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My senior dog has a hard, oozing lump on his leg. Is it serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 13 years and 9 months old | 32 lbs

Hard nodule, top of his leg that is oozing somewhat. He keeps licking area. Yes, he has soft fatty areas. This is different. 13 year old dog

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on October 2nd, 2017

I recommend putting a cone on Slick so he doesn't lick the nodule, or you can put him in a Tee shirt if that will cover the nodule and that should stop him from getting to it. Please clean the growth with hydrogen peroxide and apply a thin film of antibacterial ointment on it. It should dry up and start to heal if he leaves it alone. Also take a photo every few days so you can tell if it's getting bigger. The nodule may be an irritated wart or a benign growth which would be nothing to be overly concerned about. It it's a malignant tumor it will grow and even if Slick is not licking it it may continue to ooze or bleed. For a diagnosis I would take Slick in for an exam and they can do a needle aspirate and look at the cells under the microscope. Some nodules if they are small or narrow at the base can be removed with a local anesthetic and then the nodule itself can be sent for a biopsy. Again the best way to know if this is serious is to get a veterinary exam. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Slick.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi and thanks for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say what the hard nodule could be without examining Slick and taking a sample first. If it is oozing, then it may be infected or it could be a cyst that has ruptured. Your veterinarian can take a small sample of the mass to determine if it is something of concern or not and if it needs to be removed. I hope this helps and I wish you and Slick the best!

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