Male Boxer with growth

Question
Hi Patti,
About a month ago, my 6 yo male white boxer underwent a surgical procedure to remove an obstruction. Since then he has been on many fluids, and medications. It has been a rocky road to recovery but he is on the upward path finally. He is still taking an antibiotic, Vitamin K injection, lixotinic (remove heavy metals) and another medicine to help raise his bloodcount. He is also taking various supplements to assist in digestion. Anyhow, I noticed a mass along the back of his armpit on his right front leg just a few days ago. I took him to the vet 3/15/2010 and he seems to think it's an infection and that it should go away with antibiotics. Since yesterday it has grown in size and it's hard. Would you have any suggestions as to what this might be? Any medications that he is currently taking contributing to this? If no answers, could you refer me somewhere?
Thank you very much for your time.

Answer

Hi Jean,

The primary use of Vitamin K is as a treatment for the anticoagulant action that eating rat poison causes. Vitamin K also has been used in animals with liver problems who are unable to produce necessary blood clotting proteins. Growths, or cysts are not a side effect of Vitamin K, though red blood cell destruction can happen when excessive doses of vitamin K are administered for prolonged periods.
Lixotinic is just a mineral supplement for animals recovering from illness. It can also help increase a dog's appetite. Lixotinic wouldn't cause cysts or growths to form.

I'm not a doctor, so I can't say what this growth might be. Your first course of action should be to contact your vet, and report the change of size of this growth, and that it hasn't responded to the antibiotics. It's possible that it is the infection your vet thinks it is, and could require an aspiration so it can drain. Your vet may want to do a microscopic examination of cells/fluid that has been released by the aspiration.

Boxers are more likely to get tumors than other breeds, I really can't say if this growth is a coincidence or not. As alarming as this growth appears, you should know that most growths, cysts and tumors a dog develops are non-cancerous. That said, only a vet can tell you what kind of growth you're dealing with.

You can always have your dog evaluated by another vet. That would give you some peace of mind, if the new vet concurs with the vet you had been using. Ask friends, family or co-workers for a referral to a local vet that they're happy with.

Best of luck,

Patti