Just over a month ago, I was doing a routine check on my 13 month old GSD pup, Brody, for ticks. We had just gotten back from a place that was loaded with ticks, so I wanted to be sure there were none on him. There weren't any, but during the check I found a small black lump on his left foreleg.

Here is a picture. It's pretty large since I wanted to give a good view of it:

http://www.aboynamedbrody.com/wp-content/gallery/misc/brody-leg-lump.jpg

I took him to the vet for a checkup and to look at it. My vet told me to keep an eye on it to be sure it didn't grow in size, and if it didn't go away in a month then I should have it removed.

I'm find with this, however it will cost me in the neighborhood of $300, which hurts. I have read the articles by Dr. Karen Becker on when not to remove lumps and I'm not sure if this is something I should just leave alone or have removed.

The way I see it, I have two options here.

1) Take him to the vet and have it aspirated and sent for analysis. I'm not sure but I'm guessing this would be close to $100.

2) Have it removed. As mentioned before my vet gave me a rough estimate of around $300. They would just use a local anesthetic and mild sedatives, they said he wouldn't need to be put under.

I was wondering if anyone else had experience with small black lumps on their dogs. This one was very soft and about the size of a small pea, but now I think it has gotten a bit harder. It has not changed in size though.

Thanks for any input you might have!

My vet seems to be quite good at telling me which lumps, bumps, and tags on my one bumpy dog (who forms more pretty regularly) need removing. So far it has been two out of maybe fifteen or so.

I'd do what the vet said. I'd watch it (and that photo was a great idea, because it's VERY hard to remember and compare if it grows slowly; I'd take a picture just like that every week).

Did the vet mention fine-needle aspiration? Did you ask about it? I'd want all the information.

http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-skin-lumps-bumps

http://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-health/lump-on-dogs-skin/

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/tp/Lumps-Bumps.htm

http://www.dogcancerblog.com/i-found-a-lump-on-my-dog-now-what/

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/cancer/c_dg_mast_cell_tumor#.UcsElRxa4zA

JMO .... I'm not a health professional of any kind.

Thanks Connie! The vet didn't mention the aspiration, but that was option #1 that I was thinking of doing. However, she did say that they would send it for analysis after the removal. I guess I should call them and find out how much it would cost to have it aspirated and tested.

Does it have a neck like a mushroom?
Is it hard, or squishy?

It doesn't have a neck, it's flush right up against the skin. It might just be me, but I think it's a bit harder than when I first found it. It was really squishy then. Now, about three weeks later, I think it's harder.

I wouldn't worry about it, until it changes size or color. My Yorkie has a few of them. I had one removed, because it broke open and the GSD was licking it all the time. It cost a lot of money to remove, got infected after surgery, and now it grew back on the same spot...

Remember that lumps are not all equal.

For example, a mast cell tumor has no "signature look" .... no generalized size, shape, or color. And it can change size and shape underneath the part that shows.

And that's just one kind of tumor.

 Quote: Lee_Reicheld

It doesn't have a neck, it's flush right up against the skin. It might just be me, but I think it's a bit harder than when I first found it. It was really squishy then. Now, about three weeks later, I think it's harder.

So it's not raised at all? Or raised a small amount, kinda like a scab?

It's raised a small amount. It looks just like if you took one single pea and sliced it in half, than laid it on his leg and painted it black.

I just spoke with my vet again and she suggested we just keep an eye on it for now. She said that with something that small, doing a fine needle aspiration on it might not give any usable material for testing.

She said that since it hasn't changed in size and it's not causing him any problems, to just monitor it closely for now.

I plan on taking another picture in two weeks to compare the two closely.