My dog has a berry-like lump on his leg. Could it be skin cancer?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sadly a lot of skin masses can look the same. It could be a Mast Cell tumor (which is a cancerous growth that should be removed and biopsied), a cyst, a histiocytoma (though he is a bit old for that, they end to occur in younger dogs). Any skin bumps that is new, rapidly grows, changes or is possibly infected should be checked by a Vet. They can decide whether it should be aspirated and sent to the lab or removed surgically to send the entire specimen for biopsy. I hope this helps and I wish Boston the very best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Maddy evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This does not mean that he is getting cancer necessarily. It could be a change in pigmentation. The lump may be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an infection. This cannot be completely assessed just by looking at pictures or a description and usually requires sampling such as fine needle aspiration to determine its origin. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

This lump under Behr's skin is most likely something benign like a cyst or lipoma, however there is a small chance it could be something cancerous. At such a young age cancer is unlikely but not impossible. If the growth doesn't go away within a few days or it gets larger it would be a good idea to have Behr examined by a veterinarian. If necessary a small needle aspirate can be taken from the lump and looked at under the microscope to determine if it should be removed surgically. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope the small lump ends up being a benign growth!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Marvin has been going through so many issues. It does appear that he has developed a growth on his back leg, and I do recommend all abnormal growths be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if they are benign (non-cancerous) or not. While it could be a cyst, insect bite, or wart, there are certain types of skin cancer (such as mast cell tumors) that can look similar to what you are seeing. I would recommend Marvin see his regular veterinarian and have a needle aspirate to help determine what the growth might be, and determine any further treatment that may be needed. Good luck!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. This looks to be a histiocytoma tumor which is a benign tumor commonly found on the limbs and face of dogs. It is a benign tumor that usually will regress on its own within a few weeks/months with no treatment. Of course, I am just guessing. It is impossible to diagnose these things via the internet with just a photo. Here is an information sheet about histiocytomas in dogs for you to read. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/skin-cutaneous-histiocytoma ) He should not be licking the tumor - if he is, you need to get him a cone collar to wear to stop that behavior. If he is just licking the paw, that is not likely related to the tumor and is a different issue. As always, if you are worried, you should take him to your vet for an exam. Best wishes.

Thank you for providing a picture of Diesel's lump! It looks like it could be a histocytoma, which is a benign tumor, but without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain. Histocytomas typically resolve on their own in a few months, but given that it seems to be getting bigger, I would recommend having him seen by a vet on Monday for it. The vet can do a fine needle aspirate to confirm if it is a histiocytoma or not. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. If it is a histiocytoma, the vet may want to wait to see if it resolves, or can discuss removing it surgically. I hope this helps!