Lump on dog..advice please!

bumper

bumper

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My lovely 3 yo mixed breed Monty (1/4 each lab, collie, lurcher, mastiff) has a lump under the skin, roughly between the top of his shoulder blades. It's oval, about an inch long and 1/2 inch wide, hard and non-mobile. Doesn't hurt him if we touch it/manipulate it. He's well in himself, and we only noticed it today (after the vet closed..sods law!).

Obviously, we are going to take him to the vet on Monday.....but any ideas what it could be??
 
Microchips can and do migrate but the measurements you describe are a bit big for microchip unless he has some kind of reaction to the chip going on.

Vets might be able to give you some idea when they see him but it could be just a fatty lump or a little cyst...if any doubts ask your vet about doing a fine needle aspirate to find out what it is...usually worth doing this before removing just in case it is anything more worrying so the vet then knows how much surrounding tissue to remove if they need to operate.

Try not to worry - you've picked it up while it is small so hopefully will be easily sorted :)
 
My bitch's microchip has migrated and you can feel it under he skin on her shoulder and I was shocked at how large the chip is, hopefully its that or just a fatty lump that my old girly used to get
 
A microchip is the thickness of a pencil lead and roughly half an inch, if not smaller. I wouldnt call that big, but then people regularly say they are "the size of a grain of rice" which is frankly untrue, they are longer than that. You may be able to feel the capsule of tissue that can develop around the chip, it is the bodys way of walling it off.
In terms of the lump on OPs dog, it is impossible to say without seeing it but try not to worry, most are fairly harmless.
 
Thanks for the replies, I'm trying not to worry! It could be the chip...but it's odd that he should get a reaction to it after 3 years (he was chipped as a pup). Vet tomorrow, and I'll let you know!
 
could be a cyst - I wouldn't panic. Unless the shape becomes irregular and grows quickly it's probably nothing too sinister. Get it checked out and get some peace of mind. :)
 
My springers chip has moved right near to her shoulder! been like that for years but causes her no discomfort... just a pain when she ran off chasing birds and noone could find her microchip!!!
 
My dogs chip migrated - wouldn't be surprised if that was it to be honest. Or a cyst.
Sometimes when the chips migrate, tissue builds up around it as the body naturally tries to expel any foreign object.
Best get it checked and put your mind at rest xx
 
Could be a fatty lump/cyst, our old bitch had one on her back and it never caused her any problem.

B's chip is up behind his ear. I scan dogs at our events (to prove they are the dogs their papers say they are :p) and you find them everywhere!
 
Yup.....vet reckons it's a cyst, related to a hair follicle, and that it should go on it's own. It's not attached to any underlying tissue, only the skin.
I've decided to watch and wait: if it changes/grows, he'll be right back there to have it tested/removed!
 
Both our JRT and GSD have had similar lumps. Rule of thumb is usually if you can get your fingers round it (ie its not attached to the tissue) there's little to worry about.
They call them sebaceous cysts, infected hair follicle or to you and me, a spot!!
Our GSD developed such a lump. We left it for a while but it got bigger and although my husband tried to squeeze it it was hard and wouldn't pop. We became rather concerned at this point so took him to the vets. Needless to say she squeezed, it popped and we were 28 pounds the poorer!! :mad:

The vet told us the JRTs lump needed removing but she would only do it as a last resort due to his age. The pup saved him from the op as he grabbed hold of him round the neck and burst what was just a very large spot! (sebaceous cyst, infected hair follicle. Call it what you will :) )

Lumps are a bit of a worry though
 
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