[thanky0ujesus]

Hi, one of my six year old minpins had recently grown small fluid pockets under his skin. They are small and quite hard to notice. There are 2 or 3 of them and are on his underside on his lower chest. Should I be worried about this?

[Yogi]

Though likely that they are fatty tumors ( you can check to see if they move when you push them where a cancer tumor more likely does not move around) it is best to have a vet check to be sure.

[Mr. Vega]

Originally Posted by thanky0ujesus

Hi, one of my six year old minpins had recently grown small fluid pockets under his skin. They are small and quite hard to notice. There are 2 or 3 of them and are on his underside on his lower chest. Should I be worried about this?

What makes you say fluid? Do they behave like a water balloon would - as in can you feel fluid moving away from your finger as you press on each one?

Best plan? Probably go and have the vet do a fine needle aspirate of the lumps and bumps. It's the only way to know for sure --and, knowing for sure personally lets me sleep better at night. Why risk it?

[Mr. Vega]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Though likely that they are fatty tumors ( you can check to see if they move when you push them where a cancer tumor more likely does not move around) it is best to have a vet check to be sure.

Hey Yogi, just wanted to also let you know about the relationship between motility and fatty tumors/lipomas. Since I won't be a vet for another year or so, I am no expert. But, I do have the advantage in that I have access to oncologists all over our small animal hospital and it just so happens I had this exact conversation with a few of them. It is agreed upon by small animal internal medicine specialists and small animal oncologists that palpation alone is never an acceptable means of identifying tumors. So, you're thinking ok they can just do a quick needle aspirate right? Well, that's what I thought anyway. Well turns out that's also not enough. The oncologists all around the country keep getting dogs in that vets had done quick aspirates and assumed Lipoma without doing a stain to identify cells that they aspirated. They've been seeing an increasing amount of tumors that also had fat in/around them but in fact were NOT just regular old fatty lipomas. I believe I one had said many had turned out to be hemangiosarcomas = BAD BAD BAD!

[thanky0ujesus]

I assume it's fluid because it's not very firm. kinda moves around like a blister would on your hand or foot or something.

I should say though that the father of these two minpins died of some kind of bloating. I am waiting for a response from the owner as to what exactly it was diagnosed with. The condition basically caused him to swell up with fluid all up through the neck and underside. I'm hoping this isn't a case of genetics and that it's not the same problem he had.

[Yogi]

Originally Posted by Mr. Vega

Hey Yogi, just wanted to also let you know about the relationship between motility and fatty tumors/lipomas. Since I won't be a vet for another year or so, I am no expert. But, I do have the advantage in that I have access to oncologists all over our small animal hospital and it just so happens I had this exact conversation with a few of them. It is agreed upon by small animal internal medicine specialists and small animal oncologists that palpation alone is never an acceptable means of identifying tumors. So, you're thinking ok they can just do a quick needle aspirate right? Well, that's what I thought anyway. Well turns out that's also not enough. The oncologists all around the country keep getting dogs in that vets had done quick aspirates and assumed Lipoma without doing a stain to identify cells that they aspirated. They've been seeing an increasing amount of tumors that also had fat in/around them but in fact were NOT just regular old fatty lipomas. I believe I one had said many had turned out to be hemangiosarcomas = BAD BAD BAD!

Roughly the idea is to pinch the growth and see if it moves around under the skin, if so then generally it is a fatty tumor. If it does not than more likely a cancer growth but in either case as my post noted, take the dog to the vet to be sure.

[thanky0ujesus]

it is definitely fluid. i'll be bringing him in and will keep you guys posted. thank you all for your replies.