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My dog has a hard bump on his tail that oozes. Is it a cyst?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Goldendoodle | Male | neutered | 4 years and 11 months old

My dog has this bump on his tail, the contents are hard and it doesn’t bother him when the bump is touched, the contents seem to start to come out when squeezed but I didn’t want to squeeze it out in case it leads to an infection. Do you have any idea what it is?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 2nd, 2019

It could be a cyst. 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 Riley's vet a call to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

7Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Christie Long, DVM
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on January 25th, 2017
I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with what you mean by "dry patch cyst." If you've found a lump, it may very well be a cyst, but it could also be some other type of growth, either benign or malignant. The only way to tell for sure what it is is to have your vet take a small sample of the contents of the lump and examine it under a microscope. Small dogs like Shih Tzus get many lumps and bumps as they age and it may very well be something that's not concerning, but you need to get it checked out to be sure.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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