My dog has a neck lump that doesn't bother him. What could it be?

Question

My year old full-blooded male German Shepherd has developed large masses on his neck. They do not seem to bother him at all. I only noticed them one grooming him. Could this be a cancerous mass? Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | 80 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

At one year of age, it is unlikely that these masses on Gunner are cancerous. If these masses are on either side of his neck, then they might be his lymph nodes, which would become enlarged when he is ill or suffering from an infection. They could also be cysts, abscesses, or benign tumors. I would take Gunner into the vet in the morning to have these masses examined. If these masses are not lymph nodes, 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.

My dog has a neck lump that doesn't bother him. What could it be?

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