# Small lump on back



## Rogue's Mama (Aug 8, 2013)

Found this small hard lump on my GSD back (spine area) last night. Because of the location I am assuming this is brand new as I would have felt it before while petting her. Other than this lump I cannot think of any other symptoms she is having. She doesnt act like it hurts but she has a pretty strong pain threshold so it's kind of hard to tell. I woke up first thing this morning calling the vet but they dont open back up until tomorrow. I'm going crazy waiting. By the way she is 5 years old. I know I cant get a definitive answer here but hoping someone has some advice. Thank you.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

Asher had a small bump on his side once that looked similar to the one in your picture. The vet said it was a cyst and not to worry about it unless it got bigger. It finally (popped?) and went away. I'm not qualified to give you any medical advice, but I'm sure your vet will give you clarity when they are open.


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## Rogue's Mama (Aug 8, 2013)

sebrench said:


> Asher had a small bump on his side once that looked similar to the one in your picture. The vet said it was a cyst and not to worry about it unless it got bigger. It finally (popped?) and went away. I'm not qualified to give you any medical advice, but I'm sure your vet will give you clarity when they are open.


Thank you. I'm hoping that's all it is. I have another rescue dog that has had a cyst on her head since she was born and it has been removed, drained, etc and its huge but the vet has always told me not to worry unless it's hard. Well rogues is hard so I think that's why I am panicking ?


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## Rogue's Mama (Aug 8, 2013)

One more add on: I keep messing with it and I dont even see how it is possible for this to pop. It is completely under the skin.


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## JewelLaverne (Aug 2, 2018)

It looks like there is no hair where the bump is? Could it be a bug bite or an allergy? You should get it checked, of course, but a bump with missing hair seems more like a skin issue than the dreaded “c-word.”
My previous cat had fatty cysts a couple of times. I can’t remember if they were hard or soft, but they moved with his skin, I believe, and were harmless other than one was on his neck, pressing on his throat, so I had it removed. They had hair, though.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

It doesn’t look bad, but watch it, if it changes color or gets larger, go to the vet. My dog had a cancerous lump removed, it was growing rapidly and was many different colors. It looked red and sore, but it was also brown and black in spots.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Has she had any shots lately? Sometimes vax can leave a lump under the skin.


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## tangelo (Sep 15, 2018)

If its a cyst don.t squeeze it. They can rupture inwards and cause a bad infection.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I've squeezed them. They have ruptured inside and outside. They have never caused a serious infection, except that Odie had them and they kept filling back up and I would squeeze them and they would spew a ton of gunk. But I finally had to keep my hands OFF, and then they (she had two -- one on the neck near the shoulder and one on the spine most of the way down her back near her back legs) went away. I probably would squeeze once and get the stuff out of there if it seems possible, and then leave it be completely.


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## tangelo (Sep 15, 2018)

I squeezed one on my dog and it imploded and caused bad infection 15 stitches and $750


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## tc68 (May 31, 2006)

Could be a cyst. My previous GSD got them quite often...at least once a year, sometimes a few times a year. Some of them got as big as a quarter. If it's in a place where he can reach it, he'd chew on it and break it. And then it got infected badly. Smelled terrible. He was on antibiotics. Twice he got infected. And like tangelo, he needed stitches also. The sebum that comes out is pretty nasty. If I were you I wouldn't pop it myself, unless you had some antibiotics on hand. It might not be ripe yet, so don't pop it yet. My vet told me to use a lot of hot compresses. He also said, don't worry, it's similar to us getting pimples. *But first have it checked out by a vet.* It could be anything.

Btw, is there only one vet around you? If this was an emergency where would you go? I'm not saying this is an emergency, but you seemed pretty stressed/frantic. And the only way to ease your mind, would've been to go to another (available) vet.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Since it's hard, I'd want a vet looking at it next week, and I think I'd discuss with the vet the option of pulling a sample of those cells with a needle, to send off to a lab for a pathology report. Hopefully it will come back as nothing bad -- but if it is something bad, it could be something you want to catch early to have it removed with clean margins.


For now, just think good thoughts and hopefully it will turn out to be a cyst.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If I was worried about it imploding, I would put a needle in it and then squeeze. But yeah if it's hard, probably asking a vet makes sense.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I wouldn't panic. There is nothing about this that is an emergency.  It could be a sebaceous cyst or it could be a benign growth. I would wait to see if it gets larger but since you are a bit stressed, call to have your vet check it.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LOL, I've watched vet techs squeeze them. They pop like a bunch of cauliflour. They are like zits or boils. Sometimes. But yeah, probably a sebaceous cyst. Not an emergency, but not a bad idea to have a vet look at it.


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## steelmogul (Mar 3, 2016)

My girl Xena gets these occasionally. They are most likely sub-cutaneous cyst. My vet will lance and squeeze them then clean with alcohol. I these are the same (and they look it) they're not a big deal, but still have your vet check.


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## Remingtons_momma (Sep 15, 2021)

Rogue's Mama said:


> Found this small hard lump on my GSD back (spine area) last night. Because of the location I am assuming this is brand new as I would have felt it before while petting her. Other than this lump I cannot think of any other symptoms she is having. She doesnt act like it hurts but she has a pretty strong pain threshold so it's kind of hard to tell. I woke up first thing this morning calling the vet but they dont open back up until tomorrow. I'm going crazy waiting. By the way she is 5 years old. I know I cant get a definitive answer here but hoping someone has some advice. Thank you.





Rogue's Mama said:


> Found this small hard lump on my GSD back (spine area) last night. Because of the location I am assuming this is brand new as I would have felt it before while petting her. Other than this lump I cannot think of any other symptoms she is having. She doesnt act like it hurts but she has a pretty strong pain threshold so it's kind of hard to tell. I woke up first thing this morning calling the vet but they dont open back up until tomorrow. I'm going crazy waiting. By the way she is 5 years old. I know I cant get a definitive answer here but hoping someone has some advice. Thank you.


Having this same exact problem with my 3 year old GSD babygirl!! What did it end up being!! I’m taking her to the vet but please calm my mind


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