My senior dog has a painless growth on his tail. Is it an age spot?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not possible to know for sure what it is without being able to evaluate it under the microscope. 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 his evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like some form of skin growth. These skin tags are usually benign and may just fall off leaving small skin sore but Lucky will need to be fully examined by a vet to make the final diagnosis. Please, take your dog to your local vets tomorrow for an appointment. Your vet may want to remove it under local anaesthesia if it is painful for Lucky

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!

Thank you for providing pictures of the lump on Skip's tail. It is possible, given his age, that he could have a malignant tumor causing the lump. It could also be a benign tumor. I would not rush him into an ER vet tonight, but I would have him seen by a vet tomorrow if possible for a fine needle aspirate. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump 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. Once the cause of the lump is found, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I hope this helps :-)

Hello. From the photo that you provided, this looks like a growth that may be benign or malignant. It may also be a cyst. Your veterinarian can try to do a fine needle aspirate on the lump in order to determine if it is urgent to surgically remove it. As to whether the hot spot caused it…. that is not likely. Your pet may be licking or chewing at it and it may have had some part in causing the hotspot, but I cannot say for sure. Your next step should be trying to determine if surgery is needed to remove it. Your veterinarian can help you with that. Thank you.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. These could also be abscesses based on your description. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Saffie evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. 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 night!