Why is my 10-year-old Boxer's back lump growing and bleeding?

Hi, and thanks for your question. This lump/bump/growth should be ideally examined by your local vet to have a diagnosis established. Your vet may want to perform an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy to sample the bump and determine its underlying nature. Differentials would include skin cysts, infections, benign or more malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I am so sorry to hear that Boxer has this concerning mass. Because you have noticed the mass over a period of a few months and because it is bleeding repeatedly I would have it seen by a veterinarian. There are many possible causes for masses in a dogs skin including foreign bodies, bacterial infections, cysts, and several types of benign and well as malignant tumours. In the meantime, place an e-collar, or cone, on Boxer to prevent him from biting or scraping the mass. This will hopefully stop him from bursting it again, as well as stop him from possibly infecting the area. Measure the mass with a ruler so you can compare its growth in a couple weeks time. Rapidly growing masses are more concerning. I hope that this answer was helpful and more importantly that Boxer feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.

This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

These kind of lumps/growths need to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures! Many skin masses can look the same. Red dermal masses, like this one, can be benign or malignant. Some possibilities are an inflamed sebaceous adenoma, hemangioma, histiocytoma or it could be a Mast Cell Tumor. Since it showed up quickly I would have Oscar seen by your Vet. They can decide if aspirating it (sticking it with a needle and sending the slides to the lab) or removing the mass and sending it for biopsy is best. I hope this helps and I wish you and Oscar the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My dog gets these. He has had them on his legs and they would bleed occasionally especially during a bath. They tend to be benign growths. I don;t like your description of the one on the face that increases and decreases in size though. That sounds like the behavior of a mast cell, which boxers tend to get. If it looks like the one in the picture it could increase and decrease in size based on the blood inside the mass. The only way to fix them is to remove them, which is what I did for my dog. Sadly they will develop more over time. I would take Kate to your Vet and have them examine the areas and discuss removal. I wish you and Kate the best!