Dog with lump on shoulder
I have a staffordshire bull terrier and she is 6 years old and all was well until after our walk one morning when I took off her walking harness and saw this huge lump on her back, just below her shoulder blades. It is the size of a golf ball and sticks out like a hump. It is soft and hard to the touch and moves around. What gets me, is that it popped up within half an hour. Before the walk there was nothing, then there it was. Can you give me an idea of what this could be? I am thinking of cancer, gland swelling, an abcess a bite or a bruise. Today is the third day and it is still there but not so round, it is a little harder and moves around more and a little more horizontal than rounder, if you know what I mean. She is in no pain, and eats and drinks well, and her urine and poo is normal. She plays and lays on her back to play with me, and lays on her back to sleep as well with the lump and so I know that it is not painful. Anyway, she hates going to the vet and if I can avoid it I will. The stress it puts on her nearly just about kills her. She stops at the door and goes the other way with all her might! I have to walk with her out of the vet's office until the vet is ready for her and then carry her in. Then she is just totally stressed out and when we get home she just lies there for ages calming down. Please, any advise is appreciated. If it is cancer I will not take her to the vet because they will start cutting, etc and she would be on her way to death anyway. It is too big for them to do surgery so, I don't know anymore. |
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Dog with problems walking
When I came home from work yesterday, Sparrow(6yo female neutered mix breed), who stays in my basement with access to the crawl space under the house, was having trouble going up the stairs. She seemed sick - hot nose & depressed. She has a knot midway up her tail about the size of a quarter. Her hindquarters are slightly swollen and tender. Her behind was dirty with dust, some fecal matter, and little black dots that looked like flea eggs (she doesn't have fleas - she's on med from the vet.) It seemed she had been dragging her bottom on the ground. My gut feeling is that she may have been bitten by a spider or god forbid a snake (in my basement?!!) but I'm also worried that she's hurt her back. She can still walk - even jump on the bed - but she is not moving correctly. She is still eating and drinking. She's not any worse this morning, but no better. She's not limping, but she acts stiff - is not moving her hind legs with ease, but I don't see where they look out of whack. For example, when she goes up steps, she just goes one step at a time, very slowly and carefully when she usually bounds & skips steps. It doesn't look like she's knuckling over, and her feet and legs look normal. Another thought after babying her this morning - she has had trouble in the past with her anal glands being blocked. Usually I try to massage & expel them when I bathe her. I haven't noticed her dragging her butt, which usually happens when her glands are filled and need expelling, but is it possible this could be the problem? Or constipation?
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