My senior chihuahua has a firm eye bump. Should I be concerned?

Hi there and thank you for your post! From your pictures this looks typical of a benign wart like growth thay we see in older dogs. The most common we see is what is called a sebaceous adenoma. Basically a benign growth of the glands in the skin. However, that being said, it requires more than just looking at it to diagnose it. If you want a more specific accurate diagnosis, the most accurate way is to have it removed and to send it out for histopathology (A test to determine what it is). Your vet can also perform an FNA test where a needle is inserted into the mass and looked at under the microscope. If Honey has bad teeth and is in need of a dental cleaning, you could have this removed at the same time and sent out for testing. Let me know if you have any other concerns!

Poor Julie! Unfortunately without looking at it, it is difficult to say for sure what this might be. It sounds like a mass. It could be a benign tumor like a sebaceous cyst, mole, or adenoma. It could also be a malignant tumor like a mast cell tumor. I would have your vet take a look at it. Your vet will be able to take a sample from it to see if it looks suspicious of cancer if needed. They will be able to tell you if you can just keep watching it or if you should have it surgically removed. I hope this helps!

Those are skin masses. The only way to know if they are cancerous or not would be to surgically remove them and send them to the lab for analysis. Have Rascal examined by your veterinarian so that they can discuss the procedure with you.

This may be a little abscess, a cyst or a tumor (warts are benign tumors, btw.). You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

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.

It is impossible to say definitively thwt the lumps are benign without examining and aspirating the masses. If we obtain cells from the lump and they are non-cancerous, I would not be concerned. However, even benign lumps can cause issues if they become ulcerated or continue to grow. Discuss removal vs. aspirated with your veterinarian.

Hello, thanks for reaching out! Dogs tend to get these bumps on their eyelids and they can cause irritation. In some cases, they aren't an issue, but in others, they can cause serious damage to the eye. Since your dog does seem bothered by it and is already rubbing at it, I would have it checked by a vet. In most cases, they are easily removed. Good luck and feel free to consult with me privately if you have any follow up questions or concerns!