My senior Shih Tzu has a dark lump between his nails. Is it cancer?

This growth could be benign or malignant. 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. Give Momo's vet a call in the morning to make her an appointment.

Thank you for providing a picture of Mia's lump! It could be a benign tumor, a cyst, or a malignant tumor. Unfortunately in a senior dog, there is always a chance it could be malignant. 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 it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would take her into the vet in the next couple of days to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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. Common tumors in this region include melanomas, squamous cell carcinomas, mast cell tumors and soft tissue sarcomas, among others. 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. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Sam is at an age where a lump could be malignant, and I don't like the way this looks in your picture. I cannot diagnose malignancy from a picture, however. 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. Give his vet a call in the morning to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for your post! From your pictures this looks typical of a benign wart like growth thay we see in older dogs. The most common we see is what is called a sebaceous adenoma. Basically a benign growth of the glands in the skin. However, that being said, it requires more than just looking at it to diagnose it. If you want a more specific accurate diagnosis, the most accurate way is to have it removed and to send it out for histopathology (A test to determine what it is). Your vet can also perform an FNA test where a needle is inserted into the mass and looked at under the microscope. If Honey has bad teeth and is in need of a dental cleaning, you could have this removed at the same time and sent out for testing. Let me know if you have any other concerns!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Princess and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, this lump may be concerning as she is a senior dog and there is a chance it could be malignant. 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. Give her vet a call in the morning to get her an appointment. I hope this helps!

I would recommend that you have a vet check out this lump on Snowball. I am concerned that the pigmentation may mean that it could be a cancerous growth. Dogs can get melanoma, and mast cell tumors can get large and shrink repeatedly. The vet may do a needle biopsy to collect cells for examination under a microscope or recommend removing the entire lump to submit to a lab for a final diagnosis.