My dog has an ulcerated skin growth. When should I see a vet?

I recommend to take Greta to see her veterinarian. While most skin masses are benign, masses that a red/pink, hairless and raised are a concern for a malignant skin tumor called a Mast Cell tumor. It also appears as though this mass is ulcerated regardless and it needs to be removed. Once masses grow to the point of ulceration, they will heal and break open over and over again which can make them prone to infections not to mention oozing/bleeding. Just like with a human, the doctor will likely take a sample of the mass or remove the mass entirely and microscopically exam it. Thats the only way to know what it is accurately. In the mean time, protect the mass from trauma and wash it daily with an antibacterial hand soap (rinse it well). You can apply a small amount of coconut oil and rub it well into the skin. This may help the wound to heal a little faster. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!

Thank you for sending the pictures! From what I can see, it looks like this lesion is only affecting the outermost skin layers, with the underlying tissue layers remaining intact. It's certainly possible that this lesion is from a traumatic injury, like the rubber bullet you'd mentioned, but it's equally possible that this is an infectious condition, like mange or ringworm. Since there is a good bit of skin damage that's bloody, it stands to reason that this type of lesion could become infected rather quickly, particularly if Crimson is licking at it at all. Even though we're now several days past the initial injury, I still recommend taking Crimson to her vet for an in person exam to thoroughly assess this lesion. Your vet may need to do some diagnostic testing to rule out infectious issues. Depending on their exam findings, your vet may need to prescribe oral antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory medications to aid in the healing process. Until your vet visit, be sure to prevent Crimson from licking at this lesion at all by putting an e-collar (cone) on her. I hope that she's on the mend soon!

It looks like that growth has ulcerated, meaning the skin has become too thin and weak because of growth of the mass and is starting to break in places. It needs to be removed surgically at this point. When it's removed, it can also be sampled to determine what sort of mass it is and if further treatment is needed. It could definitely be a fatty tumor still. It's also possible to get incorrect results from a fine need aspirate, so it could be something else. Regardless, Kyo definitely needs some help with it now. Good luck and thanks for using Pet Coach.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The end of the nodule seems to have an ulcerated appearance which concerns me. Definitely have your vet take a look at this. I would recommend removal & having the tissue sent for pathology for identification. It looks like a full excision should be curative. Hope this helps. Take care.

I'd have to say that I'm concerned about that focal mass area that is pigmented black, but the rest of this lesion does not look like any type of skin cancer I have seen. If the vet is concerned that this is cancer, typically we debulk (remove as much as possible) or completely remove what we can before attempting chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is also best guided when we know exactly the type of tumor we are dealing with, as there are several types of cancers that can affect the skin of dogs. My advice would be to get a biopsy performed of this lesion and get an exact diagnosis before proceeding with treatment.

The tumor has become very ulcerated and necrotic. It needs to be removed, likely by a specialist. In the meantime, she should wear a cone to prevent licking and a t-shirt to prevent it from rubbing on the ground. She may need antibiotics to treat any underlying infection and pain medication. I would have her assessed by a veterinarian asap.

Good Morning, Sorry to see Baby Boo is having problems. This growth looks like it could be a small growth or tumor, especially since it appears raised and ulcerated and is not going away. Normally, your local veterinarian will examine the lesion and perform tests to see if it is in fact cancer, then recommend removal and laboratory tests to confirm what type of growth. In some cases, your veterinarian will simple recommend removal or an excision biopsy to send off for a histopathology report. In all cases, the sooner the growth is examined and removed the better chance of complete removal and complete recovery without it coming back. From my initial view of the picture, it looks like you need to get an appointment and have it check soon, but looks like everything will go great based on the location and age of your dog. Best of luck, and thank you for the question. Steve Popish, DVM.