My dog has a soft lump on her leg with a hairless spot. What is it?

Question

My schnoodle has about a quarter size soft, moveable lump under her skin on the under side of her leg. On top, there is a pencil eraser size round hairless area. It doesn't appear infected. It's dry, not oozing anything. I only noticed because she's been licking the area. She doesn't seem in pain. She occasionally gets scratched by the cat and licks the area. I'm not sure if this started that way too. But she's never had the lump under her skin before. Any idea what it is and how to treat?

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

This lump could be a cyst, abscess, lipoma, 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. Give her vet a call in the morning to make her an appointment. Best of luck.

My dog has a soft lump on her leg with a hairless spot. What is it?

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