Why is my dog lethargic, not eating, and has a crusty jaw lump?

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.

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.

This lump on Siu q could be a benign tumor, a cyst, an abscess, or a lipoma. It would be rare for such a young dog to have a malignant tumor, but it is possible. 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 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 take Siu q into the vet today or tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed. As for the lack of appetite and lethargy, those are very general signs of illness in dogs, and it could be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. Because Siu q is going to see the vet for this lump, I would have a health check done on her as well to diagnose the cause of the lethargy and lack of appetite.

Poor Mac--that looks sore and painful! Since Mac is not eating or drinking, he needs to see the vet. The lump could be an abscess or some other kind of infectious process. Or, he could have allergies and be very itchy. Mac needs to have a vet exam to figure out if he needs to be on allergy medication and antibiotics. Your vet may also want to do bloodwork to make sure something more serious isn't going on. Hope that helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am sorry Champ isn't feeling well. Lethargy, trouble walking, not eating/pooping are all signs of weakness and being generally unwell. This can be due to many causes however for a dog that is 2 years old I would be concerned about things such as fungal disease, parasite disease, heartworm, Addison's disease, or sometimes it can be more simple like an abscess. The wheezing is concerning that he has trouble in his lungs or heart, so heartworm is a concern. The squishy lump could be an abscess (pus filled pocket) and this could cause all the signs you are seeing as well. Either way, I recommend you get him to a vet right away, even a simple thing such as an abscess, which is fixed fairly easily, can be fatal if not treated in time. Best of luck with Champ! I hope he feels better soon!

These kind of lumps/growths need 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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. It could also be an enlarged lymph node. 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 recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and best wishes!