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My senior dog has marble-sized skin lumps. Should I see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered | 12 years old | 100 lbs

My Golden Retriever started getting two lumps on his skin. They look like a marbles and are about the same size. They have stopped growing. What should I do?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 16th, 2018

This growths on Teddy could be benign, but in a senior dog, there is always a chance that they would 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 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. I'd give your vet a call to make an appointment to have these growths examined and diagnosed so they can be treated if needed. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

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MY 10 YEAR OLD SHIH TZU HAS A LARGE LUMP THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL HANGING UNDER HIS NECK. IT HAS WENT AWAY AND NOW HAS COME BACK. EVERY ONE KEEPS SAYING THAT IT IS JUST A FATTY TUMOR BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED. HE ACTS LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG AND EATS LIKE
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(now added photos) I’m unsure what this lump is on my dog, he is 10 years old. He has had it for a while it may have grown a little but maybe not I can’t he sure. It’s about half an inch big. The skin on it is rough. He seems fine otherwise. Think it
Yes, this may just be a benign growth like a skin tag, but I cannot make a definitive diagnosis without seeing him in person. 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 hope this helps!
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My dog has a lump on her leg roughly the size of a marble. She is a 9 year old cocker spaniel and is very healthy otherwise.
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Thanks for using Boop by Petco! These could be benign or malignant growths. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!
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