‘Neoplasia’ is the medical word for a tumour — a lump made of cells that are multiplying abnormally. Not all of them are cancers: many are benign. What matters is to have any lump checked early — that is where the best chances lie.

Benign or cancerous?

A benign tumour (such as a lipoma, a ‘fatty lump’) stays put and does not spread, even though it may grow. A malignant (cancerous) tumour can invade the neighbouring tissue and sometimes seed itself elsewhere in the body (metastases). Only examining a sample under the microscope can settle the matter for certain.

Every animal can be affected

Dogs, cats and exotic pets can all develop tumours, at any age. Some species are more prone to them, with forms of their own: lymphomas and insulinomas in the ferret, mammary tumours in the female rat, fibrosarcomas in the cat.

Which signs should alert you?

  • A lump you can see or feel under the skin, one that appears, grows or will not go away
  • More subtle signs: weight loss, a smaller appetite, unusual tiredness
  • Any change that lasts or gets worse for no clear reason
When to seek help quickly — Show us any lump that appears or grows, especially if it is bigger than a pea, along with any unexplained weight loss. Caught early, a tumour is far easier to treat.

Diagnosis and treatment

The vet examines the lump, takes a sample (cytology or a biopsy) to identify it, and if needed adds imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, sometimes a CT scan) to judge how far it extends. Depending on the type, size and aggressiveness, we may suggest surgery, sometimes together with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In Switzerland, specialist oncology care is available at referral centres.

Mistakes to avoid

  • ‘Waiting to see’ whether a lump grows: the time lost narrows the options.
  • Piercing, squeezing or treating a lump yourself.
  • Giving up on principle: many tumours, whether benign or caught early, respond very well to treatment.

Prevention and screening

Your best weapon is watchfulness: run your hands over your pet regularly, and have anything new checked. Early spaying reduces certain cancers (mammary ones in particular), and a regular health check, especially in an older animal, helps to catch things early.

The key points: a lump is not necessarily a cancer, but only an examination will tell — and the sooner we act, the better the chances. At the slightest doubt, let’s talk it over.