Lump removal ? microchip reaction

Caramac71

Caramac71

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I posted last week about whether to get a second opinion about a lump on my dog's back.

I had noticed a lump between his shoulder blades over Christmas. I took him to my local vet and he did needle aspirations; wasn't 100% certain he'd sampled the right area as the lump is very deep, but suggested monitoring and looking again in a month. End of January I took him back, again he aspirated the lump and cells looked normal. So his advice was to leave it alone, it was probably just a fatty lump.

Since then, the lump doesn't appear to have changed but it's been at the back of my mind, so I decided to get a second opinion from an excellent vet I have used in the past. I took him in yesterday and vet instantly said it felt much harder than he would expect a fatty lump to feel. He asked if dog was microchipped (he is) and when he put a scanner by the lump it bleeped instantly.

He thinks the lump is a reaction to the microchip - he went on to tell me that in some cases a cancerous tumour grows around the microchip (although hopefully its just a granuloma) and if it were his dog he'd want it out and to know what we are dealing with.

So my beautiful Buster has gone in this morning for x-rays and probable lump removal, and I am anxiously awaiting the outcome. I'm guessing it'll be a while before we know what it is; which is worrying me more than the surgery itself.

Stupidly I googled and I've worried myself silly now, although I'm trying to remind myself that the microchip has been there for 6 1/2 years and the lump hasn't changed in the last 3 months since I found it.

Pointless post really but all the time I'm posting on here, I'm not reading horror stories on the internet!
 
Clodagh said:
Never google health problems! I hope you soon have some good news.
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I know, but I can't seem to help myself. Dog is back home, looking very sorry for himself. Vet is hopeful the lump is harmless but has sent off to the lab. It had grown around the microchip so the chip has been removed and vet recommends not to rechip.
 
I agree, never google! You make yourself sick over what you read.

I'm glad you went for the second opinion. The microchip crossed my mind at the time.

Hope all goes well x
 
Thank you for the kind thoughts. Biopsy results came back today and it's harmless (phew!). Wound is healing nicely, Buster is being a good patient so I guess I can stop worrying now!
 
Thats a relief. Leaving and seeing if it grew was never an option and I agree with what you did, as its obviously risky to re-chip have you considered having an ear tattoo .
 
Dobiegirl said:
Thats a relief. Leaving and seeing if it grew was never an option and I agree with what you did, as its obviously risky to re-chip have you considered having an ear tattoo .
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My vet has advised not to re-chip and I have a friend who tattoos so she has put my dog on her list for the next clinic. However, I understand it may be a problem when compulsory chipping is introduced next year. Vet says he will write to exempt him as he's had a severe reaction, but friend suspects as lump was harmless they may well insist he has to be chipped. We will have to wait and see next year but I won't be letting anyone chip him without a fight!
 
Good news that the lump was nothing nasty. I am really annoyed that tattoos aren't going to be recognised as identification as well as chips from next year. Although my younger bitch is both chipped and tattooed her dam is only tattooed. I really don't see why I should have her chipped just because someone in government says chips are the only indentification to be used, particularly as we all know the ones whose dogs cause trouble probably won't bother with chipping, tattooing or anything else.
 
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