18/10/2026
Check out the very handsome Eddie during his post-op check after a lump removal from his leg (and yes he has a human sock taped to his foot to prevent him chewing at the healing wound). 🧦
Not every lump is cancerous. In fact, many lumps we find on dogs are benign (non-cancerous).
But even benign lumps can sometimes be worth removing - especially if they are growing, changing, getting irritated, being traumatised, affecting movement, or are in a location where they may cause problems as they get bigger.
We may perform a fine needle aspirate (FNA) first, where we collect cells from the lump with a small needle. This can give us valuable information, but it doesn't always give us the full answer.
Some lumps can be very difficult to accurately diagnose from an FNA alone. In these cases, removing the lump and sending the tissue to a veterinary pathologist for histopathology (an excisional biopsy) may be needed to establish exactly what it is.
If you find a new or changing lump on your dog, don't panic - but don't ignore it either. Getting it checked by your vet can help determine the most appropriate next step. 😊