lumps

Your Pet: The Case of the Disappearing Lumps Bailey is a nine year old chow chow dog living with Martha and Glen in Goleta, CA. She is not sick and, in fact according to Martha, has never been sick a day in her life. Why then you might ask are we discussing Bailey today. Read on. About a year ago, Bailey developed multiple lumps in various areas on her body. She had some under her neck and in front of her shoulders and Martha recalls lumps somewhere on Bailey's back legs as well. About two weeks after Martha noticed the lumps, she could no longer find them. Apparently they disappeared. Never during the two weeks did Bailey seem to have a problem. Now, a year later, Bailey's lumps have returned. Bailey will need a visit to her veterinarian to determine just exactly what these lumps are all about but I have an idea of what might be going on and if I am right, she indeed needs help. I suspect the lumps that were described by Martha are likely lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are part of the lymph system which in turn is part of the immune system. Lymph nodes contain cells called lymphocytes and are interconnected to one another and to the blood vessel, termed vascular, system, via lymphatic vessels. These nodes occur in specific areas of the body both externally and internally. Externally, the more easily found nodes occur bilaterally in the neck just bellow the angle of the lower jaw, in front of the shoulders, in the arm pit or axillary area of the front limbs, in the inguinal area and behind the knee joints in the rear limbs. I suspect Martha had seen and/or felt these nodes on Bailey as they were enlarged a year ago, a condition we term peripheral lymphadenopathy, and again are as well. My concern for Bailey is that these enlarged lymph nodes may be indicative of a type of cancer called lymphoma. Then why, you might ask were these nodes enlarged a year ago, apparently went away, and now have returned? That is a very valid question. It is my theory that Bailey had lymphoma a year ago and it spontaneously went into remission only to return a year later. Lymphoma is the most common type of cancer that we see in dogs. It involves the lymph system, most commonly throughout the body, and can invade anywhere. Diagnosing lymphoma when the dog has peripherally palpable lymph nodes is a relatively straightforward process. The procedure most commonly used involves placing a needle attached to an empty syringe into individual lymph nodes and aspirating back some cells from the nodes into the needle. The aspirated material is then put onto microscope slides. These slides are sent to a specialist called a veterinary cytologist who will have the slides specially stained then microscopically examined. Lymphoma is diagnosed if the cells on the slides are predominately immature lymphocytes. Bailey needs to have this diagnostic procedure performed. As I mentioned, lymphoma is the most common cancer we see in our dog companions and as a result, we have the most experience treating this type of cancer. In the vast majority of cases of canine lymphoma, treatment is very successful at putting the lymphoma into remission. Realize however the remission does not mean cure. That fact notwithstanding, I have had cases of lymphoma in dogs that have been cured. With today's treatment protocols, a cure is far more common than in the past. Certainly, Bailey may not have lymphoma. There are other causes of peripheral lymphadenopathy including bacterial infections and fungal infections though these dogs usually have other signs pertaining to their underlying disease. Maybe Bailey's lumps aren't even lymph nodes. There is only one way to find out, all together now..........