What’s this lump?

My Labrador has a small pink lump on her chest. She is four and in good health. My vet wants to remove it with “a wide margin” — what do you think?

Neil says: I would do the same. This seemingly innocuous mass may well be a mast cell tumour. We refer to them as the “masters of disguise” as they have a variable appearance being either soft or hard, in the skin or under the skin. A grading system is used to determine their malignancy. Grade 1 tumours have a good prognosis, if they are completely excised. Grade 2 may spread or recur at the surgical site, and only 10 per cent of patients are still alive one year after a Grade 3 diagnosis. Mast cell tumours should be handled with great care, as trauma to the cells will cause them to release histamine, resulting in swelling and tissue damage.

The good news is that your dog’s mass is at a site where removal with “a wide margin” — in other words, additional excision of “normal skin” surrounding the mass — should be readily achieved. Thereafter, regularly checking for further lesions is recommended.

Don’t hang about. Get her booked in for surgery.