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My senior dog has a growing, hard lump on her shoulder. What is it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 10 years old

My 10 year old female Yorkie had a bump on her shoulder blade, at first it looked like a small war but it has gotten bigger. About the size of a large pea and it is hard under it about the size of a dime. Could you please give me an idea of what we are dealing with?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 25th, 2021

Given Jellybean's age, there is always a chance that any lump could be a malignant growth (cancer), and it is concerning that it has gotten bigger. It could also just be a wart or another type of benign growth, or a cyst. 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. This is not an emergency so you don't have to take her into the vet this weekend. I would have her seen next week. I hope this helps!

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