My dog has had a hard lump on his rear end just before his tail for over a year, recently I've noticed that it looks like it has been bleeding but just looks like a blood clot now. My boy is nearly 11 years old and I've recently had non cancerous cysts removed but I'm concerned about this as he is unable to reach that area to cause it to bleed himself

Updated On February 15th, 2024

Pet's info: Dog | Bichon Frise | Male | neutered | 30 lbs

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

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Thank you for contacting PetCoach with your question about Dexter. I agree, that is concerning that this hard lump is now bleeding, and this lump could be something serious. It could be a hemangiosarcoma (malignant) or hermangioma (benign), which are tumors that develop from blood vessels and look like a blood blister. Given his age, there is a chance it could be another type of malignant tumor, like a mast cell tumor, but it could also be benign. Unfortunately without seeing him in person, I cannot say for certain. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment. I hope this helps!

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