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Help! I Found a Lump on My Dog
I often get asked by pet owners what to do when they find a lump on their dog. So I thought I would share some tips of the trade for you, that I learned while I was working as a vet tech.
- First: mark the area with a black sharpie if you have a light colored dog, a silver sharpie for a dark colored dog or, (my favorite) shave the area
2 Lumps Marked and Shaved
- Next: make note of the size of the lump by measuring it and writing it down, you can also take a photo for your records
- Then: schedule an appointment to see your veterinarian
Often people feel lumps on their dog, but are unable to find them again when they come into the vet clinic. Although a good vet can be adept at finding a large lump, and even some small bumps, they do not know your dog’s body like you do and stress and lack of time can make it more difficult for you to locate the area while in your vet’s office. Shaving is my favorite way to help me locate and monitor a lump, because it is the easiest to relocate.
Why should you take your dog to the vet?
- Lumps come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. I have seen everything from large benign lipomas (lumps filled with fat) to small cancerous lumps, cysts and even lumps filled with larvae called a cuterebra laid by a bot fly.
- There is no way to tell by looking at a lump whether or not it has cancerous cells
- Your veterinarian must take a sample of the lump with a needle aspirate or totally excise the lump to diagnose it
- It is important not to squeeze or cut lumps found on your pet because cancerous cells can be released if it is squeezed and contains cancerous cells
- If caught early, a local anesthetic and a skin punch is all that is needed to totally remove a small lump
- If the lump changes in size and shape, it should be rechecked by your vet
Years ago, I found a 3 millimeter lump on my 4 year old dog’s elbow. I had the lump excised by the veterinarian that I worked with and sent it off for histopathology to have it diagnosed, when the report came back it was linked to a lump that also shows signs of cancerous lumps on the kidneys.
Although my dog did not have lumps on his kidneys, we did find through ultrasound, bladder stones and a lump on his spleen both of which required surgery.
If I had not had the lump aspirated with a needle and then removed and sent off for histopathology it could have lead to deadly consequences for my young dog. In the past 6 years, my dog has accumulated over 20 lumps of different sizes and types, all of which are non-cancerous and I have become quite adept at locating new lumps and monitoring old lumps.
My Tricks
- I shave new lumps as soon as I find them; it helps me to monitor them for weeks even after I have scheduled a vet appointment
- I photograph lumps so that I can remember where they are located and I can see if they have changed size, shape or color
- I have my vet make a chart of my dog’s lumps and I keep a copy in my records so if I forget I can look back in his records quickly
Lumps are Charted in My Dog's Medical Record
- I examine my dog at least once a month and feel him all over while I give him his bath
- I have my dog examined by a vet (since he is over 7 and considered a senior) at least twice a year
- If I find a new lump I make an appointment as soon as possible because I know the sooner we catch a probable cancerous lump and have it excised the better chance my dog has to be cancer free
- I also know that it requires a very large amount of surrounding tissue to be removed if a cancerous lump is found in order to minimize the risk of the cancer returning
I know how frightening it can be to find a lump and hear bad news, I have also seen many benign lumps in my career as a vet tech, so I arm myself with knowledge and I face the problem proactively! Preventative medicine is always better than waiting for a problem to clearly arise. Get to know your dog and his skin, if you find something abnormal mark it so you can find it again and call your vet!
Interesting informative blog this week. I have always wondered what the rules were for finding lumps. My family had an elderly chocolate lab who in her later years started having large, medium and small lumps. They turned out to be fatty lumps, but it was always such a scare and a worry. I used to tell my mom she had to take her to the vet IMMEDIATELY, but we never thought to mark or some how save the spot to be easily shown to the vet later. Such simple things sometimes are the things easily forgotten. THANK YOU SO MUCH, i so love reading your columns every week, they are very helpful and also easy to understand and or follow through with the instructions. Thanks again!
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@ April 22nd, 2010 at 20:15I just found a lump on my dog. I don’t know what to do. My dad won’t take him to the vet because it costs soo much money, and we are tight with it at the moment. I was thinking that it could be from the needles he got last week as we went to the vet for his yearly needles, but I dont understand why it would show up now, sfter a week. Please help!!!
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Minette Reply:
December 18th, 2010 at 11:47 am
If there were vaccinations given it could be local swelling from a vaccine reaction and may dissipate, but I would call and speak to your vet directly so that they can confirm what was given and if this is a possibility. They should be happy to discuss vaccination reactions and local lumps that might arise on the phone with you without incurring any costs!
The next thing to do is to shave the area and document what size it is, this way you can keep an eye on it. If it grows, you should take it seriously and get into the vet. Also if it does not go away, or dissipate in size it is time to get into the vet and have it checked.
Only your vet can determine what it might be! Good luck!
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Sher Reply:
September 18th, 2011 at 11:33 am
My dog has like three big lumps and like six little lumps amd I just noticed them late last night I have no clue what they are and there all in the same area on his lower back and a little on this tail… Someone plz help… THANK YOU…
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I have found 4 lumps one has been there for awhile and I have vet appointment on the 22nd.
It is a bit scarey and I can’t get to the vet any earlier as he has no appointments. One lump is large and is growing surely but slowly. They are all along her back and either side of her spine. They don’t seem to hurt her and I check them everyday. They feel like a small cyst. My vet is involved in full time surgery and only has two hours a week now for consultations. So I am worried while I wait. But she is not in pain and they seem harmless.
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Minette Reply:
August 10th, 2011 at 7:37 am
The only way to tell is to have them aspirated or removed by a vet…there is no way to know by looking at them. If he cannot get you in I would recommend finding another vet that can take a look!
My experience as a vet tech has taught me to take these things seriously, because if it is a cancerous tumor it needs to be removed as soon as possible…if it is not then you just feel lucky that you know!
Good luck to you!
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