dog's ear

hi
my english bull terrier has a lump on the ear and the vet has recommended a biopsy which will take a week for results, the says it just flaked away when touched by the vet, we're on tenterhooks for a week , anyone got any ideas?

[ginger899]

Waiting for biopsy results, especially a whole week, is hard. I know. End of February my dog is scheduled for a lumpectomy (breast) and I can imagine how I'll feel, waiting for the results, so I understand.

I can't give you any real good clues I'm afraid, about the type of lump or swelling he has in his ear. Others may have some ideas.
When you say it flaked away, do you mean the whole thing did....or that there was dry flaky skin on top of it?

[Ghilly]

A lump on the earflap can be an aural hematoma, however if they aspirated the lump to do a biopsy it would have been obvious that it was a hematoma because the syringe would have been filled with blood.

It could be a mast cell tumor.  A week seems an awfully long time to wait for a biopsy, and to you it must seem interminable!  Even if it is a mast cell tumor it is possible to have it completely excised.  As long as they remove the whole thing a cure is completely possible.  Hopefully it is something very minor and all the waiting and worrying will be just a thing of the past.  Please post back and let us know what the results of the biopsy are.  Our thoughts are with you.

Ghilly

[tonyb286]

I agree with Ghilly, a week for the result seems a long time to wait, particularly if surgery becomes an urgent matter. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the lump proves to be something less erious and easily treated. I can only suggest you try to stay positive at this stage and perhaps distract yourself as much as possible with other things while the week goes by. While there's nothing to be gained from worrying ... I totally understand how difficult this period of time might be. Fingers crossed for you and your dog that everything will work out okay. Tony