Should I Be Concerned About These?

[Beth.]

I've just noticed some brown lumps/spots on Lotties tummy that have kind of come up all of a sudden - I noticed them last night... One is like a bit of a scab type thing, but i'm not sure if I should get them checked out (I'm such a worry wort!!!).

This is the one i'm a bit concerned about... from the above photos it's the one on the bottom left...

And this is the one above this and to the right alittle...

Sorry the photos are a bit blurry... has anyone seen these type of things before??? I should I be taking her in to get them checked??

Thanks everyone!!!!

[stormie]

Is the colour under the surface of the skin? The last one looks a bit red, sort of like a red bruise?

Other look like they have formed a crust which would be more like an infection which would also fit in with the sudden onset. Hard to tell from the pics but anything new that comes on suddenly, it isn't a bad idea to get it looked at.

Edited August 25, 2010 by stormie

[Beth.]

Is the colour under the surface of the skin? The last one looks a bit red, sort of like a red bruise?

I think, by the looks, that it's on top of the skin - there is one that is kind of a bit scabby??? hmmm...

[stormie]

Is the colour under the surface of the skin? The last one looks a bit red, sort of like a red bruise?

I think, by the looks, that it's on top of the skin - there is one that is kind of a bit scabby??? hmmm...

just edited my post.

[Beth.]

Is the colour under the surface of the skin? The last one looks a bit red, sort of like a red bruise?

Other look like they have formed a crust which would be more like an infection which would also fit in with the sudden onset. Hard to tell from the pics but anything new that comes on suddenly, it isn't a bad idea to get it looked at.

Yeah, thats what I was thinking that it might be an infection of some description?? Yeah, i think i'll pop into the vets this arv

[mokhahouse]

Is the colour under the surface of the skin? The last one looks a bit red, sort of like a red bruise?

Other look like they have formed a crust which would be more like an infection which would also fit in with the sudden onset. Hard to tell from the pics but anything new that comes on suddenly, it isn't a bad idea to get it looked at.

Yeah, thats what I was thinking that it might be an infection of some description?? Yeah, i think i'll pop into the vets this arv

Did you get to the vets. I am very curious what these are.

[Kirislin]

gee, if that was people skin you'd be saying they look like melanomas. I dont know if dogs get them though. I would be checking with a vet I think. I hope it's nothing.

[stormie]

They can get melanomas but not usually in those areas. They get another type of tumour, often from sunbaking, - Hemangiosarcoma.

[mokhahouse]

gee, if that was people skin you'd be saying they look like melanomas. I dont know if dogs get them though. I would be checking with a vet I think. I hope it's nothing.

I thought the same thing when I first saw the pics. I wasnt sure if dogs get melanomas. I wonder what they are.

[Diva]

They can get melanomas but not usually in those areas. They get another type of tumour, often from sunbaking, - Hemangiosarcoma.

Huh? Hemangiosarcomas are most often found on the spleen, the pericardium and the heart itself. I've never heard of sunbaking as a cause for them?

[stormie]

They can get melanomas but not usually in those areas. They get another type of tumour, often from sunbaking, - Hemangiosarcoma.

Huh? Hemangiosarcomas are most often found on the spleen, the pericardium and the heart itself. I've never heard of sunbaking as a cause for them?

TYPES OF HEMANGIOSARCOMA:***

There are three basics forms of Hemangiosarcoma: dermal (skin), hypodermal (under the skin), and visceral (splenic or cardiac). While the visceral form is most common, dermal and hypodermal have been recently studied in detail. Hemangiosarcoma is highly metastatic, and most forms of the disease are associated with a poor prognosis. The dermal form can potentially be cured with surgery alone, and many dogs may have a fair to excellent long-term prognosis. Dermal and Hypodermal Hemangiosarcoma account for 14% of all reported Hemangiosarcoma cases

DERMAL:

Dermal Hemangiosarcoma often appears as a dark to purple skin lesion, which may be raised and appear on non-haired areas like the abdomen. 30% of all dogs with dermal Hemangiosarcoma develop metastatic disease.

Cutaneous Hemangiosarcoma have been associated with ultraviolet light exposure in dogs and often arise on the ventral abdomen and prepuce, where the hair coat is sparse.

[Diva]

Sorry to go :D

Stormie,

is visceral hemangeosarcoma associated with uv exposure do you know, or just the other types?

I've only heard of the visceral type, which the bit you quoted says is the most common. I had a dog die of it, only diagnosed on necropsy, the tumour was on his heart. I'd be interested to know if sun exposure could have caused it. He was long coated and black, and didn't really sun bake much, but none of the research I did back then even raised the possibility of uv exposure as a cause. (His vet was useless, didn't even know what it was until he was dead)

[pixie_meg]

looks similar to a rash that started on oberons chest many months ago that got worse and the vet said it was flea allergy. Still don't know for sure if it was flea allergy, i thought it was more related to his heartworm chewable. he hasn't had it since but doesn't get many fleas.

[stormie]

Sorry to go :D

Stormie,

is visceral hemangeosarcoma associated with uv exposure do you know, or just the other types?

I've only heard of the visceral type, which the bit you quoted says is the most common. I had a dog die of it, only diagnosed on necropsy, the tumour was on his heart. I'd be interested to know if sun exposure could have caused it. He was long coated and black, and didn't really sun bake much, but none of the research I did back then even raised the possibility of uv exposure as a cause. (His vet was useless, didn't even know what it was until he was dead)

Nope, the ones you find internally would not be related to UV exposure. Unfortunately these tumours can grow and produce no symptoms until its too late. We recently had patient who was completely normal at night, but woke up unwell and had died within about 2 hours. He had one on his heart also that just ate away until a hole was suddenly made and the blood leaked out. We couldn't determine this until an autopsy either.

Sorry to hear about your boy ;)

[Diva]

Thanks. I was kind of hoping it might have been uv exposure - it's hard not knowing if anything you did or didn't do could have been the cause. Although I know that, as with people, sometimes these things just happen.

[Everythings Shiny]

Thanks. I was kind of hoping it might have been uv exposure - it's hard not knowing if anything you did or didn't do could have been the cause. Although I know that, as with people, sometimes these things just happen.

visceral hemangeosarcoma patients have a poor prognosis no matter what you do... they are such a nasty cancer and are so agressive... it's probably one of the worst canine cancers out there IMHO

Survival times vary with the location and stage of the tumor but, in general (with exception of dermal hemangiosarcomas), are quite short. Studies have shown survival times of 20-60 days following detection of the tumor, with a one year survival rate in less than 10% of patients.

Visceral Hemangiosarcoma accounts for 2% of all reported malignancies and up to 5% of all noncutaneous tumors in dogs. Although these numbers seem small, they have a significant impact on dogs, since this form of cancer kills. The spleen and the right atrium of the heart are the most common sites of occurrence of visceral Hemangiosarcoma. Dogs may have nonspecific signs such as lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss or more specific signs such as difficulty breathing, pallor, or abdominal fluid.

My boss says if you dog is lucky enough to get past the two months stage with this type of cancer, they are very lucky. There's nothing known that can prevent this which is the hardest part