My senior dog has a bleeding paw growth. Is it serious or urgent?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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. 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!

Unfortunately without seeing Ray in person, there is no way I can diagnose what this growth is on his foot. In a senior dog, however, I would be concerned that it would be cancerous. It could also be a benign growth. The best thing to do is having him seen by a vet on Monday. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the growth to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. The vet most likely will want to remove it, and that will be a surgical procedure to do this, but only your vet can make the best treatment decision for Ray. I'd make an appointment for him for tomorrow. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Hi there! It looks like Marley may have some chronic skin issues, and the growth on his back can definitely be a cyst of some kind. Due to his age, it always good to have senior dogs examined, as their growths could be cancerous. Something like a cyst can be easily removed, and then sent out for biopsy. In the meantime, the growth, since it's bloody and oozing, is almost like an open wound, so he would likely benefit from some medications to apply topically and depending on what the veterinarian says during the exam, maybe some oral medications until the growth stops oozing or can be removed. The darkly pigmented skin on the underside could be from something like chronic skin allergies and scratching, so this is something that I'd have Marley examined for too. I don't think there's a huge rush in getting Marley to the vet, but I'd make sure he has an exam within a few days for the reasons I mentioned above. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This lump/bump/growth should be ideally examined by your local vet to have a diagnosis established. Your vet may want to perform an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy to sample the bump and determine its underlying nature. Differentials would include skin cysts, infections, benign or more malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Ouch! I would have the growth checked out by your vet to figure out what it is and get it treated. Until you can get to the vet, you can place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Max to keep him from pawing at it and making it more irritated. You can also use a clean washcloth to gently remove any debris if there is buildup. If the area becomes rapidly worse, or is very bothersome to Max, having it seen sooner is best.

Hi Bruce! I’m sorry Gus had a growth there. It could be something like a cyst but in a dog his age, there is a chance it could be something serious like a malignant tumor. This really does have to be checked out by a vet, especially since it is growing quickly. Since money is tight, maybe you can ask your vet about a payment plan for him. I would take him into a vet on Monday. I hope this helps.

This is definitely a mass, however it is not possible to say whether it is benign or malign from a photo. Your vet will likely suggest the complete surgical removal of this mass. He may also suggest a biopsy or a fine needle aspirate (FNA) where some tissue of the mass is removed and then either sent in to a laboratory or examined under the microscope. This will help determine whether this is a malignant mass or a harmless one.