My Shih Tzu has a lump under her rib cage. What should I do?

In a young dog like Bow, this lump could be a cyst, a lipoma, or a benign tumor. I wouldn't be worried about it, but I would have her seen by a vet for it. 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 have Bow seen by a vet tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.

This could be a cyst or a benign tumor. 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 its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I would give Lily's vet a call in the morning to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

Hello. Dogs can get a variety of cysts & small benign tumors that can be totally normal. Hugo is only 4, so he is quite young to be worried about anything malignant. Still, any new lumps, bumps & nodules should be pointed out to your vet at your next visit. If these 2 lumps should suddenly change by enlarging, changing color, or bleeding, then have them looked at quickly. Otherwise, just monitor them for now. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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 him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

This is likely a mass. Have it evaluated by your vet and tested to determine if this is something to be concerned about or not. Most of the time samples can be taken of any mass without any sedation needed. Typically non-firm masses are benign (non-cancerous); however it’s always best to have any mass that continues to grow, evaluated by your vet. I hope everything turns out ok for your pet Charlie. Best wishes and take care.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Although a picture of it would help to give you a more specific answer, this lump/bump/growth should be ideally examined by your local vet to have a diagnosis established. Your vet may want to perform an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy to sample the bump and determine its underlying nature. Differentials would include skin cysts, infections, benign or more malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

There are numerous causes of lumps on a dog Sheba's age, and not all are worrisome. Dogs can develop non-cancerous lumps like cysts, seromas (pockets of fluid), abscesses, and bruises. Some of these can go away after being drained by a veterinarian. Dogs can also develop lipomas, which are benign fatty tumors, that generally do not cause problems. Some owners elect to remove them and some monitor them at home. The best way to figure out what is going on is to take Sheba in to have your vet examine her and possibly do a fine needle aspirate of this lump, which involves sticking a small needle into the lump and trying to remove cells/fluid. These cells/fluid can then be examined under the microscope to help determine what the lump is made of and how it needs to be treated.