My dog has a swollen paw with a lump. What's wrong and what to do?

The bump you are seeing could be a mass, or it could be a skin lesion caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, or could be a combination of the above. I recommend making an appointment to have your dog seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the bump you’ve noticed and to make sure it is treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine what is causing the bump and to provide treatment. . In the meantime, if he is licking the area, I recommend putting an e-collar/cone on him to help prevent licking and reduce the risk of infection.

It would be hard to tell what is going on with Harry without an exam, but if he is very painful it is best to have the spot looked at by a vet. Abscesses, tumors, allergic reactions and blisters can all cause swelling that may be painful. Abscesses (infections) tend to also be hot to the touch and may ooze discolored debris. Having your vet take a look is best, and they can recommend draining it or treating with medication to help get Harry feeling better.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A veterinarian will need to see this swelling but I wouldn’t consider it emergent- just when you can get him in. Without seeing the swelling it’s hard to say what it is. A vet will likely put a needle in the swelling to get cells to look at under the microscope. This is called a fine needle aspirate. Knowing what the mass is will help decide the next course of treatment. It could be an abscess (a pocket of puss) and just need drainage and antibiotics, a cyst that could just need to be monitored or something more serious, like cancer, that needs to be surgically removed. The vet that looks at it will be able to discuss your options once the diagnosis is made. Good luck and kisses to Jake!

This could be anything from a benign fatty tumor, to an enlarged lymph node, to a hernia, to a mass or other. While it’s unlikely an emergency, I would schedule an appointment with your vet at the earliest convenient appointment. He or she may recommend a cytology (poking the lump with a thin needle and looking at the cells under the microscope). Best of luck to you and Jack!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely concerning that the lump has increased in size so quickly, as older dogs are typically more likely to develop cancers. The lump can also be an infection or cyst. I recommend having this seen by a vet as soon as possible - they can take a small sample from the growth to determine exactly what it is and recommend the appropriate treatment. I hope all is well!

Swelling could be secondary to the licking or the cause for the licking. I would recommend you have your vet check it out. Allergies are probably the most common cause of licking the feet, but it can also be caused by fleas, bacterial or yeast infection pain in the foot or joint, a sticker or something under the skin, etc. After an exam, the vet may do a cytology or x-rays to see what is going on. Until Justice sees the vet, you may want to prevent licking by using an e-collar, since licking it may cause damage and infection in the skin.

Thank you for providing a picture of Mia's lump! It could be a benign tumor, a cyst, or a malignant tumor. Unfortunately in a senior dog, there is always a chance it could be 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 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 take her into the vet in the next couple of days to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed. Good luck, I hope this helps!