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Why does my dog's leg bump grow when squeezed, then shrink?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | neutered | 6 years old | 80 lbs

My dog has a small bump on his back leg. I thought it may have been a bite or ingrown hair. I tried to squeeze it and it grew from about the size of a pea to the size of a walnut. It is freely moveable and does not seem to bother him or cause pain. It went back to the size of a pea about an hour after the manipulation.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 8th, 2017

It could be that Zeke has a cyst or a benign tumor causing this bump, and I would not squeeze it anymore. Instead, I would have him seen 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. I would have him seen by a vet in the next couple of days to have this bump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.
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