Swollen lymph node

[Jenko109]

So my whippet has one swollen lymph node in his neck.

Ran bloods and fine needle aspirate. Inconclusive. No signs of infection. No signs of lymphoma although results of fine aspirate are never 100%.

Told it's a reactive lymph node. Highly unlikely to be lymphoma. Wait a few weeks and see if it self resolves.

So it's been a few weeks and is exactly the same.

He is perfectly fine in himself.

So I guess it's back to the vets for a biopsy. Or maybe they will want to remove it. I'm not sure.

But what on earth else could it be!? Can dogs just get an enlarged lymph node for no reason?

 

[Clodagh]

I’ve no idea, sorry. I had a lurcher who used to get enlarged glands inside her hind legs but they always just went down again.
What a worry.

 

[Jenko109]

So we went back and were given 2 weeks of steroids.

I was immediately a bit uneasy about it.

I've since spoken to the specialist at the hospital who treated him for meningitis and she felt steroids was the wrong course of action and given he has good bloodwork, nothing to report from the fine needle aspirate and is absolutely fine in himself, then just monitoring it would be the best course of action if it isnt bothering him.

Given her level of experience is going to far surpass that of my local GP vets and my immediate unease at being prescribed steroids, I'm going to take her advice, refrain from giving him the steroids and just see how we get on.

 

[Beowolf]

Interested to hear how you got on,as actually I have a dog who has had just the one on one side markedly swollen for her entire life, with absolutely no ill effects whatsoever apart from worrying her owner!

 

[Jenko109]

Interested to hear how you got on,as actually I have a dog who has had just the one on one side markedly swollen for her entire life, with absolutely no ill effects whatsoever apart from worrying her owner!

Well this is interesting and reassuring to hear.

He is in perfect health otherwise so I am hoping that nothing will ever come of it.