My dog has a large lump above his eye for months. What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 do not think you should continue to just monitor it as it is likely going to continue to grow. 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 day!

I can appreciate an increase in size/swelling above the right eye in your photos here. A brain tumor itself normally wouldn't cause a visible swelling, as the brain is encased in the bony skull and a tumor would just cause increased pressure on the brain but not cause changes in the shape of the skull. That being said, we can have bony tumors of the skull that can change the skull shape. We can also have tumors of the soft tissue (skin, muscle, connective tissue) that could be seen on the head, and also tumors of the eye/muscles behind the eye. Your dog should definitely have an examination done by the vet. They may recommend an aspirate of the swelling to help tell what is causing it, an x-ray of the skull, and possibly more advanced imaging like a CT scan. This problem may be something easily fixed or may be more involved, but we won't know without further testing.

This could be a seroma from an injury, a cyst, abscess or a tumor. Cysts and abscesses need to be drained by a vet. If your vet suspects a tumor, he will do a fine needle aspirate to determine whether it is a harmless lipoma, which does not need to be removed unless it is ulcerating or bothers the dog due to its location or size, or another tumor that needs to be removed. Please make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam of the mass.

It is difficult to appreciate any swelling or lump from the pictures provided. However, in general lumps can be due to an insect bite, an allergic reaction, an abscess, a fatty deposit or a cancerous mass. Your veterinarian will be able to test the mass by performing a fine needle aspirate to diagnose what it is. Treatment will depend on the cause of the mass.

This kind of lump/growth needs to be ideally assessed by your veterinarian to have a definitive and specific answer. Usually there are two ways your vet can do that a part from examining it directly during physical examination. A biopsy can be taken under local or general anesthetic, otherwise a smaller sample through a fine needle can be aspirated (this technique is called FNA= fine needle aspiration). Differentials include skin cysts, infections, benign or more sinister type of tumors. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Ruby's lump could be any number of things, and the only way to know for sure is to visit your vet and have him/her do a fine needle aspirate/cytology of the lump, if necessary. This is not an emergency, but the best way to find out if you should be concerned about the lumps or if they are harmless.

Hello, thank you for your question about Riley. If Riley has environmental allergies and his skin is easily irritated it is possible that he is exhibiting similar symptoms on the skin around his eyes. Some dogs show signs of skin irritation in this location. It is also possible that this is a growth on his eyelid. Dogs can develop growths, however most are benign and unlikely to cause a problem. I would recommend having Riley seen by your veterinarian so that they can examine his eyes and get a better idea of what is going on. Hope this helps!