You’re lying on the couch with your four-legged friend and cuddling with your friend; suddenly, you feel a hard bony lump on their rib cage. Is it a sign of a health issue, or is it normal? You might want to know if you should worry about the hard bony lump, or just ignore it? You might be thinking, is it cancer? The best advice I can give you is to consult a vet as soon as possible. The quicker they can diagnose a problem, the sooner your dog can be treated.
Types of Lumps and Bumps in Dogs
The main reason for hard bony lumps on your dog’s rib cage are cancerous tumors, fatty tumors, in-grown warts, and sebaceous cysts.
- Fatty Tumors
You’ll mostly observe them in middle-aged or senior dogs. Although they can show up anywhere, mainly you’ll see them in the rib area. Any dog breed can become a victim of it, but overweight and larger dogs have more chances of becoming a victim of it. For this reason, it is very important to always feed your dog a balanced diet and exercise with them regularly.
Some dog breeds such as Great Danes are also more susceptible to cancer.
- Warts
They appear as a result of a virus, and you can see them in the mouths of young dogs. In younger dogs, they’ll disappear without treatment, but for older dogs, you might need surgery. While it is less common, warts can also from under the skin that covers the rib cage of a dog.
- Sebaceous Cyst
It looks like a pimple, but it releases a white pasty substance when this blocked oil gland bursts. This can be very painful for your dog. Therefore, if you notice any pimple or bump on your dog’s skin that continues to grow, you should take him/her to the vet.
- Abscess
When an insect or any other creature bites the dog, it results in a buildup of pus under the dog’s skin. You can usually treat this with an antibiotic or topical cream. It is always smart to check your dog for insects and ticks after they have run through the woods. If you are interested in a dog dewormer, you can check out my article on How much safeguard goat wormer to give a dog.
Abscess can also cause other symptoms. For example, a tick bite can cause diarrhea in dogs.
- Cancerous Tumor
They are generally harder than other types of lumps, and they’re not sensitive to touch. The best solution is to get a biopsy done to spot any issue so that it can be treated in a timely manner.
When you observe lumps and bumps on your dog’s skin, the best thing to do is to keep a chart of their size and location. This way you will easily notice if the bump begins to grow.
It’s not difficult, and you can do it yourself. The best way to do it is to check during grooming. If you are familiar with your dog’s body, it will be easier for you to spot if something is wrong. I suggest that you groom your dog at least once every two weeks. This should consist of running a brush through their hair, and you should cut out any mats of hair. You should also use dog shampoo at least once a month.
Should I worry if I found a lump on my dog?
When most pet owners see a lump on their dog’s body, they panic. They feel that it’s cancerous, which isn’t always the case. As mentioned earlier, there can be different kinds of lumps in dogs, and there might be various reasons for it as well. Some lumps are hereditary, and they don’t pose much threat to your dog’s life.
It doesn’t matter whether there is a single lump or multiple lumps on your dog’s body; you can’t ignore them. If you notice any sort of lump in your dog’s rib cage, I suggest that you visit a vet as soon as possible.
Symptoms of Lump on Dogs Rib Cage
Most bony lumps on a dog’s rib are just fatty tumors, and they’re not cancerous. However, a few of them can be cancerous as well, but it’s hard to tell from the outside. If you’re unsure about the cause of lumps, take your dog for a medical checkup. Moreover, if your dog is in discomfort due to swelling, pain, redness, and pus, get the appointment as soon as possible.
If the lumps are on the paws and face, they will probably be removed through surgery. Your vet will most likely ask the following questions in regard to the lump:
- When did the lump first appear
- Has the color, shape, or size of the lump changed?
- Has there been any changes in the dog’s behaviors, such as energy level or appetite?
If the issue is minor, the vet might be able to remove the cells with an injection or needle. After examination of the cell, they can tell whether it’s a fatty tumor or cancerous.
If the vet is unable to determine the makeup of the cell through a microscope or x-ray, they will take a small sample and send it to the lab for biopsy. If the report suggests it’s cancer, then your dog will most likely need an operation done within the next couple of days. While some tumors can be treated by removing them, it can be fatal if the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body.
Final Words
Lumps and bumps on a dog’s rib cage can signify danger, but you need to ensure that you spot them early and get them fixed. The vet will suggest treatment according to the lump type. I hope you found this article helpful!
