My senior dog has a lump for months. Is it a tick or growth?

While hard to say without seeing her in person, this does not have the appearance of a tick and looks more like a small skin growth. Ticks are usually dark in color, black/brown/maroon and once full of blood can have a pale grey appearance.

Hello. This is definitely a pigmented tumor, not a tick. Do not try yanking this off in any way. Please let your veterinarian evaluate this to see if you can just keep a good watch on it, or if removal now while it is small is the best way to go. No emergency visit is necessary, but do have it looked at when convenient. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Without actually seeing the growth I cannot say what it is exactly. If it is a definitive growth the only way to say what the growth is, is through a biopsy. I would recommend having your veterinarian evaluate the growth on Ty. Remember you can always upload up to 3 pictures when submitting a question. That way we can tell you if it is a tick or not. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While this may be a bug bite, the texture appears slightly rough in the photo, so this may be a growth or mass. It is concerning that is has been present for a week, as a bug bite would have likely resolved by now. I recommend having Layla seen by a vet as soon as possible, especially because the area is red and near the mammary chain. Your vet can either remove the lump or take a small sample to determine exactly what it is. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Nusing from the picture, it appears as though she has a tick that is engorged on her face. It is hard to tell for sure because the puctures are slightly blurry but the shape and color has me thinking this is a tick. You can remove this but make sure to remove the head as well. There are videos on how to do this online. Also, you can have this looked at my a veterinarian to make absolute certain this is a tick before trying to remove it. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

A tick bite typically leaves a "granuloma." This is a reaction to the tick's saliva. It should resolve on its own in a a few days to a few weeks. Monitor for signs of infection, lameness, lethargy, swollen or painful joints or fever. Use a [tick preventive](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-and-puppy-flea-and-tick) such as FrontLine, K9 Advantix, Bravecto, NexGard or a Seresto collar. Always check for [ticks on your dog](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-places-ticks-hide-on-dogs) upon returning home for outdoors.

This does not look like a tick - it is more likely to be a skin cyst, a skin growth or papilloma or tumor, or possibly a wound caused by a grass seed / foxtail. Your vet will be able to identify what exactly it is and recommend treatment if indicated.