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My dog has a lump on his chest I can feel but not see. Is it a tumor?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 9 years and 7 months old | 60 lbs

Hi, my dog has a bump on his lower chest. It is about 2 Centimeters and it has been there for about a month. I can not see it but I can feel it.He acts perfectly normal, but I am worried that it is a tumor. Should I take him to a vet ASAP or what should I do?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on September 30th, 2017

If the bump is under the skin, smooth and you can feel almost all of the way around it you are probably feeling a lipoma or fatty mass. If the bump is hard, irregular, firmly attached to the underlying area, getting bigger, or is painful to the touch then I'm more concerned about it being a tumor and I would bring Sammy in for an exam. Most masses you feel in the skin are benign and as long as you are keeping a close watch on it you should be fine to monitor it at home. It also could be from aninjury or insect bite and it may go away on its on in a week or so. If you are still concerned please take Sammy in for an exam. They can feel the bump and remove cells with a needle and look at them under the microscope. That way they can tell if it's fat, infection, inflammation or a tumor, and they can they recommend the appropriate treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sammy.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Given that it has been there for about a month, I would have Sammy seen by a vet on Monday for it. With a senior dog, there is always a concern that it could be a malignant tumor, but it could also be a benign tumor. 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 hope this helps!

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