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My dog has a golf-ball lump on her leg, not painful. What could it be?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Female | spayed | 5 years and 11 months old | 8 lbs

I just noticed she has a lump on her hind leg that is the size of a golf ball. I touch it and it doesn't hurt her. She eats and drinks just fine. She still loves going out side for walks but lifts that same leg when walking to fast but she does have the knee cap thing where it pops in and out. What could it be?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Ana M, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 10th, 2019

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dove. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian to have the bump evaluated. A procedure known as a fine needle aspirate will likely need to be performed. The veterinarian will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This will help guide treatment decisions based on if the mass appears to be cancerous or not. I hope this information helps!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 7th, 2017

    These lumps on Tana could be cysts, lipomas, benign tumors, or malignant tumors. Unfortunately in a senior dog, there is a always a chance a lump could be cancer. 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 would have Tana seen by a vet tomorrow to have the lumps examined and diagnosed so they can be treated if needed.

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