Lump on boxer's neck.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi and thanks for your question.

It's always tough to talk about lumps over the internet, but we'll see if we can do our best to figure this out. I have a few questions first.

1. Can you send a photo? If so, you can email it to photos@askavetquestion.com.

2. Does it seem sore at all if you squeeze this lump?

3. Is it the same color as the rest of her skin or does it seem red at all?

4. Would you describe it as soft and fluid filled, or very hard, or somewhere in between?

Thanks!
Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

OK, thanks for that info and thanks for the great photos. Ladybug is a beautiful girl! Here are two of them:





Now, I can't tell you exactly what this is, but from from you have told me this is very unlikely to be an emergency. It sounds like this lump is not bothersome to her at all.

There are a few possibilities. I have seen a number of boxers that can get an abscess in this area. An abscess can be from a recent dog bite wound or an encounter with a stick. If you think that's possible, then this could be the diagnosis.

It could also be a lipoma which is a fat lump and is nothing to worry about. It came up a little fast for a lipoma though.

Most of the worrisome things that we see on boxers like mast cell tumors or melanomas don't look like this at all.

The area that you've shown me is not the area of a lymph node either.

I think that it is worthwhile to have a vet check this out, but there is no rush and you can definitely wait until Monday. The vet will likely do a fine needle aspirate and hopefully get you a diagnosis. I will be surprised if it is something serious.

Dr. Marie.