My dog has a cancerous head lump. What to expect from surgery?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think you should have this checked. The fact that it was previously known to be benign, does not mean that now it cannot be malignant. If it has gotten bigger, it would be great to sample it again. I recommend you have Lily evaluated by your veterinarian for a test called fine needle aspirate which is an easy, quick and pain-free procedure which in the majority of cases will help reach a diagnosis to identify what the best course of action is based on the findings. In some cases, a biopsy is needed for a diagnosis. If it truly is benign then removal is not necessarily recommended. However, if it is malignant and it has not spread to other locations, then surgical removal is recommended. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed that it is something benign.

If conventional treatment has not prevented Lacy from getting at the mass, then have her seen by your veterinarian. She may need to have it surgically removed. Once that is done, it can be submitted for pathology to make sure it isn't anything to worry about. It could be a benign skin mass (sebaceous adenoma) that is common in older dogs. Removing it does not guarantee it will not regrow or keep others from popping up.

Most skin cancers will heal completely if they are removed entirely, i would suggest having all the suspected cancerous tumors removed entirely rather than doing a biopsy first, this will be more cost effective.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If the lum has not gotten bigger and remains stable in size and character, I think it is safe to wait until the 18th for removal. Your veterinarian is likely concerned the mass is cancerous. Therefore she is likely recommending removal for a better diagnosis. It really could be anything, from an infected cancerous mass or an infected benign mass. Removal of the mass and sending it for histopathology would be the gold standard for diagnosis and prognosis.

Hello my name is Dr. Elyse Macartney, and I would like to help answer you questions regarding Brandi's skin lump today. First of all thank you for sending the picture of the lump. From the picture you have sent the lump appears to be a skin growth. There are several types off lumps or masses that can grow in the skin of dogs such as sebaceous cysts, warts, abscesses, lipomas, and several types of cancers. Some of these cancers are benign and some are malignant, so careful observation is important, as well as having a vet examine it if you are concerned. My first step of advice for you would be to use a ruler to measure the lump today. Then repeat that measurement every few weeks. Continue to monitor the lump for growth, ulceration, pain, bleeding, swelling, and changes in texture or color. Rapidly growing and changing masses are more concerning, and may be a sign of malignancy. Because this is a new mass and because you have already observed growth, I would suggest taking Brandi in to have the mass examined by her veterinarian. The veterinarian will most likely want to take a sample of the cells within the mass using a FNA (fine needle aspirate). Using cytological examination of those cells, the type of mass can be identified and a treatment plan created. I hope this information was helpful, and I have included the link to further articles below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-on-dogs-when-you-should-be-concerned/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-pets-get-skin-cancer/

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Twix. Mast cell tumors are one of the most common forms of skin cancer in dogs. If the margins were clean (meaning all of the cancerous cells were removed), then the mass should not recur. However, mast cell tumors are one of the more unpredictable types of cancer. I recommend closely monitoring his incision site at home for any regrowth. It is best to see his veterinarian at least every 6 months for an examination. At this visit a thorough physical examination will be performed to search for other masses or enlarged lymph nodes. Blood work should be monitored as well. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you or your veterinarian can do to prevent further growths from forming. If any new new growth is observed, a fine needle aspirate should be performed as soon as possible to determine the type of mass. If it requires surgical removal, it is always best to have it done while small for the best chance of achieving clean margins. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bayley! If the CT scan showed a possible foreign body and the lump significant decreased I would go for the surgery. The only way you are going to know and possibly fix this permanently is to try. I know is is hard to make the decision and scary to put our pets under anesthesia for surgery, but I think it is the only option you have left at this point. The Vet will likely approach it as an enbloc mass removal. Likely to remove the entire swelling and then open it up. If no splinter is found then they should biopsy the tissue. If Bayley did well with anesthesia for the CT scan then she should do well for this. I wish you both the very best!