# lump on front of throat



## bethanay66 (Nov 2, 2008)

Our boy Mickey (1-year-old) has been hacking from time to time the last few days but he seemed normal otherwise. Tonight, we felt a fairly large (almost ping-pong ball sized) lump under his skin, but in front of his throat on his neck. He is acting just fine, running around like normal, eating and drinking normally. We are out of town, and it is late here so we will see about getting him to a vet as soon as we can, but does anyone have any immediate thoughts?


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*I looked it up on google for you*

Some dogs get thyroid tumors on their throats. They are removed and almost all are not cancerous. This could be what it is. Need to get a vet check soon though as the pressure is often on the breathing passage.

I'm not a vet, nor can I see or feel it to look more on google for you...


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## murphymoesmamma (Apr 1, 2009)

Prayers for your little Mickey! My first thought also was a thyroid tumor.

Holly


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

I hope it's nothing serious! Let us know what the vet says.
:hug:Gina


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## Pixiesmom (Jul 31, 2008)

Fingers crossed that all turns out well.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Hope he's ok!


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## bethanay66 (Nov 2, 2008)

Sorry it took me so long to get this posted but thanks for all of the notes and wishes!

The lump was a bit bigger the next day, so we got to a vet first thing; he immediately put us at ease. He said it was grass, believe it or not. I have never heard of this before so I thought I'd share (even though I've owned multiple dogs). He said that sometimes when dogs eat grass such as foxtail, a piece of it migrates through their throat and sinus passages to other parts of their head. Most common is the top of the head, but he does see throats as well. It gets infected and swells into a lump rapidly. He could tell this was what it was by the way the lump felt.

He recommended hot packs on it a few times a day to bring it to a head and then said it would break open, probably within a few days. We were to squeeze out any extra pus, apply hydrogen peroxide to the wound, then get in touch with a vet for a round of antibiotics.

We applied hot packs that day. I am so very glad that I knew what to expect, because if I'd seen what I did with no warning, I think I would have lost it. Soon after waking up the next morning, I noticed Mickey licking his paws. I went over and lifted his head higher--his entire front side was covered with blood and pus. It was awful. 

We followed all of the doctor's orders, and it has gone exactly as he said. Aside from initial soreness at the site, Mickey has had no ill effects. The vet did note during the exam that at this time of year here in Alaska, he sees 2-3 dogs with these lumps. I find it strange that in all my internet searches, I found no reference to this, so I am hoping that passing this along will help some other Hav owners!


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*goodness...*

those darn foxtails!

Thank goodness you knew or you might have fainted or panicked!

Ah and now all is well?


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Wow Bethany, I would have freaked out too! I'm glad you got to a vet who recognized the problem right away. I wonder how many of them would have known what it was. So happy to hear that little Mickey is ok now.


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## Chasza (Dec 10, 2008)

I am very relieved to hear that he is doing better. Foxtails can kill, from what I have read. Apparently, they have these barbs that go in only one direction and can keep migrating thru the body to organs. Apparently, I think they can just get stuck on their skin as they walk thru fields. I have not heard of one being able to come back out thru the use of hot packs....I am so glad that worked. 

I have googled for pictures in the past, trying to decide if we have any foxtail family type of weeds around where I live, but I just can't tell the difference between plants very well.


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

What a relief to hear it wasn't anything more serious - that was bad enough as it was! I'm not sure I know what a foxtail is either so maybe we don't have them in south Georgia. I'm so glad to hear all is well, though.


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## Mraymo (Oct 30, 2007)

Glad to hear things went well. I don't know what foxtail looks like either.


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## cjsud (Oct 26, 2008)

I have never heard of such a thing! Thanks for posting.


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Mraymo said:


> Glad to hear things went well. I don't know what foxtail looks like either.


Foxtails--


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Excuse my language...but those freakin' foxtails!!! Those of us in the west know all about them. Lola has had one in her ear and a month later one in her vagina. Fortunately I recognized her distress and knew what it was and immediately got her to the vet for removal...before the things could migrate further. 

They are everywhere in the summer and the only solution is to stay inside! So I keep Lola in a short cut and we go outside and hope for the best. Still I do pick them up off the carpet and out of her fur after some walks. 

Lola and I are both so glad that you both made it through that trauma. And thanks for sharing.


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Wow - no sooner than an hour later Lola just swallowed a foxtail barb! Holy crap. I tried to get it out of her mouth, but no luck. The vet said to NOT induce vomiting as it will be more dangerous going in reverse. Hopefully she fully swallowed it and her gastric juices should dissolve it. I am supposed to watch for signs that it lodged somewhere along the way. Oy! It's always something! Fingers crossed.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

OMG. Bethany what a thing! I am very impressed with your vet. and he could have charged you an arm and a leg to rule out other things. I am glad Mickey is OK. 

Anne, I hope Lola has no problems


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Redorr said:


> Wow - no sooner than an hour later Lola just swallowed a foxtail barb! Holy crap. I tried to get it out of her mouth, but no luck. The vet said to NOT induce vomiting as it will be more dangerous going in reverse. Hopefully she fully swallowed it and her gastric juices should dissolve it. I am supposed to watch for signs that it lodged somewhere along the way. Oy! It's always something! Fingers crossed.


Get well soon Lola! Good luck Anne
Were they walking in that same area again?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Here's an interesting article about Fox Tails:

http://placervillevet.com/foxtails.htm

Karen


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## Phoebs (May 28, 2009)

Thank you so much for posting this! Probably more than one of us will encounter the same thing some day. I am also rather amazed by your vet's response, and suspect that in my area, there would have been scans, tests, tests and scans. I take foxtails very seriously, and am aware they can be deadly, but I kind of liked your vet's approach! Somehow dogs evolved in the same world as foxtails- but on the other hand, Havanese were more created by people's selective breeding trying to improve upon nature...
We took Phoebe to the coast last week. She attracted foxtails like magnets, and my daughter and I had to pay a lot of attention to pull them all out after each walk. We started the day with a nice comb-out for 35 minutes each early morning. She seems to have escaped ok. 
I would have freaked if the abscess had burst like that without warning too!


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## RCKNROB (Nov 27, 2007)

Wow, what an article. I don't think we have those in Virginia. I am going to search to check it out.

I am so glad everything worked out ok and you saw the vet before the explosion.


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## Mraymo (Oct 30, 2007)

Sally - thanks for the picture. Karen - thanks for the link. I think we do have those here. They haven't been a problem for us (knock on wood). Anne - I hope Lola's okay.


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## Redorr (Feb 2, 2008)

Lola's foxtail went down with no problem. She must have swallowed it directly, as there was no sign of it migrating anywhere else. And the stomach would break it down in a matter of minutes. Afterall she once swallowed a whole chicken neck and it dissolved without incident. Sometimes I forget she is a DOG!!


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## bethanay66 (Nov 2, 2008)

Redorr said:


> Lola's foxtail went down with no problem. She must have swallowed it directly, as there was no sign of it migrating anywhere else. And the stomach would break it down in a matter of minutes. Afterall she once swallowed a whole chicken neck and it dissolved without incident. Sometimes I forget she is a DOG!!


So glad to hear that Lola didn't have any bad effects!


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