My dog has black spots on his face that won't heal. Is it cancer?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These are likely patches of hyperpigmentation. However, continue to monitor them closely because sometimes skin cancer such as melanoma can start like that. If these ever become raised or seem to bother him or appear to be spreading, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check on it and sample to get a diagnosis. Best of luck!

I would recommend a vet visit for Marley. It may only be a cystic growth which is benign but dogs can develop melanoma or other cancers so having it assessed would be best. The vet may recommend a biopsy with histopatholigy to determine what the growth it. It is not an emergency that would need to be seen today but I would recommend having it evaluated soon. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This looks like a mild bacterial skin infection. Dogs can get this from laying on damp ground. Often it will go away on its own. You can bathe the area with antibacterial shampoo once or twice weekly to help it heal more quickly. Since she’s not bothered by it I’m not overly concerned. Should it worsen please take her in for an exam. She may need oral antibiotics if is gets bad. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Marley.

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree this sounds concerning and I recommend to have Kobe examined by the veterinarian. With the history of a recurrent mass/injury, I'm concerned there is an underlying reason. There are a few reasons and one can be quite serious: a skin cancer called a Mast Cell Tumor. Testing for this skin cancer is generally easy thankfully. Kobe shouldn't need sedation or stitches as long as he will stay still for a quick needle poke. In the mean time, you'll want to protect the lesion from infection. 1. Stop any licking (since this can make it worse) - Kobe should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. - Remember that the collar must come out past his nose in order to be effective. 2. Next, wash the area once a day with either plain hand soap (like Dial) or a medicated pet shampoo. Rinse the area well and gently towel dry. -This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. 3. Lastly, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day to the red areas. Make sure the skin is dry before application. -Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Neosporin is fine to use. 4. Keep the paw clean and dry *Always wear gloves to handle this lesion and wash your hands afterwards. I hope things get figured out quickly! Sincerely, Dr. Elizabeth

Based on your photos, it appears that Marley has a skin infection. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at this so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! If you are unable to get to a veterinarian right away, I would recommend the below following products which can be found online quite easily. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination and bathe twice weekly until resolved 2. Douxo PS Calm mousse and apply once daily until resolved 3. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules and give as directed on bottle 4. Malacetic conditioning spray and apply to affected area twice daily until resolved 5. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lala. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Melanoma can appear as a dark bleeding skin mass. This is not always the case though. She will likely need a procedure known as a fine needle aspirate. The veterinarian will use a small needle to collect a sample of cells to evaluate under the microscope. This can help to determine if the mass is cancerous or not. If not, treatment might not be needed. However, if it continues to bleed or appears cancerous, then surgical removal is warranted. I hope this information!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is possible that this spot is part of Honey Boy's normal pigmentation of his skin. If you believe that this spot has appeared rapidly or suddenly, and if it is changing in size or appearance, I recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to have it examined. Otherwise, you can monitor the spot over time and look for changes. Pigmented areas on the skin can be benign, but unfortunately, they could also indicate malignant forms of cancer, such as melanoma. Your veterinarian will be able to examine the area, and can take a biopsy of the site to send for histopathology to determine what cell types are present. I hope this is helpful!