Lump on her rib cage

by Tonya
(North Richland Hills, Texas)

I have a new 6 week old great dane puppy. She just had her shots Friday and today is Tuesday.

Last night I noticed a fairly large lump on her rib cage. I touched it and it doesn't seem to bother her at all.

Please advise as to what this may be, and if it will go away.



Hi Tonya
One lump, especially in that location, isn't likely to be connected to her puppy shots. If there were several lumps, or hives, that could indicate an allergic reaction, but I kind of doubt that with just the one.

It could be a reaction to an injury (if he's been playing with other pups/dogs and maybe got nipped), or to a flea bite or something similar. Or it could be a sebaceous cyst or some other sort of 'lump or bump'. It's impossible for me to tell I'm afraid, and I'd recommend having your vet take a look if it doesn't disappear within a day or two, or if the are looks red or inflamed which could be signs of an infection.

There is one other possibility and it kind of depends on when/how the lump is visible. If you only notice it when he's in certain positions (when he's bent over and eating etc.), then it could be a 'floating rib'. The first time I saw this was with an Italian Mastiff pup of mine, it looked like a big lump on his ribcage and was especially noticeable when he was eating.

Apparently this is just a kind of extra piece of rib bone (I had my vet take a look!), which although it doesn't actually 'float' it is kind of loose or mobile. As your pup is a giant breed and probably similar in body type to my Mastiff right now, I wonder if perhaps that's what you're seeing.

Anyway, if you're concerned I would definitely recommend having your vet examine him, it's always better to be safe than sorry!