Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog has a hard bump on her ear. What is it and should I worry?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund | Female | spayed | 4 years and 4 months old | 26 lbs

My dog has this bump on her ear. I don’t know what it is. It is somewhat hard. I just found it today. She is a 4 year old dachshund and has no other health problems.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on April 2nd, 2018

This looks like a wart or benign skin growth. Many dogs get these as they age. Unless it grows quickly it’s nothing to be overly concerned about. I recommend measuring it and taking a photo every few weeks so you can watch for any change. If she starts scratching it that may be a reason to remove it or if it changes and gets bigger. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Athena.

17Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on December 27th, 2017
It looks like a papilloma wart. I would not be worried at this stage unless it is bothering her, grows in size or does not heal (it looks she may have scratched it). You can apply a thin layer of Neosporin to it a couple times a day for now until it is healed.

It is always best to have any abnormal masses checked out by your vet in person as I cannot diagnose over the internet. I can only give you my best guess as to what I think it is.

Hope this helps. Best wishes.
8Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 26th, 2018
While I cannot definitively diagnose this just from a photo, this looks like a wart. I would observe it and if it changes color, grows, or changes shape have it examined by your vet. At this time I do not think a biopsy is necessary.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My dog has a bump on her head and ear. Should I be concerned?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog has an ear bump. Is it serious or will it go away on its own?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

What's this wart-like bump inside my dog's ear? Should I worry?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Should I worry about a pink bump on my dog's ear not bothering him?

It may be a benign growth (sebaceous adenoma) or not. You can monitor it for rapid change or growth and then have Pumpkin seen by your veterinarian or you can schedule an exam sooner. Whichever choice you make, your veterinarian may aspirate the mass to collect samples for pathology and identification. He or she may also surgically remove it and submit it for pathology. If the bump starts to bother pumpkin, place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent scratching and schedule an exam.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has a recurring ear bump. Should I worry about this growth?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I do not think the mass has anything to do with being bitten in the area. It looks like a sebaceous adenoma form your picture (benign). It is very small and I recommend, if Lilly is a calm dog, removing it locally with lidoacine and a punch biopsy. It looks smaller than 8mm which makes it easy to take off with out anesthesia. If you decide not to take it off, I think that is fine. Dogs that form sebaceous adenomas tend to form more throughout their lives. Sometimes the dogs will lick or irritate them prompting owners to want to remove them. I hope this helps and I wish you and Lilly the best!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has a soft, sponge-like growth on his ear. Is it a tumor?

Thank you for your question. I would suspect this isn't anything to be concerned about, however, because it is on an ear and likely to become a problem if it grows, I would have your veterinarian take a look. It isn't only the appearance of a nodule that we worry about, but how it feels, and if it is moveable, or attached to the structures below the skin. Those are things that I cannot tell from a photo. This looks like a small little growth that we would probably monitor over time, but it is an odd location, and it is better to be safe and have it checked out. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog has a growth on his ear. Is it a wart? How to identify?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the picture! Sadly a lot of skin masses can look the same but the picture resembles a sebaceous adenima which are benign. The only way to know for sure is to either remove it and send it for biopsy or try to do a fine needle aspirate in it. I hope this helps and have a great night!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share