This morning when I was towelling dry my 8 year old I noticed she had a lump near one of her nipples.  Now she has really dried off I have investigated further - she has a swelling less than the size of a golf ball under one nipple and the nipple is oozing a darkish brown watery liquid.  She had really bad mastitis after her last litter 16 months ago and I've been waiting for her to come into season (due Sept and usually very reliable) before getting her spayed.
This must have come up overnight as I've been having to towel them dry every day now for weeks so surely would have noticed it before.
I am also a bit worried as she has always been a big girl and over the past few months I thought I've been doing well to get her weight down a bit - but I'm suddenly very anxious!
Made appointment to see vet this afternoon....

I have no experience of mammary tumours myself but wanted you to know that I am thinking of you both and wishing you a good outcome from the vets. A couple of friends within the breed have experienced this so if there is anything specific you want to know, I can ask.
Fingers crossed, you must be so worried.

Thanks Karen.  Vet thinks it may just be mastitis - I'm not so sure as she was last in season Jan/Feb and overdue for next one.  It measures 5x3cm.  She is on high dose antibiotics and anti inflammatories and we go back on Thursday to see if there is any change. 
She did say that if it was cancerous it would be more virilant if it was oozing from the mass.  Another few days of worry before any answers.  It will be hard not to look at it constantly and willing it to shrink.

Fingers crossed -  I know how much of a worry it is, esp when they get to that sort if age

keep us updated

To be honest doesn't sound like a mammary tumour but an infected gland.  this happened to a Friends bitch and the whole breast exploded and gradually healed when the rotten tissue was cut away.

Hopefully it won't be as extreme.

this happened to a Friends bitch and the whole breast exploded and gradually healed when the rotten tissue was cut away

ugh that sounds gross....but so much better than the prospect of a tumor :/

She had mastitis after her last litter in July 08 when a huge area turned black and opened up - it healed quite quickly actually and amazingly has no scars etc.
Hope it is an infected gland - she's on antibiotics now so should see an improvement within a couple of days hopefully.  It must have only come up last night - which may point to infection, as I said earlier, having to towel dry the worst off every day  after hosing down, I have been rubbing her tum regularly, so hopefully I've caught it in time so won't be too bad.
These dogs......

Finding it very hard not to keep looking/feeling lump but have been very good.  This morning when drying her, I had difficulty in finding it!  It is smaller than Monday so perhaps and infected gland is the problem - hoping its even smaller when we go back to vet tomorrow.

that sounds promising :) hope it's soon gone altogether ;)

Agree with Barbara.  It doesn't sound like a typical tumour to me.

She has been back to the vet twice now.  Lump did reduce in size slightly but I think it is now as big again.  She is continuing with antibiotics and having it removed on Thursday.  Vet thinks she can also feel another smaller lump on the next mammary gland.  She will be having a chest x-ray before they do anything - very anxious time ahead for us.

Update;- due to xray plate breaking, Christmas and giving the antibiotics more time she didn't have her op until last Tuesday.  They removed the lump and spayed her at the same time. It has been an anxious wait for the results and they are now back.  She did indeed have a mammary tumour and outcome uncertain.  I spoke to vet nurse who gave me results etc and will speak in depth more to the vet on Monday when her stitches come out.
From what nurse told me I gather that it is a question of time when another lump will appear, could be weeks, months or years.  I have to keep a check on her other mammary glands and also lymph glands.
Not the best start to 2010....

So very sorry to hear your unwelcome news.  Sending hugs  {{{{  HUGS  }}}}

> I gather that it is a question of time when another lump will appear, could be weeks, months or years.  I have to keep a check on her other mammary glands and also lymph glands.
>

That would be the standard advice if the tumour is malignant, doesn't mean she won't live a happy long life, with you keeping an eye out for anything recurring.

Ells-Bells. As you know my dog has also had a mammary tumour removed last Monday. Went to vet this am for check on wound. He was quite optimistic about it and hopefully should be ok, but like you I will have to keep a regular check in case further lumps appear. Her stitches are due out next Thursday. Looks like we are in the same boat!!

Thank you Jean - have given some of the hugs to Ells

Hi, did you have a biopsy first or have you had the results back already?  I will be pleased to speak to vet again on Monday for further advice but in the meantime Ellie is doing really well - not bothering her stitches at all and really wants to go out and play in the snow with the others but can only do lead walking at the moment.
Its good to know I'm going through this with someone else - its my first experience of a tumour but don't want to be too paranoid about it either.

Have not had results of biopsy, will probably get them next Thursday when she has stitches out. She is absolutely fine and loves the snow, though as she is 10 doesn`t want to play or run around, so I have let her off the lead unless another dog is around because she is inclined to rush up to dogs just wanting to say hello!!  Dogs are amazingly stoic, don`t you think.  Will be thinking of you Monday.

Thank you. Yes, they are amazing. Ells hasn't bothered about her wounds at all and apart from being a little dopey for a day or so you wouldn't know she'd had surgery.  She is lively and 'talking' again as usual.  I think she's a bit frustrated at not being able to go out in the snow with the others, but come Monday she can have a bit more freedom to do as she pleases. 

Hope you got on ok at vets yesterday - was it a benign tumour?

Apparently it was a grade 2 tumour,  no further treatment necessary, just to watch for any further lumps and immediate removal if there are more. The vet seems to think she will be ok. How did you get on last Monday?

Very much the same really.  I'm taking her back in 4 weeks so he can have a good feel around including lymph nodes so we have a base line on what she's like now and so will hopefully notice any changes quickly.  He said he had taken good margins around tumour so hopefully it will be fine - time will tell, I suppose.

So it seems like we both have to keep checking our dogs for the unforeseeable future.    It`s quite a worry really. My vet didn`t suggest taking her back for lymph glands check, but she is due her yearly jab soon so will ask him then.  Will be in touch with you again in 4 weeks.

Just realised I wrote unforeseeable, I think it should be foreseeable.