Fatty cysts

Welches · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:45 pm Post subject: Fatty cysts

My 8 year old has several fatty cysts under the skin. I'm sure if he were a long hair dog, you wouldn't even notice them. I'd say he has about 12 of them. Each time I see a new one, we go to the vet to aspirate it with a needle, to make sure they are fatty cysts. So far, so good. They are all about the size of a flat marble and they are just under the skin. Tonight I just found another one, so it's off to the vet once again. Rolling Eyes

Once I find out it's just a fatty cyst, it's no big deal, but it's the thought that maybe this bump is different that really makes me worry. Once they come back okay, they don't bother me anymore. I've even started making a "Yukon map" so I know which ones have already been aspirated since he has so many. I'm just wondering if anyone else has this issue?

harpbonefran · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:55 pm Post subject:

I had that problem with my previous dog, a lab/border collie/doberman mix.

I used to keep track of them too but then the vet suggested surgery to remove them. BIG mistake! He was too old for such unnecessary surgery and it was terribly traumatic. I changed vets after that. The old vet scared me by talking about "pre-cancerous cysts" and I gave in. Never again! I think the map idea is a great one! Hopefully your vet is keeping good records too so they can keep track of the ones they've already checked.

But it is always better to have them checked out, since there was one on my dog that did turn out to be cancerous. It was removed (he was younger then and with a different vet in another city) and he was just fine. But I'm glad I didn't just assume it was another one of the fatty cysts.

CathyT · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:11 am Post subject:

Sheena had many, many fatty cysts. One was the size of a softball sticking out from her ribs. As she got older the more she got and it was a bit disturbing for some to see. Many times I was asked why we didn't have them removed but I would never have put her through that just so she would look better.

Welches · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:58 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone! I'm glad you told me about the one that was cancerous harpbonefran - I definitely won't assume it's just another cyst! Like I said, his are very small, about the size of a nickel, and mostly on his belly and under his "armpits". They don't bother me once I know they aren't cancerous, so I agree, I'd never have them removed for just cosmetic reasons. And luckily my vet agrees. He has a new one, but I'm waiting for my husband to get back on Friday to tell me if we've already aspirated it. For the life of me I can't remember and I haven't heard back from my old vet yet either.

eleanor · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 12:20 pm Post subject: cysts

My weim just started to get them this year. I went to the vet, and one was fat, and they couldn't tell with the other on her side. They suggested surgery, since they couldn't tell if it was cancer, or not. I thought I did the right thing by letting her have the surgery to remove the cyst. I was WRONG!!! It turned out to be fatty, which is great. However, it seems that weims are not so good with surgery. Mine sure wasn't! They said she bled a lot during the surgery, and some after the surgery. They wrapped her up tightly, and she started to bruise all over her stomach, and to her leg. It looked sooo bad! She also now has a lump bigger than before the surgery of scar tissue, and fluid. It is going down little by little, but it is still not pretty! I caution anyone against surgery for their weim unless it is life-or-death.
They think she might have a disorder called Von Willebrand's disease. It makes dogs bleed excessively. Anyone else have a similar problem?