Any thoughts on this weird growth on my dog?

wearyexplorer

My dog is 11 years old and a Border Collie cross (with what exactly I'm not sure as we got her from rescue centre years ago).

I noticed recently on one of her legs a weird sort of growth. As far as I recall she has had this for a few years, but it has definitely changed in the last month or so. Should I take her to the vet? Has anyone's dog had something similar before? It doesn't look like a tick and seems to be growing out of skin. Money is tight but I don't want to risk her health for the sake of 50 quid. She was at the vet previously in October for a check-up.

Also, here is a picture showing off just how cool she really is

Thanks for any insights.

Meemars

Cool Dog, alright!
That looks just like 2 lumps we had removed from our dog, first about 4 years ago. She's about 11 now, a Lab/CollieX, also a rescue.
The first time, I thought it was a tick at first, on her shoulder, but it wasn't and stayed there about a year. I brought her to the vet for other fatty lump removals, and they took this one off too. Vet said it was full of cells and hair and was rotten with icky-ness. Definitely better off without it, although it wasn't dangerous, or cancerous.
Second time we removed it because it was in a place where she could get at it with her teeth, so it started to bleed and ulcerate.
Maybe ask your vet to test it, just in case.

aonb

As you say OP, why take a chance - as they age, dogs can get lumps that are often just fatty or warts etc. Cant really see, but if its not a tick, looks like a wart? If its nothing to worry about, the vet might just leave it there, but the concerns might be that as Meemars pointed out, might bleed or ulcerate. One of our horses had something similar, and we had to have it surgically removed as it started to get banged and bleed. Save your cash and take her along when you can afford it. Shes a beauty!

wearyexplorer

Went to vet and turned out it was just a wort. The poor thing has cataracts though Lucky we brought her in as her teeth needed attending to and her glands needed a draining (shudder). They knocked her out (and removed wort while they were at it). Fairly upset at the cataracts as nothing they can do, and it is unclear how bad they are. Guess it's part of getting older but it saddens me. Her glucose levels were also quite high (decided to get some bloods done too), so we are changing her diet and back in a month for a fasting test. She also needed a top-up vaccine. Total bill? 390 euro (We got some better food too)! Ah well, I'm still glad we got her checked out.

aonb

wearyexplorer wrote: »

Went to vet and turned out it was just a wort. The poor thing has cataracts though Lucky we brought her in as her teeth needed attending to and her glands needed a draining (shudder). They knocked her out (and removed wort while they were at it). Fairly upset at the cataracts as nothing they can do, and it is unclear how bad they are. Guess it's part of getting older but it saddens me. Her glucose levels were also quite high (decided to get some bloods done too), so we are changing her diet and back in a month for a fasting test. She also needed a top-up vaccine. Total bill? 390 euro (We got some better food too)! Ah well, I'm still glad we got her checked out.

wow, total maintenance overhaul then. Poor girl, but she will feel better. To keep her glands clear, you could give her a raw chicken wing, once/twice a week. Try not to worry about her cataracts, my old guys had them for years, and didnt really bother them at all - but then they were physically slowing down, so no mad walks etc. Dogs are very adaptable, with loss of sight, they can compensate with smell/hearing.

wearyexplorer

aonb wrote: »

wow, total maintenance overhaul then. Poor girl, but she will feel better. To keep her glands clear, you could give her a raw chicken wing, once/twice a week. Try not to worry about her cataracts, my old guys had them for years, and didnt really bother them at all - but then they were physically slowing down, so no mad walks etc. Dogs are very adaptable, with loss of sight, they can compensate with smell/hearing.

Thanks for the kind words. It's tough to see, she had been hesitating at the top of the stiars for awhile, and now it is more evident than ever. But she is still her happy self. A raw chicken bone? Interesting! Hadn't heard that one before - you find it works?

cocker5

wearyexplorer wrote: »

Thanks for the kind words. It's tough to see, she had been hesitating at the top of the stiars for awhile, and now it is more evident than ever. But she is still her happy self. A raw chicken bone? Interesting! Hadn't heard that one before - you find it works?

raw chicken bones are great for keeping the anal glands clear. another alternative is sprinkle some "all bran" Twigs in her food a few days a week (no milk) this also helps keep them clear. the higher the fiber the better for her glands! Hope your dog is doing ok X

aonb

The old dogs are such a worry, but you love them twice as much. If she is hesitating at the TOP of the stairs - is she fine once she actually is on the way down? I kept a very thick towel on the second step of our stairs for my old boy - the first 'jump' was his problem - the thick towel sort of cushioned his first step, and he was fine after that.

Alternatively you could install a stair-master - you know shes worth it:
http://www.oconnorcarrollstairlifts.ie/product/general-information/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwnIm7BRDSs42KxLS8-6YBEiQAfDWP6KW5E5N8yCw48tiW3W-d7dzeKayLlo3taQO00TNA1h0aAp4-8P8HAQ

And yes, with all of our dogs down through the years, a RAW chicken wing (think the wing being smaller/tinier bones is better Boardsies??) once or twice a week (even frozen) Ive never had to have any dogs anal glands expressed

Gael23

I'm a bit late on this but those things are almost always warts and once they don't grow are only are harmless. Sometimes they bleed but that's all. We got them removed for that reason because he was brushing blood into walls etc.
There is nothing can be done about cataracts but sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone. Our guy had something like glaucoma and his vision did get quite poor but he had a pretty good quality of life until a couple of days before he died age 15

Millem

Dogs cope well when they have cataracts. Our old dog had them and we got them removed. She could see a bit with cataracts. We didn't know she had them until we saw her eyes look funny compared to our other dogs in a photograph! She ended up developing glaucoma very shorty afterwards so completely lost her sight.

She always needed to watched when out for a walk even on the lead as she would bang into pillars and walls. She did not like going down curbs and would hit her face on outdoor steps In the house she was brill the way she remembered where everything was. Just don't move furniture around!

wearyexplorer

aonb wrote: »

The old dogs are such a worry, but you love them twice as much. If she is hesitating at the TOP of the stairs - is she fine once she actually is on the way down? I kept a very thick towel on the second step of our stairs for my old boy - the first 'jump' was his problem - the thick towel sort of cushioned his first step, and he was fine after that.

Alternatively you could install a stair-master - you know shes worth it:
http://www.oconnorcarrollstairlifts.ie/product/general-information/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwnIm7BRDSs42KxLS8-6YBEiQAfDWP6KW5E5N8yCw48tiW3W-d7dzeKayLlo3taQO00TNA1h0aAp4-8P8HAQ

And yes, with all of our dogs down through the years, a RAW chicken wing (think the wing being smaller/tinier bones is better Boardsies??) once or twice a week (even frozen) Ive never had to have any dogs anal glands expressed

Might have to give the ole stair-master a go. I tried the towel thing, she practically fell down the stairs!!! (not your fault, just not for her).

wearyexplorer

Gael23 wrote: »

I'm a bit late on this but those things are almost always warts and once they don't grow are only are harmless. Sometimes they bleed but that's all. We got them removed for that reason because he was brushing blood into walls etc.
There is nothing can be done about cataracts but sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone. Our guy had something like glaucoma and his vision did get quite poor but he had a pretty good quality of life until a couple of days before he died age 15

Millem wrote: »

Dogs cope well when they have cataracts. Our old dog had them and we got them removed. She could see a bit with cataracts. We didn't know she had them until we saw her eyes look funny compared to our other dogs in a photograph! She ended up developing glaucoma very shorty afterwards so completely lost her sight.

She always needed to watched when out for a walk even on the lead as she would bang into pillars and walls. She did not like going down curbs and would hit her face on outdoor steps In the house she was brill the way she remembered where everything was. Just don't move furniture around!

Thanks folks, glad to hear life goes on. What's actually incredible since this happened is her energy. Multiple people have commented - she is bounding about the place, way more effectionate and interested in daily life - I suspect the glands/teeth were really getting her down - shame on us, we should have brought her in earlier (though I would say that a vet we say in October, who I shall never go back to, said everything was fine and she was in perfect health!).