My dog's eye spot is growing. Is it melanoma? What should I do?

My last visit to my dog's ophthalmologist was quite a bit less than surgery would be to remove his eye, so before making any rash decisions, I would find out the cost of seeing the ophthalmologist. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to determine if a mass in the anterior chamber is an iris cyst (which is benign) or a melanoma, but one trick is that an iris cyst may move in the eye. So if Tia is on her back, does the mass move? If so, be sure to give your doctor that information. I wish I had a simple answer for you, but I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would recommend to have this checked out by her vet who may recommend removal. Melanomas are not super common in dogs but they can present as a dark colored mass. That being said, just because a growth is dark colored does not mean its a melanoma. The doctor may also recommend to aspirate the mass first (if possible pending consistency of mass and pet temperament) to look at the cells and determine the origin of the mass. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This looks like an infected meibomian cyst. These are common and usually don't cause a problem. If it enlarges or causes excessive tearing or eye irritation then we usually remove them. Do keep an eye on the black spot as sometimes these can become cancerous. From the photo though it's nothing to be overly concerned about. Should it change or enlarge please get a veterinary exam. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Archie's.

Hello. That looks like a small growth/tumor that originated in a tear-producing gland. Without an actual biopsy, we cannot say the exact type or if it is benign/malignant. However, the majority are Meibomian Gland Adenomas and typically are benign. They can bleed, cause inflammation or infection and, if large enough, can irritate or even scratch the cornea. They can be a nuisance. Monitor for squinting, pain, rubbing the eye or chronic discharge. Some need to be removed surgically. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Previous eye trauma can lead to scar tissue formation on the cornea, which can sometimes become a dark pigment. As long as the eye is not red and Otis does not seem to have eye pain, I would hust monitor this for now. If it becomes larger or new symptoms develop, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

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. This will likely require sedation because of the location of the growth. 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 Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. In pugs, this is a normal thing to see. There is increased pigmentation (melanin) deposited on the eye. Pugs can develop pigmentary keratitis, in which a dark film develops over the eye itself. This does not cause any pain and unfortunately there is nothing you can do to make this go away or slow down the progression. If the eye becomes irritated, you can use steroid drops. Something that a vet would need to prescribe Dexter after examining him. 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.