What happens if my senior dog's testicular tumor is left untreated?

This depends on whether the mass is on the scrotal skin or actually on the testicle itself. If a tumor is on the testicle then the whole testicle should be removed. If it is on the skin then the testicle does not need to be removed, but sometimes this is a hard area to perform a wide excision without removing the whole scrotum. Your dog is very young, has this mass been confirmed as a tumor by non invasive means first, like a needle aspirate? Given the age investigating in a non invasive way prior to any invasive treatment is recommended. As well, if a tumor is diagnosed, then staging to make sure there is no spread would be important prior to surgery. Also, if your pet does have a tumor then breeding a pet with a history of a tumor is not recommended. Consultation with a boarded veterinary oncologist and/or boarded veterinary surgeon in your area may be helpful before making a final treatment plan. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

A testicular tumor will need to be removed surgically by a veterinarian. This is a relatively simple procedure, usually achieved by castration. Re the mass at the belly button: This may be an umbilical hernia which can be fixed at the same time as the tumor is removed. If you gently press on the mass and it can be pushed back into the abdomen, it is a hernia. Both of these conditions need to be fixed surgically.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Harvey. There is no way to know how large the tumor will grow. Some seem to grow rapidly and then slow down. Others will continue to enlarge, rupture and keep growing. It sounds like he still has a great quality of life though. This is what matters. Enjoy this time with him!

Dogs can get testicular cancer that could cause one to enlarge. The good news is the this can usually be cured with neutering (removing the testicles). It also could be due to inflammation or infection. With surgical removal this should not shorten Skilo's life span. Neutering is a routine surgery with minimal pain and a quick recovery. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Skilo.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Technically, there are no benign testicular tumors that happen commonly though the ones that do happen do not tend to have an aggressive course even though they are malignant. Common ones include seminomas and Sertoli cell tumors. Have a great day!

I am so sorry, but there is nothing you can do at home for this, other than try to keep it clean if it breaks open and bleeds (which it looks like it could do at any time). Short of taking her in, there really just aren’t any options... this would require surgical removal. If she’s comfortable, eating, and happy, it’s not wrong to just love on her for the time she has left and not pursue treating the tumor. Again, I’m sorry I don’t have more options to offer you. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see that Jake has a very large, round, well demarcated growth on his side. While it is impossible to tell exactly what type of tumor it is and give a prognosis following removal, it is likely that removing the tumor will make him more comfortable. Depending on the approach, the surgical site may be rather large and require some care and pain management at home. As long as Jake is otherwise healthy, surgery and anesthesia are relatively safe as well. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!