What’s that Lump?

My 2-year-old Chihuahua, Freddy, has a lump. I don’t know what it is so I researched. My research says it’s a cyst, tumor or a wart. I looked closer and it looked like a bone sticking out but it didn’t come out of the skin. It looks as if you put your tongue to the side of your cheek, but smaller.

– Cristina, Miami, Florida

A broken piece of bone sticking out under the skin would be very painful and the dog would most likely not be walking. However, there are lumps that can be very firm to the touch and feel like a bone under the skin. Some are benign (non-cancerous), and others are malignant (cancerous) so it is important to have it evaluated by your veterinarian to see if it is something to be concerned about. The veterinarian may want to take a sample of the lump with a small needle to send to the lab for analysis or may want to remove it and send it in for a biopsy if it is very concerning. The good news is that your dog is young and in most young dogs, lumps and bumps are usually benign.

PHOTOS: dogpuppypictures, dogfacts.org