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My dog has a hard lump by his tail and is scooting. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered | 8 years and 8 months old | 65 lbs

My 8 yr old male golden retriever has developed a hard mass to the left his tail. Its about 3 in wide and 1.5 in high, doesn't seem to cause him pain and he can still defecate at the moment. Only symptom I've seen so far is his dragging his bum on the carpet a couple of times. I can't get him to a vet until Tuesday. Is there anything I can do to relieve some of the pressure until then?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 11th, 2016

This hard mass could be due to anal sac impaction or it could be an anal gland tumor, both of which would cause him to drag his bum on the carpet. Given Angelo's age, cancer is unfortunately always a possibility, and I would not squeeze this mass to try to relieve the pressure. I also would not wait until Tuesday to get him into a vet. If it's an anal sac impaction, it can rupture, and it's best to have them expressed as soon as possible. If it's an anal sac tumor, early treatment is imperative, as this is a malignant and very aggressive cancer. I would have Angelo seen by a vet first thing on Monday.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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