My dog has bumps. Vet suspects TVT. Should I get a biopsy first?

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. 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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be benign or malignant growths. This could even be an infection. This cannot be completely assessed just by looking at pictures or a description and usually requires sampling such as fine needle aspiration to determine its origin. 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!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to see that your dog is getting these bumps. Any bump or mass on a dog should be examined by a veterinarian in person. Your vet can perform an exam and a fine-needle aspirate of the mass - where he/she uses a needle and syringe to sample cells from the mass and look at them under a microscope. This way, your veterinarian can determine what type of mass that is and then recommend treatment. I hope this is helpful!

Based on previous diagnostics I would proceed with a biopsy ( a larger sample) as well as a culture and sensitivity. If there is growth on the sample, I would proceed with a longer duration of antibiotics as indicated. It may be worthwhile in the interim to start a low dose of steroids to reduce any inflammatory/allergic response, but I would only start after collecting a good biopsy and culture. This could be an infection, but it is also possible that it is a type of neoplasia like lymphoma or mast cell and a larger sample is likely needed to determine.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It depends on the Vet's experience with reading cytology. Most Vets send out their cytology samples to a specialist who is trained to read them. Mast cell tumors have a classic look and tend to be one of the easier tumors to diagnose. You could ask your Vet to send the slides out since that only takes 1-2 days to get them back but sometimes aspirates do not get you an answer. I know you have surgery set up and a biopsy planned. That is the best thing for Precious, to get the mass off and know what it is. It has a high chance of being benign. It is a good thing it hasn't grown much. I wish you the best!

Hello. These are probably benign, but since they are pigmented, I would recommend checking them out. A biopsy of one of them should confirm what the rest are & if a treatment plan is indicated, your veterinarian will know exactly what to do, even if it is just a watch & wait on the bumps. Please see your veterinarian at your earliest convenience. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.