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My dog has a red lump on his leg near his foot. What could it be?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 3 years and 3 months old

My dog has a red lump on his leg, near his foot.

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 30th, 2019

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Buddy. This lump could be a growth, either benign or 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 his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 26th, 2017

    Yes, it could be a worry in that it might be malignant. It could also be a cyst or a benign 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 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 Marmite (love his name!) seen by a vet tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 22nd, 2018

    Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Blue. This bump could be a cyst, from an injury, or a benign 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 his vet a call today to make him an appointment to get it checked out. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 25th, 2019

    There is no way to know what these lumps are just by looking at a photo. Many different types of skin masses can appear the same visually. It is best to have any new lumps/bumps on your dog checked out in person by a vet. These could be just benign cysts or something more serious like cancer. Your vet may have to do some testing on these to figure out what they are. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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