Giant ovarian tumour with hair and teeth removed from 16-month-old labrador

Measuring 17cm diameter at its widest, the unusual growth was successfully removed from labrador Lola at Paragon Veterinary Referrals in Wakefield.

Lola’s worried owner, Tracey O’Shea, said: “We first realised there was an issue with Lola when she went for a health check.

“We were very upset when we heard she had a tumour because she was so young and active, plus we’d lost our previous dog to cancer.”

The operation at Paragon to remove the tumour was led by soft tissue surgeon David Barker, with pre- and post-operative support from the internal medicine, diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia and soft tissue surgery teams.

David said: “The large mass was palpable in the abdomen, and we confirmed its origin via a CT scan.

The mass originated in the right ovary. Surgery was performed to remove the large mass along with her other ovary and her uterus.

“It was an ovarian tumour called a teratoma, which is where the ovarian tissue begins to abnormally develop some bizarre things like bone, hair, and teeth.

“It was a challenging surgery to remove, simply because of its size but it was a very successful outcome. Lola recovered very well from anaesthesia and surgery and should make a full recovery.”

Tracey added: “Everyone at Paragon was very helpful and caring. It is great to see that Lola is now no different than she was before and is back to being very active.”