The appearance of a lump in the neck of our dog is a cause for concern for many caregivers. For this reason, in this article on our site we are going to explain what are the reasons that can cause the appearance of a lump in the neck of our dog. It is important, first of all, that we look at the appearance of this ball, if it appears suddenly or grows, if it is hard or soft, painful to the touch or not etc
In addition, we must note if our dog has other symptoms. The main thing, if the dog has a lump in the neck, is to go to the vet and provide him with all the information we have collected to establish the diagnosis. But, Why does my dog have a lump on his neck? Find out what it could be below.
The lymph nodes
Dogs, like humans, have lymph nodes located in different parts of the body, such as the neck or extremities. These ganglia fulfill their function in the defense of the organism against pathogenic agents. Therefore, when an element, such as a bacterium or a virus, enters the body, it will initiate an immunological response to deal with it, mobilizing the defenses to attack the pathogen.
Due to this process it is not uncommon that, before an incipient "invasion", the lymph node(s) closest to the point of entry of the pathogen become inflamed. It is for this reason that a dog can have a lump in the neck. But how can we identify a swollen node in the dog's neck?
The first thing we can do is examine his mouth, because sometimes an oral problem is the origin of the enlarged size of these nodes. If we observe any lesion or abnormality, as well as symptoms such as hypersalivation, fever, pain when eating, lethargy or runny nose, we must go to our veterinarian to determine the cause and that, in addition to some dental problem, we may be facing a disease infected via the oronasal route. In addition, it will confirm that the ball corresponds to a ganglion.
Abscesses in the neck
Another cause that can cause our dog to have a lump in the neck can be an abscessThese are lumps that contain pus and are caused by an infection. For example, if our dog fights with another, the neck is a fairly common place to receive bites. Sometimes the skin falsely closes on the outside but an infection remains inside, which ends up forming the abscess.
These can also be caused by something that gets stuck in the meat, such as a spike or a piece of wood. Thus, if our dog suffers a bite, it is a good idea to have it checked by our veterinarian. If we walk it through an area with potential risk of injury, such as between bushes or very dense vegetation, we should check it when we get home in case it has a splinter stuck in it. In addition to the body, in these cases it is very important to also review the legs, especially between the toes.
insect bites can also lead to abscesses. You have to know that sometimes the surface of the abscess opens and we can see it as an open wound. Even if the pus is eliminated in this way, it should be our veterinarian who makes sure that the area is well cleaned. Abscesses can be diagnosed by taking a sample of their content, which will be pus, and it is usually resolved by disinfecting them, administering antibiotics and, sometimes, draining them.
Tumors in the neck
A dog that has a lump on its neck can sometimes be a consequence of a tumor Tumors are abnormal growths of the cells. The body's cells multiply throughout life and sometimes, especially with increasing age, errors occur in the replication mechanism that cause some of them to grow disproportionately, without control and, generally, quickly. In this way, lumps or tumors are formed, which can appear anywhere in the body, invade organs and move to other areas in what is known as metastasis
There are many factors involved in the appearance of tumors. These can be benign or malignant and the damage they cause will depend on the area they are in or the organs they affect. This is why it is recommended that we take our dog to a veterinary check-up once or twice a year from approximately 7 years of age. In this way our veterinarian will be able to discover tumors on palpation or in an analysis, where altered parameters may appear that lead to the diagnosis of cancer.
In the same way, it is important that we feel our dog at home and, if we find any lump, such as it may appear on the neck or back, we must go to the vet, since, through cytology or biopsy, will be able to determine if we are facing a malignant or benign process. In both cases, surgical extraction can be chosen, sometimes complemented with radio or chemotherapy.
A large lump in the dog's neck can also be Caused by cysts, not related to cancer, such as fat ones. In any case, it should be the veterinarian who makes the diagnosis.
Inoculation site reaction
Finally, sometimes a lump can form where an injection has been given, this is one of the side effects of dog vaccinations. Although these are usually inoculated in the area of the withers, if it is punctured a little higher up, we may discover, after a puncture, that the dog has a lump in the neck, in addition to the swollen neck in the upper part. It is an inflammatory reaction that usually subsides in a few days. If it doesn't happen or it gets worse we should go to our vet
