My older dog has new skin tags and bumps. Should I be concerned?

Yes, this may just be a benign growth like a skin tag, but I cannot make a definitive diagnosis without seeing him in person. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I hope this helps!

I agree that the first picture appears to be a skin tag and the second picture looks like it could be a cyst or perhaps a Sebaceous adenoma. I am not too concerned about these masses, but obviously an examination is far better than an evaluation of a picture. If your veterinarian is concerned they appear small enough that perhaps removal with just a local anesthesia may work. Best of luck and I hope she does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thank you for the image. This is likely a benign skin mass known as a sebaceous adenoma. They are common in older dogs and arise from sebaceous glands in the skin. You would need to have your dog physically examined by your veterinarian for confirmation. Removal is recommended if the lump grows larger or becomes ulcerated, but others may grow in the same spot or different areas. Keep it clean and dry and be careful not to irritate it during grooming/brushing or bathing.

Hello there from across the pond! Lumps and bumps on older dogs are fairly typical and are to be expected with an older pet. By and large, lumps and bumps that are round, smooth, and/or freely movable generally speaking are not causes for alarm. However, lumps and bumps that become red, inflamed, warm to the touch, itchy, have rough edges, are rapidly growing, or have discharge coming from them need to be looked at by a veterinarian and have them assessed. Regardless, I would recommend your veterinarian take a look at Chester and take small sample of the small mass he has and look at it under a microscope. From there, your vet can determine the nature of the mass and if it is concerning. You may also discuss surgical removal of the small mass if that is recommended by your vet. I hope this has helped!

Hi and thank you for posting your question! From the picture, it looks like a skin tag which can grow over time and become larger. Usually these are not anything to worry too much about, although if it starts to become larger, red, swollen, or infected, you may want to have your veterinarian take a closer look. You can always have the mass aspirated and a sample sample taken from it to see if it is anything concerning. That is the only way to really definitively diagnosis any mass. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope this has helped!

It is hard to say for sure by just these pictures but they look like skin tags. If they are hard, growing, bleeding or bothering him, I would have him seen by your vet. Otherwise, you could just watch them for any change. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Diamond. The skin mass on the leg in the picture you submitted appears to be a wart like growth. These are common in older dogs and more tend to appear over time. If this is the growth you are referring to, then they are typically not anything to worry about. The only time I consider surgically removing such a mass is if it bleeds or becomes infected. I hope this information helps!