My dog has a lump on her belly. Is it a nipple or needs vet check?

Hello. This is probably benign mammary hyperplasia, but you do want to have this looked at, especially if she has been spayed. If she has not been spayed & has never been with a male dog, then this could be related to a false pregnancy. Also, has she been in contact with anyone who is on hormone replacement therapy? Sometimes, this can rub off on a pet & cause mammary enlargement. If no outside cause can be found, then have her spayed if that has not already been done, & submit a biopsy to see exactly what is going on with the tissue. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, If there is a similar bump on the other side of her belly, this may be a normal nipple. If not, I'd recommend having her seen by her veterinarian to discuss a possible biopsy. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The end of the nodule seems to have an ulcerated appearance which concerns me. Definitely have your vet take a look at this. I would recommend removal & having the tissue sent for pathology for identification. It looks like a full excision should be curative. Hope this helps. Take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a mammary tumor. This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Hello. It is difficult to say exactly what this is because cysts, small tumors & other benign skin growths can all look pretty similar. We do not recommend doing any squeezing on things like this because you could inadvertently introduce bacteria back into it & then you have a real problem. You should contact your veterinarian to schedule an appointment. Only after a hands-on examination can a plan be determined. One might be to just continue to watch this (without squeezing out the contents), or to remove it, send the tissues off for pathology, & make sure this is not something worrisome. I hope it is just benign, but it is better to know than worry. Thans for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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 recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi. This is a very big mass. If it is firm and painful, this is concerning in an unspayed, older pet is cancer unfortunately. Besides a cancer, other possibilities include infection, cyst, lipoma, a benign mammary tumor, hernia, etc. She should be fully checked out and have the mass sampled to get an answer. The sooner the better in this case.