My dog has a sudden, movable lump on her back. Should I be worried?

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.

There are numerous causes of lumps on a puppies skin. If Bella has been microchipped (this is usually done between the shoulder blades), it could be the chip you are feeling. Other causes are cysts, scar tissue, inflammation after a vaccine, and tumors. I would recommend taking Bella in to your local vet to have this lump evaluated. If it is her microchip, it is not a problem. If it is something else, your veterinarian can do a fine needle aspirate to try to get a sample of cells from this lump to determine what it is. This is not a painful procedure and similar to her getting a vaccine.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Brody. Given his age and the fact that he's a giant breed dog (who typically do not live as long as other breeds of dogs), there is a chance this could be a malignant growth. It could also be a cyst, lipoma, or benign growth. 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 try to get into his vet to get this checked out. I hope this helps!

If your dog has recently been vaccinated, this lump could be a vaccine granuloma and will go away on its own. However since the lump has grown quickly, you may want to have it healed out by your veterinarian. The vet can do a fine needle aspirate of the lump and look at the cells under a microscope and then may be able to determine what is causing the lump. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

This lump in your puppy’s skin is probably nothing to worry about. It could be from an insect bite or sting or may be a reaction to a vaccine he had in that area. Keep an eye on it for now. If it becomes larger, painful, or red, then take him to your vet right away. Or if he starts acting lethargic, vomits/has diarrhea or stops wanting to eat, you should take him to be checked out. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

I wouldn't worry about the lump just yet, but I would have it checked out by the vet on Monday. This lump could be a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma, 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 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. Once the vet diagnoses the cause of the lump, they can discuss treatment with you.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have your pup evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good day!