My golden has a soft knee lump. Is it cancer or a benign tumor?

I am sorry to hear about Jake. He appears to have a tumor here on his ankle. We can have benign (meaning they don't spread elsewhere in the body and cause more cancer) tumors as well as malignant (meaning the tumor is aggressive and can spread) tumors in dogs. There is no way to tell for certain just by looking at a tumor what type it is. An aspirate with a needle can sometimes provide information on what type of tumor we are dealing with. The location of this tumor, however, in may opinion would warrant surgical removal because it is an area that could easily be traumatized/get injured, and it is also an area without alot of extra skin for closing a surgical site, so it is best to remove tumors in these locations before they get too big!

That is quite a sizable lump on Max! In a senior dog, there is always a chance that this lump could be a malignant tumor, but it could also be 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 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 recommend taking Max into the vet tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.

I would have this lump on Jake examined by a vet. It could be a cyst, a benign tumor, or potentially a malignant 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 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'd recommend having Jake seen by a vet tomorrow to have the lump examined and diagnose so it can be treated as needed.

I would recommend a vet visit. The vet can do a needle aspirate and take a look at the cells. While this may be a location for a lymph node it does not necessarily have to be lymphoma. Enlarged lymph nodes may be due to cancer, or inflammation or infection. Or it's possible it's not a lymph node and may be another type of mass or swelling. I recommend a vet visit to try to see what is swollen and why.

I recommend to have Skipper examined by the veterinarian. Pets can get many types of skin masses but red raised masses are worrisome for a cancer called mast cell tumor. Best to get this checked out and play it safe. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

That's a good size growth. This could be benign or malignant. 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 Tana's vet a call in the morning to make her an appointment.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This could also be a hygroma. 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!