Please don't let it be what I think it is...

[Giselle]

Thanks for the advice, everybody. It doesn't look anything like the mast cell tumors I've seen so far, and I'm really glad to hear about everybody else's experiences with bumps like this. I'm really hoping it's some type of cyst or some other innocuous thing. We're watching it for a few days and if there's no improvement she's going to the vet.

I don't know why I was so scared. I've just seen so many greyhounds go down with osteosarcoma, so cancer just scares the cr@p out of me.

[finn's mom]

Every time I see one of these (seems like there's been at least two others on here besides myself that have posted photos of bumps like that), I think it looks just like what Finn had. A hystiocytoma (button tumor). Non cancerous and usually goes away easily and on it's own. I hope that's the case this time as well!

[K9soul]

How unnerving Sophie. I'm afraid after Raven I'm super paranoid about everything, but I do truly believe it looks like what Kari mentioned, a hystiocytoma. Look at the photo on this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histiocytoma_(dog) It really looks like it doesn't it? I'd just do what you are doing, watch it closely. Raven's cancer changed FAST and grew daily. I think it will be quickly obvious if it seems like anything more ominous.

[Giselle]

Thank you, guys. Members on another forum also immediately suggested histiocytoma as well. I checked the growth today, and maybe I'm being naive, but it doesn't look nearly as rounded or 'swollen' as it did the days before. It sort of looks like it's shrinking around the edges, so we'll be giving it time to heal on its own. As soon as I see any growth, though, I'll be whisking her off to the vet.

Can you tell how RELIEVED I am??

[Taz_Zoee]

Oh no, Sophie, I'm just seeing this thread. Been busy the past few days.
I will hope it starts going away on it's own and our little Ivy will be just fine!

[shepgirl]

Maybe just a hematoma, especially if you think it's smaller. But I would definitely have it checked anyway.

[Giselle]

It doesn't look or feel like hematomas I've seen before, though. Plus, if I remember correctly, hematomas result from blood that pools from broken blood vessels, and I don't know that could happen on a bony little leg =P I could be wrong, though.

Anyways, it started bleeding again today. I'll be making an appointment with the vet as soon as they open on Monday. *sigh* All my fears are coming back...