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My old Pomeranian has a hard white ear bump. Could it be cancer?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pomeranian | Female | spayed | 13 years and 8 months old | 11 lbs

My 13 year old Pomeranian has a hard, white bump (dome/ball shape) on her ear flap. It has been there a few months and does not bother her when I touch it. I thought it was probably one of those things that happens with age and likely benign but searching online has me concerned it is malignant.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 24th, 2023

Thank you for providing a picture of Lexi's lump. From the appearance, it does look characteristic of a benign growth but I can't say for certain without seeing her in person. At her age, there is always a chance a lump could be malignant. 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. I'd give her vet a call to make her an appointment. I hope this helps!

6Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on August 7th, 2020
Patches is so cute! This sudden change in behavior can be a sign he is sick. Sometimes dogs can become aggressive when they fell badly. This bump on his ear could be a cyst, benign growth, or malignant growth. I think it's best you take him into the vet in the morning for a health check. I recommend getting a geriatric blood panel, urinalysis, and fine needle aspirate on the bump on his ear. The vet can diagnose what is causing his symptoms and can treat him. I hope this helps.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on January 21st, 2018
From the pictures, it looks like the little bump below Daniel's ear could be a benign tumor such as wart. Of course, there is always a chance it could be a malignant tumor, so it's a good idea to have it checked out by a 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 bump to get a sample of it's 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 bump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss if any treatment is needed. I would take him into the vet sometime this week. Good luck, I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on January 19th, 2018
I can see the bumps from the pictures (thank you for providing them!), and it could simply be a benign tumor like a wart. There is also a change in a senior dog that any bump could be malignant, so it's always good to get it checked out by a 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 bump to get a sample of it's 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 bump is found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you. Good luck, I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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