Is this a tick, cancer? Anything bad? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 years and 7 months old | 65 lbs

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! No, that does not look like a tick. It looks like a small dermal module or mass. This is most of the time differentiated with a test called a fine needle aspirate which is easy, cheap and pain-free. Sometimes, a biopsy is required for a diagnosis. Have Peter evaluated by your veterinarian to have this test performed to try to sort out what the diagnosis is so that the best course of action can be determined. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign!

That does not appear to be a tick. It is more likely a a benign lump or skin tag. If it doesn't bother her, monitor it at home. Watch for rapid change or growth, discharge, bleeding or pain. See your veterinarian if necessary. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinc to collect samples for pathology. This may provide a diagnosis after which a treatment plan can be discussed.

This is not a tick. This lump/growth should be ideally examined by your veterinarian to have a definitive diagnosis. Your vet will examine it and possibly perform with an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy. Differentials would include skin cyst, infections or benign or malignant type of tumors. I can say that is very likely to be a benign skin mass, commonly related to old age. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

What is this lump on my dog's body? Is it a tick, tumor, or cancer?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Is this a tick, cancer? Anything bad?

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS 102

Veterinarian

Published on September 17th, 2018

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Zoe! From the picture, it doesn't appear to be a tick. This could be a nipple that is irritated, but without knowing where this is located, I can't say that for certain. It could also be a benign tumor or a malignant 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 its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I'd give her vet a call in the morning to make an appointment for her. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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What is this lump on my dog's body? Is it a tick, tumor, or cancer?

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