Pet Lumps and Bumps: When to Call Creature Comforts’ 24-Hour Emergency Team

It usually starts with something small: you’re rubbing your dog’s belly and feel a pea-sized bump, or you notice a swelling on your cat that wasn’t there before.
Your heart skips a beat, and questions rush in: Is it harmless? Is it painful? Could it be cancer?

The truth is, not all lumps spell trouble, but some can quickly turn into emergencies. That’s why at Creature Comforts Veterinary Service, our 24/7 emergency team is here to help you separate the minor from the major, bringing clarity and peace of mind no matter the hour.

Why Do Pets Develop Lumps?

Skin and the tissues beneath it are busy places. Hair follicles, oil glands, fat cells, lymph nodes, and immune defenders all sit just under the surface. Any of these structures can respond to injury, infection, or abnormal cell growth by creating a visible mass. Understanding the likely cause and how fast the lump is changing directs the next step.

Common Harmless Masses

Soft Fatty Tumors

Older or overweight dogs frequently grow lipomas, which feel soft, move easily under the skin, and grow slowly. These tumors rarely spread, but documenting size and location is important because sudden enlargement can still cause discomfort.

Elbow Calluses

Large-breed dogs that rest on hard floors often develop elbow calluses, which look like thick, gray pads on pressure points. Using padded bedding and moisturizers helps reduce irritation and prevent painful cracks.

Oral Papillomas

Puppies and immunocompromised dogs sometimes sprout oral papillomas around the mouth. These cauliflower-like warts usually resolve on their own, but an exam ensures they’re not confused with more serious growths and helps prevent spread to other dogs.

Tick-Sized Lumps

A small gray “bean” near the ear or between toes may not be a tumor at all, but rather an engorged tick. Following tick prevention guidelines for pets – including daily coat checks and year-round protection – helps you catch ticks early and avoid infections that mimic other skin diseases.

Nipples

A common point of confusion comes from nipples- many dogs, especially large breed dogs, have nipples that can look like a tick. Don’t forget- both male and female dogs have 6-12 nipples.

Lumps That Deserve Prompt Veterinary Attention

Abscesses

Bite wounds or foxtail splinters can seal over, trapping bacteria that multiply into a hot, painful swelling. A cat bite abscess often requires surgical drainage and antibiotics.

Ear Hematomas

Head-shaking from allergies or infections can rupture vessels inside the ear flap, creating a fluid-filled swelling. Ear hematomas are very painful and, if untreated, may leave ears permanently scarred.

Anal Sac Swellings

A fishy odor, scooting, or a marble-like bulge beside the anus may indicate impaction, infection, or tumor. Anal sac disease can rupture without treatment, causing significant pain.

Severe Allergic Welts

Bee stings, new foods, or medications can unleash widespread itchy hives. These welts sometimes progress to facial swelling or even airway obstruction, making same-day treatment critical.

Embedded Foxtails

In Pennsylvania woodlands, barbed grass awns penetrate skin and migrate through tissue. Foxtails often appear as draining lumps that won’t heal and require surgical exploration before they reach deeper structures.

Hernias

A sudden bulge near the abdomen, chest, or groin may be a hernia. While some remain stable, others trap tissue or organs and quickly become emergencies.

Interdigital Furunculosis

Painful, pus-filled nodules between the toes make walking miserable. Interdigital furunculosis often needs both medical and surgical treatment to fully resolve.

Could This Lump Be Cancer?

Cancer accounts for roughly one-third of all skin tumors in pets. Signs of cancer in pets include persistent sores, sudden size changes, and unexplained bleeding. Unlike benign tumors that usually stay localized, malignant tumors can spread aggressively.

The most common cancer types in pets include mast cell tumors, melanoma, and fibrosarcoma. Other examples include squamous cell carcinoma in cats, osteosarcoma in large-breed dogs, and oral tumors that interfere with eating.

How Our 24/7 Emergency Hospital Diagnoses a Mass

Our emergency hospital provides diagnostics day or night so care never has to wait until morning. A gentle exam starts the process, using calm handling to keep pets comfortable while we map each lump and check lymph nodes.

When testing is needed, we perform a fine-needle aspirate and review the cells under the microscope. Small-animal skin cytology often distinguishes infection from cancer within minutes.

If deeper answers are required, we use digital radiographs and ultrasound to evaluate internal spread and guide biopsies. Suspicious or problematic masses may be removed by our AAHA-accredited surgical team, with histopathology confirming the final diagnosis and shaping follow-up treatment.

Emergency Checklist: Call Creature Comforts Immediately If You Notice…

  • A lump doubling in size within two weeks
  • Bleeding, ulceration, or foul discharge
  • Intense pain, redness, or warmth
  • Rapid facial or airway swelling after a sting
  • Growths interfering with breathing, eating, urinating, or walking
  • Collapse, pale gums, or sudden weakness related to any mass

Dial 570-992-0400 right away. Calling ahead lets our emergency team prepare medications, diagnostics, and a treatment room before you arrive.

At-Home Lump Log: A Simple Monitoring Tool

  1. Run your hands over your pet from nose to tail once a month.
  2. Photograph each lump beside a ruler and note the date on your phone.
  3. Re-measure every two weeks and track changes in size or texture.
  4. Share the log at each wellness exam so we can decide whether removal or further testing is needed.

Routine documentation helps us catch cancer early and avoid unnecessary surgery on stable benign masses.

Creature Comforts: Because Love Matters

Our hospital was built for the love of pets. That love fuels our pursuit of advanced diagnostics, compassionate handling, and individualized treatment plans. Whether your companion weighs 100 pounds or just a few ounces, our promise is the same: to protect the bond you share through exceptional veterinary medicine.

Take Action Now

If you’ve found a new lump, or an existing one is changing, don’t wait and wonder. Let our team evaluate it right away – day or night.

Call Creature Comforts Veterinary Service at 570-992-0400 or request an appointment online. We’re here 24/7 to keep your pet safe, comfortable, and healthy.