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My dog is limping from a paw lump. Is it possible it's bone cancer?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Rottweiler | Female | spayed | 1 year and 7 months old | 41 lbs

Hi In march I also asked about a thing our local Vet help her and she is doing good. She loves to exercise and we always go for walks and play fetch. I started noticing a she was limping because of a lump/bump. I did some research and there is a lot of possibilities why this lump could be there. I have add photo of Abbey paw/leg. It looks like a bunions which humans have on their feet. I'm afraid that it can be bone cancer. I going to take her to the vet I just need to wait for a appointment.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Ana M, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 13th, 2020

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Abby. I am glad that she will see her veterinarian. She could have a cancerous growth, but hopefully it is a benign mass such as a cyst or other type of growth. A procedure known as a fine needle aspirate is commonly performed to diagnose a mass. The veterinarian will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. Based on these results, treatment recommendations can be made. For example, if the mass appears cancerous, then surgery will be recommended. Bone cancer occurs in dogs, but is not common in the location shown in your pictures. So this is less likely. I hope this information helps!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
Published on January 29th, 2017
Poor Diablo! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. If I'm understanding you correctly, it sounds like he has a bone tumor of some kind affecting his femur - I'm assuming that this was diagnosed on x-ray, along with the physical exam. Statistically, by far the most common type of bone tumor in a dog of this age and breed is an aggressive cancer called osteosarcoma - it's best to confirm this with a biopsy if possible, but it can be very difficult to get a diagnostic sample of a bone tumor without special equipment. If you want to try and get a definite diagnosis, I would suggest asking for referral to a specialist who can take a full-thickness bone biopsy with special tools.

If referral isn't something you want to pursue, I would recommend asking your vet for treatment recommendations at this point based on the presumptive diagnosis of osteosarcoma - this might include amputation of the affected leg, and/or palliative treatment with anti-inflammatories and pain medication to make him more comfortable.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Desrosiers
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 9th, 2017
Ouch, poor Archie. It might be time to look into neurologic testing, or talk to an orthopedic specialist. They may recommend additional tests such as CT or MRI to see if the cause behind his lump can be found if X-rays didn't show anything. A follow-up with your vet and recommendation to a specialist is the next best step to take.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 18th, 2019
I am so sorry to hear about your dog. My first suspicion would also be cancer and since the bone is now gone, it isn't necessarily that the mass is gone so much as the disease has eaten away all the healthy bone. At this point, I would recommend referral to a specialist who deals in oncology (cancer) or a surgeon. It may be possible to surgically remove the affected leg and then do histopathology on the tissue to get a definitive diagnosis. A needle biopsy may also be a possibility for diagnosis, but it is not a gaurantee that a good sample can be achieved this way.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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