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My dog has itchy lumps under his arm. When should I be concerned?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | neutered | 8 years and 7 months old | 95 lbs

Hello I have an 8yr old Labrador A while back I noticed he had a lump under his arm, after a week it became two lumps. It's not noticeable, and does not seem to hurt him. We also live in a ranch, so I'm not sure if it could be a bug bite or something way more serious. He's been acting very normal super active but just a little itchy on that area. What should I do?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on August 19th, 2017

I am concerned about those lumps. Being itchy in that area could be from insect bites or he could have had a puncture wound that became infected. Those generally would be more red and uncomfortable. There are lymph nodes and lots of vessels and nerves in that location. Definitely I would take him to your veterinarian to have these examined and they may take some cells through a needle aspirate to diagnosis whether it is infection or a cancer. Then when they know what it is they can decide on the best treatment. This could be serious so I wouldn't wait too long as treating most problems early is most effective. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Junior.

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    Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello and thank you for your post! If you are feeling a lump and are concerned, you can have your vet examine this and do some additional testing to help determine if it is benign or malignant. A simple test that we can do is insert a small needle into the mass and look at the cells under a microscope to see whether or not it is something to be concerned about. It looks like a fatty tumor (lipoma) but difficult to tell since I am unable to feel it myself. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via text / phone consultation if needed.

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