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Mia has had this bump on her front paw for over a year now. She licks it all the time especially when she’s anxious about something. Had the vet look at it a while back but it was too small to really do anything with it. I always worry about this bump but idk what to do if it just continues to grow VERY slowly. My mind can’t make peace with it. Should I be worried about this bump? What should I do?? I need guidance or something. :(

Mia has had this bump on her front paw for over a year now. She licks it all the time especially when she’s anxious about something. Had the vet look at it a while back but it was too small to really do anything with it. I always worry about this bump but idk what to do if it just continues to grow VERY slowly. My mind can’t make peace with it. Should I be worried about this bump? What should I do?? I need guidance or something. :(

Updated On October 11th, 2023

Pet's info: Dog | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Female | spayed | 4 years and 9 months old | 25 lbs

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

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Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry Mia is having this issue. If this was a simple injury surely it would have healed by now. The fact that it has been going for a year and is growing, I would recommend you have it surgically removed and sent off to a lab for histopathology. Due to the location of this mass, if it gets much larger it will be harder to remove as there is not a lot of extra skin to close a large incision in that area. This is just my opinion. What the mass actually is though, I cannot say just by looking at a photo. It may be benign but it could also be malignant. The histopathology will tell which it is. It could also be that she has a foreign body (maybe a splinter or something) under the skin that is festering so this may not be a mass at all. It is really difficult for me to say just by looking at the photo. It is a possibility however, I would have expected it to cause more of an infection by now if that was the case. Still a possibility though. You are always welcome to get a second opinion by another vet that can examine her in person. Remember, you know Mia best and need to be her advocate. If you are uncomfortable or have a bad feeling about something then voice those concerns. In my opinion it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are worried then removing the mass is the best option. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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