All new lumps need to be examined by veterinarian. A fine needle aspirate will be performed--this is a procedure where a small needle is inserted into the mass and cells are collected for examination under the microscope. There are several things a lump in this area could be. It is possible this is a swollen lymph node--there are many things that cause enlarged lymph nodes. It could be a swollen salivary gland, cyst, abscess, or mass (benign or malignant). These problems have different causes and different treatment plans so it is important to identify the lump.
