My dog has a bleeding, smelly black growth on her neck. What is it?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Looking at the picture you attached, it could be a couple of things. It could be a benign mass, like a skin tag, that has become irritated. There is unfortunately also a type of skin cancer called hemangiosarcoma that can look like this though. I would recommend taking her into your vet. They will likely ask you how long it has been there, about any changes in size/shape, and recommend a small skin biopsy. I hope this answers your question.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an infection. This cannot be completely assessed just by looking at pictures or reading 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 night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you have provided, this could be a cancerous tumor that has become infected. This should be examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. It is likely he needs to have surgery to help try and resolve this. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello, Unfortunately, the only remedy for this is to have it surgically removed . Otherwise it will continue to be infected and cause problems. The sooner it gets addressed, the better because the bigger it gets, the more difficult the surgery will be. Once it is removed, your veterinarian can send it off to determine if it was benign or malignant. Try to get an appointment with your veterinarian soon because it is likely already infected if it has a bad odor. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

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 Gunnar 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! I recommend taking Sable to the vet to look at the growth closer and find out what it is. The vet can stick a needle in it and look at the cells under a microscope to determine if it’s cancerous or not. Because the tissue/skin is fragile it likely won’t stop bleeding and may need to be surgically removed. I would leave it alone until the vet looks at it so you don’t disrupt the blood clot that forms. Good luck and kisses to Sable!