What to do about a hard lump on my senior dog? Is anesthesia safe?

Question

I found a large lump on my dog, it is under her arm, it is about the size of my hand, it feels hard and does not move, however she is almost 14 I am unsure of what I should do as I am not sure if she will make it out of anesthesia. Pet's info: Dog | White Shepherd | Female | spayed | 65 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

In a senior dog like Sandy, there is always a chance that a lump could be malignant. This does need to be seen by a 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 while the dog is awake 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. There are senior dogs who have anesthesia without problems, and that may be the case with Sandy. The lump needs to be diagnosed first before worrying about going to surgery, so give your vet a call in the morning to make an appointment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

What to do about a hard lump on my senior dog? Is anesthesia safe?

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