3yo male has sensitive spot on shoulder that looks like a defined lump or cyst, any ideas?

[dres_actually]

I'll preface this post by saying that Sasha already has an appointment with the vet for next week. Wanted to see if anyone on here has ideas of what this could be before we go in.

For at least a couple of months, my 3-year-old boy, Sasha, has been testy about people touching his shoulder. At first I thought it was just that he doesn't like being woken up when he is asleep. After that, I thought that he might have tweaked something or perhaps slipped a disc while wrestling with our other dog, who is twice his size. A couple of things ruled that out: one, he walks, runs, and plays like normal. No limps, no whining. Maybe 85% of his usual energy, but no dramatic lethargy. Two, he is still cuddling and sleeping velcroed to my husband or me or our other dog in all kinds of weird Basenji contortions. Even while cuddling, though, he will growl and snap at anyone but me who pets his shoulder, and he only lets me do it because I've proven to him that I have a light touch.

A few days ago, I noticed that the area on his shoulder that he gets testy about is a bit raised. My best guess for what this is some kind of a subcutaneous cyst or fatty lipoma, but I don't want to rule anything out. Does anyone here have any ideas what this might be? Just want to make sure we're taking good theories to the vet. I hate seeing him in pain and am beginning to wonder if whatever this is is pinching a nerve/creating pressure or something due to where it sits.

[Kembe]

@dres_actually
My B has a few lipomas (fatty lumps) due to her advanced age - but they do not bother her and do not cause her any pain. (And the vet has identified them as lipomas). You really need to have him checked by a vet. Hope it’s nothing serious.

[elbrant]

While I'm not sure why Sasha is "testy" with anyone other than you. IMHO, it just looks like a pad of fat. It's hard to tell from this photo, but I'm thinking Sasha just has a couple extra pounds on him. The Vet makes a lot of sense. Please let us know what they say.

[dres_actually]

@elbrant Will do, for sure. And yes, he's still carrying a couple of extra stubborn pounds right now, so that's definitely also a factor. We've been working with the vet on weight management too--he's been working hard and is about 2/3 of the way to where he needs to be. I'll update here with whatever we learn.

[eeeefarm]

Have you palpated the area to see if you get a pain response? Is the lump firm or soft? In the skin or attached to lower layers? Hard to make a guess without more information. But good that you have a vet appointment.

[dres_actually]

This post is deleted!

[dres_actually]

@eeeefarm 1) yes, and I do get a pain response (growl/snap/twitch/twist away). no yelping, though. 2) soft. I used to have a subcutaneous cyst on my sternum and from what I can feel through his fur, it feels like that. 3) hard to tell with the fur. but yeah, agreed. I lost the GSD I had growing up far too young to aggressive sarcoma and don't like to mess around with weird bumps anymore. 😅

[eeeefarm]

Is he running a temperature at all? Is the lump warm to the touch? How quickly did the lump form? Unusual spot but maybe an abscess?

[Zande]

Well done for getting an appointment with a Vet. This has to be your first port of call. And be VERY careful not to touch it too much until the vet has had a good look at it.

The location would suggest undispersed vaccine. One should always rub the spot well after a shot to make sure it does disperse ok. But sometimes it doesn't, and a lump forms. But the duration and the fact it causes him jip if touched would suggest something else.

Do let us know ?

[tanza]

@dres_actually - Also that looks to be about the spot that a micro chip is placed? My Franie has a lump there but it doesn't bother her.... might be something for your vet to explore.