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My senior dog has nipple lumps and terrible breath. Are they linked?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 20 lbs

Hello! I noticed 3 growths around my family's dog's nipples. She doesn't seem to have much pain but she would just rather not let me touch it. We rescued her about 10 years ago so we are unsure about her age or breed. I noticed her breath smelling very bad lately even after brushing her teeth. Could this be connected? Just wondering if these could be cancerous or maybe cysts?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on July 4th, 2020

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kaeli and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Poor girl. It sounds like there are a few things going on with her. These growths could be mammary tumors, and 50% of mammary tumors are 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. Her bad breath could be due to dental disease, which is common in senior dogs. This needs to be checked out by a vet as well, and she may need a dental cleaning. Please give her vet a call to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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