My dog has growths on his genitals. Could it be a tumor? What's next?

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!

I'm very sorry Matte possibly have TVT! The good news is that is isn't contagious to humans, so you don't have to worry about it spreading to you or anyone else. This type of tumor rarely spreads to other parts of the body, so that's another piece of good news for you. In some dogs, these tumors can spontaneously regress, but it would be best to have it removed. Having it removed may be all that's needed to do to cure Matte of it, so I would speak to your vet about having the lump excised. Given that there is no pathologist who can handle the lump for diagnosis, I think your best bet is to remove the lump completely and see how he goes. I hope this helps you and Matte!

I would have your dog examined by a vet for confirmation that he has TVT. There typically is mass seen on the penis with TVT, and a vet can examine the area for the tumor, and take a biopsy of the mass to confirm he does have TVT. If he does have TVT, some of these tumors spontaneously regress without treatment, but some do have to be removed surgically if the tumor is found to be malignant. With medical treatment, there is an overall good prognosis, so I would recommend having him seen by a vet first to confirm TVT before getting worried. In order for it to be positively confirmed, a biopsy needs to be done, as it's not something that should be diagnosed based solely on blood dripping from the penis. There are other causes of blood dripping from the penis, such as prostate disease, bladder problems, and vigorous semen collection. These should be ruled out as well. The breeder, while they may be well-meaning, would have not have the veterinary training to make a definitive diagnosis of TVT, and you should therefore see your vet for an exam and biopsy before you start to worry :-)

The pictures are not very clear, so it's difficult to tell what this is. There is a natural bump in this location called the bulbous, but it should be uniformly round and smooth in appearance. It's possible that he has a tumor known as a transmissible venereal tumor (TVT), which is occasionally acquired by unnuetered dogs. Below is a link to an article that explains this more. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/transmissible-venereal-tumor It's best to have Archie seen by a vet, so they can have a better look. These TVT's are treatable and will be easier to treat the quicker treatment is started. I hope that helps and all is well with Archie.

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 him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

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. This is not going to away on its own and needs attention. 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 day!

I would recommend having this examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - this sounds like it could be a skin tumor of some kind, but it could also be a localized bacterial infection or some other type of skin condition. He may need antibiotics to treat the problem, or even surgery to remove affected area if a tumor is suspected based on the exam.