My old dog has lumps on her body and neck. Is it cancer or benign?

Question

Candy has grown some balls around her body. She grew to balls around her neck which made me aware of the issue. She's been with me for a long time so I know she is old. I'm afraid it being cancer. Is there other possibilities ? Maybe from the heat? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | unspayed | 20 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Yes, it certainly is possible that these lumps on Candy could be due to cancer. They can also be due to benign tumors, lipomas (benign fatty tumors), or cysts. It is concerning that some of these lumps are around her neck, and it could be her lymph nodes that are swollen. That is a sign of lymphoma. 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 take Candy into the vet first thing in the morning to have these lumps examined and diagnosed. Once a cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment options.

My old dog has lumps on her body and neck. Is it cancer or benign?

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