Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I felt a bump on Kimiko right under her front armpit and upon closer exam is brown/black and raised. It moves around and doesn't seem to bother her. Is this a wart? I'm in a panic now and nobody answers the phone at my vet's office so he must be closed but the service isn't picking up either.

It's not an emergency, but you need to have your veterinarian examine it very soon. Then the veterinarian can tell you whether it needs to be surgically removed or what. I recommend if anything is removed, you have the veterinarian send it for a pathology report. It's best to know for sure what it was, in case another one pops up again.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

Hey Shboom---yes, it's been awhile but it's been busy and I went through the loss of my beloved cat Rocky this past year so it's been tough. I plan on calling the vet but my husband says because hair grows through it that it is probably just a wart. It doesn't seem to bother her and just kind of dangles behind her armpit....

I hope everyone has been doing well and your Shibas are all well. Kimiko will be turning 8 this June...where does the time go?????

Cperry... when you say it just kind of dangles behind her armpit... just how big is this lump? The reason I ask and the reason I mentioned the plasmacytoma is because Beni went through this a couple of years ago in the area behind his right armpit. The doctor at Cornell said it wasn't unusual for one to develop in that area.

Sorry for the loss of your Rocky. I lost Keiko back in September and still haven't quite gotten over his passing. If you ever have some spare time stop by the board and say hi. It's quieted down some over the last couple of years but there are still some of us hanging out there.
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

I'm so sorry about your loss too. Kimiko had it rough when Rocky left us. I still think of him and miss him so much. He went too fast and despite my trying to treat him it was too late. Renal failure is a horrible disease. But we have the memories right?

I would say the wart, if that is what it is, is very small but it's brown/black which makes me nervous. It does have hair growing through it.

Hi Cperry12 how are things going? We've missed you over on the Shiba boards. I echo the advice that KDD has given you. It's best to err on the side of caution with these things. It could be nothing but a wart or as serious as the beginning stage of a plasmacytoma. Let us know what you find out.
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.