Advice please - Lump on neck and slipping

[sassbu]

I'm not panicking but I just wondered what others thought. Noel is 8 and a greyhound and has been wonderfully healthy all 4 years with me.

The week between Christmas and New Year I noticed on several occasions Noel lost his footing on several occasions, just a bit of a slip, nothing really obvious, he regained his footing quickly but it struck me as unusual. A couple times he's held his front left leg awkwardly but only for a handful of steps after his slip. I've had a good feel around and can't find anything.

Three days ago as he was lying on my lap I noticed a pea sized lump (processed size not marrow fat size) on the left hand side of his neck (its in an area where hair folicles meet from different directions). I have checked it every day since and it's not getting any bigger at all but it def wasn't there a week ago.

He has also been picky with his food which has always always been unheard of, he clears most of his bowl but not all. I am much less concerned about this in isolation and have put this down to Christmas indulgence as he was exceptionally spoilt rotten this year more so than any other previously, with roast lamb then beef then chicken and lots of other goodies, that it wouldn't surprise me if he thinks boring old kibble and pilchard just isn't on. I think this is a red herring but mention it anyway.

Otherwise he seems completely normal in himself.

My feeling is to keep an eye on the slipping and the lump for the next week but I'm obviously mindful of the dreaded C

Sarah x

[DianeB]

I think if it was me, i would go and see my vet, 'cos i always think the worst and only my vet would be able to reassure me. Otherwise i would spent the whole week worrying!
Two of my dogs have lots of lumps which are all nothing to worry about, and two of them slip and stumble about sometimes too, so i understand how you are feeling

Diane x

[Flaperoo]

Oh Sarah

You are probably right and it is nothing to worry about but if it was me I would probably take him to the vets and get him checked over, just to reassure myself.

Please give the gorgeous lad a big hug from me and Sal also sends lots of good thoughts for her old buddy

Maryxx

[julies]

I'm lucky cos I have a McTimoney chiro for a vet so get the best of all worlds ... I'd probably do vet first to check the lump and make sure they either take it off or do a fine needle aspiration then do McTimoney chiropractor to check if he's tweaked his neck or shoulder and just not picking his leg up properly if it's sore tho the lump could be a bit of muscle or similar he's torn/pulled and he just needs the chiro and rest ... all crossed for the lovely Noellie and hugs to you both.

Lucylu sends him big hugs too and says she'll happily come and nurse him if it'll make him feel better?

Love

Jools, Lucylu and Charlie xxxx

[sassbu]

Thanks for that, I'll pop him in the vets early in the week.

Sarah x

[jodav]

By coincidence one of my hounds, Paddy has a pea-sized lump in the gap below the ear and beside the jaw - he is 5 The temporary vet said he 'couldn't possibly say - a lump is a lump' and wouldn't be drawn, just bring him in for surgery and remove it, no fine needle aspiration, anaesthetics are safer now ... bla de bla etc etc etc. He also advised descaling the teeth which he thought more of a worry than the lump! Anyway, I've been measuring the size of the lump and it is definitely getting smaller and cleaning his teeth everyday (they look better) and monitoring for a week before deciding.

I would always advise getting the advice of a vet that you trust but also trust your instinct - you know your hound best also lots of healthy thoughts for Noel.

Jo

[elmuervo]

Oh Sarah, I so hope for you and Noel that it's just a little bunch of random coincidences coming all at once


Twirly's got a little lump where her neck fur peaks from different directions, too. Our vet thinks it's nothing but it's very obvious because there's a 'bump' in the outline of her line of standy-up hair (do you know what I mean? )


Jo
x

[sassbu]

Yes it's right under that join further down from his left ear, I rub his neck lots cos it makes his teeth chatter so I know it hasn't been there til recently, it's hard and doesn't move under the skin. Could be coincidental and also incidental but just concerned me that his leg under the same ear is being held up sometimes but only for a few steps.

The eating I'm not worried about, it's day 4 of boring old non-festive normal diet and he cleared his bowl both times today so am sure he was just not impressed with no special foods as he has been chasing OH round kitchen after a block of cheddar ;D

I'm sure it's nothing but things can advance so fast in dogs so will get him looked at.

Sarah x

[Emma]

Reassurance is what you need- and if it needs to come off, the sooner the better

I'm a fretter as far as the furries are concerned (I don't give a flip about myself ;D ), so I know where you're coming from

Emma x

[sammy13]

Sending him loads of hope its nothing thoughts Bracken & Nell also send him loads of love, especially Bracken

[Emma]

Forgive me for asking this, as I've not seen the lump but, it's not a tick is it? Only we found one on Dot's eyebrow on New Years Eve. I suppose the mild weather hasn't killed them off this year, and they come up very quickly

Sorry if it's a daft question, but you never know

Emma x

[sassbu]

I am embarrassed but lucky enough not to have seen a tick ever so i don't know!
It is however a lump under the fur and under the skin if that helps

Just took him to the rugby pitch and he ran round like a loon as normal but came back trotting on it but not fully weight bearing on that front left leg. I've had another good look, can't see anything in his pads and he's happy enough to let me poke and prod his foot, can't feel anything in his leg either

So ringing for appointment when vets open in morning

Thanks for thinking of him

Sarah x

[julies]

All crossed Sarah Like everyone says we worrying so much about these dratted dogs its worth just having him checked over to put your mind at rest Sending you and him big hugs and I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.

J xx

[jodav]

Sarah I really hope the vet puts your mind at rest The vet I saw seemed to be a 'knife-man' no investigation offered - just wondering if this is common policy all over the country? I'm torn between putting Paddy through an anaesthetic for a lump which is decreasing in size and waiting.

[sassbu]

I have never had to test my vet thankfully but the senior vet at my local practice was a track vet so hopefully being more greyhound savvy than the average vet he might have some answers. If I hadn't been on this forum I probably wouldn't think much of the lump until it became big but with the hindsight of reading many many lump threads on here it's always shocking just how fast something nasty can develop in our dogs

I'll let you know....