growth on tail

The senior peke i adopted just over a month ago, is making me quite upset once again. I swear, i feel that this dog just has everything going against him.
He was sitting on my lap, and i was petting him, and i noticed something odd on his tail, close to his lower back. it is a dark coloured and somewhat bumpy raised surface, larger then the size of a toonnie. I don't know why I have never noticed it before, perhaps since his fur is so long.
Just wondering if anyone can tell me what the best scenario and worst scenario would be.
My husband thinks it is a tumor, and that he does not want to do anything (yet) about it. That in itself hurts my feelings beyond belief. he says we have given him a good home, and when we adopted him, he was on his last leg, and that there is not much we can do about it, and that he will probably get a lot more since he is so old. Sure, in the past month, we have spent over $1,000 on him (hubby does not know that amount!) but i wish i could do something about.
I want to take him to the vet on friday, and find out then what it is, and if it is treatable, and so on. In the end, money is an issue (with dh).
Perhaps it is nothing, but i highly doubt it.
Any thoughts would be really appreciated.

I have no idea what it is, but tumours are not usually bumpy (I don't think)

I just want to say that I think you are AMAZING!! And this little dog is so very lucky to have found you!! :thumbs up

Thanks LR. I am hoping that it is just a non life-threatening cyst or something like that.

He has a vet appointment for next Saturday (30th). I hate how they are so booked! I am the kind of person who will go to a different vet if my original vet is booked, but i wont this time, as i don't think it is too urgent (and neither did the receptionist).
I just know one thing, i will never become a neglectful owner (whether dh likes it or not) as i could never live with myself knowing i might have been able to do something about it.

Perhaps it is something as simple as a seasonal allergy. I know my spaniel used to get a lumpy bump by the tail just before his psoriasis flared each summer. I hope it is minor. You seem to be a wonderful dog owner. He's lucky to have you.

Just a quick update.

Poko went to the vet on Saturday, and ALL IS WELL! The vet said the bump is related to his late nueter (he was neutered recently, and he is a senior) and that i just have to keep it clean. I love how easy that is, but does anyone know anything of this type of growth/lump? The vet called it a hormone related lump, and now that i am online, i wanted to do some research on it, but can't find anything. Can anyone help?

**Just wanted to add, that the bump is in fact the same colour as his skin. It was dark and lumpy/scaly before, and not to gross anyone out, the darkness was just because it was kinda crusty (okay very crusty). Once i first spotted it, i did not want to touch it as i was not sure if it was painful. I saw the real colour after i cleaned it WELL.

OH! I know what that is! It's like the "stud tail" found in intact male cats, but dogs can get it too!

That area has a large number of specialized oil glands, and if they over produce, you get this stud tail.

Just keep the area washed and dry, since this is more of an annoyance than a real problem. I would not put any cream or oinment, since they are oily and won't help.

Glad it's something so minor!!:)

Thanks lucky rescue! I am very relieved it is not a big deal, and that i can treat it all by myself. Once i took some salt-water to it (i hope saltwater is okay to clean it with!) i could not believe how gross the "before" was. I just did not want to touch it until he went to the vet, because in my mind, i was certain that it was really painful for him.
Does it ever go away?

It "should" go away. Since he was recently neutered, it's possible all the hormones are not yet gone.

Even if it doesn't disappear entirely, it should certainly lessen!

I would not use salt water, but a benzoyl peroxide cleanser. This is mildly astringent and will dry the area up.:)

Can i get this type of cleanser at any drug store? Is it with the acne products? Thanks again!

I"m sure you can get it at the pharmacy. Just read the ingredients - yeah, it's probably with the acne soap, or shampoo!:)