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My dog's swollen lymph node came back again. Could it be lymphoma?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | French Bulldog | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 3 months old

Hi my dog has a swollen lymph node she's a 15 month old French bulldog. She has had antihistamine and antibiotics from the vet which reduced the swelling but now one week later it has come back, could this be lymphoma? Thanks, sam

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3 Answers

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Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 18th, 2017

If it has come back after the initial course of treatment, I would see if your vet can perform a fine needle aspirate and send it out for cytology review with a pathologist. This will help determine if the lymph node in question is suspicious for lymphoma or not. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions / concerns. I am also available via consultation.

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    Answered By Susan England-Foster

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Anytime a lymph mode is enlarge we worry about lymphoma. However in a young dog it would be very uncommon. Usually with lymphoma all lymph nodes are enlarged and so not respond to medications. I would recommend a aspirate of the node. That way you can look for infectious and fungal disease. Hopefully an aspirate can tell you the cause and how to treat

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    Answered By Amber Da Silva, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 3rd, 2017

    Swelling of the lymph nodes, especially when multiple lymph nodes around the body are swollen, is something that should be addressed by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian would most likely do a fine needle aspirate which means they would insert a small needle into the lymph nodes to draw out a sample. They would then look at this sample under a microscope. Widespread lymph node enlargement could be a type of cancer called lymphoma. It could also be an infection throughout the body. The cough could be related to infection or could result from enlarged lymph nodes in the chest. A chest x-ray may be necessary to find the cause of the cough.

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