My dog has a growth, vet wants removal & teeth. Should I get a second opinion?

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!

I'm sorry that Foofie has a tumor! Given that she is very active and if she is otherwise healthy, I see no reason why the tumor can't be removed. The growth of this tumor is affecting her teeth, and it could affect them to the point she has difficulty eating. Not eating would lead her to be very weak and sick, and you want to avoid that. You can have the first vet doing a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis to see how her organs are functioning overall, which would give an idea of how she would fair under anesthesia for the tumor removal. Personally if it were my dog, I would have it removed, but that's me. I would have another conversation with the first vet. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see well in this picture but 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. There is no at home therapy for growths. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. There is a chance that this is benign and does not need any therapy. Good luck and have a good day!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the pictures I see what you are worried about. Possible causes of the mass are: a benign over growth of gum tissue, an epulis, or cancerous growths. Some epulids are: Fibromatous, ossifying, and acanthomatous. Acanthomatous epuli, in particular, are highly invasive to the bone and are usually located on the front part of the lower jaw. It is sadly impossible to tell from just looking at the mass to say what it could be. I recommend you make an appointment with your Vet. Lucky will have to go under anesthesia, have dental X-rays taken of the area and the mass biopsied or removed, if able. I hope this helps! I wish Lucky the best!

I highly recommend removal especially since the salivary gland is that large. I would have a consult with a boarded surgeon and see their opinion but I would not hesitate removing it in Spike. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Sophia. It looks like it could be a hemangioma (benign), however given her age and the appearance of the tumor, there is also a chance it could be more aggressive such as hemangiosarcoma (malignant). It would likely need to be removed and sent for biopsy to confirm/rule-out the presence of cancer. If you feel like your primary care veterinarian did not answer all of your questions, then you may indeed seek a second opinion. The appearance of this mass does warrant further diagnostics of it, especially if this mass has developed suddenly. These masses as they continue to grow, may occasionally bleed intermittently or have discharge. Hope this helps and best of luck.

I'm sorry to hear about Stephanie's problem. To know for sure what the type of growth is and what to expect from it, a pathologist should look at a sample of the tissue from a surgical biopsy. Without this info, we are just guessing by its appearance, rate of growth and our experience. I am very concerned by the appearance of this mass and the rapid growth after it was initially removed. It is suggestive of a malignant mouth cancer. These are typically very aggressive and very difficult to treat. Your best bet is to ask your veterinarian to refer you to a veterinary oncologist. This is a specialized doctor that can give you the best treatment options. My guess is that they could combine radical surgical resection of the growth and the portion of the jaw that it is growing from. This may be preceded by or followed by radiation treatment. They can go over the prognosis and what exactly to expect, but your regular veterinarian is probably limited to the surgery that was already done. It can be repeated, but the outcome will be the same....rapid tumor re growth. Ask your veterinarian if there is a good specialist that you can see to find out all of your options and decide if treatment is feasible.