"Lumpy" Labs

[CabinBoy]

I've got a male Yellow Lab who will turn 9 this month. Over the last 1 1/2 yrs. he has started to develop several small lumps on himself - the biggest one is the size of a golf ball. This is my second lab and my second experience with these pesky lumps. The vet keeps telling me that they are probably just fatty tumors and as long as they don't seem to be bothering the dog, just let them be, but keep an eye on them just in case they would get unusually large. Both labs have been house dogs and have been "babied" to say the least and are very well taken care of, so I'm just wondering what causes these lumps? Curious to see what you other lab owners have encountered with these and what you have been told by your vets. As far as I can tell, they don't seem to bother the dog physically, as my first lab lived to be
15 1/2 yrs. old. They just look and feel awful! Thanks!

[cliffy]

We had a female black lab that had the same problem. We had the lumps removed twice but new ones grew. The vet said the same thing....just fatty tumors of some sort. He couldnt really provide an answer as to why she got them. They did not really seem to cause her any discomfort or pain so we just let them go.....

We put her down this past October due to over all health problems....she was 16 1/2 years old. Sure was a tough day...miss her much.

[CabinBoy]

For sure cliffy, it's one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make putting my lab down - not something you want to go through twice, but it's hard to live without a lab!

[cliffy]

I agree with you 100 percent! I would love to get another one...but I dont know if I can go through that again....she was my first dog. I couldnt have asked for a better buddy. Anyway, I hope things work out with your dog's situation.

[ChuckN]

Yep, my 5 year old lab had a mass tumor on the back of his rear leg. It was impossible to see. When I did find it the skin wore away when he kept sitting on top of the lump, and it was an open wound. The vet wanted to operate immediately and it turned out to be benign. It was a long healing process too.

[luckyc]

Same here, my Lucky was a black lab/springer mix, one lump was the size of my fist and many smaller ones. The vet said they were just fatty tumors, but if you found one that seemed attached that you couldn't moved around, it was time to get a biopsy taken. He lived with them for eight years to 16 1/2, no problem. One of the sadest days in my life when he left us. Wife said no more dogs, so I'm looking for a black lab now, only one though, no more.

[bigdog]

My labs have been prone to the same lumps and
most were just fatty tumors and nothing to be concerned with. However, keep a close eye on them as Mass Cell tumors can look the same way.