Why is my senior Labrador's mammary gland swollen? Should I worry?

Yes, there could be something wrong although i see she is now spayed and this should reduce the chance of mammary gland tumors dramatically. it would be best to get it checked by your vet, this is something that will require a physical exam.

Given that Bear is an older, intact female, it would be prudent to have her examined by your veterinarian. The vet can perform a simple fine needle aspirate to collect a sample for pathology. The lump may be a mass (benign or malignant) or it could be local irritation/infection.

If Hooch has a mammary gland that is becoming enlarged, at her age, it may be a growth or mass. Many dogs at 12 years of age no longer have heat cycles or very few. If she is currently in heat and all mammary glands are a bit prominent, than you may be correct and that it is hormones. However, if only one of them is enlarged, it is most likely not related and should be checked out by her veterinarian when you can get an appointment. Hooch could develop an infection, inflammation, or even a mass related to cancer in her mammary gland(s) at her age. Best of luck to you and Hooch.

It would certainly help to have Kaylee examined by your veterinarian asap. Since she has a history of hypothyoidism her thyroxin levels will need to be checked. If the levels are not correct, ie her medication needs to be adjusted, there is a possibility that the hair loss and itching are caused by that. She may also have been infected with mites, so her skin needs to be examined. The lumps on her mammary glands will also need to be examined as they could be tumors indeed. About half of the mammary tumors in dogs are benign the other half is either mixed or malign. So your veterinarian will need to take some tissue to determine the type of tumor. Please schedule an exam with your veterinarian soon.

Poor Abby! This is likely just a benign tumor but since it is growing I would have your vet take a look at it when they reopen next. I have seen some tumors that look benign that are actually cancerous. Your vet will be able to determine what type of tumor it is and whether or not it needs to be surgically removed. I hope this helps!

Hello. I am very sorry for your loss. Angel was quite old for a Lab., but your description of a solid line in her groin makes me wonder if this was a lymph node. I have seen them get this large & it is always an indication of a cancer called lymphoma. Often there are other lymph nodes that enlarge, especially the ones under the neck, but I have also seen where the inguinal lymph node gets extremely large first. This is a guess, but it is something that I have seen several times. Please accept my condolences for your loss & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I can see that Ginger's mammary gland is rather swollen. It is a little difficult to tell from the photo, but there may be somewhat of a lump under the skin. While swollen mammary glands are definitely a sign of pregnancy, a false pregnancy, which results from a hormonal imbalance can cause this as well. I recommend having Ginger seen by a vet for an exam, particularly because certain cancers can appear this way. They can also determine if she is pregnant, or provide you with options on how to manage a false pregnancy at home. I hope all is well! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!