Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Already a member? Sign in
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My senior dog has a bleeding head lump with veins. Could it be cancer?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Miniature Poodle | Male | neutered | 12 years and 8 months old | 26 lbs

My poodle has had a lump on the top of the forehead for about a month or two, but he recently just pop/stretched it. A ton of blood was leaked out, and I'm worried if it's cancerous. the lump had veins on the surface and a blood clot.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 2nd, 2020

In a dog Rugz's age, yes there is a chance this could be cancerous. 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.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 8 year old Labrador Retriever has had a few lumps on her and was checked to see if it was cancer years ago by autopsy and it wasn’t but recently I’ve noticed one growing on her head and bleeding. Should I be worried?
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I think you should have this checked. The fact that it was previously known to be benign, does not mean that now it cannot be malignant. If it has gotten bigger, it would be great to sample it again. I recommend you have Lily evaluated by your veterinarian for a test called fine needle aspirate which is an easy, quick and pain-free procedure which in the majority of cases will help reach a diagnosis to identify what the best course of action is based on the findings. In some cases, a biopsy is needed for a diagnosis. If it truly is benign then removal is not necessarily recommended. However, if it is malignant and it has not spread to other locations, then surgical removal is recommended. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Cut our yorkies hair earlier and noticed this lump on her head,shes 12 years old,it's brown and soft and hair seems to be growing through it
Thank you for providing a picture of Kelly's lump! In a senior dog, there's always a chance it could be a malignant tumor, but it could also be a benign tumor 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 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 take Kelly into the vet tomorrow or the next day to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I Have a 13 year old peekaboo and he has a lump in the back of his head. Sometimes it's soft and mushy and sometimes it's rock hard.
There are a couple of things this lump on ND's head could be including a cyst, lipoma, benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Unfortunately in a senior dog, a malignant tumor is always a possibility. 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 the vet a call first thing in the morning to make an appointment for him. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello! I have a 12 year old dog and recently a little lump grew on his snout. It feels hard to the touch and there has been blood coming from it. What can it be?
As your pet is showing no signs of being unwell this situation would not be considered an emergency, however I would recommend booking an appointment with your regular veterinarian so that they may assess the lump and recommend a course of action. There can be many causes of superficial lumps ranging from infections from small puncture wounds, to benign (non cancerous) masses and malignant (cancerous) masses. After your veterinarian takes and medical history and examines the lump they will be able to suggest ways in which to investigate it further. This may include a fine needle aspirated of the mass (using a needle to obtain a sample of cells that can be looked at under the microscope), an incision a biopsy (where a small part of the mass is removed and examined by a pathologist) and an excisional biopsy (where the whole mass is removed and examined by a pathologist). It is always better to get lumps checked whilst they are still small to make removal easier and less invasive if that
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Large hard lump all red no pus or bleeding..about 2 inch lump
Unfortunately in a senior dog like Libby, there is always a chance this lump could be a malignant tumor. It could also be a benign tumor, but the only way to know for sure is to have her seen by a vet. 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 take Libby into the vet tomorrow to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
my dog has a growth on her eye that has been spreading bleeding and is now leaking fluid my concern is that it may be cancerous how do I know if it is without taking her in she is 15 years old and cannot stand undergoing surgery
Oh poor pup! In a senior dog, there is always a chance any growth could be malignant. The only way to tell is have her seen by a vet, as that growth looks nasty. 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. Take her into the vet first thing in the morning. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 9 year old dog has a firm white pimple like bump near his groin. Is it cancerous or benign?
Without seeing Jackie in person and doing tests on the lump, there is no way I can say if it's cancerous or benign. In an older dog, there is always a chance a lump could be cancerous. 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. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has what we think is a lipoma on top of her neck. She has had for many years and due to her age, it's too dangerous to remove. Today I came home and it was bleeding pretty bad, it did not burst, looked as if she had a small cut on it. Does th
Poor Gidget! Without being able to see it in person, it is difficult to say for sure. I would have your vet take a look at it since it is hairless. It is likely just a fatty tumor but I have seen a malignant type of skin tumor called a mast cell tumor look like that. Granted, we do have to keep in mind her age. You may decide just to keep her comfortable and make sure the area doesn't get infected and that isn't a wrong decision either. Your vet will be able to determine whether or not it is malignant and also make sure the part that is bleeding isn't going to get infection. A dog her age would have a hard time getting over an infection if left untreated. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is a 13yrs old and has lumps on his front legs like the elbow area and are getting sore looking but also has 2 big lumps on his chest area 1 of which looks to be getting bigger do you think they might be cancer
With any new lump or lump that is changing, it is always best to have your veterinarian look at them and a fine needle aspirated can be done to obtain a sample of cells. If these cells look suspicious of a malignancy, then your vet can recommend surgery. From the photos that you have posted, my guess is that these may be benign, non-cancerous masses. These can still cause problems, though, by bleeding and getting infected. I would schedule Max for an exam at your earliest convenience so that you and your vet can weigh the pros and cons of surgery since he is a senior.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has had a hard lump on his rear end just before his tail for over a year, recently I've noticed that it looks like it has been bleeding but just looks like a blood clot now. My boy is nearly 11 years old and I've recently had non cancerous cys
Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Dexter. I agree, that is concerning that this hard lump is now bleeding, and this lump could be something serious. It could be a hemangiosarcoma (malignant) or hermangioma (benign), which are tumors that develop from blood vessels and look like a blood blister. Given his age, there is a chance it could be another type of malignant tumor, like a mast cell tumor, but it could also be benign. Unfortunately without seeing him in person, I cannot say for certain. 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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Supplies Dog Blood Pressure Medication Dog Health & Wellness Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Prescription Shampoo for Dogs Antifungal Medication for Dogs Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Dog Seizure Medication Prescription Dog Insulin & Diabetes Medication Heartworm Medicine for Dogs Epogen Dog Blood Pressure Medication DOG by Dr Lisa Vetmedin Dog Blood Pressure Medication Rimadyl Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Lactated Ringers Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Amlodipine Dog Blood Pressure Medication Enalapril Dog Blood Pressure Medication Amlodipine Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Rimadyl Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Lactated Ringers Electrolytes for Dogs
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored