My new lab puppy has ear bumps. Is it just cartilage or serious?

In the picture, it looks like a mass to me, so I would recommend going to Rey's vet to have it sampled (quick, easy, no sedation required) and the cells looked at under a microscope to see if it's something concerning. Young dogs can get a benign mass called a histiocytoma that goes away on it's own eventually, which would be my first guess. Your vet might say it's a wart when they see it in person, in which case no sampling is needed, but keeping Rey away from other dogs until it's been gone for 2 weeks is a good idea because the virus that causing warts is very contagious. So, you don't need to be highly concerned, but should have it looked at.

That is suspicious for a viral papilloma. They are contagious but will usually resolve on their own. If it does not go away within a few weeks please have it examined. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

That does look to be a mass. A mass is a collection of cells and can be benign (inflammation, cyst, some tumors) or a malignant tumor. Given the age of your dog this may be a histiocytoma, but as many skin tumors can look alike the best plan to confirm this is for your vet to perform a needle aspirate for cytology. That way you will know for sure if this can be monitored or if it needs any therapy. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do recommend that all new bumps or lumps be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if they are benign (non-cancerous) or not. There are multiple non-concerning growths of the skin (such as adenomas or warts) that do not need to be addressed, but there are certain types of skin cancer (such as mast cell tumors) that would need to be removed in order to be cured. I would recommend having Ebony evaluated by her regular veterinarian to determine if these bumps are concerning or not, and if any treatment is needed. Good luck!

Thanks for sending pictures of Layla's ear. Unfortunately, it is hard to say from the photo. It could be a scab, mass, or area of inflammation/infection. I don't think it seems to be causing a significant issue at the moment. I would monitor it daily for change. If it seems progressive, Layla should be assessed by a vet.

Monitor for redness, discharge, active bleeding or odor. A minor wound may heal on its own. Keep the area clean and dry. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent scratching or rubbing if necessary. If it doesn't appear to be healing, see your veterinarian for an exam.