My dog ​​has a lump in his rib: causes

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 9 August 2021
Update Date: 13 November 2024
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Lumps are small formations on the skin or surrounding structures that, when they start to be seen, raise many doubts and many fears in tutors.

While certain lumps can be benign and harmless, others can be malignant and very invasive. For this reason, you should not ignore it when you notice or feel a new lump in your dog's body.

In this new PeritoAnimal article for those who are thinking "my dog ​​has a lump in his rib", we will explain the causes and the most suitable treatments. Keep reading!

lump in dog

Lumps, masses or nodules are prominent formations that can vary in size, consistency, color, appearance, location, severity and it is essential that they are detected and evaluated as quickly as possible.


The nature and advanced state of the lump dictate the type of treatment and can inform the prognosis. These structures can appear throughout the life of the animal, and the older the animal, the more likely the appearance of tumor masses. While benign masses show slow growth and minimal invasion, malignant ones show fast and invasive growth, can be lethal.

A lump in a dog's rib: what can it be?

It is important for you to know your pet, how the body is and how the organism works, so that whenever there is any change you can identify the problem well. As we've already said, the causes of lumps that appear near the ribs can be many, single, or a combination of several factors.

Next, we'll explain what the most common causes ofdog with a lump in the rib.


Lump on dog ribs by ticks

These ectoparasites perforate and settle on the skin of animals and are often confused with small soft lumps on the skin. They do not have a specific location and therefore you should inspect the animal's entire body, giving particular importance to the places where the dog is scratching itself.

If you identify any ticks, it is urgent to remove them, as they cause skin lesions and can transmit diseases through their bite. When removing it, have special pay attention if you are removing all the parasite, including the mouth. If it is not removed, it can cause a lump, called a granuloma, which is a result of a reaction and can be painful to touch.

Lump on the dog's rib from warts

They are multiple or isolated lesions, rounded that resemble a cauliflower and which are caused by a papillomavirus. They are usually benign nodules that regress after a few months even without any kind of treatment.


You puppies or older dogs are more affected with this condition as they have a weaker immune system. In young people, its usual location is not on the ribs but on mucous membranes, such as gums, roof of the mouth, tongue, muzzle and limbs. In elderly dogs, they can appear in any region of the body, being more common in the fingers and belly.

A lump in the dog's rib from injections or vaccines

"My dog ​​was injected with a lump" is a question that comes up a lot among concerned tutors. These lumps can arise as a result of injections of drugs or vaccines. They usually appear the day after inoculation and can grow and become painful, but this is not bad administration or less hygienic conditions. It is a local reaction to the product that is inoculated and, often, it is enough to apply ice daily and the stone will disappear in one to two weeks. If it does not disappear at the end of this period, consult your veterinarian.

As the most used places for administration of these substances are the neck and limbs, these are the places where they usually appear. However, they can arise where the injection is given.

A lump in the dog's rib due to allergic dermatitis

Canine dermatitis is characterized by inflammation of skin constituents associated with redness and itch, since there may be bubbles, papules, lumps and alopecia (loss of hair).

Many dogs have an allergic reaction to flea bites and other insects such as bees, mosquitoes or spiders. Certain plants can also provoke this same reaction arising at the contact site.

Lump in the dog's rib due to bruise

Another cause of the question "my dog ​​has a lump in the rib" is bruises. The bruises are circumscribed accumulations of blood that arise after trauma. They may have been the result of a fight, a blow to an object, or a fall.

put some ice in the region to relieve pain and swelling. The bruises can naturally regress after a few days or, conversely, it may be necessary to medicate the animal and drain the bruise, as is done when treating an abscess.

Lump in the dog's rib due to abscesses

Abscesses in dogs are encapsulated accumulations of pus under the skin caused by infectious agents and that result from infections that were caused by an internal or external infection, such as bites or poorly healed wounds.

Generally, when there is an abscess you may notice an increase in local temperature, swelling of the surrounding tissues and, if treatment is not started when detected, it may increase in size and be very painful for the animal. In some cases they end up opening a fissure to drain its contents to the outside and relieve tension, in others it is even necessary to sedate the animal to drain and remove the entire capsule.

Lump in the dog's rib due to sebaceous cysts

Sebaceous glands are glands found near the hair that produce an oily substance, sebum, which lubricates the skin. When there is a blockage in one of these glands, some hard, soft and hairless masses, which resemble a pimple or small lumps. They are usually benign masses, do not cause discomfort to the animal and, therefore, treatment is rarely needed, except for those who are infected and who cause pain.

Many burst naturally and expel a pasty white substance, tallow. Older dogs are the most affected and it is common to see a lump on the dog's rib and back.

Dog rib lump due to canine cutaneous histiocytoma (HCC)

HCC are benign reddish masses of unknown etiology, that is, the cause of the appearance of these masses is unknown. They appear more in puppies and are characterized by small, solitary, rigid, alopecic (hairless) nodules that can ulcerate.

They usually settle on the head, ears or limbs, however they can appear all over the body, such as on the ribs, back and belly.

If your problem is "my dog ​​has a lump in her throat", "my dog ​​has a lump in her belly", "lump in puppy dog ​​head or adult", in this article we explain everything about dog pits.

Lump in dog rib due to tumors

Malignant tumors are usually wounds that do not heal or respond to any antibiotics or anti-inflammatory. They are fast growing and locally invasive, adhering to surrounding tissues. In severe cases, metastasis can occur and spread to other organs and tissues in the body.

It is very important that the animal is seen as soon as possible by the veterinarian, so that he can assess and diagnose if it is a tumor or not. If it is a tumor mass, the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of a cure.

The most common tumors in which the dog has a lump in the rib are as a clinical sign are:

  • Breast cancer (breast cancer): some breast tumors can spread and overlap the ribs, confusing who to touch the region. This is a tumor of the mammary glands very common in older, unsterilized bitches, however males can also be affected and is generally much more aggressive and invasive.
  • Fibrosarcoma: invasive tumors that grow quickly, but which can be confused with accumulations of fat, which is why it is so very important to make the differential diagnosis.
  • Melanoma: skin tumor that manifests as dark lumps.
  • Osteosarcoma: bone tumors that manifest through hard lumps, causing bulges along the bones. They can appear on the ribs, limbs and along the cervical hill.

Lipoma in dog

Finally, lipoma in a dog can be another cause that makes a tutor conclude "my dog ​​has a lump in his rib". They are small deposits of accumulated fat that form lumps of soft consistency, smooth texture, mobile and not painful. They are more common in elderly or obese cats and dogs.

The most common places are the chest (rib), abdomen and limbs. Their size can range from a simple lump of a few centimeters to huge lumps that can frighten any tutor. However, usually the lipoma in dog is harmless condition and it's just an aesthetic matter, unless the location affects the animal's life. Surgery is only necessary if these lumps are causing any kind of discomfort or discomfort to the animal, if they grow quickly, ulcerate, become infected or if your dog constantly licks or bites you.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to My dog ​​has a lump in his rib: causes, we recommend that you enter our Skin Problems section.