My Boxer has moles or bumps. Are they normal, or should I see a vet?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A lot if skin bumps can look the same. But for a young dog and the location of it being on a leg it is likely a benign growth called a histiocytoma. They usually spontaneously regress in a few months. The other possibility is a Mast cell tumor, which can be common in Boxers. If the bump grows larger or doesn't go away in 2-3 months I would have your Vet examine it and consider aspirating it to see what it could be. It is never wrong to get it looked at sooner either! I hope this helps!

I'm sorry to hear Molly has a growth. I would recommend she be seen by her regular veterinarian. Boxers are predisposed to a type of skin cancer known as a mast cell tumor. Your regular veterinarian should be able to determine with a needle aspirate if this bump is a mast cell tumor or not, and the necessary next steps to take. As they are curative if caught and removed early, I would recommend she be seen as soon as you can to determine if it is a problem for her or not. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to an allergic reaction. I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian. If this is confirmed, they would likely start him on anti-histamine medications and steroids which can help with an allergic reaction. Best of luck!

Hello If possible a photograph of this lump would be helpful. It could be a lipoma (a harmless fatty tumor) but Boxers are known for developing mast cell tumors on their skin. Those types of tumors need to be removed as they can cause issues with the GI tract and even anaphylactic reactions.

Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I'd give Lilly's vet a call in the morning to make her an appointment.

Boxers are very prone to skin and other forms of cancer. While this looks well defined I recommend a veterinary exam and possibly a biopsy to see if it’s cancer. They can remove the bump and check her eyes and the other skin mass at the same time. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Diamond.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My dog gets these. He has had them on his legs and they would bleed occasionally especially during a bath. They tend to be benign growths. I don;t like your description of the one on the face that increases and decreases in size though. That sounds like the behavior of a mast cell, which boxers tend to get. If it looks like the one in the picture it could increase and decrease in size based on the blood inside the mass. The only way to fix them is to remove them, which is what I did for my dog. Sadly they will develop more over time. I would take Kate to your Vet and have them examine the areas and discuss removal. I wish you and Kate the best!