My senior miniature dachshund has a growth. When should I worry?

This may be a little abscess, a cyst or a tumor (warts are benign tumors, btw.). You should have it examined by your veterinarian, as it is not possible to distinguish these by just looking at a photo. An abscess can usually be treated with antibiotics and/or be lanced, and a cyst can be evacuated. To identify a tumor, your vet may want to do a fine needle aspirate (he takes some material from the bump with a needle and then looks at it under the microscope) to determine whether the mass is concerning.

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!

This is likely just a benign little wart. I would monitor it for growth. If it grows in size or changes in appearance within the next two weeks, take Rocco in for an exam. Of course there is no way to determine from a photo whether this is a benign lump or not, however, old dogs often get warts, and if it does not grow in size or change in color or appearance it is likely not malignant.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like a warty growth called an adenoma. These are normal growths in older pets and are not worrisome. You may find more on Minty as he ages. The skin is fragile so if he scratches them they may bleed, but again, nothing to worry about. Kisses to Minty!

That looks like a mole or wart that is not unusual for older dogs to get. If your vet offers the option of sending them a pic of something since your dog does get so stressed, they may be willing to tell you their opinion based on what they see in the photo. Ideally, it would be seen by your vet for a definitive diagnosis, but you may just want to keep an eye on it. If it abruptly changes size, shape. color, or texture, then you should get it checked by your vet right away.

Hi there and thank you for your post! From your pictures this looks typical of a benign wart like growth thay we see in older dogs. The most common we see is what is called a sebaceous adenoma. Basically a benign growth of the glands in the skin. However, that being said, it requires more than just looking at it to diagnose it. If you want a more specific accurate diagnosis, the most accurate way is to have it removed and to send it out for histopathology (A test to determine what it is). Your vet can also perform an FNA test where a needle is inserted into the mass and looked at under the microscope. If Honey has bad teeth and is in need of a dental cleaning, you could have this removed at the same time and sent out for testing. Let me know if you have any other concerns!

Poor pup! No, I don't think that this looks likely to fall off on its own. In fact, since it has doubled in size and is also open and oozing now, I would consider it even more important to have it surgically removed. It would also be best to have this mass sent off for histopathology to find out if it is cancerous or not, especially given its recent rapid growth.