My pet had a bump removed. Why do biopsy results take so long?

As the lump as already been removed, it is quite safe to wait that long, the main reason for sending it to the lab is for you to know if it is a benign tumor or a malignant tumor, if it is a malignant tumor, the prognosis will not be good, even if the lump has been removed cleanly. if it is benign then you have very little to worry about.

For now i would not recommend touching it, it's a very problematic location to put anything topical on as she is likely to lick it right away. you need to wait patiently for the biopsy results, as it has been already a week i would recommend calling your vet in order to ask if the results are in already.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The fact that it has been growing slowly is good though it can still be a malignant tumor and removal would be recommended if there is no evidence of cancer spread to other organs. It probably changed in size and shape as a reaction to the aspiration. Given that it is so close to her mammary glands this may be a mammary tumor. Further recommendations would be made after it is removed and the biopsy read out. Good luck and have a great day!

I wish I could give you some piece of mind. Unfortunately it's impossible to say from a picture if it's benign or not. The fact that it's been there for almost a year now and hasn't become much larger is a good sign, but doesn't make cancer impossible. You are definitely making a good decision to have it removed. I'd recommend talking to Precious' vet about your anxiety and see if she could be scheduled sooner for surgery. Maybe a cancellation will come up. I hope you get some good new soon and thanks 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 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!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry Mia is having this issue. If this was a simple injury surely it would have healed by now. The fact that it has been going for a year and is growing, I would recommend you have it surgically removed and sent off to a lab for histopathology. Due to the location of this mass, if it gets much larger it will be harder to remove as there is not a lot of extra skin to close a large incision in that area. This is just my opinion. What the mass actually is though, I cannot say just by looking at a photo. It may be benign but it could also be malignant. The histopathology will tell which it is. It could also be that she has a foreign body (maybe a splinter or something) under the skin that is festering so this may not be a mass at all. It is really difficult for me to say just by looking at the photo. It is a possibility however, I would have expected it to cause more of an infection by now if that was the case. Still a possibility though. You are always welcome to get a second opinion by another vet that can examine her in person. Remember, you know Mia best and need to be her advocate. If you are uncomfortable or have a bad feeling about something then voice those concerns. In my opinion it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are worried then removing the mass is the best option. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. 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 him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. While this could be something benign, there is a possibility of it being malignant which is why it needs to be taken care of. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!