My dog has a growing, hard, hairless lump. What could it be?

Without further testing, there is no way to tell if this growth is due to infection, trauma or allergy, or if it is a tumour. Tumours can be of a malignant (cancerous) type that can spread elsewhere and/ or invade the healthy tissue around them, or a more benign (noncancerous) type that is unlikely to spread. I recommend making an appointment to see your vet to have the growth tested. In many cases this can be done using a fine needle aspirate, where cells are removed from the growth using a needle and examined under a microscope to determine what it is and to guide treatment. In some cases further testing may be needed to determine the necessary course of treatment, but it is important to get new growths tested in a timely manner, as some can be cancerous and quite aggressive in their growth, and growths due to infection, allergy or trauma can lead to complications or be indicators of underlying health problems. In the meantime, it is very important that you keep Trey from licking the area to help prevent infection by making sure he wears the “cone” (also known as an e-collar or Elizabethan collar) at all times when he is not being directly supervised by you, including while sleeping. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to your pup without consulting with your vet. Your veterinarian can prescribe safe medication to help with the pain as needed. Hope your pup feels better soon!

This lump could be a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma, or a growth. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give Rosemary's vet a call to make her an appointment.

This lump could be a cyst, abscess, lipoma, benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give her vet a call in the morning to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

Has he been licking at it? Can you identify a wound on it? It may be an abscess (localized infection) under the skin, as thise can show up very quickly. You can shave the hair over the top and clean it with dilute Betadine (available at any pharmacy - use water to dilute it so it looks like tea). Put an ecollar (cone) on him to prevent him from biting or chewing on it, and make an appointment with your vet as soon as you can—but it’s not something you need to see an emergency vet for as long as it’s not seeming painful and he’s eating and acting normally. Other possible causes would be some type of tumor (though less likely with his age), or a fluid accumulation called a seroma. Your vet may Do a fine needle aspirate (poke the bump with a needle and then look at cells under the microscope) to see what it is and then know how best to treat it. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor guy. This is a skin mass and needs to be tested by your vet to determine what kind of tumor this is. If it seems to be growing uncontrollably then having it surgical removed should be considered. Inquire with your vet about if Rupert is a good surgical candidate and what it would entail getting this removed. Best of luck with Rupert moving forward. Best wishes and take care.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. Chances are that this is a sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous cysts are usually harmless, sack-like growths with a lining that is not cancerous. In dogs, most cysts develop from hair follicles. These cysts typically appear as single, clearly defined, firm or soft lumps located in the skin or just beneath it. They are often between 0.5 to 5 centimetres in size and may sometimes have a bluish colour. A cyst can release a thick, gray-to-yellow-brown cheesy substance if it bursts. Other terms for sebaceous cysts in dogs include infundibular or follicular cysts. The lump needs to have a fine needle aspirate (FNA)/cytology to be sure of that diagnosis. Here is a link about the procedure and why it is done. It does not require anesthesia. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cytology-fine-needle-aspiration-fna ) If it is a sebaceous cyst, it will be very obvious once the vet introduces the needle into the lump. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an abscess. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!