be a benign mass such as a lipoma (fatty tumor) or adenoma (wart-like growth), a cyst, a hematoma (blood filled pocket), an abscess (infection) or cancer.
If you find a mass at home, mark it with either nail polish or a marker on the hair (especially if it is a small mass) in order that it is easier to find during the exam. We also will want to know how long the mass has been present and if it has changed any since you first found it.
It is possible to obtain a large amount of information about a mass based on physical examination, but ultimately in order to determine whether we have a cancerous situation, we need to run a few tests. The first diagnostic test is called a fine needle aspirate. This is where a small gauge needle (same size that is used to give vaccinations) is inserted into the mass and a small amount of cells are withdrawn for evaluation under the microscope. It can be done on almost all masses that are either on the skin or under the skin. It is usually done without the need for sedation and has few side effects. The slide may be read inhouse by our licensed veterinary technicians who are practiced in this area or sent to our laboratory for a pathologist’s evaluation.
If the fine needle aspirate indicates the presence of cancerous cells or is inconclusive (or if the mass is not accessible for a fine needle aspirate), the next diagnostic step is a biopsy of the mass. In this case your pet will be sedated and the lump removed. It will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. The veterinarian will help to determine the best course of action once the mass has been identified. Most malignant masses are usually best dealt with by excision as the first line of defense and many are cured by this method
One common cancer, called a mast cell tumor, is notorious for having the appearance of almost any other lump and this is one important reason to have all lumps checked with a fine needle aspirate. Mast cell tumors should be removed surgically and biopsied. You cannot tell by feel or sight the difference from a mast cell tumor and any other type of tumor.
Most lumps, however, are benign and require no treatment. In fact, dogs often develop numerous lumps as they get older. But the safest approach is to have any lump evaluated. Early diagnosis and treatment of malignant masses provide the best prognosis for your pet.
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Meet the Staff
Melinda Whitman
Dale City Animal Hospital
One of the most important members of our staff is one that you will probably never meet. She is Melinda Whitman, our night nurse.
She works from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. looking after our boarders and our surgical and hospitalized patients. Our hospital is one of the few nonemergency hospitals in the area that has a night nurse.
Melinda’s job is particularly challenging because she works alone. She has to pull blood, re-bandage catheters, give injections, monitor a patient’s vital statistics, and many other things. Sometimes she has to treat patients that do not feel well and are not always “cooperative”. She is authorized to contact the doctors immediately any time a patient is having serious difficulties.
However, Melinda says she enjoys caring for the animals and likes working alone. Each night is different and she never knows what type of cases she will find when she comes in. She likes playing classical music for herself and the patients each night.
Melinda was born in Pennsylvania, spent most of her life in Chesapeake, VA, and then settled in Northern Virginia. She came to this area while in the Army in 1984. She retired from the Army as a Master Sergeant after spending 21½ years on active duty. She worked as a veterinary assistant for three years at several animal hospitals in the Alexandria area prior to coming here about
five years ago.
She has 7 cats, all of them strays that she rescued. Other interests include playing trumpet and percussion and singing in the choir at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
It should be comforting to know that if your pet has to spend the night with us, it will not be alone. Melinda will be taking
good care of it.
She works from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. looking after our boarders and our surgical and hospitalized patients. Our hospital is one of the few nonemergency hospitals in the area that has a night nurse.
Melinda’s job is particularly challenging because she works alone. She has to pull blood, re-bandage catheters, give injections, monitor a patient’s vital statistics, and many other things. Sometimes she has to treat patients that do not feel well and are not always “cooperative”. She is authorized to contact the doctors immediately any time a patient is having serious difficulties.
However, Melinda says she enjoys caring for the animals and likes working alone. Each night is different and she never knows what type of cases she will find when she comes in. She likes playing classical music for herself and the patients each night.
Melinda was born in Pennsylvania, spent most of her life in Chesapeake, VA, and then settled in Northern Virginia. She came to this area while in the Army in 1984. She retired from the Army as a Master Sergeant after spending 21½ years on active duty. She worked as a veterinary assistant for three years at several animal hospitals in the Alexandria area prior to coming here about
five years ago.
She has 7 cats, all of them strays that she rescued. Other interests include playing trumpet and percussion and singing in the choir at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
It should be comforting to know that if your pet has to spend the night with us, it will not be alone. Melinda will be taking
good care of it.
Update: Have a Heart
Julie is one of the beneficiaries of our fund this quarter. She came to us when she was about a week old. Something had been wrapped around one of her legs, cutting off the blood flow. The leg had to be amputated. Our doctors donated their time for the surgery and your funds paid for her medications and care. She is now a very active three month old puppy and doesn’t even realize she is supposed to have four legs. Even with just three legs, she keeps her new owner busy trying to keep up with her.
Hazel was another benefactor. She was in our isolation unit for over a month with an upper respiratory infection. As a result her socialization skills were not very good. However, we slowly brought her around and she found a happy home with Kevin Fultz and his family.
Contributors for this period follow:
* Mary Whitaker
* Sherry Foster (In memory of Reba)
* Karen Smith (In memory of Tara)
* Greg Menke (who adopted one of our kittens “Spida”)
* Susan and Alfred Hughes
* Davis Gaddy (In memory of Teresa Carlson)
* Mary Heard
* Teresa Croce (In memory of Lily and Murphy)
* Toniann McFadden (In memory of Fluffy)
* Cynthia Schell
* Harry and Nancy Fiske
* Linda Boland
* Gwen Smith
* Pamela and Michael Fultz (who adopted Hazel)
* Dave Cummings
Hazel was another benefactor. She was in our isolation unit for over a month with an upper respiratory infection. As a result her socialization skills were not very good. However, we slowly brought her around and she found a happy home with Kevin Fultz and his family.
Contributors for this period follow:
* Mary Whitaker
* Sherry Foster (In memory of Reba)
* Karen Smith (In memory of Tara)
* Greg Menke (who adopted one of our kittens “Spida”)
* Susan and Alfred Hughes
* Davis Gaddy (In memory of Teresa Carlson)
* Mary Heard
* Teresa Croce (In memory of Lily and Murphy)
* Toniann McFadden (In memory of Fluffy)
* Cynthia Schell
* Harry and Nancy Fiske
* Linda Boland
* Gwen Smith
* Pamela and Michael Fultz (who adopted Hazel)
* Dave Cummings
Is your Dog at Risk for Bloat?
Gastric dilatation volvulus syndrome, more commonly known as bloat, is a serious condition in dogs. Bloat is when the stomach twists on itself and cuts off its blood supply along with that to other organs. At the same time, air and gas trapped in the stomach accumulate causing a distended abdomen. Shock and organ failure due to the lack of blood complicates the condition and may lead to death. Obvious symptoms include a distended abdomen, non-productive vomiting, salivating, and an inability to get up.
There has been an epidemic of bloat during the past decade although no one really knows why. Most at risk for bloat are older, deep-chested, large breed dogs. (However, smaller dogs can also get bloat.) There is also a genetic predisposition to bloat. Nervous or fearful dogs are more prone to bloat than calm dogs, indicating that stress could be a factor.
If you suspect that your dog may be experiencing bloat, it is an immediate emergency. A dog can die from it in a matter of hours. Treatment for bloat includes immediately releasing the gas by inserting a stomach tube orally or inserting a needle into the stomach to release the gas. Surgery is usually required to untwist the stomach. Since there is an 80 % chance of the bloat happening again, the surgery usually includes suturing the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent a recurrence.
There is no definitive method for preventing bloat although there are a number of suggestions that may decrease the probability. They include: more frequent but smaller meals, raising the food dish on a platform, decreasing stress, and methods to keep your dog from eating too fast.
The most important thing to remember is that if you suspect your dog has bloat, it is an emergency and must be treated immediately.
There has been an epidemic of bloat during the past decade although no one really knows why. Most at risk for bloat are older, deep-chested, large breed dogs. (However, smaller dogs can also get bloat.) There is also a genetic predisposition to bloat. Nervous or fearful dogs are more prone to bloat than calm dogs, indicating that stress could be a factor.
If you suspect that your dog may be experiencing bloat, it is an immediate emergency. A dog can die from it in a matter of hours. Treatment for bloat includes immediately releasing the gas by inserting a stomach tube orally or inserting a needle into the stomach to release the gas. Surgery is usually required to untwist the stomach. Since there is an 80 % chance of the bloat happening again, the surgery usually includes suturing the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent a recurrence.
There is no definitive method for preventing bloat although there are a number of suggestions that may decrease the probability. They include: more frequent but smaller meals, raising the food dish on a platform, decreasing stress, and methods to keep your dog from eating too fast.
The most important thing to remember is that if you suspect your dog has bloat, it is an emergency and must be treated immediately.
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