Help! Found A Lump On The Dog… Now What?
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
Updated: August 5th, 2019
Summary
Dr. Demian Dressler, best-selling author of “The Dog Cancer Survival Guide”, explains exactly what to do when you find a lump on your dog.
One of the most common comments that readers post on this blog goes something like this: “Help! Found a lump on the dog… What do I do now? The lump is (description) and is on my dog’s (body part). Is it anything to worry about?”
It helps to widen back and look at lumps in dogs generally to help clarify this topic. What’s the number one cause of dog death, if we exclude euthanasia? Dog cancer. How does dog cancer most commonly look to the naked eye? It looks like a lump.
When we find a lump on a dog, this should be a red flag. A certain reaction should be happening in the mind of the dog lover. First, both veterinarians and dog guardians should know the number one most dangerous health problem that exists for dogs, the most likely problem that could take a dog away… cancer.
We have been negligent in spreading this information to dog guardians. And by “we”, I include the group I am a member of: veterinarians. Vets should have this information and be spreading it in the same way we talk about parvo and heartworm disease.
For some reason we don’t. Perhaps it is because bringing up cancer in a discussion feels a little out of bounds since we don’t want to upset our clients. Or it could be that there has not been a marketing push like there is for parvo vaccination or for heartworm disease. Since we have access to preventatives in these cases, pharmaceutical companies make a point to help spread the word about these diseases.
This is not wrong, of course. Why not protect a dog from a problem when it is prudent to do so? (The vaccination debate is discussed elsewhere…)
So why would a guardian wonder what to do if a lump popped up? Clearly, if a woman found a lump in her breast, she would most likely be at the doctor’s promptly. Why? Because there has been enough press on breast cancer that finding the lump would raise a red flag, sparking the thought that breast cancer happens.
But in veterinary medicine, there is a mental disconnect between lumps in dogs and cancer, in spite of the statistics.
The answer to the question of what to do if a lump is found on a loved dog is this: go to your vet and get it checked! Get it aspirated, get it biopsied, get the data you need!
Can a vet diagnose a lump by looking at it? Very occasionally, but usually not. Can a vet diagnose a lump by squeezing it? Very occasionally, but usually not.
One of my pet peeves (sorry, bad pun) is the diagnosis of a benign fatty tumor based on looking and touching alone. Soft, squishy bumps under the skin could indeed be harmless lipomas. But, they could also be dangerous growths like mast cell tumors, hemangiopericytomas, subcutaneous blood filled hemangiosarcomas, or liposarcomas. These all feel soft and squishy.
This brings a case to mind. Three weeks ago, a client brought her dog in to have a lump checked out. This had been previously diagnosed as a harmless lipoma at another veterinary hospital. It felt soft and squishy.
A fine needle aspirate was done on the growth at my hospital. I inserted a syringe with a needle in the growth, and pulled back on the plunger. Did fat enter the needle hub, which is what a fatty tumor would yield? No. The syringe filled with blood.
This was no lipoma. Blood filled swellings have their list of possibilities too, but one of them is a hemangiosarcoma under the skin, a malignant cancer. And over the 6 months that this growth had slowly increased in size with nothing done, the mass had swelled to about 4 inches across.
Now we had a big problem to deal with that could have been caught a long time ago.
The bottom line is this: remember the dog cancer statistics. According to the National Canine Cancer Foundation, 1 in 3 dogs will contract cancer in their lifetime, and this number increases to 1 in 2 if the dog is more than 10 years of age.
Get dog lumps checked!
For more information on dog lumps, how they are diagnosed, and their complete treatment options, check out The Dog Cancer Survival Guide.
Best,
Dr D
Also see: Lumps On Dogs: When To Get Them Checked By A Veterinarian
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
I took her to the vet today and had them take a sample…She told me that what they took out was what look to be puss and a small amount of blood. Also she mention at the moment there is not to much to worry about but to monitor the bump to see if it just goes away or grows.
To send the sample away to be tested would have cost me 120 on top of the visit itself. I told her not to send it and i will monitor it the lump for any changes.
Dear Jamie,
you did the right thing. Did they say to apply compresses? Antibiotics?
D
Hello, I have just discovered a small marble sized lump on the side of me 16 month old Lab/Shepard cross. I can move it around under her skin(not alot but it still moves). It is located on here right side, just after her ribs. I can see it if i look at her since she is a fit dog. Should i be making an appointment to see a vet asap. Or should I wait to see if it goes away. Since she is a fairly active dog maybe she ran into something, or who knows she’s all over the place most of the time.
Dear Jamie,
when in doubt…check it out! Yes, have the bump tested! could be from trauma but if not you want to know.
Best
D
Hi,
A few months ago my 10 month old puppy had surgery to correct a portosystemic shunt in her liver. Unfortunately they couldn’t fix it and had to just stich her up. Just over the last week I have been monitoring a lump that has appeared next to her stiches just below her rib cage. It is growing in size quite quickly and is now a hard marble sized lump. I am planning on taking her to the vet but we are just recovering financially from her surgery and vet bills from the specialist. Other people on this site have spoken about soft fatty like lumps but my puppies is hard and feels like a marble. Just wondering if you had an insight on this?
Thanks
Dear Rebecca,
most likely possibilities are seroma, hematoma, or abcess. Cancer is not particularly likely, but do get it checked!
D
Hi, on the 18th july 2011 my dog (jack russell, 12yrs) had an operation to remove a cancer lump from his testicles, the vet removed the lump aswell as his testicles.
Today 13th september 2011, we had to take him back to the vets as another lump had come, about 2″, it feels solid.
The vet told us there is no more she can do as it has spread to the penis…how long (rough estimate) has he got left? as it has spread to his penis surely it wont be long before it gives him promlems urinating?
I know its not easy to tell how long he has left, but in your experience how long would you say?
hope you can help and thank you for your time.
Dear Lee,
it is really hard give you published numbers without knowing the kind of cancer you are dealing with. Was there a biopsy?
Let us know
Also, regardless of cancer type, you might consider (with veterinary supervision), dog cancer diet, apoptogens, antimetastatics, immune support, and so on to help your dog while you are waiting. More info in the Guide.
D
I have a 9 year old ShihTzu that was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma about a month ago. He has a lump on the side of his face right below his eye. About 4 years ago he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, therefore chemo or radiation would probably kill him before the cancer does. Surgery is not an option either. To take out the lump would mean compromising his eyesight as well as 1/2 of his face. I am reading “The Dog Cancer Survival Guide” and am interested in the natural neoplasene treatment. I am also going to see his vet and his oncologist about this treatment. My question is, has anyone chosen this treatment for their dog and is it painful. Bandit (his name) is not showing any signs of discomfort at this time and is eating, playing and acting very normal. I’m looking for anyone who might have experienced this treatment and how it went for their “best friend”. Thanks for taking my question. Looking forward to hearing from anyone. 🙂
Dear Vicki,
Neoplasene can occasionally create some discomfort due to inflammation and dying tumor tissue. This can be hopefully helped with drugs like Tramadol and gabapentin if it occurs. I hope you are also using the other steps you are learning about in the Guide!
Best
D
I was doing a little research. A fewbreeder weeks ago, while bathing my female black lab noticed a bump in her side. She stays outside durning the say and this summer we have had problems with Wasps, bees, ants etc in our area. Unlike like the paat 6 years we have been here. So I figured the was a sting since our male dachsund had a similiar lump on his groin area and the vet had diagnoised that. lump got smaller in size, and I didn’t think any thing of it. The lump is still there and has not gotten any smaller or larger. She is also suffering from dry skin due to the hot weather this summer. Could the lump be due to the heat, age (she is 8 yrs old), or is this cancerous?
Doesn’t anyone WONDER WHY DOGS are getting CANCER? Does anyone inspect dog food or dog drugs as causes?!?! Why are all you talking about dog cancer like it is normal, like it’s expected and nothing can be done but to hope it does not afflict your dog? It doesn’t matter if your dog food is insanely expensive, it matters what is in it. It matter if you filter your water for your dog. It matter if you give the dog food all it’s life that is made from GMO corn. Come on, people!
I noticed today my pup (whippet) has a soft lump on his left shoulder, he had hes jabs last week, gona get it checkd tomoro, bt hopefuly its what susan had ,
My dog, Rosco, is 8 yrs old, a male Bichon Frise. He developed a soft lump that was soft & squishy. The vet checked it & thought was a fatty tumor, or lipoma. It continued to grow to size of a golf ball. Our vet put a syringe into it & drew out 4 syringes of blood. She sent to pathologist & came back as non-cancerous. It’s continued to grow almost back to same size.
We’re concerned that he has cancer, but not diagnosed yet. Is there anything else that needs to be done??? Thank you for any help you may be able to offer.
hey i found a lump on my dogs belly up near her rib cage and it doesnt bother her at all even when i touch it but i dont really know what to do about it.Shes almost two years old and i want to do something before she gets two old but i dont know what it is im just wondering if its cancer.
Dear Sammy,
maybe a trip to the vets would be worthwhile? Getting the bump tested?
That is my best advise to you. Might be nothing serious, and if so you can relax, but if it is you want to take action promptly.
Best,
D