I forgot to add that it measures 2 inches long by 1 inch wide, and stands up probably 3/4 inch.

I've never seen anything like that, looks like some kind of a tumor. I imagine it must really be bothering her. Does it seem to be getting larger?

Yes, I first noticed it probably a month ago and it was small. I thought it was maybe a skin tag or a hot spot of sorts and forgot about it. It's grown quite a bit and I suspect it's the cause of the pacing.

We just lost both our cat and our hamster two weeks ago. I sure hope this is nothing serious.

I don't want to frighten you, but are you aware that Goldens are genetically predisposed to cancer? It's good that you're getting it checked out very soon.

I wish you the best possible outcome.

Laurie

Laurie,
I'd rather be prematurely alarmed than walk into the vet's thinking it's nothing. Does it look like something you've seen before? I tried to do some online research, but frankly looking at pictures of abscesses and growths isn't very appealing and I couldn't do it for long before I had to stop.

I touched it this morning and it feels sort of rubbery hard. It looks like it's just a skin sack, but it feels more solid underneath.

No, I'm sorry, but that doesn't look like any of the tumors I've seen on my animals. There are just so many different types of growths, some malignant, some benign. Your vet will probably have a gut instinct about it, but a biopsy will give you a definitive diagnosis. Frankly, I'd insist on the biopsy even if your vet is sure (s)he knows what it is. I lost a dog to cancer after my vet misdiagnosed it as a skin disorder months earlier. He also misdiagnosed another probable cancer as a skin allergy. And this is a vet who I believe to be fairly skillful.

Laurie

Thanks. This is the only dog I've owned as an adult and she's been healthy up to this point so I'm feeling a little out of my element here.

Sending tons of white light to you. Let us know what it the vet says it is.
I'd probably run down to the 24 hour clinic if you have one in your town because I don't think I could sleep until I knew what it was.

No 24 hour vet. Must wait until Wednesday.

I know this is a random question with no possibility of anything other than random answers, but do you think this could be serious?

Yes, it could be serious.

*sigh* Thanks.

If you call your vet tomorrow and explain you have an emergency, you'd still have to wait until Wednesday to bring your dog in?

I mentioned I had first noticed it a month ago. I'm thinking one more day is not going to change the situation much?

sending positive thoughts for your furbaby.

It sure looks like a small version of some of the tumors I've seen on dogs on TV on shows like the Animal Police. Gross! Get ye to thine vet!

Did you tell the receptionist that you would like to have it removed or at least have a biopsy taken? Since you have to wait, why wait again?

Your poor baby :( I hope and pray that it is something benign and all is well soon enough. It does look pretty angry, whatever it is.

Best of luck, I'll be thinking of you.

Thank you, everyone. I'll let you know how it goes.

I hope everything turns out to be fine, you are both in my thoughts. Keep us updated on what you find out.

Sending my best thoughts and wishes. Let us know what the results are.

Hope your pup will be fine...

How did the vet visit go?

Please let us know what the Vet said.

Any news about your pup?

Thanks for caring, everyone. Her bloodwork all came back normal and the vet seems to think it's some sort of non-threatening skin tag-type thing. If that's the case it's the biggest skin tag I've ever seen. Anyway, she recommended removal but wanted to get the bloodwork back first. We need to get the removal scheduled.

Are you going to request that the growth be sent to a pathology lab for testing to make sure it's benign?

Yes, we'll have it sent to pathology.

If your blood work comes back showing the tumor to be a mast-cell, don't let your regular vet do the surgery. These tumors send out webs of tissue that can involve muscle, joints and organs. Only a vet specializing in this disease has a chance of being able to excise all surrounding tissue.
Our Lab went in for a tumor on her side and afterward the vet 'apolpgised' for not being able to get all the surrounding area. She then recommended taking the dog to a specialist. Two surgeries for a 13 year old...I don't think so.
I don't know if the specialist could have done better, but I would have felt like we had given it our best shot. Had I known then I would have had her re-examined by the cancer doc.
By the way, that was two years ago and the tumor came back, along with others. Amazingly, they don't seem to be really painful and her quality of life is better without the risk involved with more surgery attempts.

At least your vet apologized Yakker2. After 15 years of doing business with 8 different vets, spending thousands and having numerous screw ups, I never got one. The vet I currently have apologized for something completely out of her control.

SG