# Hard Lump On Ribs



## Bruce the Springer (Sep 12, 2011)

I noticed the Saturday just gone that Bruce has a lump about an inch in diameter on his second from last rib on the left side.

Its solid almost bone like he is completely normal with in him self and the lump at this moment causes him absolutely no pain.

I took Bruce to the vets today and after her examination she said Bruce needs his ribs x-rayed to see whats going on before she can decide what it is and how we move on.

I did ask what she thought it might be and I got a few answers  at best nothing (but the lump sure isnt nothing) and at worst a bone tumor.

Bruce is booked for this Thursday for his x-rays, I was wondering if anyone had experienced similar with there pets and what the out come was ?

Bruce is 4 years old, he is up to date with his jabs and insured (£3000 I hope its enough)

Any help, advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks for reading !


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

Did you discuss a fine needle aspiration? (where they take a small biopsy) If it is a bone spur, it's an odd place and I'm not sure that x rays will help given that you'll only see a lump. 

I hope it can be easily resolved. £3000 vet cover should be loads: my dog had a tibia plateau levelling op for a snapped cruciate and it was £3000-huge operation.


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## JessiesGirl (May 8, 2010)

My guess is that the vet is going to recommend removing the lump and biopsying it. In some breeds, calcifications are fairly common and we've had a few dogs get these sorts of hard lumps that were just that and presented no threat once removed. 

In two of them, these lumps were on the body. In one, it was on a toe (in that case, the vet thinks the calcification actually grew around an ingrown hair on the foot.)

So while it's right to be concerned, try not to panic just yet as sometimes these lumps are relatively harmless and not a sign of more significant or chronic disease. Fingers crossed for you!


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## Bruce the Springer (Sep 12, 2011)

Hi cinammontoast thanks for the reply.

The lump is hard and not flesh or muscle like, she feels a fine needle aspiration would be a waist of time at this point.

A bone tumor would show up very clearly so its not hard to guess what she is thinking. 
:sad:


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

Bruce the Springer said:


> Hi cinammontoast thanks for the reply.
> 
> The lump it so hard and not flesh or muscle like she feels a fine needle aspiration would be a waist of time at this point.
> 
> ...


It can most likely all be removed of it's on a rib. Like JessiesGirl says, try not to panic!


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## Bruce the Springer (Sep 12, 2011)

Thank you both for the replys Paws crossed for this Thursday for the x-rays.


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## JessiesGirl (May 8, 2010)

Bruce the Springer said:


> Hi cinammontoast thanks for the reply.
> 
> The lump is hard and not flesh or muscle like, she feels a fine needle aspiration would be a waist of time at this point.
> 
> ...


"Thinking" in this case also means "ruling possibilities out". Yes, that means briefly entertaining the worst case scenario, but trying to rule that out doesn't mean your dog has already been diagnosed.

Believe me, I understand how frightening it is to have a dog (or a human) with an unexplained mass. But it sounds as though your vet is trying to get as good an undertanding of the situation as she can without doing anything invasive (like a surgery to remove the lump) before moving to the next step of actually removing the mass and then looking at it. While this multi-step approach unfortunately gives you a lot of time to worry, it's eaiser on your dog as it may prevent a surgery.

And yes, if it is a hard mass, it's tough to do a needle biopsy. Most vets would rather remove the whole thing and look at all of it, anyway.

I really do feel for you as the "not knowing" is often the hardest part of these situations in our pets. But try not to assume the worst!


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## JessiesGirl (May 8, 2010)

Any updates?


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