My dog has a recurring red lump on her back paw. Is it serious?

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!

This sounds like an abscess or pocket of infection. She may have something in the paw that caused this or it may be from an injury. I recommend a veterinary exam and she will probably need antibiotics. They will check it to see if they can find the cause so it doesn’t happen again. As she’s young I would have this checked right away. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Luna.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Just like you indicated, this could be due to a foreign body getting stuck in the digit though other things like a deep infection or even a growth cannot be ruled out. It could even be secondary to her licking at it. For this reason, it is important to rule those out. I recommend a visit to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!

Hello. In all honesty, all lumps & bumps should be investigated. I can not say with any certainty whether this is a benign or malignant tumor, a cyst or an infection. It really needs a hands on examination, possibly with a small biopsy called a fine needle aspirate, to determine its make-up. If this does need to be removed, the best time to do so is while it is relatively small. I do recommend having this looked at soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can monitor it at home for now. If you see Milo chewing or licking at the spot, place an e-collar (cone) on him. This may be enough to allow for healing. Keep the area clean and dry. If the spot changes rapidly, grows, bleeds or appears infected then you will need to have him examined by your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry Mia is having this issue. If this was a simple injury surely it would have healed by now. The fact that it has been going for a year and is growing, I would recommend you have it surgically removed and sent off to a lab for histopathology. Due to the location of this mass, if it gets much larger it will be harder to remove as there is not a lot of extra skin to close a large incision in that area. This is just my opinion. What the mass actually is though, I cannot say just by looking at a photo. It may be benign but it could also be malignant. The histopathology will tell which it is. It could also be that she has a foreign body (maybe a splinter or something) under the skin that is festering so this may not be a mass at all. It is really difficult for me to say just by looking at the photo. It is a possibility however, I would have expected it to cause more of an infection by now if that was the case. Still a possibility though. You are always welcome to get a second opinion by another vet that can examine her in person. Remember, you know Mia best and need to be her advocate. If you are uncomfortable or have a bad feeling about something then voice those concerns. In my opinion it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are worried then removing the mass is the best option. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is definitely concerning that the lump has increased in size so quickly, as older dogs are typically more likely to develop cancers. The lump can also be an infection or cyst. I recommend having this seen by a vet as soon as possible - they can take a small sample from the growth to determine exactly what it is and recommend the appropriate treatment. I hope all is well!