My senior dog has new lumps. Are they cancer? How can I afford a vet?

Question

Hello. My beagle mix is 14yrs young and has a few bumps that have popped up in the past yr. 2 look like warts one keeps getting bigger as she bites at it, on her leg. And a fatty like bump on her rib that is movable under the skin. Is either poss cancer? I just lost my job and of course these are getting worse.

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

It always seems like things get really tough when you already have a lot to deal with, doesn't it? I'm sorry that you lost your job, and after I discuss the issues of your dog's lumps, I will give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. First off, the fatty like lump on her rib that is movable under the skin may simply be that, a lipoma. Those are benign and typically are not removed unless they are quite large or affect a dog's movement somehow. As for the lumps that keep getting bigger, those could either be benign tumors or malignant tumors. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would have your dog seen by a vet in the next couple of days to have all the lumps examined and diagnosed. To keep her from biting at those lumps, you can put an Ecollar on her to stop her from doing it. You can get one from a pet store. As for paying for a vet, can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets

My senior dog has new lumps. Are they cancer? How can I afford a vet?

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