Why does my dog's leg bump grow when squeezed, then shrink?

Question

My dog has a small bump on his back leg. I thought it may have been a bite or ingrown hair. I tried to squeeze it and it grew from about the size of a pea to the size of a walnut. It is freely moveable and does not seem to bother him or cause pain. It went back to the size of a pea about an hour after the manipulation. Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | neutered | 6 years old | 80 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

It could be that Zeke has a cyst or a benign tumor causing this bump, and I would not squeeze it anymore. Instead, I would have him seen by a 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 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. I would have him seen by a vet in the next couple of days to have this bump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.

Why does my dog's leg bump grow when squeezed, then shrink?

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