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My Shih Tzu puppy has a soft, movable lump on her chest. Should I worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | unspayed | 11 months and 22 days old

Hi, I have an 11 month old Shih Tzu & I have just found a soft lump that moves on her chest under the skin? It's not a large lump but it's not a tiny lump either if that makes sense? Should I be worried at all? It doesn't seem to cause her any pain when I touch it, but I've never noticed it before and now I'm a little concerned as to what it could be

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 26th, 2017

In a young dog like Bow, this lump could be a cyst, a lipoma, or a benign tumor. I wouldn't be worried about it, but I would have her seen by a vet for it. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would have Bow seen by a vet tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 13th, 2019

    This may be an abscess, a cyst or a tumor. You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 6th, 2017

    In a young puppy like Daisy, this bump is more likely a cyst or a benign tumor. Roundworms infect the the intestines of puppies, so they couldn't be the cause of this bump. I would have her seen by a vet tomorrow. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the bump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. The vet can diagnose what is causing this bump so it can be treated.

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