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My dog has a lump on his side he keeps licking. Is it serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered | 74 lbs

My dog has this lump on his right side that he is continuously licking. He does have a skin condition, where he has black dandruff.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on July 6th, 2019

That looks ulcerated. This could be a benign lump, but it could be malignant. 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 Buddy's vet a call to make him an appointment, and put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking it. You can get one from a pet store. Best of luck.

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