My dog keeps scratching a lump behind his ear. What could it be?

It is unlikely that the lump would have developed from Tyson scratching at his ear. The lump could be a swollen lymph node due to the underlying ear infection. It could also be a benign fatty mass called a lipoma. Another alternative is that it could be a cancerous mass. If you are concerned about the mass, your vet will be able to test it with a fine needle aspiratebto determine what it is and recommend appropriate treatment. Good luck! I hope Tyson is feeling better soon.

This could just be a benign growth but without seeing Mac in person, I can't say for certain. 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. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Bertie. Lumps generally fall into a few broad categories including growths/tumors which can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer), granulomas which are a collection of inflammatory cells, abscess/infection, among others. In young dogs, a common benign tumor called a histiocytoma can develop. These are raised growths, often pink and somewhat flat like a button. These growths oftentimes resolve on their own without treatment. I would advise that your veterinarian take a look at Bertie. They can get a detailed history and do a complete physical exam focusing on the area of the growth, They may advise diagnostics such as a fine needle aspirate or a biopsy of the growth to determine what it is. If they suspect a histiocytoma they may just advise monitoring the area but to also be on the lookout for any scratching of the ear/growth. Once a diagnosis is obtained or suspected, a sound treatment plan can be discussed. The ear is a tricky area for growths and their removal because of the lack of skin to close over the incision if they are removed. Thus, a growth in this area warrants a quick analysis by your vet. Good luck with Bertie.

I am sorry to hear about your Akita. There are many different skin growths that can occur in dogs. Some are more benign, such as sebaceous adenomas, where others are malignant and can spread/behave aggressively such as mast cell tumors. Unfortunately without examining the growth we cannot tell you what type of mass you have. The safest course of action would be to set up an appointment with your vet. They can examine the area and may recommend what is called a fine needle aspirate, where a small needle is inserted into the growth to collect cells to aid in identification of the mass which can help determine the appropriate course of action (i.e. just monitor for changes versus surgical removal).

That does look to be a mass. A mass is a collection of cells and can be benign (inflammation, cyst, some tumors) or a malignant tumor. Given the age of your dog this may be a histiocytoma, but as many skin tumors can look alike the best plan to confirm this is for your vet to perform a needle aspirate for cytology. That way you will know for sure if this can be monitored or if it needs any therapy. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It is difficult to tell from the picture, but it looks like what you are seeing is a mass. We will commonly see benign masses in young dogs called a histiocytoma which can be itchy. Unfortunately, there isn't any way to determine what a mass it just by looking at it. Your vet can do a simple test called a fine needle aspirate to remove some cells with a needle and look at them under a microscope to determine what the mass is. If it is a histiocytoma, it will go away on its own, but Damon may need some medication to keep it from being itchy. I have attached more information on histiocytomas below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1676 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like a benign growth called a histiocytoma. These usually go away on their own after 3-4 months. I would recommend having a vet look at it and confirm. If it is, leave the swelling alone. It doesn’t need to be cleaned or have medication applied to heal it. Good luck and kisses to Boy Boy!