My dog's aspirated mass is swollen, hard, painful. Vet says it's fine?

It is not very common to perform an aspirate on a large mass and get blood - clear fluid or just cells would be more common. If there are cancer cells present under the microscope then you have a diagnosis, but sometimes there are no cancer cells from an aspirate even though the mass is cancerous. There are many pain medications for dogs and their effectiveness depends on the condition being treated. Some examples include carprofen, tramadol and gabapentin. Each medication has pros and cons. Talk to your veterinarian if you think Otis is painful or his pain medication isn't helping.

Yes, you can do it (cold compress for 5minutes 3-4 times daily) and massage the leg gently from the paw to the body. An immediate check up is needed though as this could be due to an allergic reaction due to the tumor itself.

Its still possible that the mass is benign but with the change in size and now the irritation, I would recommend to have it checked out. The doctor may recommend to aspirate it or may just want to remove it. Make sure to keep it clean and make sure that Jake is not able to scratch at it. I hope this helps!

I think that’s a good idea to get it checked out. Anytime a mass changes, you should be concerned for cancer but hopefully it’s not that serious. Try to get her in as soon as you can. The doctor may need to aspirate that mass to get the diagnosis. If Katie will allow it, a cool (not cold) compress may also make it feel better. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thank you for getting in touch with us. I totally understand your concerns, From the picture you are showing us, I would say that the bruising is excessive considering the small procedure. However mast cell tumours release substances that cause a lot of inflammation in the surrounding tissues, so this is what could have occurred to Sandy. I would recommend to have Sandy reassessed, if she is other ways well in herself, eating and drinking, tail wagging and comfortable you can make an appointment for tomorrow with your regular vets. If you are worried that she is unhappy, please take her in today. It would be best for you to see your own vet for continuity of care, because they have all Sandy's records and they did the procedure 36 hrs ago. Having said this, if you are not happy about the way your vets handle your concerns, I would go and see another vet. It would be interesting to know what medications is Sandy on. If you want to apply something just on the bruised area, Arnica is a natural but powerful ointment that helps a lot with bruising. I would not apply it where the dressing is. You just need to massage it gently so that it gets absorbed into the skin, 2-3 times a day. It is sold at the chemist under the name Arnicare cream. Also Lymph nodes in the area are quite deep, so I am thinking that maybe you are feeling something else ? Good luck, please get in touch if more advice is needed.

I think cancerous spreading is going to be very unlikely and the lump is possibly bigger due to swelling (the fine needle aspiration can cause inflammation) and possibly small haemorrage. The risk of seeding cancerous cells is something I would not be worried about, especially on subcutaneous lumps.

I would recommend to take Atlas in to get that mass aspirated. Any red mass should always be checked as there is the concern for a malignant tumor called a Mast Cell Tumor. The aspiration will most likely be able to tell what kind of mass it is and if it needs to be removed. Do this sooner rather than later! Please post again if you have any further questions!