cyst

Question
my dauchshund dog has three very large cysts under his arms he also has three on his stomach and one above his shoulder. sometimes he yelps if I'm picking him up and touch them too hard. Cyst usually aren't that threatening. However the number of them has me worried. Should I be concerned about them?

Answer
Hello Renee, you did not mention how old your dog is.  They usually are harmless, however if your dog is not older than 10 or 11 you might consider having the most troublesome ones removed just for comfort reasons alone.  As far as how many he has, that varies from dog to dog and the only concern is that the more he has the more chances he would have that one might be cancerous.  But again at the age of 12 or older surgery would more than likely not be considered.  Bottom line is if age appropriate for comfort reasons have some removed.  If age is a concern, ask your vet he may consider your dogs health and give you his opinion or whether surgery is recommended or not.  Good Luck and Thanks for asking, Cindy Lou :)