Help... *sigh*

[amazincc]

So I've been dilligently checking Sepp for lumps and bumps every week (he has none), and when I noticed a small red spot on Fausts left back paw (on the inside) last week I figured it was maybe an insect bite... no big deal. I dabbed it w/some peroxide and kept it as clean as possible for a few days. There was no change in size or appearance, and it didn't seem to bother Faust, so...

I checked his foot again two or three nights ago and noticed that the bump had gotten a little bigger... more peroxide, cleaned his feet really well, decided to show it to the vet when we go for a check-up in two weeks.

Well... tonight Faust really needed a bath, and when I started drying his paws... holy $hit.
That *bump* seems to have exploded overnight, and is now huge enough to deserve its own name. It's feels like a hard mass, but it doesn't seem to hurt my poor baby chicken... I prodded and poked at it a little bit, and Faust didn't even flinch. He doesn't bother w/it at all, actually - no chewing, no licking, nothing. That's also one of the reasons I didn't pay closer attention and thought it wasn't anything serious... of course now I feel horrible.

Anyway - any idea what that thing could be???? It looks kind of "oozy" in the pics, but that's only from his bath... there's no discharge.
Do I wait 'til Monday to get him to the vet, or do I take him to the e-vet first thing in the morning? Do I put anything on it in the meantime?

The pics are kind of gross, but Faust really doesn't seem to be in pain when I touch it... he yawned and went back to sleep while I took the pics, but it's freaking me out a little (okay... a LOT).

[plebayo]

Maybe he's got a sliver or a seed stuck in it? That would be my best guess considering how angry it has gotten.

Personally, I think it's something that can probably wait until Monday. If there's something in there it might try to work itself out before then... The only thing the vet can do is aspirate it and look at the cells, if it's just pissed off tissue they might fish for something in it, or if it's some kind of a growth obviously find out what it is.

If you're uber worried it's something cancerous by all means go to the e-vet. I guess for me I'd just watch it for the next two days and get him in Monday for sure. It really looks like he could just have something festering in there - you could potentially try hot packing it and seeing if that would make it essentially come to a head.

[amazincc]

The fact that it doesn't bother/hurt him when I touch it is what worries me more than anything now... I'm pretty sure an infection of that size would hurt like hell, right???
Faust is an easy-going laid-back little dude, but still...

CRAP.

Thanks, Suzanne...

[plebayo]

The fact that it doesn't bother/hurt him when I touch it is what worries me more than anything now... I'm pretty sure an infection of that size would hurt like hell, right???
Faust is an easy-going laid-back little dude, but still...

CRAP.

Thanks, Suzanne...

It might... but I mean, he's a Pit Bull. He isn't supposed to be a weenie. I just googled like mast cell tumors on paws and that doesn't really look like one... not to rule it out. But I think it's strange that it's gotten so angry in just a few days.

Could be a spider bite or some kind of a sting too...

[plebayo]

Something similar:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f330/deedeedeegirl/Kona%2520Bear/CIMG4281.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.epettalk.com/forums/showthread.php%3F51961-Pics-of-The-Bear-s-Paw/page4&usg=__YFvEjnE8_V-phJfkcBhcMQGBCXA=&h=240&w=320&sz=81&hl=en&start=39&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=HlYHqG-bLa1ayM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfoxtail%2Bin%2Bpaw%26start%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1

I have to say it's definitely your call on whether or not to take him in right away. I think it just depends on how worried you feel.

[amazincc]

I googled, too... of course...
I read that certain tumors release histamins when poked and prodded... blah... blah... blah... and can then turn an *angry* color. It was more pinkish-looking before I decided to squeeze his paw/toe three ways from Sunday.

No, Faust certainly isn't a weenie... here's hoping for a bite, or a sting, or a sliver, or even an extra toe.

[Malli]

my first thought was a foreign body or foreign object as well...

If I were in your place and this were my dog, I would hot pack it or warm water soak it for 5 mins 2-3 times daily, and make an apt on monday.

[pitsnok]

Looks identical to a hystiocytoma Harlow had on her leg about a year ago. She took antibiotics for it. The vet wanted to remove it to be sure, but luckily it went away before we got to that. It seemed to appear overnight and she had it for a few months. The vet told us it is just something younger dogs get, although isn't often seen on bullies.

[BullyLady]

I've only seen a few hystiocytomas, but they looked kind of like that. That was my first thought. Could be a chickweed or something too, but...... that's really large for a foreign body puss pocket, I would think it would have ruptured by now if that's what it was.

I agree with Mal, hot pack it and make a non emergent appointment for Monday.

[pitbullmamaliz]

I've got nothing useful, but ouch. Here's sending lots of good thoughts!

[Marinepits]

My vote is for hystiocytoma, too. Every one of my crew has had at least one (Indy had multiples ) and almost all of them resolved by themselves. Indy and Katy each had one removed -- Indy's was between his toes and never healed because it was constantly irritated, and Katy's was on her shoulder and got HUGE.

[TheRedQueen]

Yeah...it doesn't look nasty like Rip's bad lump did...it looks more like the hystiocytoma that my basset had.

[amazincc]

Thanks, everyone...

I called the e-vet this morning and spoke to a vet tech, and she basically told me the same thing... unless Faust is in severe distress (pain, fever, vomiting, etc.) I should just wait 'til Monday and take him to our regular vet.
I looked up hystiocytoma and found a picture of one that looks exactly like the thing on Fausts toe. I guess we won't know for sure until they do a biopsy...???
I already patted him down today to check for other lumps, and he thought I was ...

[Pit♥bull]

Just in case

[mnp13]

That looks 100% exactly like the thing that Riggs gets between his toes every so often.

When he gets it the vet tells me to soak his foot in a bucket of warm salt water for 20 minutes two or three times a day. The vet tells me, but Riggs doesn't exactly go along with that idea,

So, I soak a towel in warm salt water and wrap his foot up, and we sit on the floor and hang out. It's usually almost gone after a few soaks.

Cleo got one once, the vet sliced it open with a scalpel and she actually sighed in relief. My dad said he expected her to eat the guy... (he just picked up the blade and cut her, no prep OUCH!)

Connor lets me put his foot in a bowl, because Connor is good.

[iluvk9]

I have nothing medical to add, just a big HUG to Faust.

And one for you.

[HappyChick]

Tell Faust his little sister is sending good vibes to him (all the rest of us are sending them too!)...Don't worry too much, Faust will be just fine!

I've seen something similiar on one of my dogs. It came up fast, but went away on it's own.

[madremissy]

Sending good thoughts for Faust. (off to google histocytoma)

[hugapitbull]

How is the owie this morning?

[dlynne1123]

Is Faust your pup? Histiocytomas are common in dogs under 3 and literally pop up over night. If you keep them clean and dry, in most cases they go away on their own in a few monthes. We onle elect to remove if they are getting messy or the dog won't leave them alone. Your vet should be able to check it out with an aspirate of the cells. So, no worries until you see the vet! Let us know too....